With the goaltending moves made in Florida, Daniil Tarasov heads to market. A few teams interested, Edmonton among them. Connor Ingram not out of the Oilers picture yet, however.
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2026 Oilers Free Agency live blog
Photo credit: Baggedmilk/Oilersnation
By baggedmilk
Jul 1, 2026, 11:00 EDTUpdated: Jul 1, 2026, 19:26 EDT
Happy Canada Day and the start of free agency to all of you, my dearest Internet friends! As per tradition around these partsI, I’m back with a fresh live blog to keep an eye on the NHL’s annual parking lot sale, and offer a few takes on how these 32 NHL GMs are spending their owners’ money. It’s a classic Canada Day ritual, and I’ll be parked at my laptop all day to bring you the latest updates, league news, rumours, and whatever else happened today regardless of how active the Oilers end up being.
If we’re going to rebound after a very disappointing 2025-26 season, Stan Bowman needs to get creative with the budget he has available while ensuring that he doesn’t swing and miss again. We don’t need another Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, or Andrew Mangiapane situation happening again. But with gaps in the roster and a shallow free agent pool, there’s significant pressure to get this right. The goal is to get back to being legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, and that makes for an interesting day here in Edmonton as we wait to see what kind of players could get signed.
At this stage of the McDavid and Draisaitl era — with a GIANT countdown clock hanging overhead — Bowman needs to find a way to keep the Cup window open despite the challenges of getting everything done with limited cap space. We’ve seen other teams clear cap space creatively over the last couple of weeks, and I wonder whether the Oilers will be able to do the same. Either way, I’ll be here all day to report on what does or does not get done on the first day of free agency and why we should be thrilled or angry about whatever comes next.
Feel free to join the conversation, talk about what the rest of the league is doing, and break down how our beloved Oilers have done on the first day of the 2026 free agent fishing derby. Happy silly season, everybody!
THE SUSPECTS
With just over $7.415m in cap space available before the Darnell Nurse trade, the Oilers will need to be tactical in free agency, and it will be fascinating to see if Stan Bowman can improve the roster without blowing the money he has left. In this section, I’ve compiled a list of names linked to the Oilers by various media members as potential fits or targets, but as always, we’ll have to wait to see if any of these players and targets get crossed off the list.
The Potentials
Connor Ingram (2025-26: 32GP – 16-10-3, 2.60 GAA, and a .899 save percentage) – We’ve all seen the reports that Connor Ingram is keen on potentially returning to Edmonton, but what remains to be seen is whether or not he and Stan Bowman can get something on paper. Would we like a Jarry/Ingram reunion tour? Is that enough?
Kevin Stenlund (2025-26: 80GP – 4G, 14A) – I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about Kevin Stenlund. What I do know is that Gregor has been talking about him on The Jason Gregor show for a few days now, and that has me intrigued. Stockholm, Sweden, has played in 386 NHL games with the Blue Jackets, Panthers, and Utah Mammoth. In that time, the right-handed centre has produced 46 goals and 44 assists for 90 points.
THE RUMOURS…
Here is where I’ll drop in the rumours I find on X/Twitter to try and keep everyone in the know. If I see a media member discussing a player in connection with the Oilers, I’ll include their tweet here to provide us with something else to argue about in the comments section.
Don’t rule out Kasperi Kapanen and the Oilers quite yet. Still ongoing conversations between the two sides.
Given the uncertainty of the Darnell Nurse situation it is quite possible that today may be a very quiet day for the @EdmontonOilers on the Free Agent front. EDM will need another goalie…at some point, still need to sign RFA’s C. Dach/S. Stastney and have limited cap space.
It remains status quo on the Darnell Nurse trade front. To this point, Nurse hasn’t expanded his trade list.
Several teams have interest in UFA defenceman Mario Ferraro, including the Rangers, Predators, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Kings, etc. - some teams may need to make other moves before they dive right in.
Don’t rule out Kasperi Kapanen and the Oilers quite yet. Still ongoing conversations between the two sides.
San Jose still has over $31M in salary cap space. They've still been engaged in talks for Nurse, Rielly. Does Trouba still keep them in play for 1 of those?
A small goalie with 39 NHL games played and an .894 saves percentage. This would be a precursor to another move. Had better be.
Oilers acquire Devon Levi from BUF for a 3rd rounder in 2028
There is word this afternoon Darnell Nurse has agreed to expand his list of teams he will accept a trade to. San Jose is one to watch. We will see where it goes.
Sounds like Nurse has expanded his list of teams and San Jose now included. Oilers have some irons in the fire on him.
WHAT’S HAPPENED SO FAR
Jason Dickinson (2025-26: 64GP – 7G, 10A) – The Oilers took care of a little bit of housekeeping on June 21st when they announced that Jason Dickinson had signed a five-year extension that carries a $4 million AAV. I loved Dickinson from the moment he landed in Edmonton for his commitment to defence and taking care of his own end first. I know some folks don’t like the term on his new deal, and I get why you wouldn’t, but I also think that’s a problem for another day when the Oilers literally signed the best defensive centreman available. Give me the shutdown line, please.
Connor Murphy (2025-26: 80GP – 8G, 7A) – The day after Dickinson signed his deal, the Oilers checked another free agent off their list by giving Connor Murphy a five-year deal that carries at $4.1 million AAV. Like Dickinson, there is some concern about giving a 33-year-old d-man a contract that long, but I also think it’s incredibly important to shore up the defence, bring goals down, and Murphy can absolutely help with that. And also like Dickinson, worrying about what happens five years from now doesn’t make a whole lot of sense given the pressure to get something done now.
THE UPDATES…
- 9:00 AM MT – Rise and shine, everybody! We’re back with another live blog to keep tabs on day one of the NHL’s annual shopping day and break down everything that happens here in Edmonton and around the league. We’ve still got about an hour to go until contracts officially start flowing in, but the rumours are already swirling, guys are getting signed or traded, and there’s no better time to start the live blog than right here and now. Happy Canada Day, everybody.
- 9:21 AM MT – Internet issues happening at Nation HQ, and it’s not a great day to have this happen.
- 9:31 AM MT – I just noticed Stauffer’s tweet that the Oilers are going to be quiet today. Part of me doesn’t mind that given how poorly things went last year, but it’s also makes me angry that they may not do much to improve the roster.
- 9:33 AM MT – From Friedman, Radko Gudas 6 x $1.5M. WILD contract. Sticker shock season is here.
- 9:46 AM MT – Friedman is saying that the Oilers did have interest in Sergei Bobrovsky. Doubtful to me, but maybe?
- 9:53 AM MT – Looks like Ingram is testing the market.
- 10:00 AM MT – SHOW TIME! Let’s see what happens.
- 10:07 AM MT – How do we feel about Mario Ferraro? Pagnotta is saying the Oilers are among a list of teams with interest.
- 10:19 AM MT – Zuccarello to the Kings, Viktor Arvidsson to the Red Wings.
- 10:40 AM MT – Corey Perry back to the Kings. One year, $1 million for Perry.
- 10:46 AM MT – Anyone else looking at some of the deals that are getting signed and thinking no movement might be better? Mama.
- 10:47 AM MT – Joonas Korpisalo off to the Rangers. Clearly, the Bruins don’t want to lose DiPietro.
- 10:51 AM MT – Mason Marchment going to the Sharks. Number isn’t confirmed yet but it sounds like a biggie.
- 10:52 AM MT – Ilya Mikheyev off to Tampa on a four-year deal. An Oilers target off the list.
- 11:02 AM MT – Jack Roslovic to Toronto. Not sure on terms yet.
- 11:05 AM MT – Roslovic gets two years and a $4 million AAV from the Leafs.
- 11:09 AM MT – Looks like Vinny Desharnais won’t be going back to San Jose. No idea if the Oilers would want him back or not, but he’ll be out there.
- 11:10 AM MT – Stuart Skinner is heading to Winnipeg, two years with a $3.75 AAV.
- 11:19 AM MT – Islanders sign Matias Maccelli. I know there were some Oilers fans who were interested in him.
- 11:25 AM MT – Former Flame, Justin Kirkland is signing in Minnesota on a one-year deal. $850,000 AAV and $500,000 in the AHL.
- 11:27 AM MT – Islanders signed Vitek Vanecek got a one year deal, $1 million. New backup for Varlamov.
- 11:54 AM MT – Jacob Trouba to San Jose for the next four years.
- 11:56 AM MT – Sounds like Bobrovsky is going to Toronto, per Friedman.
- 12:00 PM MT – The Oilers have acquired goaltender Devon Levi & a seventh-round selection in the 2028 NHL Draft from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Edmonton’s third-round pick in 2028.
- 12:10 PM MT – According to Dave Pagnotta, the Oilers are still working the phones on a Nurse trade. We’ll see.
- 12:12 PM MT – Spec things the Devon Levi trade might be the start of something else.
- 12:30 PM MT – Per Dave Pagnotta, Teddy Blueger to Toronto on a two-year contract, $5M total
- 12:41 PM MT – Oliver Bjorkstrand to the New York Rangers. Another potential Oiler target off the board.
- 12:45 PM MT – Friedman saying Toronto will be signing Brandon Duhaime. They’re literally signing everyone.
- 12:48 PM MT – Per Pagnotta, the Canadiens have signed Alex Belzile and Kaapo Kahkonen to one-year contracts.
- 12:59 PM MT – Justin Holl to Washington to get even further away from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
- 1:02 PM MT – Vinny Desharnais just signed for $4.2 x 4 in Washington. I love Vinny, but… Mama.
- 1:10 PM MT – Friedman is saying that Darnell Nurse has agreed to expand his trade list. We’ll see.
- 1:17 PM MT – The Minnesota Wild signed Calvin Pickard to a one-year, $1M contract for the 2026-27 season.
- 1:21 PM MT – Rishaug just tweeted that the Nurse chatter is picking up. We’ll see.
- 1:55 PM MT – NURSE TRADE! NURSE TRADE! Nurse to San Jose.
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Edmonton OilersTeam Cap Summary
Cap Summary
2026-27
2027-28
Projected Cap Hit
$99,274,166
$87,350,000
Projected Cap Space
$4,725,834
$26,150,000
Current Cap Space
$4,725,834
$26,150,000
Active Players
23/23
15/23
Draft Picks
Round
'26
'27
1
0
0
2
1
1
3
1
0