<p><a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/20/whenever-hes-ready-edmonton-oilers-stan-bowman-connor-mcdavid-timeline-extension-talks/">Stan Bowman</a> and the Edmonton Oilers front office have their work cut out for them.</p>
<p></p>
<p>With $11.92 million in cap space, according to <em>PuckPedia,</em> they need to get restricted free agent defenceman Evan Bouchard signed to a long-term deal, fill out the rest of the roster and be mindful of whatever dollar amount needs to be free for Connor McDavid&#8217;s extension.</p>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2107" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="325"></div>
<p>Bouchard&#8217;s deal is expected to account for much of that cap space, and while the Oilers have hopes of getting younger, faster and better, something&#8217;s got to give. Moving out <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/evander-kane-viktor-arvidsson-trade-targets-list-edmonton-oilers-clear-cap-space">Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson in trades</a> without retaining any salary would free up $9.125 million in cap space, giving the Oilers lots of room to work with.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s dive into what the Oilers&#8217; free agent projections look like, courtesy of <a href="https://evolving-hockey.com/stats/contract_projections/?_inputs_&amp;con_season=%2220242025%22&amp;con_team=%22All%22&amp;con_pos=%22All%22&amp;con_status=%22All%22&amp;con_agent=%22Yes%22&amp;con_period=%221%3A%20July%201st%20-%20July%2031st%22&amp;con_signs_with=%22UFA%3A%20Different%2C%20RFA%3A%20Same%22&amp;con_8yr=%22On%22&amp;dir_con=%22Contract%20Projection%20Tables%22&amp;con_player=null&amp;con_cap=%2295500000%22">Evolving Hockey</a> and <a href="https://x.com/AFPAnalytics/status/1919392178800914753">AFP Analytics</a>, and if they should bring them back or let them walk.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177282" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/image-91.jpg" alt="" width="1005" height="455" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/image-91.jpg 1005w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/image-91-300x136.jpg 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/image-91-768x348.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1005px) 100vw, 1005px" /></p>
<h2>The Restricted Free Agents</h2>
<h3>Evan Bouchard</h3>
<p>The Oilers have learned the hard way when it comes to bridging 25-year-old defenecemen. It&#8217;s time for the organization to show they learned from that mistake and lock up Evan Bouchard to a long-term deal. Connor McDavid <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/19/definitely-a-deal-that-needs-to-get-done-edmonton-oilers-connor-mcdavid-wants-team-keep-evan-bouchard/">advocated for his deal this week</a>, something Bouchard&#8217;s camp surely loved to hear.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s been talk of his deal being <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/05/28/next-contract-edmonton-oilers-evan-bouchard-at-least-10-million-per-year/">&#8220;at least&#8221; $ 10 million per year</a>, and the projected numbers are reasonable.</p>
<p><strong>The Verdict: Worth it.</strong></p>
<h3>Noah Philp</h3>
<p>There&#8217;s a real shot for Philp to be an everyday player next year. He returned to the pro ranks this year and got a 15-game look in the NHL, faring well with a pair of assists. His game progressed in the AHL with 19 goals and 35 points in 55 games.</p>
<p>Mattias Janmark is not a centre, and keeping Philp under $ 1 million in the NHL would be a win. Philp will also be <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/04/07/noah-philp-edmonton-oilers-run-risk-losing-waivers/">waiver-eligible next season</a>.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b></p>
<h3>Olivier Rodrigue</h3>
<p><a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/04/08/olivier-rodrigue-first-nhl-start-edmonton-oilers-power-play-vasily-podkolzin-leg/">Rodrigue</a> isn&#8217;t going anywhere, and he&#8217;s somebody who could see NHL minutes in the future for the Oilers. With some uncertainty surrounding Stuart Skinner&#8217;s future with the organization, it could clear a path for Rodrigue in the future.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b></p>
<h2>The Unrestricted Free Agents</h2>
<h3>Jeff Skinner</h3>
<p>I&#8217;m of the opinion that <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/05/30/the-long-winding-road-jeff-skinners-first-stanley-cup-playoff-goal/">Skinner</a> got the short end of the stick this year. His defensive deficiencies were apparent early this season, but I thought he committed himself to improving there and even when he did, he wasn&#8217;t rewarded with more ice-time.</p>
<p>While I would bring him back at a similar deal as the one-year, $3 million contract he played on this year, all signs point to him heading to free agency.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Not worth it.</b></p>
<h3>Trent Frederic</h3>
<p>We&#8217;ll have more in the coming days when his <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/19/trent-frederic-eight-year-deal-edmonton-oilers-north-of-3-5-million-south-of-4-million-in-aav/">eight-year, $3.75 million-ish AAV deal</a> gets finalized, but I&#8217;m optimistic about him. The rising cap is going to lead to some weird-looking deals, and this price range for third-liners will soon be the new norm.</p>
<p>Frederic wasn&#8217;t near 100 percent in the playoffs and has shown he can be a productive player during his time with the Bruins. He said during his exit press conference that he&#8217;s comfortable with playing up the middle of the ice, and if he can be productive as a 3C, this deal will look even better.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b></p>
<h3>Connor Brown</h3>
<p>Word on the street is the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/21/edmonton-oilers-reportedly-working-on-contracts-corey-perry-connor-brown/">Oilers are looking to re-sign Brown</a>, who reportedly played with a broken toe in the Stanley Cup Final. He appeared to lose a step against Florida, so an injury makes sense. Still, Brown had a strong season for the Oilers, scoring 13 goals and 30 points in 82 games, adding five goals and nine points in 20 playoff games.</p>
<p>He can play up the lineup in a pinch, was very effective on the penalty kill and is clearly well-liked given his ability to pop out of cupboards for lineup reads. After playing on two consecutive one-year deals, he&#8217;s likely going to be looking for some term, and I&#8217;m okay with this.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b></p>
<h3>John Klingberg</h3>
<p>After a rough start that only got rougher due to injury, the fact that Klingberg played as well as he did in the playoffs was nothing short of a revelation. I don&#8217;t foresee him being back with the Oilers, as Ty Emberson can be an effective 3RD well, and Edmonton could look for an upgrade mid-season.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Not worth it.</b></p>
<h3>Corey Perry</h3>
<p>I have a hard time seeing the Oilers letting Perry walk to free agency and if I&#8217;m the team, I&#8217;m trying to sign him to a league-minimum deal with performance bonuses. Perry has over $ 100 million in career earnings, and a difference of $500,000 to $ 1 million can be crucial for a cap-strapped team like the Oilers. Much like with Brown, there&#8217;s talk of the Oilers working to re-sign him and his <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/18/corey-perrys-top-priority-re-sign-with-edmonton-oilers/">&#8220;top priority&#8221; is to remain in Edmonton</a>.</p>
<p>Perry&#8217;s shown there&#8217;s still gas in the tank with his 19 goals and 30 points in 81 regular-season games and another 10 goals and 14 points in 22 playoff games.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b></p>
<h3>Kasperi Kapanen</h3>
<p>It was an up-and-down year for <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/05/16/a-look-at-how-oilers-kasperi-kapanen-went-from-waiver-wire-pickup-to-ot-playoff-hero/">Kapanen</a> after the Oilers claimed him on waivers last November. It took a while for him to find his game, and he would have stretches where he looked solid and others where he was a non-factor. That followed him into the playoffs, but he was an effective player when he was on his game.</p>
<p>I think this deal is reasonable for a depth player who showed he can slide up and down the lineup as needed.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b></p>
<h3>Travis Dermott</h3>
<p>Dermott signed with Edmonton just before the season kicked off, played 10 games for the Oilers, landed on waivers, and was claimed by the Minnesota Wild. He played nine games there, was waived again, only for the Oilers to claim him. He played three games for the AHL Condors, but that was it.</p>
<p>Part of it was due to the Condors having too many vets, but some kind of injury was suffered in there, too.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Not worth it.</b></p>
<h3>Derek Ryan</h3>
<p>Ryan played 36 games for the Oilers this year, all but three of which came into the middle of January before he was waived. He would appear in 13 games for the AHL Condors after being placed on waivers, but there were rumblings late in the year that he didn&#8217;t report. I don&#8217;t know what to make of it, but after four years as a great soldier for the Oilers, it&#8217;s time for both sides to move on.</p>
<p><b>The Verdict: Not worth it.</b></p>
<hr />
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRSWOpthKmdtmFOKQDd7TQdTU2KSKXYvX">DFO DFS Report</a>. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at</span></i> <em><a href="http://www.x.com/zjlaing"><span style="font-weight: 400;">@zjlaing</span></a></em><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>,</em> or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.</span></i></p>
<hr />
<h2><strong>ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365</strong></h2>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="325" data-promotion-id="19111" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>

<a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/20/whenever-hes-ready-edmonton-oilers-stan-bowman-connor-mcdavid-timeline-extension-talks/">Stan Bowman</a> and the Edmonton Oilers front office have their work cut out for them.



With $11.92 million in cap space, according to <em>PuckPedia,</em> they need to get restricted free agent defenceman Evan Bouchard signed to a long-term deal, fill out the rest of the roster and be mindful of whatever dollar amount needs to be free for Connor McDavid's extension.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2107" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="325"></div>
Bouchard's deal is expected to account for much of that cap space, and while the Oilers have hopes of getting younger, faster and better, something's got to give. Moving out <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/evander-kane-viktor-arvidsson-trade-targets-list-edmonton-oilers-clear-cap-space">Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson in trades</a> without retaining any salary would free up $9.125 million in cap space, giving the Oilers lots of room to work with.

Let's dive into what the Oilers' free agent projections look like, courtesy of <a href="https://evolving-hockey.com/stats/contract_projections/?_inputs_&amp;con_season=%2220242025%22&amp;con_team=%22All%22&amp;con_pos=%22All%22&amp;con_status=%22All%22&amp;con_agent=%22Yes%22&amp;con_period=%221%3A%20July%201st%20-%20July%2031st%22&amp;con_signs_with=%22UFA%3A%20Different%2C%20RFA%3A%20Same%22&amp;con_8yr=%22On%22&amp;dir_con=%22Contract%20Projection%20Tables%22&amp;con_player=null&amp;con_cap=%2295500000%22">Evolving Hockey</a> and <a href="https://x.com/AFPAnalytics/status/1919392178800914753">AFP Analytics</a>, and if they should bring them back or let them walk.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177282" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/image-91.jpg" alt="" width="1005" height="455" />
<h2>The Restricted Free Agents</h2>
<h3>Evan Bouchard</h3>
The Oilers have learned the hard way when it comes to bridging 25-year-old defenecemen. It's time for the organization to show they learned from that mistake and lock up Evan Bouchard to a long-term deal. Connor McDavid <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/19/definitely-a-deal-that-needs-to-get-done-edmonton-oilers-connor-mcdavid-wants-team-keep-evan-bouchard/">advocated for his deal this week</a>, something Bouchard's camp surely loved to hear.

There's been talk of his deal being <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/05/28/next-contract-edmonton-oilers-evan-bouchard-at-least-10-million-per-year/">"at least" $ 10 million per year</a>, and the projected numbers are reasonable.

<strong>The Verdict: Worth it.</strong>
<h3>Noah Philp</h3>
There's a real shot for Philp to be an everyday player next year. He returned to the pro ranks this year and got a 15-game look in the NHL, faring well with a pair of assists. His game progressed in the AHL with 19 goals and 35 points in 55 games.

Mattias Janmark is not a centre, and keeping Philp under $ 1 million in the NHL would be a win. Philp will also be <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/04/07/noah-philp-edmonton-oilers-run-risk-losing-waivers/">waiver-eligible next season</a>.

<b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b>
<h3>Olivier Rodrigue</h3>
<a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/04/08/olivier-rodrigue-first-nhl-start-edmonton-oilers-power-play-vasily-podkolzin-leg/">Rodrigue</a> isn't going anywhere, and he's somebody who could see NHL minutes in the future for the Oilers. With some uncertainty surrounding Stuart Skinner's future with the organization, it could clear a path for Rodrigue in the future.

<b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b>
<h2>The Unrestricted Free Agents</h2>
<h3>Jeff Skinner</h3>
I'm of the opinion that <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/05/30/the-long-winding-road-jeff-skinners-first-stanley-cup-playoff-goal/">Skinner</a> got the short end of the stick this year. His defensive deficiencies were apparent early this season, but I thought he committed himself to improving there and even when he did, he wasn't rewarded with more ice-time.

While I would bring him back at a similar deal as the one-year, $3 million contract he played on this year, all signs point to him heading to free agency.

<b>The Verdict: Not worth it.</b>
<h3>Trent Frederic</h3>
We'll have more in the coming days when his <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/19/trent-frederic-eight-year-deal-edmonton-oilers-north-of-3-5-million-south-of-4-million-in-aav/">eight-year, $3.75 million-ish AAV deal</a> gets finalized, but I'm optimistic about him. The rising cap is going to lead to some weird-looking deals, and this price range for third-liners will soon be the new norm.

Frederic wasn't near 100 percent in the playoffs and has shown he can be a productive player during his time with the Bruins. He said during his exit press conference that he's comfortable with playing up the middle of the ice, and if he can be productive as a 3C, this deal will look even better.

<b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b>
<h3>Connor Brown</h3>
Word on the street is the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/21/edmonton-oilers-reportedly-working-on-contracts-corey-perry-connor-brown/">Oilers are looking to re-sign Brown</a>, who reportedly played with a broken toe in the Stanley Cup Final. He appeared to lose a step against Florida, so an injury makes sense. Still, Brown had a strong season for the Oilers, scoring 13 goals and 30 points in 82 games, adding five goals and nine points in 20 playoff games.

He can play up the lineup in a pinch, was very effective on the penalty kill and is clearly well-liked given his ability to pop out of cupboards for lineup reads. After playing on two consecutive one-year deals, he's likely going to be looking for some term, and I'm okay with this.

<b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b>
<h3>John Klingberg</h3>
After a rough start that only got rougher due to injury, the fact that Klingberg played as well as he did in the playoffs was nothing short of a revelation. I don't foresee him being back with the Oilers, as Ty Emberson can be an effective 3RD well, and Edmonton could look for an upgrade mid-season.

<b>The Verdict: Not worth it.</b>
<h3>Corey Perry</h3>
I have a hard time seeing the Oilers letting Perry walk to free agency and if I'm the team, I'm trying to sign him to a league-minimum deal with performance bonuses. Perry has over $ 100 million in career earnings, and a difference of $500,000 to $ 1 million can be crucial for a cap-strapped team like the Oilers. Much like with Brown, there's talk of the Oilers working to re-sign him and his <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/06/18/corey-perrys-top-priority-re-sign-with-edmonton-oilers/">"top priority" is to remain in Edmonton</a>.

Perry's shown there's still gas in the tank with his 19 goals and 30 points in 81 regular-season games and another 10 goals and 14 points in 22 playoff games.

<b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b>
<h3>Kasperi Kapanen</h3>
It was an up-and-down year for <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/05/16/a-look-at-how-oilers-kasperi-kapanen-went-from-waiver-wire-pickup-to-ot-playoff-hero/">Kapanen</a> after the Oilers claimed him on waivers last November. It took a while for him to find his game, and he would have stretches where he looked solid and others where he was a non-factor. That followed him into the playoffs, but he was an effective player when he was on his game.

I think this deal is reasonable for a depth player who showed he can slide up and down the lineup as needed.

<b>The Verdict: Worth it.</b>
<h3>Travis Dermott</h3>
Dermott signed with Edmonton just before the season kicked off, played 10 games for the Oilers, landed on waivers, and was claimed by the Minnesota Wild. He played nine games there, was waived again, only for the Oilers to claim him. He played three games for the AHL Condors, but that was it.

Part of it was due to the Condors having too many vets, but some kind of injury was suffered in there, too.

<b>The Verdict: Not worth it.</b>
<h3>Derek Ryan</h3>
Ryan played 36 games for the Oilers this year, all but three of which came into the middle of January before he was waived. He would appear in 13 games for the AHL Condors after being placed on waivers, but there were rumblings late in the year that he didn't report. I don't know what to make of it, but after four years as a great soldier for the Oilers, it's time for both sides to move on.

<b>The Verdict: Not worth it.</b>

<hr />

<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRSWOpthKmdtmFOKQDd7TQdTU2KSKXYvX">DFO DFS Report</a>. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at</span></i> <em><a href="http://www.x.com/zjlaing"><span style="font-weight: 400;">@zjlaing</span></a></em><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>,</em> or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.</span></i>

<hr />

<h2><strong>ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365</strong></h2>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="325" data-promotion-id="19111" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>

Worth it or Not? Looking at Contract Projections for the Edmonton Oilers

Recent articles from Zach Laing

Breaking News