The 2026 NHL trade deadline is set to hit this Friday, and the Edmonton Oilers are expected to make some moves.

Goaltending has been the talk of the town around the Oilers of late, but it doesn’t appear they will be adding another player into the crease. Instead, GM Stan Bowman is reported to have interest in either adding a third-line centre or another defenceman who can play on the right side.

Edmonton has a few internal options that could maybe pivot the third line, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins being a veteran option, while Josh Samanski has call-up potential. What they don’t have is many top-four defensive options to play the right side.

Darnell Nurse seems poised for a demotion to the third pair, and Jake Walman has struggled playing on the right side so far this season. Players like Ty Emberson and Spencer Stastney are more suited to depth roles, while the farm isn’t exactly brimming with high-potential blue-liners.

So, what players could the Oilers target to bolster the right side of their defensive group? Here are six possible options that Bowman could consider:

1. Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers

Age: 31
2025-26 stats: 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS, 22 GP
Cap hit: $5.1 million (UFA-2027)

Rasmus Ristolainen has been connected to the Oilers in recent weeks, but he’s a bit of a gamble.

The Finnish defender has been limited to just 22 games this season due to injury, and carries a pretty hefty cap hit through next season. Ristolainen is a much more defensive-oriented player, something that the Oilers lack throughout their top four apart from Mattias Ekholm.

2. Connor Murphy, Chicago Blackhawks

Age: 32
2025-26 stats: 4 G, 8 A, 12 PTS, 59 GP
Cap hit: $4.4 million (UFA-2026)

Connor Murphy has been a rumoured Oilers trade target for about two seasons now, but could it finally happen?

This would be a rental option for the Oilers, meaning they could probably coax Chicago into retaining a little bit of his salary to make things easier. He is a right-handed defender who has been playing on the left side a bit this season, meaning he is a bit versatile.

Still, there is some question whether he could be the impactful top-four guy Edmonton needs.

3. Braden Schnieder, New York Rangers

Age: 24
2025-26 stats: 2 G, 9A, 11 PTS, 59 GP
Cap hit: $2.2 million (RFA-2026)

Braden Schnieder is the youngest option on this list, but that means he could be among the hardest to acquire.

Things have not worked out between Schneider and the New York Rangers, and rumour has it they could part ways as early as the deadline. The Oilers are in need of some younger, more impactful players, and he carries a relatively cheap cap hit.

You’d have to think New York’s asking price may be a bit high for a player like him.

4. Nick Perbix, Nashville Predators

Age: 27
2025-26 stats: 3 G, 6 A, 9 PTS, 56 GP
Cap hit: $2.75 million (UFA-2027)

Nick Perbix was among the NHL’s most under-the-radar defenders with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, but things have fallen off a bit since then.

He signed with the Nashville Predators last summer, and his metrics have fallen quite a bit, albeit on a mid-tier team. Perbix has shown the potential to be a serviceable top-four NHL defender in the past, and his asking price could be at an all-time low right now.

Overall, Perbix would likely be a low-cost, high-risk type of acquisition.

5. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Toronto Maple Leafs

Age: 34
2025-26 stats: 8 G, 27 A, 35 PTS, 60 GP
Cap hit: $3.5 million (UFA-2028)

It feels like Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the main player of interest for the Oilers heading into the deadline.

The Swedish defender is enjoying a good year with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is certainly capable of being a decent top-four option. OEL is left-handed but has extensive experience playing on the right side.

His pedigree is great, and the cap hit is low, so it makes sense. The only issue is the acquisition cost and the fact that he’ll be 36 when his current deal ends.

6. Justin Faulk, St. Louis Blues

Age: 33
2025-26 stats: 11 G, 21 A, 32 PTS, 59 GP
Cap hit: $6.5 million (UFA-2027)

Another name connected to Edmonton of late has been Justin Faulk of the St. Louis Blues.

Like OEL, Faulk has been having a pretty decent year despite being on a lacklustre team. He may not be the player he used to be, but he is certainly a serviceable second-pair guy at this juncture.

There could be an issue with his higher cap hit, and the Oilers would likely need to get some sort of retention to make it work.