The Edmonton Oilers are working with $16.5 million this summer before they even get to their own pending free agents. In a league where contenders are scraping for $800,000 in wiggle room to ice a fourth line, it's an enviable position to be in.
Don't blow it.
That's the whole article, really, but let's get into the specifics.
The philosophy has to be simple: spend down to about a million in reserve, fix the actual problems on this roster, and do not, under any circumstances, hand out the kind of contract term that haunts a franchise for half a decade. Everyone in the league should have Trent Frederic's deal memorized by now. Eight years at $3.85 million, or what some people might call a cautionary tale with a jersey number.
The Oilers need a hard internal rule this summer: nobody gets a contract that has them in an Edmonton Oilers jersey past the age of 35. A 30-year-old gets five years. A 29-year-old gets six. And if another team wants to blow past that to steal someone away, hand them the pen and thank them for doing you a favour.
Roslovic First, Everything Else Second
Jack Roslovic has been one of the better stories in Edmonton this season, and he's going to get paid this summer; the only question is whether it's the Oilers cutting the cheque.
Roslovic has been clear about one thing from the start: he's motivated by money, and who can blame him? He's not so much concerned about lifestyle fit, a preferred destination, or complicated feelings about winning versus market. He wants to be compensated fairly for what he's become as a player. That's a negotiation Edmonton
can have.
But they need to go in clear-eyed. When the Oilers first came at him, they offered $2.5 million and he turned it down because he felt he deserved more. Time passed, other teams didn't feel the same way he did, and he ended up signing for $1.5 million. He spent all season proving that everyone else was wrong, and he's not settling again.
Somewhere in the $3 to $3.5 million range over four or five years—he's 28, so that lands well within the term framework—is where this negotiation needs to live. If he comes back asking for something that doesn't make sense, you move on. But this is the first call of the summer, and it needs to be treated that way.
Kapanen's Easy
Kasperi Kapanen at $1.3 million looks pretty good in retrospect. He's earned a raise and deserves one. Sign him around $2 to $2.25 million and feel good about it. He's fast, he fits, and continuity matters when you're building around two of the best players in the world. Next.
Keep Dickinson
Jason Dickinson at $3 million is a fair price for a player who does his job, doesn't create problems, and understands what he is. Re-sign him without drama and redirect your energy toward the harder decisions.
Henrique's Time Has Come
Nobody wants to say it, but it needs to be said. Adam Henrique has been a beloved figure in Edmonton, and his Stanley Cup Final runs are something Oilers fans will talk about for a long time. But bringing him back isn't a smart decision anymore, and the Oilers can't afford to spend cap space on sentiment. It's a kind goodbye, but a firm one.
Working Through the Pending Group
Alex Tuch is the name to watch here. At $4.75 million and 30 years old, the math allows for five years maximum. If he's healthy and the number makes sense, there's a deal to explore. If it doesn't, there isn't. Don't talk yourself into an overpay because the need feels urgent.
A.J. Greer has outplayed his $885,000 deal and is due for a real contract. He's 29, so figure something out in the $1.5 to $2 million range. Logan Stanley is 27, affordable, and does what you need a depth defender to do.
Max Jones is in Bakersfield. Curtis Lazar is Curtis Lazar.
But drum role here: bring back Brett Kulak. The Oilers were weak defensively, and Kulak was the type of defenceman that was recognized far too late. The value he brings to the D-core isn't noticed until it's gone, but we've seen it now. It's time to bring him home.
The Oilers have cap space, a core still worth building around, and a summer to remind the league they're not done. Spend with intention. Hold the line on term. Get Roslovic.
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