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A look at the top players remaining in NHL Free Agency

Originally posted on Oilersnation | By Ryley Delaney | Last updated Jul 28, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Nearly a month into free agency, things have come to a crawl.

The Oilers’ last move came on July 8, when they traded 2024 first-round pick Sam O’Reilly to Tampa Bay for Ike Howard. That deal left Edmonton with just $225,834 in cap space, though they could create more with a few small moves.

Still, there are some intriguing names left on the market. Daily Faceoff recently highlighted the top remaining free agents. Here’s a look at a few who could sign before the season begins.

Jack Roslovic

The best player still available is right-shot centre Jack Roslovic. He scored 22 goals and 39 points in 81 games with the Hurricanes last season, tying his career high in goals and coming close to hitting 40 points for the third time. He also chipped in a goal and four points in nine playoff games.

Right now, Roslovic is out of Edmonton’s price range, unless they move someone like Adam Henrique and his $3 million cap hit. AFPAnalytics projects a three-year, $4.1 million deal for Roslovic, but he’d be a clear upgrade as a third-line centre.

Matt Grzelcyk

One name that likely isn’t on the Oilers’ radar is Matt Grzelcyk. The 31-year-old left-shot defenceman posted a career-high 40 points and one goal in 82 games last year, finishing the season with Pittsburgh after spending most of his career with Boston.

The issue? Edmonton already has a logjam on the left side with Ekholm, Walman, Nurse, and Kulak. Grzelcyk would also require cap juggling. He’s projected to earn a three-year deal at $3.8 million.

Victor Olofsson

Viktor Arvidsson didn’t work out in Edmonton, but Victor Olofsson might be worth a look. The 2014 seventh-rounder had 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games with Vegas last season, and he’s hit the 20-goal, 40-point mark three times in his career.

AFPAnalytics projects a three-year deal at $3.4 million, but Olofsson ended up signing a one-year, $1.1 million deal before 2024-25. Could he settle for something similar again?

Oct 13, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Anaheim Ducks goaltender James Reimer (47) makes a save with his stick against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period at T-Mobile Arena.

James Reimer

Goaltending was one of the Oilers’ biggest question marks heading into the offseason. Veteran James Reimer is one of the best remaining options. He played most of last season with Buffalo and had a brief stint in Anaheim, finishing with a 10-10-2 record and a .896 save percentage.

He’s projected to earn $1.14 million on a one-year deal. But is he an upgrade on Calvin Pickard? Probably not.

Luke Kunin

If Edmonton wants to improve its penalty kill, Luke Kunin could be an option. The right-shot forward split time between San Jose and Columbus last season, finishing with 11 goals and 18 points.

He’s projected to sign a two-year deal worth $1.78 million annually. That’s manageable if the Oilers bury a couple of contracts.

Ilya Samsonov

Another backup option is Ilya Samsonov, who posted an .891 save percentage and a 2.82 GAA in 29 games with Vegas last season. He struggled in 2023-24 with Toronto, but had a .919 save percentage and a 2.33 GAA with the Leafs the year before.

He’s projected to earn $2 million on a one-year deal. The big question remains: is he better than Pickard? Again, probably not.

Luke Glendening

If the Oilers want a right-shot centre who can win draws, Luke Glendening might be worth a look. The 36-year-old had four goals and seven points last year, down from 10 goals and 11 points in 2022-23. That said, he won 57% of his faceoffs last season and has a career faceoff win rate of 55.8%.

AFPAnalytics projects him at the league minimum ($775K). If he stays unsigned, a PTO invite could make sense.

Klim Kostin

Could a reunion be in the cards? In his lone season with Edmonton in 2022-23, Klim Kostin scored 11 goals and 21 points in 57 games, plus five points in 12 playoff games. The Oilers traded him to Detroit at the 2023 draft, and he later landed in San Jose.

Kostin finished 2024-25 with eight goals and 14 points in 52 games, but played just 35 games with the Sharks, scoring once with seven points. Like Glendening, he’s projected to sign for league minimum. A PTO would be a low-risk option.