The Edmonton Oilers enter the 2026-27 season with the potential for competition within their NHL roster. The team has seen turnover at all three positions, allowing multiple key players from last season's team to walk in free agency like; Adam Henrique, Jack Roslovic, and Connor Ingram.
As well, the club made a major trade this past summer, shipping out longtime Oilers defenceman and former top-10 pick by the club, Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks. It was a necessary move that allowed general manager Stan Bowman the financial flexibility to make a number of additions in free agency.
Although the team used much of that cap room to add players such as; Frederik Andersen, Ryan Shea, and Mathieu Joseph, there should be compeition throughout the lineup. This is amplified by the recent announcement that the Oilers will have multiple players held out for injury to begin the season and the Oilers hiring of a new head coach, Mike Babcock.
This all should combine to create the perfect environment for a player to come into camp and steal a spot in the lineup. Luckily for the Oilers, there are a few candidates that should be able to compete for a spot in camp.
Oilers prospects who could earn an NHL spot
There are a few players that fans and even Bowman himself feel are most likely to earn an NHL roster spot. Players such as; Isaac Howard, Josh Samanski, and Quinn Hutson seem to have the most momentum behind them and have an expectation to at least compete for a spot. Then, there is a second group with players who were signed this off-season like Eduards Tralmarks and Aku Raty.
However, there are a couple other forwards who are darkhorse candidates to make the Oilers opening night roster.
23 year old Finnish forward Viljami Marjala was originally drafted in the fifth round at the 2021 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. He spent the next few years post-draft developing with TPS of the Liiga, before being signed by the Oilers in the 2025 off-season. He spent last season with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors where he scored 17 goals and 43 assists for 60 points in 72 games played.
Marjala is a player that has shown he can score at every level and especially has shown his game can work in a North American professional league. His style of play and his play creating ability could make him a useful depth scoring forward.
Fitting a different role, 21 year old Connor Clattenburg blew many people's minds when he made his NHL debut last season at just 20 years old. It is not very often that a fifth round pick just a year and a half out from being selected makes his debut in the NHL. But, Clattenburg is a different beast, he is physically mature at 6'2 215lbs and plays a pro-ready game as a bottom-six grinder.
This 'safety' in his projection and the fact he has already played five NHL games -- and looked at the very least fine -- should give him a leg up. However, with the new coach in town, he could be a player that goes from being high on the call-up list to much lower. Either way, if he can go to camp and standout, it seems very possible that he could find a role in the Oilers' bottom-six.
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