Oilers 2026-27 Player Previews: Max Jones & Eduards Tralmaks

Jones is a low-risk, low-reward player. At worst, he will spend the entire season in the AHL or get claimed off waivers. He’s a safe player. He won’t provide much offence, but also won’t hurt the team. The Michigan native is replaceable and could easily get lost in the shuffle. He would likely be one of the first call-ups, so if he doesn’t play in Edmonton, they either claimed someone else off waivers or they stayed relatively healthy.

Tralmaks’ Best & Worst Case Scenarios

Tralmaks is a gigantic question mark. He signed a one-year deal this offseason. He’s 29 years old and has never played an NHL game. The Latvian native spent last season with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL, recording 26 goals and 42 points in 64 games, with a plus-29 rating. That was his first season in North America since 2022-23, when he played for the AHL’s Providence Bruins.

At best, he impresses during training camp and steals a roster spot from someone else. He’s big at 6-foot-3 and 221 pounds, and uses that to his advantage. He has the tools to fit in on Edmonton’s fourth line. He can wear down opponents in the corners while also adding much-needed offence. The undrafted forward scores in ways the fourth line should. He finds open space in the slot, generates deflections off screens, and jams in rebounds. But can he do that at the NHL level? Easier said than done.

At worst, he remains in the AHL all season, similar to Jones. Or he plays in the NHL, but is ineffective, like David Tomasek was last season. Tomasek couldn’t find a role in the bottom six and didn’t fit in. As a result, his contract was terminated in December, after he recorded three goals and five points in 22 games. Tomasek and Tralmaks have a ton of similarities. They are both big-bodied, undrafted, European, 29-year-old forwards who had not played in the NHL.

However, Tralmaks should have more success. His play style is better suited to a fourth-line role, whereas Tomasek is better in the top six. Tralmaks has also played professionally in North America, while that was Tomasek’s first time. Therefore, there’s reason to be optimistic that Tralmaks’ game will translate better to the Oilers. He adds a layer of depth that the bottom six needs. He is also a low-risk player. If he plays in Edmonton, that’s great, but if not, that’s not the end of the world. His inclusion won’t make or break the Oilers’ season.