AdminAs the Edmonton Oilers aim to finalize their lineup this summer and appear to be taking a cautious approach in free agency, their options seem somewhat limited. However, this perception may not entirely reflect reality, as various former Oilers could potentially fit well into the 2025-26 squad.
The inspiration for this post arose when it was reported that Jesse Puljujarvi is moving to Switzerland. A prospect that Edmonton had high expectations for, he bounced around the NHL and ultimately had to leave the league due to an inability to find a roster spot. In other words, not every prospect pans out. Nonetheless, there were players from previous Oilers teams who had notable successes.
Klim Kostin
A sizable forward fond of Edmonton, Klim Kostin is now an unrestricted free agent. He recently played for San Jose and previously for Detroit, but he did not achieve the same success there as he did during his brief time in Edmonton.
During the 2022-23 season, Kostin participated in 57 games with the Oilers, contributing 11 goals and a total of 21 points. He was known for his willingness to engage physically and strongly defended his teammates, standing out in that role.
Jeff Skinner
While Kostin might not be a regular member of the lineup, he could serve a valuable depth role and would likely accept a two-way contract with a modest average annual value. Despite the challenges Jeff Skinner faced with the Oilers last season, his ability to produce remains evident. With several departures in free agency, the Oilers could benefit from additional scoring.
As the season progressed, Skinner demonstrated improving performance, which could have influenced head coach Kris Knoblauch’s perspective on the veteran winger. However, any possibility of bringing him back hinges on Skinner’s expectations. He hasn’t committed to any team thus far, which could stem from his desire to wait for a contender’s interest or a general lack of interest. The latter scenario might enable the Oilers to acquire him at a favorable price.
Cam Talbot
Since joining the Oilers, Connor McDavid has faced inconsistent goaltending, while Cam Talbot was one of the more effective goalies during the captain’s tenure with the team. Talbot has one year left on his contract with Detroit, and the Red Wings are in a state of flux regarding their roster construction.
They have recently traded for John Gibson, which might make Talbot a surplus asset. As a cost-effective choice, Talbot would add to a group including Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, offering the Oilers three solid goaltending options. The drawback of pursuing this path is having to manage three goalies simultaneously.
Talbot has relocated several times since departing from Edmonton. He has been a member of teams in Philadelphia, Detroit, Calgary, Ottawa, Minnesota, and Los Angeles. His statistics have remained consistent across all the teams he has been part of, indicating that there should be no worries about him unexpectedly turning into a liability.
Admin
