Edmonton Oilers May Need To Make Tough Trade Decisions In 2025

As the Edmonton Oilers enter the second half of the season, the team may need to make some tough choices heading toward the trade deadline.

Already a strong contender, will they sacrifice some of their future or depth players to overcome a few hurdles and improve their odds of beating other top contenders on their way to the Stanley Cup?

Among the bigger questions is what the Oilers are willing to give up to make the upgrades necessary to be a favorite. If there's a weakness, it's their depth in the event of injury and their lack of physicality. Unfortunately, there are no incoming moves without a corresponding outgoing one.

Coach Likes His Roster, But There are Hiccups

Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch has said he likes his team as it is and sees a lot of players playing well. That said, he has to admit this is not a physical team (last in the NHL by a long shot at 41 hits less than the second-lowest team). The Oilers are also one injury away from being light in areas of need. It's why Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports that GM Stan Bowman is out there searching for reinforcements and blueline upgrades.

Knoblauch might be aware that options are out there, and the Oilers should potentially pursue them, but adding an effective player may require parting ways with someone he likes, trusts, and finds serviceable.

Any upgrade, whether that's a player like Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets or David Savard of the Montreal Canadiens, means a reliable veteran or coach favorite might have to go.

There is already a surplus of forwards as the team returns to full health, the defense is starting to find its groove as well and Goaltending hasn't been an issue. All of this allows Bowman to be picky, but when opportunities arise to improve, the Oilers need to be prepared to take them.

What About The Oilers' Long-Term Future?

If the Oilers want to take a swing ahead of the deadline, the team must also determine what trade prospects or draft picks they're willing to part with.

While Edmonton has a few promising young players in their system – Matthew Savoie, Sam O'Reilly and Beau Akey, to name a few – they aren't stocked with a surplus of prospects or high picks. They've spent those assets trying to be a contender over the last three seasons.

The Oilers already traded their 2025 first-round pick, leaving their 2026 first-rounder as a potential trade chip. After trading into the first round last year, and with only four picks in the 2025 draft, the Oilers should be careful of selling more of their future assets for a return that doesn't move the needle that much.

The Oilers Will Have Depth, But Players Sitting

Icing the best possible lineup will mean healthy scratches for some established players.

Veterans Corey Perry, Derek Ryan, Jeff Skinner and Troy Stecher have already been healthy scratches this season. They might need to make room for whoever comes in. Depth players, such as Perry and Ryan, understand their role. But, if someone else comes in to help with secondary scoring or can provide even more of an impact, keeping all their scratches around in case of injury might be unnecessary.

It's a good problem to have, but it also means asking players to come in cold and trying to balance sitting too long and running with the best roster. These aren't necessarily players the Oilers can dangle as trade bait, so they become potential hurdles in trade talks.

Related: Top 25 NHL Situational Scorers: All Hail Leon Draisaitl (And Troy Terry)

The Oilers are in win-now mode. Any moves they make must help them ice a better team right now. That won't be easy to do, but impact players may shake loose over the next number of weeks.

The Oilers must be prepared to make a move and determine what sacrifices they can live with.

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