The Edmonton Oilers are actively seeking to bolster their forward group, particularly eyeing a top-nine forward, preferably a third-line center. However, a significant hurdle stands in their way: offloading Andrew Mangiapane’s contract, which has one year remaining at $3.6 million. Moving this contract will likely incur additional costs for the Oilers.
Among the potential candidates who fit the Oilers’ desired profile—physical, playoff-ready players—two names have emerged. The first is Nicolas Roy from the Toronto Maple Leafs. While he aligns with the type of player Edmonton is looking for, the Oilers have not yet made a formal trade offer for him.
A second, more prominent option is Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues, who has two years left on his deal at $6.5 million annually. For a Schenn trade to be feasible for Edmonton, the Blues would need to retain a portion of his salary. Schenn is also known for his ruggedness and physicality, attributes highly valued by the Oilers.
Regarding speculation about a potential Darnell Nurse trade, such a move appears highly improbable. Nurse possesses a full no-movement clause, and with the recent birth of his third child, agreeing to a trade now would cause significant disruption to his family, making him understandably unwilling to consider it at this time.
