The Edmonton Oilers are near the top of the entire NHL when it comes to the amount allocated to the salary cap ceiling for the upcoming season. According to Puckpedia, the club is fourth amongst the league as they are at $95.27 million against the cap, leaving them with only $226,000 in available space.
This is not unique given where the team is at in their competitive window, as perennial cup contenders in the truest sense of the phrase. Two of the three teams ahead of them are the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers, both teams having been the last two Stanley Cup Champions. The Golden Knights won in 2023 and the Panthers won the last two, in 2024 and 2025, against the Oilers both times unfortunately.
The Oilers should be able to accrue cap space throughout the season which is a positive to their current situation but that accruement will only allow them to afford a $1 million player or less at the deadline. At both of the past two deadlines the club was quite active, acquiring well over $1 million in key player acquisitions adding; Adam Henrique, Troy Stecher, Sam Carrick, Jake Walman, and Trent Frederic.
In order to be big players at the deadline — which they may have to with the amount of turnover on their roster — the team may need to shed some cap off their books. They already did some work in this department, ridding themselves of the contracts of Viktor Arvidsson and Evander Kane this summer.
There have also been rumors that general manager Stan Bowman and his front office staff would like to add another top-six forward which will not come cheap in both cap and cost of acquisition. Luckily, there are a few players who may be expendable that would help to allow the team to shed some salary.
Brett Kulak, D
Brett Kulak was acquired by his hometown Oilers in 2022 and has been a reliable bottom-pair defenseman throughout his tenure in Oil Country. After his stint with the club following his acquisition at the deadline, he signed a four-year contract carrying $2.75 million annual average value (AAV).
Although his cap hit is not unreasonable, given his spot in the lineup, it does make him a little bit more expendable. His salary is $500,000 below his cap hit which could make a slightly more attractive option to a team that has an internal budget. As well with the team adding Jake Walman at this past deadline and with some key free agent signings, he may find himself on thin ice.
Mattias Janmark, F
Janmark was signed by the Oilers during the 2022 offseason to fill a depth role with the club. He has shown some secondary/tertiary scoring ability in his career, consistently pacing at or near the 30-point mark. However, he has mostly been utilized as a depth defensive forward, logging minutes on the penalty kill.
The Oilers have a number of players who fit this mold in their bottom-six and as the most expensive of the bunch, carrying a $1.45 million AAV for the next two seasons, he could be expendable. He does have a 10-team no-trade list but with 22 teams available, the Oilers should be able to find a trade partner if need be.
Adam Henrique, F
Trading Adam Henrique seems like the path of most resistance for the team to go down. Not only does he carry the highest cap hit of the three players mentioned but he is an NHL veteran at 35 and has a full no-movement clause. This means the team would have to get Henrique’s full approval before trading him. As well, he is a faceoff specialist and a steadying defensive forward who is one of their top penalty killers.
However, Henrique showed signs of slowing down last year, potting only 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 81 games albeit in a bottom-six role. There is one year remaining on his deal and with the risks of Henrique’s game completely deteriorating, he should be mentioned as a possibility even with the unlikeliness of it.
Jake Walman, D
Last but not least, Jake Walman is always an option. However, I see him as the “smash glass in case of emergency” kind of option. Like, the Oilers have the ability to acquire a true stud but just need Walman’s $3.4 million cap hit to be cleared off the books. He was just traded for in March and with his great fit alongside long time Oilers defender, Darnell Nurse I do not see a reason to move him and would not consider him expendable. He should not be an untouchable though, which is why he lands here.
Walman is a slick and smooth offensive defender who rose to prominence doing the “griddy” after scoring goals as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. He was also seen as expendable because the Wings needed the roster spot and space and felt that he would be blocking someone like Simon Edvinsson from getting ice time. In a similar situation, if the club’s recent signee, Atro Leppanen is able to turn heads at camp and demand roster consideration, Walman may once again be deemed expendable.