This article is the third of a four-part series where I will cover trade targets for the Edmonton Oilers at the 2025 Trade Deadline during the Four Nations break.
In the first article, I analyzed high-end top-six winger targets that could address Edmonton’s inconsistent finishing abilities, such as Brock Nelson, Alex Tuch, Jared McCann, and more. In the second article, I analyzed middle-six and depth forwards for if the Oilers didn’t want to aim too high, such as Ryan Donato, Trent Frederic, and so on.
In this piece, I would like to cover defenceman trade options for the Oilers.
Now, the Oilers have been an elite defensive team this year. Per CSA Hockey, their skater group has allowed the third-fewest mid and high-percentage scoring chances per hour this season. Compared to past years, trading for a defenceman is not an absolute necessity.
Still, they could certainly benefit from one more defenceman. As of recently, the Oilers have deployed John Klingberg next to Darnell Nurse on the second pair, but the early results are quite mediocre, and Klingberg’s track record strongly suggests he should not be a top-four defenceman on a cup contender heading into the playoffs. Prior to the Klingberg signing, the Oilers had rotated Brett Kulak and Troy Stecher at 2RD depending on the situation, a strategy that worked well, but perhaps the Oilers want to permanently keep Kulak at 3LD. So, a top-four right defenceman remains on their wish list, someone with strong rush defending and puck-moving to cover for Nurse’s weaknesses.
The Oilers could also use a left defenceman. If the Oilers do want to keep Kulak at 2RD, they could trade for a 3LD to play with Ty Emberson. But regardless, they could benefit from more LD depth in general, because if one of Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, or Brett Kulak were to be injured in the playoffs, their next-best LD in the organization is Cam Dineen, who has no games of NHL experience in the past three seasons.
So, let’s go over their options.
*All stats via EvolvingHockey, Natural Stat Trick, PuckIQ and AllThreeZones unless stated otherwise, and all cap info via PuckPedia
Mike Matheson
Earlier in the year, OilersNow host Bob Stauffer tweeted that Edmonton’s most logical addition should be a top-four puck-moving defenceman. Stauffer went on to say that this player does not necessarily need to be right-handed, but must be comfortable playing the right side. Particularly with that last comment in mind, this description perfectly seems to match Mike Matheson.
Matheson is a 30-year-old defenceman on the Montreal Canadiens, carrying a $4.9M cap hit for one more season after this one. With the Canadiens well out of a playoff spot, they are expected to be sellers at the deadline, and thus, Matheson could be available. He is primarily a left defenceman but has experience on the right side.
Now, at a raw glance, Matheson’s results are quite mediocre. His net impact on even-strength scoring chance differential has ranked below average in each of the past three seasons, and his goal differential isn’t pretty either. This season, he’s having the worst defensive results of his career, and it’s largely as a result of his awful rush defence.
When an opposition forward attempts to enter the zone against a defenceman, the average defender will allow a controlled entry ~55% of the time. However, Matheson has been sitting at an ugly 65% in the past three seasons. Not good.
But with all of that in mind, there is still potential here. Note the quality of competition rating on the card above, which ranks in the 99th percentile. Matheson has played 41% of his total TOI against elite opposition, the fourth-highest among all NHL defencemen since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, and he’s played in this role on a pretty subpar team. Now, the “EV Offence” and “EV Defence” ratings on the card above use EvolvingHockey’s RAPM model, which attempts to adjust player results for the quality of teammates/competition, but they are far from flawless, particularly in extreme cases where players are in an exceedingly difficult or exceedingly sheltered role.
I could easily see Matheson’s results improve in an easier role on a cup contender like the Oilers; it’s worth noting that in 2021-22, when playing in a relatively less difficult #4/5 role in Pittsburgh, Matheson produced a very strong 55 percent goal differential.
Matheson’s skills come from his speed, skating, and puck-moving. He is extremely efficient at exiting the defensive zone with possession, largely due to his superb skating as he loves to skate the puck out and is decent at generating rush opportunities. But, his passing abilities still rank above average, and so do his defensive-zone retrieval results.
If Matheson is to be on the Oilers, I would not pair him with Nurse due to his inadequate rush defending. Instead, I believe there is potential for him to play well with Kulak. Considering his ability to play both LD and RD, he could provide a lot of options and overall versatility for Edmonton.
Are there risks with Matheson? Of course, especially at a decently high cap hit of $4.9M. Nevertheless, he remains an intriguing target worth considering.
Jamie Oleksiak
Jamie Oleksiak is a 32-year-old defenceman on the Seattle Kraken with a $4.6M cap hit for two more seasons including this one. He ranks 13th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board on The Athletic. Oleksiak also fits Stauffer’s description from above like Matheson, and I’d argue that Oleksiak might be better.
At a towering 6’7’’ frame, Oleksiak is a quality two-way defenceman with strong results at both ends of the ice. Though his production is unimpressive, it seems to be more attributed to his forward linemate quality as suggested by Oleksiak’s passing microstats. His scoring chance assists per 60 rate ranks in the 71st percentile, and his passed zone exit per 60 rate ranks in the 84th percentile, ranking higher than every Oilers defenceman but Evan Bouchard.
Defensively, Oleksiak uses his size to consistently step up the blueline, possessing a great 12% entry denial rate. This is perhaps the biggest advantage he possesses over Matheson. Oleksiak also possesses a slightly better loose puck retrieval success rate in the defensive zone than Matheson.
Furthermore, Oleksiak has plenty of experience against top opposition and can play both LD and RD, which could give the Oilers numerous options. Given his puck-moving and entry-defending abilities, he seems to be a strong fit with Darnell Nurse on paper, but he could easily slot in as 3LD next to Ty Emberson as well.
Unfortunately, his results in 2024-25 specifically have been subpar, but given his strong track record and microstat profile, I still believe Oleksiak remains one of Edmonton’s best defensive targets out there. They should highly consider him.
Rasmus Ristolainen
Rasmus Ristolainen is a 30-year-old right-shot defenceman on the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently in the third year of a five-year contract at a $5.1M cap hit. He ranks fourth on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board.
Ristolainen is an interesting player. For years, he had mightily struggled in Buffalo, with some of the worst underlying results in the league. However, ever since being dealt to Philadelphia, John Tortorella has deployed him in a role that has allowed him to thrive defensively. His shot suppression results with the Flyers are gorgeous, and he’s an extremely efficient penalty-killer as well. Specifically, his cycle defending is what has seen the biggest improvement in Philadelphia.
Still, although the on-ice results look appealing, I have concerns about his stylistic fit in Edmonton. Ristolainen remains a mediocre puck-mover and entry defender, attributes that would not make him a good partner for Darnell Nurse. His controlled exit efficiency and defensive-zone retrieval success rate rank in the bottom third among all NHL defencemen. Perhaps he could fit with Kulak, but there’s no point in trading for a $5M defender just to play him on the third pair. Additionally, though I can’t conclusively prove it as of now, I also have doubts about whether his results can be sustained away from Tortorella’s system.
All things considered, Ristolainen is a case of a player that could provide immense value to another team in the proper environment, but wouldn’t seem to be a great fit in Edmonton specifically. Personally, I would explore other options.
Bowen Byram
Bowen Byram is a 23-year-old left defenceman on the Buffalo Sabres. He was originally drafted 4th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2019. He carries a $3.9M cap hit that expires this summer and he’ll become an RFA. He ranks 6th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board.
For a number of different reasons, Byram is an extremely intriguing player. This is a skilled, young defender with a variety of talents, such as passing, puck-moving, retrieving pucks, and even finishing.
But unfortunately, Byram has yet to put it all together at the NHL level. His on-ice impacts offensively and defensively are well into the negatives; in simpler terms, Byram’s teammates see a consistent decrease in scoring chances for with Byram on-ice, and a huge increase in high-danger scoring chances aagainst. Yes, he’s produced 29 points in 54 games this season on an awful Sabres team, but it’s largely driven by a 12% on-ice shooting percentage that is highly unlikely to sustain; for reference, not even Cale Makar has produced an oiSH% that high in his career.
Given his skillset, some may still question the validity of his analytics, but Byram has produced poor on-ice results on both a Cup-contending team (Colorado) and a perpetual bottom-feeder (Buffalo). The fact that Byram’s impacts have sustained on a completely different team makes it unlikely that they’re inaccurate. I believe the main factors for these results include Byram’s difficulties at defending in his own end, and the fact that he is more of a play “finisher” over a play “driver.”
Another concern with Byram is that, according to Elliotte Friedman, Byram desires to be a number one defenceman on whatever team he goes to, which is definitely worth considering as he becomes an RFA this summer; the Oilers certainly don’t want another offer sheet here.
Still, it’s undeniable that there is talent and potential here. A player with his microstat profile and skillset can definitely thrive in the correct environment. We saw that when he won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022, where he had an excellent performance in the cup finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Byram has also dealt with three concussions in Colorado, which could definitely play a role in his metrics.
What makes Byram appealing to me is his age. The Oilers could hypothetically trade for Byram and keep him in a 3LD role for the time being. Then, when Ekholm inevitably declines in a couple of seasons, they could run a dynamic top-pairing of Byram – Bouchard for many years to come.
All-in-all, Byram is a highly fascinating option. If he’s willing to re-sign in Edmonton, I would strongly consider him due to his potential as a long-term option.
Connor Murphy
Connor Murphy is a right-shot defenceman on the Chicago Blackhawks, carrying a $4.4M cap hit for this season and the next. Murphy ranks 17th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board, and he was recently linked to the Oilers by Frank Seravalli.
Statistically, there are many similarities between Murphy and Ristolainen. Murphy has very strong defensive metrics, particularly due to his physicality and defensive awareness in his own zone. He also retrieves loose pucks in his own end at a high rate. But again, just like Ristolainen, Murphy is a mediocre entry defender and puck-mover, so I doubt he would stylistically fit with Darnell Nurse in the top-four.
Per Seravalli (in the article linked above), the asking price for Murphy “starts with a first-round pick,” which I definitely don’t think he would be worth. All-in-all, Murphy is a good defenceman, but I would look elsewhere.
Olli Määttä
Olli Määttä is a 30-year-old defenceman on the Utah Hockey Club, currently carrying a $3M cap hit for this season. Määttä is not ranked on Chris Johnston’s nor Frank Seravalli’s trade board, but considering that he’s a pending UFA on a team on track to miss the playoffs, Määttä could be available.
In my opinion, you won’t find a much better pure 3LD than Määttä out there. He has produced top-notch defensive results in a third-pairing role with both Detroit and Utah. In particular, he excels at retrieving opposition dump-ins under forecheck pressure, alongside above-average entry denial rates. Don’t expect much offence from him, but he’s not a terrible puck-mover; his controlled exit rate is a full standard deviation higher than Darnell Nurse’s. To top it all off, Määttä can play both LD and RD, making him incredibly versatile.
One thing that really intrigues me about Määttä is that it could give the Oilers a very compelling case to play 11F/7D in the postseason, with Klingberg remaining in the lineup. Think about it; depending on the game state, they could rotate Määttä and Klingberg. For instance, if the Oilers are trailing or in desperate need of a goal, they could deploy bottom-two pairs of Nurse – Klingberg and Kulak – Emberson. However, if they need to protect a lead, they could shift to pairs of Nurse – Kulak and Määttä – Emberson, or even some shifts of Nurse – Määttä. This is a twist on Edmonton’s Kulak/Stecher rotation strategy, and arguably even more effective and flexible. At the very least, this is worth considering.
All things considered, Määttä is a player I would definitely pursue if I were GM.
Mario Ferraro
Mario Ferraro is a 26-year-old defenceman on the San Jose Sharks, with a $3.3M cap hit for this season and the next. He ranks 22nd on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board.
Ferraro has been playing as a top-four left defenceman in San Jose, and his overall results are mediocre. He has struggled defensively, particularly at defending the rush. However, I could definitely see those results improve in a sheltered role on a better team, and he does provide decent offensive value. Specifically, Ferraro is above average at exiting the defensive zone with possession.
Perhaps a Ferraro – Emberson third-pair could work in the sense that each of them covers for the weaknesses of the other. He’s not the worst depth LD out there. But, I would still go for Määttä instead.
David Savard
David Savard is a 34-year-old defenceman on the Montreal Canadiens, the second on this list. He’s an expiring UFA this summer, currently holding a $3.5M cap hit this season. Savard ranks 12th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board.
Interestingly, despite low raw production totals, Savard has produced at a rate of 1.12 points per hour at even-strength, ranking in the 84th percentile among all NHL defencemen. Weird!
But while Savard is surprisingly decent in the offensive zone relative to other defenceman, it should not mask the fact that, at this stage of his career, he is terrible defensively. He blocks a lot of shots, but that’s because he spends most of his time in his own end and struggles to move it out, as Savard’s zone exit success rate and controlled exit efficiency would rank dead last among Edmonton defencemen. He’s not a particularly strong penalty-killer either.
Teams may value Savard for his Stanley Cup experience and handedness, but I really see no reason for the Oilers to trade for him. He is not a better 3RD than Emberson, he is certainly not a top-four RD, and it makes little sense to keep him as a depth 7th D when he makes $3.5M. Simply put, aim higher.
Other Options
- With size, strong defensive metrics in the past three seasons combined, and even cup experience, Brian Dumoulin is yet another decently well-rounded 3LD option worth considering. However, his results this season specifically are quite mediocre; considering the fact that he turns 34 this year, this may be a red flag of a potential age decline.
- With the Rangers poised to miss the playoffs, they could be willing to trade Ryan Lindgren. Lindgren is an LHD that has played significant time on NYR’s top-pair next to Adam Fox over the past few years; unfortunately, his results have not been good, as he has been a huge drag on Fox’s results. That being said, he’s still a decent puck-mover and very strong at DZ retrievals, so perhaps there’s potential for him to be a decent 3LD. If the Oilers miss out on Määttä and Dumoulin, Lindgren is not the worst option in the world.
- Henri Jokiharju is a RHD option potentially available, but I’m not a huge fan. His on-ice impacts are mediocre, and he’s an inadequate puck-mover and entry defender. Yet again, this is a RHD that is not good enough to play with Nurse in the top-four, not better than Emberson as 3RD, and too expensive to be a 7D.
- Zac Jones is another LD on the Rangers that could be available for trade. At an $812,500 cap-hit, he could be a solid 7D. His entry defending results in the past few seasons have been excellent.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the market for top-four right-defenceman is pretty bleak. Unless someone new and unexpected becomes available, it’s quite difficult to find an RHD that could fit well with Darnell Nurse on the second defensive pair.
Thus, Edmonton’s best option is likely to trade for an LHD that can play both sides to give the Oilers options and versatility. For a top-four defender, Oleksiak is likely to be their best option, but Matheson could still work as well, though there are risks. As for a cheaper 3LD, I believe Määttä remains their best option.
All-in-all, expect the Oilers to add at least one defenceman at the 2025 Trade Deadline. Only time will tell what type of defender this will be.
Tomorrow, I will release the fourth and final part of this trade targets series, outlining potential goaltender options for the Oilers such as John Gibson, Karel Vejmelka, and more.
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