The Edmonton Oilers' trade deadline plans won't be nearly as straightforward as originally thought.

During his 32 Thoughts podcast and then in a follow-up post on X, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Monday that Viktor Arvidsson and Adam Henrique have no-move clauses in their contracts. The assumption the Oilers might look at trading either player ahead of Friday's deadline in an effort to free up cap space appears to be off the table.

It could explain why speculation surrounding an Evander Kane trade picked up steam. 

Arvidsson's no-move clause prevents him from being moved without his consent. Henrique's situation is the same, and PuckPedia offered an update that Henrique's clause applies to both years of his contract. 

Arvidsson has seven goals and 19 points in 45 games, while Henrique has eight goals and 17 assists in 59 games. Arvidsson, who signed with the Oilers last off-season, is in the first of a two-year contract with a $4-million cap hit. Henrique re-signed with the Oilers and is also in the first season of a two-year deal worth $3 million annually.

Why This Puts Edmonton In A Bind

The Oilers' flexibility at the trade deadline is severely restricted if Arvidsson and Henrique can't be traded. The team was already working within tight cap constraints, but with fewer ways to free up space, it's unclear how the team will tackle what could be a long to-do list of improvements, including finding a defenseman and a couple of forwards.

Now, the only significant contract they can move without as much protection belongs to Evander Kane, whose no-movement clause became a 16-team trade list on March 1. He reportedly submitted that list, and Friedman said he had second-hand information that contenders are likely on that list.

Kane can provide valuable secondary scoring. At the same time, he's coming off a serious injury, and a trade might require the Oilers to add a sweetener. 

Making things more complicated, the Oilers' only forwards without a no-trade or no-move clause have a cap hit of $1.15 million or less. They include Connor Brown, Corey Perry, Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin. None of these players alone would clear the cap room needed for a significant addition, meaning the Oilers must get creative if they hope to address their roster needs before the March 7 deadline.

Edmonton Oilers 2025 Trade Deadline Tracker EDMONTON – It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

What Are Edmonton's Options Now?

Edmonton looks to add a left-shot defenseman, a forward who can compete for a top-six role and a fourth-line center with penalty-killing abilities, according to TSN's Ryan Rishaug.

With limited cap space and most of their top nine forwards locked into contracts with trade protection, any move must be dollar-for-dollar unless they offload Kane's $5.125-million cap hit.

Stan Bowman, who took over as Oilers GM this season, faces a tough challenge. With just days remaining until the deadline, the Oilers are restricted in a way they've seldom been in the past. The pressure is on for management to upgrade the team's depth.

"Management in years past have always done a good job of pitching in and giving us another horse in the stable to help us coming down the stretch and into the playoffs, so I'd expect management to do the same," McDavid told reporters on Monday.

The team's trade deadline could be quieter than expected if Henrique or Arvidsson don't waive their clauses and if they can't move Kane. The Oilers may have to rely on smaller, depth-focused trades rather than a big move.

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