The Edmonton Oilers have had many criticisms levied against their roster since winning the 2015 NHL Draft Lottery and the right to draft generational talent, Connor McDavid first overall.
Between their defence not being good enough or their goaltending not being good enough, we can argue the validity. One critique that has possibly been the most valid has been the lack of depth throughout the lineup.
Many times the team is too top-heavy with McDavid and fellow star Leon Draisaitl carrying much of the workload between the two of them. This is bound to happen when you have two players who are as skilled as them but it has been a concern that goes back a long time.
However, it seems like this is going to end this upcoming year for the 2025-26 season. The team finally has a solid youth movement starting and between some big trades for high end prospects — especially acquiring top NHL prospect Ike Howard this summer — and some savvy free agent signings, the team has added a lot of talent around the periphery of their roster.
Oilers rookies look to make a big impact
The Oilers seem poised to include two rookies in their opening night lineup and could possibly have even more. In the past 18 months the club has added multiple prospects through smart trade and free agent acquisitions, many of whom are knocking at the door to make the lineup in just a couple weeks.
The team has made moves to refill their prospect pool over the past two summers and it has been a big success.
Howard and Matt Savoie specifically were recently named No. 2 and No. 1 on our top 10 prospects rankings and both look destined to be top-nine fixtures this season. The former showed off his goal scoring prowess in a preseason game against the Jets, proving he can be a true dual-threat.
Ice Man one-timer 🥶 pic.twitter.com/B34cxrqOFw
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 24, 2025
These players receive the bulk of the attention due to them having the highest perceived potential of any prospect currently in the system. They both seem to be penciled into the roster this upcoming yearand are expected to play a big role but there are more players than just them who have a legitimate shot at making it.
Quinn Hutson was a standout NCAA forward and is the brother of 2025 Calder Trophy winner, Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson. He got a small two game cup of coffee to end the season after signing his entry-level contract (ELC) with the Oilers in the spring.
He has made a good first impression on the Oilers staff at rookie and training camp this month and seems to have an outside shot at making it this year.
Noah Philp is another player who looks to be impactful. He is not your prototypical prospect, he is a 27 year old but has taken an unorthodox path here and seems to at least be sniffing at a lineup spot. He played 15 games for the Oilers last season and has endeared himself to the fanbase enough that many want to see him make the team as a fourth line centre.
Some big European free agent signings in David Tomasek and Atro Leppanen are two others who are battling for a spot in the lineup. Tomasek is fighting for a third line centre spot whereas Leppanen is battling for a third pairing or seventh defenceman position.
Leppanen specifically has looked very good in his short time in an Oilers uniform this preseason. He seemingly came out of nowhere in Finland, leading the entire Liiga in scoring as a defenceman. He could prove to be a hidden gem.
Addition of identity depth pieces at low cost
Since taking over at the helm, Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has put his stamp on the team in a big way. He let multiple depth players walk in free agency and traded away others to free up salary cap space. This was both a necessity to keep their star players around but also a strategic way to shuffle the depth around and create competition.
The club recently re-signed Vasily Podkolzin to a three-year contract extension, carrying a $2.95 million annual average value (AAV). His play has been praised by Draisaitl and he has found great chemistry with the club, costing the team a fourth round pick to acquire him.
It remains to be seen where he can play this year but his large frame and quick feet allow him to create space for the Oilers star and he has been a great fit stylistically. His acquisition alone has helped to add an element of speed to the Oilers attack, a piece that was missing throughout their depth over the years.
Speaking of speed, Kasperi Kapanen is a blazing winger who has shown flashes of high end offensive production throughout his career. He is only 29 years old and was a waiver acquisition from the St. Louis Blues last season. He came in and helped fill out the teams depth, getting a spot in the club's top-six when they faced injuries down the stretch.
Grabbing him on waivers was a smart pickup and if he can help provide secondary scoring down the lineup, it was great asset management.
Arguably the most costly depth player on the Oilers roster is Trent Frederic who was acquired at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline with the team sending out multiple picks and prospects to acquire him. He then was re-signed this summer to an eight-year contract extension with a $3.85 million AAV after playing a combined 23 games in an Oilers uniform.
Andrew Mangiapane is a big piece who seems to be flying under the radar to an extent. He was a buy low free agent signing who has proven to be a legitimate middle-six scorer for most of his career but had a down year with the Washington Capitals last season, posting 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points in 81 games.
The team signed the 29 year old to a two-year deal carrying a $3.6 million AAV, a pay cut for Mangiapane who came off a three-year deal that paid him $5.8 million AAV. He has the potential to outpace his salary in a big way with a proven track record of playing a complimentary role beside star players successfully.
The Oilers have seen plenty of turnover this summer and looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, it seems like the team has made some major upgrades.