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Meet the Buyers: The Oilers are struggling to gain traction this season
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Feb 28, 2026, 11:15 ESTUpdated: Feb 27, 2026, 23:51 EST
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After back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals losses to the Florida Panthers, the Edmonton Oilers are searching for answers on how to get over the hump.
They had another slow start to the season, and post Olympic break, are just barely clinging on to a playoff spot. In Connor McDavid’s 11th season, you know they aren’t going to sell, so they must buy.
Trades between the divisional rivals have happened in the past. Before the 2010 trade deadline, the Oilers sent Steve Staios to the Flames for Aaron Johnson and a third-rounder in 2011. Three seasons later, the Oilers sent Ladislav Šmíd and Olivier Roy to the Flames for Roman Horák and Laurent Brossoit. The final trade between the two teams came during the 2019 off-season, as the Flames acquired Milan Lucic and a third-round pick in 2020 for James Neal.
So while trades between the provincial rivals are rare, they have happened during the season. That being said, let’s take a look at their needs, their cap situation, and what the Oilers have to offer.

Oilers’ needs and cap situation

The Oilers’ cap situation isn’t good. They have a current cap space of $10,088, and a deadline cap space of $12,009. No, there’s no period between the numbers, they have about as much cap room as some student loans. They may get some long-term injured reserve relief in the near future, as Mattias Janmark is out long-term, but their cap situation isn’t great.
One move the Oilers have to make before another move is trading former Flame Andrew Mangiapane and his $3.6 million cap hit. After that, they have quite a handful of needs, such as goaltending (something that won’t be fixed this season), a third line centre, a middle six forward, and most importantly, a top four defenceman who can play the right side.
The Flames have quite a few players who fit the Oilers’ needs. MacKenzie Weegar is a top four defenceman and shoots right. His play has declined a bit this season, but he’s coming off an eight goal season with 47 points, and had 20 goals just two seasons ago. Zach Whitecloud is also a right-shot defenceman, but he’s a bottom pair defender, which the Oilers don’t really need with Ty Emberson and Alec Regula.
With McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on their first and second line respectively, acquiring Nazem Kadri would mean he’s either playing on Draisaitl’s wing, or he’s centring the third line, something that would be useful to the Oilers. Blake Coleman could also provide some secondary scoring, as he’s capable of playing in the Oilers’ middle six.
The Oilers’ cap constraints make most trades difficult, but add in the fact that the Oilers are the Flames’ geographical rival, and it’s hard to see a trade materialize before the Mar. 6 trade deadline.

What the Oilers have to offer

One thing the Oilers have done rather well since Stan Bowman took over is restock their farm system. Matthew Savoie isn’t a prospect anymore, but the ninth overall pick in the 2022 draft has 10 goals and 23 points in 60 games this season. Ike Howard is their other young prospect of note, as he has 13 goals and 31 points in 28 American Hockey League games, but just two goals and five points in 28 NHL games.
Because they haven’t had their first round pick in the last few drafts, they’ve had to look elsewhere to restock their farm system as well, namely college and Europe. Quinn Hutson, brother of Lane, has 24 goals and 45 points in 47 games this season. Viljami Marjala has 13 goals and 43 points in 52 games, and Josh Samanski has two goals and 29 points in 42 games, as he represented Team Germany at the Olympics.
As for picks, they traded away their 2026 first rounder in exchange for Jake Walman at last season’s trade deadline. They have their second and third in the coming draft, but are without their fourth and fifth round picks. Looking ahead, the Oilers have their first rounder for the next two seasons and the 2027 first is arguably their best asset ahead of the deadline.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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