Three unrestricted free agents that the Edmonton Oilers should look to sign

Free agency Frenzy has come and gone, and the Edmonton Oilers made several critical moves to shore up their team. The additions of Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar bring some veteran experience and depth, while Issac Howard brings youth to the wings.

This is probably not enough, especially with the team losing Evander Kane, Viktor Arvidsson, Corey Perry, and Connor Brown, but it does give the team a starting point. There are still a number of available options in free agency that the Oilers should look at as potential depth.

Here are the big names:

Jack Roslovic

The Oilers could add one more top-nine winger to their group this year, and if they want to make a splash, Jack Roslovic is the player to target. The winger put up 39 points last year with the Carolina Hurricanes while playing in a middle-six role. Carolina is a team that tends to roll all of their forward groups reasonably evenly, so there is likely more in the tank for Roslovic.

The problem is that not only will he be looking for a decent payday, he will almost certainly want term attached. The Oilers can theoretically offer term, but will need to move out significant salary to be able to acquire the winger. His last contract paid him $$2.8M, and the Oilers have a measly $250K or so remaining under the cap.

If the team did add Roslovic, it would be huge for this forward group. The wings beside McDavid and Draisaitl are looking dicey, with the team banking on Matt Savoie or Howard to take a massive step forward as rookies this season. That’s a big gamble for a team that has appeared in the Stanley Cup Final two years in a row. Experience matters, and adding Roslovic allows the Oilers to ease their young players into the league without overwhelming them with heavy minutes and tough matchups.

Victor Olofsson

The long-time Buffalo Sabre is without a contract so far this season after not being retained by the Vegas Golden Knights this summer. Victor Olofsson had a few injury issues, but put up more than a half-point per game with the team playing in a depth role.

The winger can play both sides of the ice, and can move up and down the lineup based on need. He will undoubtedly be looking for a raise from his $1.075M contract last season, but it should come in far less than Roslovic’s contract. For the same reasons as adding Roslovic, Olofsson would be a smart gamble for the Oilers.

Joel Kiviranta

The Finnish left winger was not signed by the Colorado Avalanche this past season, after putting up 20 points last season. Joel Kiviranta was very serviceable through a tumultuous season, when the team was down multiple forwards. Known more for his two-way game, Kiviranta would be a cheap addition for the Oilers, while providing more NHL experience.

Kiviranta should come in quite cheap on his next contract, coming off of a $775K contract, and could be had for just over the league minimum. With the Oilers’ cap situation, they will still need to shed a little bit of salary, but adding him would likely be the smartest and easiest option of the three. Kiviranta could be easily added and would be a safe insurance option should either Isaac Howard or Matthew Savoie not be ready for heavier minutes this season. If they are both great, then you have a league-minimum player that can be easily kept in the pressbox in case of injury.

This is a low-risk move for the Oilers and one that could make a difference for the team down the line.

What should the Edmonton Oilers do between now and the start of the season?

The team feels lighter this season than last, especially having lost a number of their key pieces in the playoffs. Adding at least one more middle-six winger will help shore up the team substantially and mitigate the risk of having two rookies in the lineup playing heavy minutes with two of the greatest players in the league right now. It also inspires more confidence that this team can still battle against the best.

The best teams around the league all added key pieces this summer, with the Knights adding Mitch Marner the biggest of the lot. The path to the Cup almost certainly goes through Vegas, and the Oilers will want to add more to their lineup to give them the greatest shot of taking down the Knights yet again on their way to the Final. Adding at least one more winger would inspire a heck of a lot more confidence in this team.