Early long-term bet on Blueliner has insiders doubting oil companies ahead of deadline

With the trade deadline approaching, what needs to be addressed during the Olympic break is where the Edmonton Oilers will focus their attention. With a limited salary cap and some difficult contract obligations, one insider believes Edmonton has taken a number of players under fire.

Some believe the Oilers should prioritize a defenseman at the deadline. Seravalli does not believe that the organization can do that and that they do. “Honestly, I don’t see it. And I believe, just from the conversations I’ve had, that the Oilers haven’t really spent a lot of time looking at the defense, that their thought process has been, ‘We’ll improve organically when the time is right.'” He added, “It’s not just an asset either, like it’s going to be a real salary cap magician.”

One of the question marks is Walman, who has struggled to replicate his 2025 playoff performance. He has also had trouble staying healthy. Frank Seravalli was a guest Oilers now with Bob Stauffer and argued that when General Manager Stan Bowman handed Jake Walman a long-term contract last summer, he may have gotten himself in handcuffs.

Was it a mistake to sign Walman so quickly?

Seravalli criticized the Oilers’ aggressive contract strategy and called the rush to sign Walman premature. “I mean, what was the rush to sign Walman to an extension last summer? Sometimes aggression should be commended, but in this case it seems their evaluation process has been a bit lacking,” Seravalli said, suggesting the Walman deal and other long-term deals such as Trent Frederic’s eight-year contract were a mistake.

There’s not much Bowman can do about it now other than get those guys going. With that in mind, it will be intriguing to see if the Oilers address Walman’s issues by making changes. Walman is a good player, so he could find his way coming out of the break and before March 6. If he does that, the Oilers can breathe a little easier. If he doesn’t, there is an option to break the glass in case of emergency.

Rumors that the Oilers might consider asking Paul Coffey — whose career combined offensive skills with defensive savvy — to return could help a player like Walman find his game. It may not make the defenseman the impactful player he was in the playoffs last season, but that combination has worked before.

h/t to David Staples of the Edmonton Magazine for the transcription

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