If the Oilers had infinite cap space, they would likely prefer to get their budding offensive defenseman on a long-term contract. But given their cap constraints, they will likely need to look at a bridge deal of 2-3 years. There are plenty of comparables for Bouchard, with Noah Dobson being the most recent. A two-year deal with an average annual value around $4M appears like the likeliest of outcomes for Bouchard this summer.
F Klim Kostin – Kostin was finally able to make an impact at the NHL level after several years of struggling to break through from the AHL. The former first-round pick had never topped nine points in any NHL season prior to this past year with Edmonton, when he settled into a bottom-six role after coming over in a trade from the St. Louis Blues. Klostin was able to post 11 goals and 10 assists in 57 games following the deal. The intriguing thing about Kostin is his skill set. He is better suited for a role on a skill line, but saw very little of that this year, as he rarely played with Connor McDavid and saw just 17 minutes with Leon Draisaitl (he scored twice in the latter scenario). Edmonton will have a full training camp with Kostin and could have an opportunity to try him on a skill line to see if they can find a fit for a player on a miniscule cap number. Edmonton was apprehensive to try Kostin on the top lines this season due to his struggles away from the puck, but with nothing on the line to start the year, it should be an experiment worth conducting. Kostin is likely due for a one-year contract that will be worth around $1M.
C Ryan McLeod – McLeod has topped 20 points in back-to-back seasons while toiling away in the Oilers’ bottom six. The former second-round pick was one of the few Oilers in the bottom six who could move the puck with both speed and purpose. While he is strong with the puck, his defensive metrics leave a bit to be desired. McLeod is young and likely just scratching the surface of his long-term potential. He is arbitration-eligible this summer, meaning that McLeod will have some leverage when it comes to his contract negotiations. He is coming off a season in which he posted 11 goals and 12 assists in 57 games, so he won’t break the bank. However, his next contract could eat into 1/3 of Edmonton’s remaining cap space.
Key unrestricted free agents
F Nick Bjugstad – Bjugstad came over to the Oilers before the trade deadline and was just okay. He put up six points in 18 regular season games with the club and followed up with three goals in 12 playoff games before the Oilers were dropped in the second round. This is the third time Bjugstad will test free agency in the past three years, but the first time he will do so coming off a season in which he topped 20 points. Bjugstad once looked like he would develop into a power forward, but has never been able to assert himself in that way. He is a good bottom six option at this point in his career, but likely one that has priced himself out of Edmonton’s plans.
C Derek Ryan – Ryan played admirably for the Oilers this season as their fourth line center, putting up 13 goals and seven assists in 80 games. While his numbers dropped off from the year prior, Ryan was still a big part of a much-improved bottom six for Edmonton in 2022-23. He is undersized and at 36 years old, his best games are likely behind him. If he is willing to come back at a cap hit comparable to the $1.25M he made last season, it is something the Oilers should explore. Ryan can still kill penalties and take a lot of the defensive zone draws. If he can continue to chip in the odd goal it would be worth the minimal investment.
F Mattias Janmark – It feels like Janmark has been in the league forever, but the Stockholm, Sweden, native is just 30 years old. Janmark signed a one-year contract with Edmonton last summer and provided decent value on a $1.25M AAV, posting 10 goals and 15 assists in 66 games. Those kinds of numbers have been typical for Janmark, who has logged between 21 and 25 points in five straight seasons. At this point, Janmark is who he is – a depth forward who can chip in on offence from time to time. Janmark will likely seek a comparable contract this offseason, but given Edmonton’s cap constraints, they may look elsewhere to see if they can find better value.
Other UFAs: Devin Shore, Ryan Murray, Mike Smith
Projected Cap Space
Edmonton has precious little cap room to fill out their roster, as they currently have just under $6M in space with 17 players signed for next season. Padding their roster with quality players will probably be difficult and as evidenced in the playoffs, this is a flawed hockey team that needs to upgrade in several key positions. Ken Holland has said he will return to the helm for their final season of his contract. It may be his final kick at the can given that he has been unable to get the Oilers over the postseason hump. The team has many of the same shortcomings it had when he took over at the helm four years ago.
The Oilers have committed big money to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but both players are still operating on favorable contracts given their talent level. The Oilers have them locked up for a few more seasons, but they are running out of time to build a Stanley Cup contender around two of the best players in the world. The Oilers will need to make good use of their limited cap space and in a perfect world would be able to shed a bad contract or two this offseason. It’s going to be a busy summer in Edmonton as they look to regroup after another disappointing playoff exit.
Contract information above is courtesy of CapFriendly.