Primer NHL Trade Deadline 2026: Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers head into the March 6 trade deadline in a familiar spot. After falling just short of a Stanley Cup in consecutive seasons, this team is looking to make a third trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. They’ve already made a few moves this season, including what felt like a panic trade for Tristan Jarry. However, they still have some big holes to fill if they want to get back to the finals and lift the cup.

With the Olympics nearing the end, GM Stan Bowman has just a handful of weeks to figure out how to navigate a tight situation and find the right pieces for a deep run.

The Status of the Oil Companies at the Trade Deadline: Aggressive Buyers

There is no doubt about where the Oilers stand. They are in a playoff spotand their window to win Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is wide open. That means when they are in this position, they will go all in.

Unfortunately, the Oilers have struggled with roster consistency. While their offense has always been a threat, their defensive play and goaltending have been major question marks. They already used one of their larger chips in it Stuart Skinner to get Jarry. Now they must decide whether to burn the rest of their assets to restore the crease and the blueline, or add another scoring winger. That said, there is a way they could do two of the three options despite their limited cap space. It just takes cap gymnastics and finding the right fits.

Salary cap space for oil companies

The biggest obstacle for Edmonton is the salary cap. According to PuckPediaThe Oilers are expected to have approximately $2.8 million in cap space on deadline day. That’s not a lot of room to work with, but as mentioned above, it’s possible to add a few impactful pieces.

With what is available, they could get a middle-six forward and a depth defender. But if they want to create more space, they need to move Andrew Mangiapane. He has been the most talked about name in trade rumors all season. He’s struggling to produce and has a $3.6 million hit next year.

If Bowman can find a buyer for Mangiapane, it will free up $6.4 million in cap space. Which gives them many more options. If they need to make room for a larger business, they may have to move too Mattias Janmark. That would free up another $1.45 million, bringing their projected cap space to $7.85 million. This could allow them to make a few deals and significantly improve their roster.

Oilers top trading targets and chips

The rumors have linked the Oilers to several players, most notably from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bobby McMann is a name that keeps coming back. Largely because of his size, scoring touch and cheap $1.35 million cap hit.

David Pagnotta has also made a link them to defender Oliver Ekman-Larsson and center Nicholas Roy. On the blue line, Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers come on like one potential target to play alongside Darnell Nurse. However, unless they fail to clear a significant amount of cap space, they will have to pay teams to maintain their salaries.

Asset-wise, the Oilers are short on draft picks after moving their 2026 first-round pick. But they still own their 2026 second-round pick and 2027 first-round pick, which could be used. However, if they want to make an impact, they will likely have to dip into their prospect pool and see if they can move someone like Beau Akey or even Isaac Howard, if the deal is worth it.

Ultimately, the Oilers will be one of the most active teams heading into March 6. They have the motivation to win. But they’ll need some creative management to make the math work.

Next: NHL Trade Deadline Primer 2026: Toronto Maple Leafs