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Oilers European free agent targets: German-born Veit Oswald brings tantalizing speed
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Dave Hall
Apr 7, 2026, 15:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 7, 2026, 16:09 EDT
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The Edmonton Oilers have built a solid track record of being active in the free-agent market, including European talent.
Evidenced by the recent Czech signing of Tomáš Cibulka, and last year’s crop of Josh Samanski, Atro Leppänen and Viljami Marjala, they are always willing to bring in risk-free prospects. So it should come as little surprise that they are once again in the mix for several intriguing names overseas.
According to hockey insider Frank Seravalli, one player to keep an eye on is Veit Oswald, a 21-year-old currently enjoying a breakout season in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) with EHC Red Bull München.
Seravalli says the Oilers are the “betting favourite” to sign Oswald, who is drawing interest from a handful of teams.

Development path

Hailing from Landshut — also the hometown of former Oiler Tobias Rieder — Oswald comes from strong hockey roots as the son of former defenceman and DEL legend Günter Oswald.
While he drew some draft attention between 2021 and 2022, Oswald ultimately went unselected and has remained exclusive to the German league development path.
His emergence began in 2021–22, when he dominated the German U20 circuit. He recorded 28 goals and 51 points in just 31 games as a 17-year-old, co-leading the league and posting one of the top U20 seasons of all time (top-10).
Despite that strong season, he entered his first draft ranked just 114th among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting and ultimately went undrafted. He stepped into the spotlight the following season as a draft re-entry option, delivering a strong showing at the World Junior Championship, where he led Germany with five points.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to warrant a look at the podium.
While he was again passed over at the draft, he did earn an invite to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ development camp in 2024. It never amounted to a contract, but it was a clear sign that NHL interest remained and teams could circle back on him, depending on how his development tracked.
Now in his fourth DEL season, Oswald has finally taken that step forward that teams were waiting for. Despite a midseason injury, he led all U22 players in scoring during the regular season and is currently part of a Red Bull München squad that is pushing deep into the playoffs.
As an August birthday, he’ll be 22 by the time the 2026-27 season rolls around, and it sounds like his dream of playing in NHL games may turn into an attainable reality.

Plays with speed

The appeal in Oswald’s game starts with his skating, and to be specific, it’s his dashing speed. He’s a high-end skater with explosive acceleration, capable of blowing past defenders in transition and leaving them in the dust. His feet rarely stop moving, and he’s able to handle the puck at top speed while still making plays.
He’s a constant threat off the rush and has a knack for slipping behind coverage and attacking with pace to force defenders to turn and react under pressure. With fluid edges and quick directional changes, he can catch defenders flat-footed and create separation in an instant.
When he’s in motion, he’s dangerous. The concern is when the game slows down.
Despite standing 6-foot-2, Oswald has long played with a lighter frame. While he has added strength over the years, he still stands around 179 pounds and can struggle in physical areas — particularly along the boards and in contested puck battles.
To his credit, the effort is there. He’s willing to engage and compete, but the question is whether that will translate against stronger, more physical competition in North America. His ability — or willingness — to consistently get inside and win those battles will be a key factor in determining his ceiling. Driving into the interior through traffic is already a slight limitation in the DEL, and could easily cap his upside throughout his path toward the NHL.
But make no mistake, there’s clear offensive intrigue here, and it’s driven by speed and skill.
At the very least, Oswald profiles as an intriguing swing for teams, and the type of player who could bring value as an AHL contributor with upside. For Edmonton, it would represent a low-risk bet on a high-speed, offensive talent that could keep pace with some of the team’s top skaters.

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