Oilers’ 3 Best Contracts for 2025-26

The Edmonton Oilers are in their Stanley Cup window, so it’s imperative to manage the salary cap effectively and find quality players at discounted prices in hopes of winning it all. General manager Stan Bowman has done a good job of shedding unnecessary salary while finding players through trade with team control, and on good-value contracts.

It’s important to have players on team-friendly deals when building a championship roster, especially when strapped against the salary cap. Not only that, but these players must have a positive impact on the team and be a contributing factor. With that said, here are the top three non-entry-level Oilers contracts heading into the 2025-26 season.

Zach Hyman ($5.5 Million)

The best move former general manager Ken Holland made with the organization was signing unrestricted free agent (UFA) Zach Hyman to a seven-year contract with a $5.5 million cap hit in 2021. He’s entering year five of that deal, and he’s been on Connor McDavid’s wing since the onset of that contract. There aren’t many top-line right-wingers who make $5.5 million, and that’s a bargain for what he contributes to the lineup.

The 33-year-old had an incredible 54-goal campaign in 2023-24 and followed that up with 27 goals last season. His career has taken off since joining Edmonton, and he’s been a perfect fit. He had a career-high 83 points in 2022-23 and added another 77 points in 2023-24. He has produced more points with the Oilers than he ever did with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Toronto native had 86 goals and 185 points in 345 games for the Maple Leafs, while scoring 144 goals and registering 258 points in 308 games with the Oilers. Hyman’s production is worth more than his contract, and that continues to be one of the best deals on the team, even considering his age.

Vasily Podkolzin ($1 Million)

The most underrated move Bowman made last offseason was acquiring Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a fourth-round pick. He’s entering the final season of his two-year deal with a very affordable $1 million cap hit. He’s also one of the Oilers’ few forwards without trade protection, with Curtis Lazar, Kasperi Kapanen, and David Tomasek as the only other ones.

Podkolzin spent a lot of time on Leon Draisaitl’s wing, despite his lack of production. The Russian winger played all 82 regular-season games, scoring eight goals and registering 24 points. While those numbers don’t jump off the page, he does a lot of things well and contributes in other ways. He’s physical and led the Oilers with 211 hits, while adding another 97 in the playoffs. Ideally, he’ll start the season on the third line with the additions of Andrew Mangiapane and Isaac Howard, plus the emergence of Matt Savoie.

The 24-year-old is excellent along the boards, winning battles for his teammates, and is tenacious on the forecheck. He has an incredible work ethic and always provides energy to the group. The only downside is his lack of finishing ability. If he could score more, he would be the full package. His style is similar to Hyman’s, but the only difference is that Hyman puts the puck in the net consistently. Podkolzin has been a great fit in Edmonton and is on a very cheap contract. If he works on his shot this offseason and scores a few more goals, this contract will be even more valuable.

Jake Walman ($3.4 Million)

The Oilers acquired Jake Walman ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline, in exchange for a first-round pick and a prospect. He’s a pending UFA at the end of this season, at an affordable $3.4 million price tag. The 2014 third-round pick is a legitimate top-four defenceman, and he filled a hole that the organization desperately needed to be filled. He’s a strong skater, a good puck-mover, and has a powerful shot. The 6-foot-1, 218-pounder recorded one goal and eight points in 15 regular-season games since the trade, and added another two goals and 10 points in 22 playoff games.