With the Edmonton Oilers’ roster for next season largely set, questions remain about how certain roles will be filled.

Adam Henrique won’t be back next season, and he played the second-most minutes on the penalty kill among forwards (107:40) in 2025-26, leaving a big void on the PK unit. Curtis Lazar, who played 24:54 minutes on the PK last season, isn’t expected to be back either. It’s also expected that Connor McDavid could see his minutes reduced on the unit as well, creating even more opportunity for other Oilers forwards to step into bigger roles.

Jason Gregor noted that D.J. Smith will be running the PK unit, and it begs the question: which Oilers forwards will see an increase in minutes on the unit next season?

Matt Savoie led all forwards last season in shorthanded minutes (132:13 minutes) and will surely play a prominent role on the unit, along with Jason Dickinson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who are the obvious picks to play a heavy dose of PK minutes up front.

That said, let’s take a look at other Oilers’ forwards who may get an increased role on the PK unit in 2026-27.

Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen played just 40:52 minutes on the penalty kill in 41 regular-season games last season, but I feel the speedy forward is due for a substantial uptick in PK minutes next season.

One of the reasons is that his skill set is made for PK duties — he’s quick, tenacious, and has good instincts. The next reason is that he was once a trusted penalty killer under Mike Babcock and D.J. Smith, who are now his coaches again after their days together with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In 2018, Babcock recognized that Kapanen’s skills would be useful as a penalty killer, explaining that carving out a niche on the PK would help him to become an NHL regular, saying, “You’re not playing on the PP, so better find a way to make yourself important.”

In 2018-19, Kapanen played the third-most shorthanded minutes among Maple Leafs’ forwards (125:22) on the PK, scoring two shorthanded goals, which was a team high. In 2019-20, he ranked second among forwards in PK minutes (115:19), once again scoring two shorthanded goals for the second consecutive season.

That said, Babcock and Smith have seen firsthand how effective Kapanen can be on the PK, and not to mention, he led all Oilers forwards in shorthanded minutes last playoffs (8:25). If I were a betting man, I’d wager that he’ll once again be a trusted horse for the coaches on the unit next season.

Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin played 51:22 minutes on the PK last season in 82 games and could be a good candidate for an increased role on the unit in 2026-27.

He has the tools to become a very effective penalty killer. He has a heavy stick, good anticipation, and a knack for creating turnovers, ranking fourth among Oilers forwards last season in takeaways (18). But above all, he has that ‘dog’ in him.

He plays with a ‘whatever it takes to win’ type of attitude that I feel Babcock and Smith are going to like, and Podkolzin has also shown his willingness to block shots. Some players make it look like they’re ‘trying’ to block shots, but Podkolzin actually does it, as shown by his 52 blocked shots last season, which ranked second among Oilers forwards.

The Oilers have been missing that fearlessness of someone willing to sacrifice their body up front on the PK since Matt Hendricks used to do it for the Oilers close to ten years ago, and as a younger leader on the Oilers, Podkolzin has earned himself the opportunity for additional responsibility on the unit.

I’m very excited to see what Josh Samanski can do in 2026-27, because his first taste of NHL action last season left many wondering just how high his ceiling can be.

Last season, he was recalled to the Oilers in late January and gained what felt like five years of experience in the few months that followed.

He went from playing with the Oilers, to playing a prominent role with Team Germany at the Olympics, getting his first taste of the NHL playoffs, before ending his hockey season back with Team Germany at the World Hockey Championships, where he finished with seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games.

Additionally, the centreman played 11:07 minutes on the PK over 24 regular-season games with the Oilers, but saw his trust increase in the playoffs, earning nearly a minute of shorthanded ice time over five postseason games.

Also, for the most part last season, he was defensively responsible while playing down the middle. I recall an instance last April against the San Jose Sharks where he made a great backcheck and did everything imaginable with his body to prevent the Sharks from gaining possession.

I feel that if he continues to bring that dogged defensive game, he’ll earn the coaches’ trust and be rewarded with more responsibility. As a result, I feel his shorthanded minutes will increase heavily next season.

As noted earlier, Babcock told Kapanen in 2018 about playing on the PK, “You’re not playing on the PP, so better find a way to make yourself important.” When I initially read that, I immediately thought of Trent Frederic when looking at which Oilers that message could apply to eight years later. With that in mind, he’s my dark-horse pick to see an increased role on the PK.

The 6-foot-3 and 221-pounder had an up-and-down first campaign in Oil Country in 2025-26, but there were more downs than ups, as he dealt with injuries, posted just seven points in 74 regular-season games, and was a healthy scratch for the final two playoff games of the season.

With Darnell Nurse now traded, there are some Oilers fans who have this internal need to take their frustrations out on certain players, and I feel that energy that was once directed toward Nurse could now be directed toward Frederic even more than it already is. With the forward entering the second year of his eight-year contract, the heat could potentially increase on him if he starts off slow, which could affect him mentally and could result in a déjà vu scenario of another poor season from him.

In an attempt to avoid that, the Oilers should try to start Frederic’s season on the right foot, give him added responsibility, and make him feel like an important piece, with an increased role on the PK potentially being the perfect opportunity.

Additionally, killing penalties is already something Frederic has experience doing. During his time with the Boston Bruins, he played 51:33 minutes on the PK in 2025-26, and according to Natural Stat Trick, he led the team that season with 8.15 blocked shots per 60 minutes while shorthanded.

There’s a new chapter beginning at Derrick Dodge, and the momentum is real. Under new ownership, the dealership is bringing fresh energy, a renewed focus on customer experience, and a bold, forward-thinking approach to vehicle buying. This change marks the start of an exciting new era, built around transparency, trust, and putting customers first. To celebrate this transition, every vehicle purchase comes with a trip for two to Las Vegas. Whether you’re shopping for your next vehicle or simply curious about what’s changed, Derrick Dodge is moving forward with confidence, purpose, and a clear vision for the future.