If there’s one thing that Edmonton Oilers fans know all too well, it’s that you can’t crown the winners and losers of free agency after Day 1.

Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, and Andrew Mangiapane all signed deals in Alberta’s Capital on Canada Day in each of the last two summers, and we all know how well those contracts worked out. (Very poorly, for those new to the Oilers).

But it’s hard not to look at this year’s rendition of free agency frenzy and see the Oilers as a clear winner.

At risk of getting too far ahead of oneself, this crop of talent signed and acquired by the Oilers is much different from years past. For one, Darnell Nurse gave the Oilers a gift in opening up his trade list and accepting a deal to head to San Jose. Stan Bowman and the Oilers’ front office had a clear desire not to retain a penny from his $9.25 million cap hit, and they were successful in doing so, all the while picking up a Darnell Nurse light in Shakir Mukhamadullin and getting a prospect in Zack Sharp the team had eyes on for a while. That’s a massive, massive win, no matter how tough it is to see Nurse, who finishes his tenure in Edmonton with the second-most games played among defencemen in franchise history, leave. Mukhamadullin is still somewhat of an unknown, and while moving the puck can be an issue, he’s rock solid in his own zone. The fact he played internationally for Russia with Vasily Podkolzin is a plus. Familiarity matters.

The Devon Levi trade is a solid bet. He’s dirt cheap on the cap at $812,500, and appears ready to take the next step into the NHL. Once considered one of the best goaltending prospects in the league, his situation got a bit cloudier by day’s end with the Oilers signing goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year, bonus-laden contract. With Levi waiver-eligible, all signs point to the team carrying three goalies on the roster next year. It makes sense, as both Andersen and Tristan Jarry have had injury issues in the past. Andersen likely has the inside track to the starter’s net, given some of his best hockey was played under Mike Babcock with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Then, after trading Nurse, the Oilers circle back and sign defenceman Ryan Shea to a five-year deal worth $4 million. The 29-year-old, drafted by Stan Bowman in Chicago moons ago, is coming off a breakout season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he had success in every facet of the game played. He may not be able to replicate the 35-points he racked up last season, but his underlying play suggests there’s someone there who can help the Oilers move the puck up the ice. They’ll need that, and he helps insulate the loss of Nurse.

Don’t let me bury the lead, because there’s more tidy work from Bowman and co. in re-signing Kasperi Kapanen for a measly $2.6 million next year. He doubles his salary, and gets a chance to run it back. Say what you will about his availability getting bit by the injury bug last year, he’s scored seven goals and 12 points in 18 games. Two of those goals were game winners, too, sealing Game 5 and the series against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the 2025 playoffs, and Game 1 against the Ducks this year. He’s turned it on in a big way.

The Oilers insulated the bottom of the roster further by bringing back Max Jones, who can clear waivers to get up and down from the AHL, while giving the Oilers solid play when called upon. Mathieu Joseph joining the organization likely spells the end of Mattias Janmark, a good solider, as they’re a pair of players with similar skillsets: speed, good forechecking, and strong penalty kill play.

Edmonton has no lack of work left, despite doing much of the heavy lifting on Day 1. They have restricted free agents Mukhamadullin, Colton Dach, and Spencer Stastney to sign — or in the case of the latter, maybe trade — and there’s still questions to be answered as the Oilers sit with $7.253 million in cap space, $162,000 less than they did when the day started.

The dust will settle, the games will be played, and a Stanley Cup champion will be crowned. These moves should get them closer to it.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor and The Nation Network’s news director. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

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