The Edmonton Oilers general manager isn't ruling out the idea of adding to his roster before the 2026-27 regular season begins in just under a month's time. While a guest on Bob Stauffer's show, Oilers Now, Bowman talked about what options remain on the table. A PTO is among them. 

Going into this portion of the offseason, it seemed clear that Bowman was done. No one planned to spend additional money or make roster changes. Unfortunately, unexpected injuries became a storyline—expected in the case of Frederik Andersen — and they've forced the GM to take another look at his roster. 

Exploring the idea of a professional tryout has become a thought, if only because some big names remain out there.

“There are still some decent players out there who are trying to find landing spots. I’m not sure if we’re going to go down that road," said Bowman. What he defined as "decent" wasn't made clear, but one has to assume that Vladimir Tarasenko, Patrik Laine, Evander Kane, Michael Bunting, and a few others fall into that category.

It's fair to rule out Kane. He's been an Oiler before and his off-ice drama might not be something the organization wants to get caught up in. 

As for other options, much of that depends on the status of Matt Savoie. The latest is that his injury won't be long term. Bowman noted that the winger won't be out for "months and months."

Bowman also hinted that the team might stick with what they have. " We’re not overflowing with players, but we also don’t have a shortage of players."

At the end of the day, the Oilers will explore everything. "We’re in that mode where, yeah, we probably could try to bring a guy in on a tryout — not the worst idea."

It should be mentioned that worst idea is relative. There are some players out there that have been linked to the Oilers who feels like less-than-ideal fits. 

Patrik Laine has been mentioned, but he's a power play specialist that has slowed and most see as fairly one-dimensional. He can score, and he'll be motivated, but is he a good fit given the team's power play strengths and Laine's history with Mike Babcock?

Recently, the Oilers have been linked by Stauffer himself to Alex Formenton. If the Oilers are looking for a cautionary example of a bad PTO idea, this might be it. He's 26, hasn't played an NHL game in years, and his most recent Swiss League output — 13 goals and 23 points in 42 games — shows no upward trajectory that would suggest he's ready to step back into the league. Then there's the off-ice reality: Formenton remains tied to the 2018 Hockey Canada scandal, and even with his acquittal and international reinstatement, any team that signs him is choosing to absorb that storyline. The Oilers chose not to go there with Carter Hart. It seems logical to assume they'd steer clear of another player from that scandal.

For a franchise already carrying the Babcock headlines, inviting another layer of controversy for a player who hasn't proven he can help on the ice is the definition of a PTO not worth taking.

This is all to suggest that the Oilers won't just look at any old PTO. They may like the idea if there's an opportunity to add someone impactful, but they're not sold and adding the wrong person could wind up backfiring, even if there's no commitment required. 

See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.