Reid Wilkins of 630 Ched just posted a 45-second audio clip from the Edmonton Oilers GM, Peter Chiarelli where PC openly admits that if there are any big name free agents to be brought in for the Oilers, trades would have to follow.

This was and is obvious given that the Oilers are in a cap crunch with our friends over at NHLnumbers saying that they only have $7,333,827 in space for signing qualified RFAs Darnell Nurse, Ryan Strome (and Anton Slepyshev to retain his rights but this won’t cost against the cap) as well as any free agents you want to bring in.

The Oilers roster as it stands right now looks something like:

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Connor McDavid – Ty Rattie
Milan Lucic – Leon Draisaitl – Jesse Puljujarvi
NONE(Khaira?) – Ryan Strome – Drake Caggiula
Pontus Aberg – JJ Khaira – Zach Kassian

in waiting for Malone, Benson, Yamamoto, Marody

Klefbom – Larsson
Nurse – Russell
Sekera – Benning

Talbot
Koskinen

In the clip, Chiarelli did go on to say that he will be looking to add some depth guys (bottom six). Good content boy @coooom has been profiling many different options for the Oilers to look at for just such a moment:

Probably out of reach with this sound blurb (barring a trade):

Who would you like to see the Oilers go after in free agency?