Oilers finished making offseason additions despite cap space, says GM

Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has made a couple of key roster changes this summer, most notably moving on from longtime defenseman Darnell Nurse while adding Ryan Shea, Mathieu Joseph and Stanley Cup champion Frederik Andersen.

Despite those additions, the Oilers still have $4.7 million in cap space, a rarity for the franchise this late in a recent offseason. Still, Bowman told Oilers Now’s Bob Stauffer last week that he doesn’t anticipate Edmonton making another addition before the 2026-27 NHL season.

Bowman wants to preserve that cap flexibility rather than find himself priced out of potential moves during the season. He knows firsthand how difficult it can be to make a deal when there’s no room to work with.

“We had no space at all. You’re very handcuffed as to what you can do, and it’s tough because opportunities pop up every year during the year,” Bowman told Stauffer.

“If a player comes available in November that makes two and a half million that you like, but they don’t want, they’re just trying to shed salary. We were never even in the market for that. That was impossible.”

It makes sense for Bowman to stand pat, at least for now. The Oilers already have 12 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders on the active roster, leaving little immediate need for another addition.

That doesn’t mean Edmonton’s roster will stay intact all year, though.

Bowman told Stauffer he also wants to give some of the Oilers’ younger forwards an opportunity to move higher in the lineup, most notably Matthew Savoie and Isaac Howard.

Savoie appeared in all 82 games during his first NHL season, finishing with 18 goals and 37 points. Howard recorded five points in 29 regular-season contests but was excellent with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, posting 50 points in 47 games. The 22-year-old will look to establish himself as an everyday player this fall.

A plausible scenario would be both Savoie and Howard earning top-six roles, which would allow Bowman to be even more selective when making additions to the team during the season.

Even if the Oilers’ roster remains unchanged between now and opening night, that’s very unlikely to be the case down the stretch as Edmonton continues to chase a Stanley Cup in the prime of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

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