Oilers Should Be All-in on Kraken’s Jared McCann

McCann, who is 29 years old, scored 22 goals and added 39 assists for 61 points through 82 games with the Kraken last season, which comes out to a 0.74 points-per-game average. Throughout his career, he has scored 184 goals and added 214 assists for 398 points through 668 games, which comes out to a 0.60 points-per-game average. His two-way game is solid, and his offensive production is enough to consider him an elite top-six contributor for any contending team.

Take a quick look at how solid his analytics look:

McCann could have plenty of suitors if the Kraken are looking to trade him, but the Oilers have the assets to get something done.

What Would a Trade Look Like?

There are a couple of things to keep in mind here. First, McCann has a $5 million cap hit and is extended through the 2026-27 season, and with the Oilers currently having just over $225,000 in cap space available, they would need to move money out to bring him in. Second, the Oilers don’t own their 2026 first-round pick, and those draft picks will be a hot commodity, considering how strong the upcoming draft class is expected to be. Lastly, McCann has a 10-team no-trade list that allows him to decline a trade to the Oilers, should they be on that list.

The Oilers have a few ways to clear up cap space. They may circle back to Adam Henrique and see if he wants to waive his trade protection for a move elsewhere, and they could also look to trade Mattias Janmark, which would give them $4,675,834 to work with if they can clear both deals fully. If that happens, some basic maneuvering with their roster construction could give them what they need to bring McCann in.

Now, in terms of a trade with the Kraken, the Oilers would have to be willing to part with some future assets here. Realistically, the Kraken are probably more enticed to look for a first-round pick in 2026, which could give another team interested in McCann the upper hand. However, if the Oilers made an offer of Beau Akey, Maxim Berezkin, their 2027 first-round pick, and their 2028 second-round pick, the Kraken are going to have to consider it.

One more small obstacle could be that the Oilers and Kraken are in the same division, which could drive up the asking price even more. If the Oilers attach another mid-round pick, they probably get the deal done.

This is purely speculation, and there is no indication the Oilers are planning to make an offer to McCann, nor is there any reason to believe the Kraken are close to trading him this summer. However, if he is available, the Oilers should be on the phone every day trying to get something done.

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Salary cap data courtesy of PuckPedia.