Offseason Review: Edmonton Oilers

Now that the dust has settled on a wild NHL offseason, let's take a look at how each team did in regards to drafting and free-agent signings. Today, we'll look at the Edmonton Oilers.

GM Ken Holland has already been at the helm of the Oilers for two years, but this summer was his first real shot to throw some cap money around. The results are mixed, to say the least. Holland certainly went out and got himself a new group of players to surround the superstar core of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. If they were the right players remains in question. The Oilers are now the 5th oldest team in the NHL, which is shocking considering none of their core is over the age of 27. However, given the effect players like Corey Perry had for Montreal last season, age may not be the worst addition you can include. It's all about the on-ice product, after all. With that said, let's see who the Oilers brought into town this summer.

Free Agency:

The Oilers began their offseason with a pair of trades that will significantly change the look of their team this season. First, Caleb Jones and a 3rd round pick were sent to Chicago for Duncan Keith and Tim Soderlund. Soderlund is a work in progress but has yet to round out his game enough to be a consistent AHL player. The main piece here is Keith, who is 38 but still capably played heavy minutes for the Blackhawks last season. He makes too much money, but if "veteran presence" is what the Oilers are looking for here, there are few players in the league who bring more of it. He'll make a solid replacement for the injured Oscar Klefbom. Next, after re-signing goalie Mike Smith for two more years, the Oilers traded Ethan Bear to Carolina in exchange for Warren Foegele. Foegele brings some scoring depth to the Oilers' top 9 that they haven't seen in a few years. This trade, however, had everything to do with Adam Larsson's decision to sign with the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. The Oilers' right side on defence was suddenly made up of three puck movers without Larsson's shutdown presence. Once those cards fell, a move was going to have to be made. Between Ethan Bear and Tyson Barrie, Bear, who is the younger of the two, was also the one with less NHL experience and had had a rough showing in last year's playoffs. Bear was shipped out, and Barrie was the first signing the Oilers made in free agency.

The other big signing the Oilers made was for former Toronto Maple Leaf Zach Hyman, bringing him in on a major 7-year contract. Hyman is a puck hound and heavy forechecker who has spent much of his career playing with superstars like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Slotting in alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl should come naturally to him. Hyman fills a hole on the Oilers top 6 LW that has been present for nearly four years, and while the term is steep, he's exactly the kind of signing the Oilers had to make this summer.

Things quieted down in Edmonton after that. The Oilers bought out the remainder of James Neal's contract to maximize their cap room. They signed Cody Ceci to a four-year deal to replace Larsson's shutdown play, brought in Derek Ryan for two years to be a 3rd line centre, added some depth by bringing in Brendan Perlini on a two-way deal, and re-upping with Dman Slater Koekkoek for two more years. They also signed a few extensions, signing Warren Foegele before he hits arbitration next summer, giving rookies Tyler Benson and Stuart Skinner 1- and 2-year deals respectively, and signing Darnell Nurse to a massive 8-year contract. Kailer Yamamoto is still waiting for his extension, but it can't be far off. They still haven't dealt with their goaltending, but Holland may be fine to run it back with Smith and Koskinen for another year and see what the market shakes loose next summer. 

Grade: B+; Adam Larsson's departure was an unexpected obstacle, but the Oilers did well to mitigate the damage and put together a team whose defence and goaltending are about as good as they were last year, and whose forward group is significantly better. The team still has some issues, but far fewer than they did two months ago.

Draft:

The Oilers had an opportunity to draft an elite goaltending prospect in Jesper Wallstedt after the Swedish netminder fell to them at 19th overall. Instead, the Oilers traded the pick to Minnesota, dropping to 22nd and adding a 3rd round pick in the process. An odd decision to be sure, but Holland must have a lot of faith in the goaltending prospects he already has. Instead, at 22nd overall the Oilers drafted Xavier Bourgault, a 6'0" right-shot centre from the QMJHL. Bourgault has spent back-to-back seasons putting up over a point per game in the Quebec league. He's a smooth-skating, slippery forward who is able to deftly slide past opposing defenders along the boards. He has a great set of hands, good vision, and a quick shot. He's also not shy about using his size to muck it up in the corners. Not the flashiest pick, but a promising player nonetheless.

The Oilers didn't have a pick in the second round this year, having traded it to Detroit for Andreas Athanasiou way back in 2020. They had also lost their 3rd rounder this year in the James Neal trade, but recouped one from Minnesota in their 1st round exchange. With that pick, 90th overall, the Oilers drafted Luca Munzenberger. This was a bit of a reach, as Munzenberger hadn't been projected to go any earlier than the 6th round, but Holland must have seen something he liked. The kid has a great personality, maybe that won the team over. In a draft filled with so much uncertainty, a player that seems like a reach now may not in a few years.

Grade: B-; A uneventful draft in a lot of ways, but not a total disaster. Passing on Jesper Wallstedt put a sour note on the first-round pick, and with not much else to work with, there was little to be excited about at the draft for Oilers fans. That said, the picks of Bourgault and Munzenberger aren't without their upside, the latter having the potential to be a steal if the kid makes it to the NHL.

Overall grade: B; This was an important offseason in Edmonton, and for the most part, it delivered. The team got way deeper up front, and completely changed the look of their blueline, though whether or not it's a better blueline is up in the air. The goaltending still needs work, and the draft left something to be desired, but the Oilers are pushing closer to contending for the Stanley Cup.

What do you think of the wild offseason in Edmonton?

Photo credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports