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If Oilers Trade Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson, What Then?

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 12:38 PM ET

With the Edmonton Oilers rumored to be exploring trades for Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson, the conversation has shifted to what their roster might look like in the aftermath. A projected 2025-26 lineup gives fans a glimpse of what could lie ahead if the Oilers free up money and have roughly $21 million in cap space.

Assuming Evan Bouchard signs for around $10 million and Trent Frederic lands a $3.75 million deal, Edmonton would still have over $7 million to spend. That room could be used to bring back veterans like Corey Perry and Kasperi Kapanen—both of whom are reportedly in the team’s sights. Perry would likely return on a bonus-laden deal, while Kapanen wouldn’t command a high salary.

Still, the current forward group isn’t playoff-ready. it would require players like Matt Savoie and David Tomasek to play a prominent role, while Frederic centering Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman is a placeholder at best. Ideally, the Oilers would slot Frederic on the third line and find a proven top-six winger to ride shotgun with McDavid.

As constructed, the defense group—with Ekholm, Bouchard, Nurse, Kulak, Walman, and Emberson—looks capable of handling playoff hockey, and could be upgraded at the deadline. But the bigger issue lies up front and with the goaltending, both of which might not be addressed right away.

Goaltending remains a question, but there’s little out there to get excited about. Jake Allen is the bell of the ball, but several teams will be pitching him in free agency. John Gibson and Thatcher Demko might be options, but their respective injury histories are problematic. With Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard in place, there may not be much room to add unless Stan Bowman works some cap magic or finds a deal out of left field no one is talking about.

In short, Edmonton’s roster post-Kane and Arvidsson has promise—but also glaring holes. With around $5 million (give or take) left after priority signings, the Oilers won’t have much money to go shopping and they don’t exactly have a stocked cupboard with which to make trades.

The draft and free agency is an exciting time for fans, but for the Oilers, it might be exclusively a time to move pieces off the roster. The additions may come later.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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