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Jamie Oleksiak, Seattle Kraken (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Oilers Acquire Jamie Oleksiak in Suggested Trade With Kraken

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jesse Courville-Lynch | Last updated Jan 15, 2026 9:05 AM ET

The Edmonton Oilers could be looking to bolster their defensive depth before the 2026 Trade Deadline, and while a few names have come up as potential options, one name that has gained interest from fans is Seattle Kraken defender Jamie Oleksiak. As their season moves along, the Oilers seem poised to make another deep playoff run in hopes of pushing for their first Stanley Cup since 1990. The Kraken are in a good position as January moves along, but they still may consider selling at the 2026 Trade Deadline if they slip out of a playoff spot.

In this article, we take a look at a hypothetical trade sending Oleksiak to the Oilers. While David Pagnotta and several other analysts have linked Oleksiak as a potential fit, there is no indication that the two teams have discussed a trade. This deal is simply an idea, and there is no report indicating Oleksiak has been made available.

Oleksiak, who is 33 years old, has scored three goals and added five assists for eight points through 43 games. Throughout his career, he has scored 43 goals and added 111 assists for 154 points through 723 games.

Oilers Land Oleksiak, Kraken Acquire Forward & Draft Pick

There are a couple of things to keep in mind in any deal involving Oleksiak. He has a $4,600,000 cap hit and has a 16-team no-trade list. The Oilers are likely a team that players want to go to after they proved over the last couple of seasons, so that, combined with the fact that the Oilers will likely be able to find the cap space to make a deal work, makes a trade realistic.

One player that makes sense for the Kraken is Adam Henrique. He would fit into their current lineup and provide a veteran presence, which could help them find their way back to the postseason. Unfortunately for them, Henrique likely wouldn’t be open to waiving his trade protection, making him an impossible acquisition.

Realistically, the Oilers acquire Oleksiak at 50% retained, dropping his cap hit to $2.3 million, in exchange for Mattias Janmark, Beau Akey, and a conditional 2027 first-round pick. This deal gives the Kraken a solid prospect in Akey, some draft capital, and a veteran forward. They could flip Janmark again for more draft capital, but as they try to make the money work, it’s possible they would be willing to take him on.

This move allows the Oilers to move on from Alec Regula and allows them to create some internal competition on their bottom pairing. Oleksiak likely steps into their second pairing, but it gives them some extra flexibility heading into the postseason. Ty Emberson has played well, but when the playoffs came around last season, he struggled to keep up with the pace and pressure, so having an insurance policy in Oleksiak wouldn’t hurt.

At the end of the day, the Oilers and Kraken both have plenty of time to decide what they would like to do as the trade deadline approaches. They could both end up being buyers, making this deal unlikely, but if the Kraken slip for any reason and find themselves focused on making the most of their assets instead of losing them for nothing in free agency, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Oilers take a swing on Oleksiak.

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