The Edmonton Oilers’ 2025-26 season is a departure from recent campaigns, mostly due to the presence of several unproven players. Lack of NHL experience, youth and unclear roles have not been a part of the Edmonton roster for ages. We are here.

That leaves general manager Stan Bowman with some uncertainty about what positions on the depth chart to upgrade for the playoffs next spring. Prevailing wisdom from media and fans suggests a power winger (such as the Buffalo Sabres’ Alex Tuch, who’s smoking hot offensively to start the year) or an upgrade in goal that doesn’t break the bank (suggestions welcome).

Team management has made attempts to address those issues with low-priced options. How are those options doing? Is there hope the Oilers can slide into deadline season with a less daunting shopping list than “1990s Bill Guerin and Dominik Hasek?” by the time this season hits late February?

Scoring wingers

The team said goodbye to several veteran scoring wingers in the offseason. That included Evander Kane, Corey Perry, Jeff Skinner, Connor Brown and Viktor Arvidsson. Each played at least some of the time on skill lines during the 2024-25 season or 2025 postseason. Add Zach Hyman to the list, as he hasn’t played yet in 2025-26.

All numbers via Natural Stat Trick

The two rookies (Ike Howard and Matt Savoie) are scoring bookends so far, and both men are finding their way as mostly depth wingers. The skill is clear, and coach Kris Knoblauch has them over nine minutes per game at five-on-five. The progress for Howard and Savoie is important if they’re to be trusted in the 2026 playoffs.

Jack Roslovic is emerging as the most productive winger among the players with NHL experience. After a late signing and a slow start, he’s impacting the scoresheet regularly. Roslovic is playing on the second line with Leon Draisaitl and getting power-play time as well. He would have to be counted as one of Bowman’s early hits based on production.

Andrew Mangiapane is struggling badly in a feature role on Connor McDavid’s wing at five-on-five. This is dire considering the lack of options and the worry about how much time it will take for Hyman to get his timing back upon return. His points per 60 at five-on-five has been going the wrong way for five straight seasons, but it’s a good bet he’ll recover from his current level. Time is running out for him on the McDavid line, though.

David Tomasek looks like the early trailer in the race for playing time in skill situations. It was always going to be tough for the 29-year-old, who made his NHL debut this fall. The signing of Roslovic may have been a harbinger of what is to come for the Czech forward.

The power winger

Trent Frederic was a trade deadline acquisition who re-signed with the team over the summer. He received a cherry spot in the lineup (playing wing with McDavid and Draisaitl) to begin the year, but did not deliver. Knoblauch saw him initially as a power winger who could play with skill and as a No. 3 centre. Frederic has been unable to deliver in either role.

His high-ankle sprain appears to be holding him back. NHL Edge had his max skating speed at 35.48 km/h one year ago, and it’s at 34.06 this season. The Oilers no doubt hope he can deliver optimally in the postseason, but it’s going to be a tough year for the veteran based on October and early November results.

That may mean a power winger who can score is the deadline priority.

The bottom line on scoring wingers: the rookies are improving and worth the investment, Roslovic has emerged as the successful experiment in the group and Mangiapane is living on borrowed time. Frederic isn’t 100 percent and is destined to spend the season on a depth line, at least until his pace improves.

Expect rumours about Tuch or similar to continue into the new year. Hyman and Roslovic are the likely bets to carry the load on right wing for the McDavid and Draisaitl lines until a deal is made.

Goaltending

There may be a slight alteration in deadline plans in net. Connor Ingram hasn’t shown well early in the season for the AHL Bakersfield Condors, but his lack of a training camp and preseason made his struggles predictable. If Ingram can find his game, it’s likely the organization will find a way for him to audition at the NHL level before the deadline.

The summer will bring a real opportunity to address the situation, but the trade deadline may supply some attractive options. Much will depend on the teams that are sellers at the deadline, but it’s likely Bowman makes a deal if Ingram doesn’t offer stiff competition for Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. It’s probable that Edmonton enters the 2026 postseason with another goaltender who’s considered a quality starter. It could be in tandem with Skinner, who’s in his contract season with a need to stand and deliver.

Assets out

One of the difficult things to do in the cap era is figure out trades that satisfy the asset ask of another organization and balance the books in terms of salary cap.

The Oilers don’t spend much in net, meaning the cap hit coming over can’t be grand. A goalie like Spencer Knight is young, good and inexpensive but unlikely to be dealt by the Chicago Blackhawks. That’s the kind of target that makes the most sense for Bowman, who’s limited by the cap (and assets) in making a massive deal for a famous goaltender. Even sending out two assets (say, Skinner and Brett Kulak) only gets a little over $5 million off the cap, and Edmonton will want to keep its veteran roster intact where possible.

The trade for a forward would appear to be an easier road for the team; there are more options. Future draft picks and young prospects should be available, although Howard and Savoie appear safe from a deadline trade. Tuch is a free agent at the end of the season (cap hit is $4.75 million) and would be considered a strong possible solution for the team.

Moving target? 

For now, the deadline needs are a moving target. Among the forward group, Roslovic holds promise as a scoring winger on a skill line and an option on the power play. That could reduce the need for an additional winger if Hyman fully recovers and Frederic improves his foot speed and quality of play enough to become a real option inside the top-six forwards.

Counting on all of Roslovic, Hyman and Frederic to deliver on their outer markers seems unreasonable, but Bowman can’t be sure about what target to pursue at the deadline until later in the season. Tuch would cover all bases.

In goal, Ingram had another tough game on Sunday, as the Condors were soundly beaten by the Calgary Wranglers. A look at the organization’s goalie depth chart currently suggests a deadline deal will be necessary, but the NHL season is just 15 percent complete.

The Oilers are using the 2025-26 season to find answers to problems. The scoring winger and goaltending issues are still there, but Roslovic and Ingram are intriguing options, and the organization will probably wait to let this play out.

If one of Savoie or Howard breaks out with an impact rookie season, the deadline could shift focus. The acquisition of a right-handed centre who could penalty kill and possibly a right-handed defenceman who could deliver on the second pairing are possible avenues.

The Oilers’ season has looked confused at times, but the team is getting answers. Some of those solutions Bowman envisioned during the summer could be in place by next spring. We wait.