This article is the second of a four-part series where I will be covering trade targets for the Edmonton Oilers at the 2025 Trade Deadline during the Four Nations break.
The first piece, released yesterday, focused on top-six forward targets. In that article, I discussed why inconsistent finishing was a major issue for the team, and argued how acquiring a high-scoring forward could be greatly beneficial. However, given Edmonton’s limited cap space and assets, and the fact that they also have areas for improvement on defence and goaltending, they might not go for a big, expensive name like Brock Nelson or Alex Tuch.
Thus, this article will focus on cheaper middle-six forward targets that could play anywhere in the lineup, and depth forward targets for the bottom-six. The Oilers could benefit from adding a middle-six winger who could help Adam Henrique on the third line and/or even move into the top-six if needed. With Derek Ryan being waived and Noah Philp being unimpressive thus far, the Oilers could additionally acquire a fourth-line centre.
So, without further ado, let’s go through their potential options.
*All stats via EvolvingHockey, Natural Stat Trick, and AllThreeZones unless stated otherwise, and all cap info via PuckPedia
Ryan Donato
Ryan Donato is a 28-year-old forward on the Chicago Blackhawks, carrying a $2.0M cap-hit for two more seasons including this one. He ranks 16th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board on The Athletic, and it was recently reported that the Oilers are one of several teams pursuing Donato.
Donato is a versatile middle-six forward with solid offensive ability. For Oilers fans, what should pop out most on the graphic above are his finishing results, as Donato’s GAx/60 (goals scored above expected per 60 minutes of play) would rank third on the Oilers, only behind McDavid and Draisaitl. This is a shoot-first player with a very heavy shot. Overall, his 5v5 production rates are quite strong, scoring 1.95 points per hour at 5v5 on an awful team. Additionally, Donato has taken huge strides in his skating this season, and it has seemed to have paid off as he ranks top-thirty in the entire NHL in successful zone entries per hour.
Now, there are still some concerns with Donato, such as the fact that his shooting percentage is nearly double what it was last season, raising questions about the sustainability of his play. Not to mention, he is a pretty weak defensive player.
However, he remains well worth his $2-million cap hit, and I doubt his asking price is overly high. All-in-all, Donato is a useful utility forward that can play up and down the lineup, and would be a fine addition to the Oilers.
Yanni Gourde
Yanni Gourde is a 33-year-old forward on the Seattle Kraken, with a $5.2M cap-hit for one more season. He ranks 20th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board.
I nearly included Gourde in my previous article focusing on top-six wingers, but ultimately decided against it. Still, Gourde remains a well-rounded, speedy forward who can play up and down the lineup of any cup contender.
Offensively, Gourde is a strong offensive play-driver who performs well in a variety of different areas, whether it be zone entries, zone exits, play-making, and so on. Defensively, Gourde is quite responsible in his own end, with high defensive zone exit and retrieval success rates. It’s reflected in his penalty-killing results, which are among the best in the entire league. But at 5-on-5, the puck is hardly in the defensive zone with Gourde on-ice to begin with, as he excels at forcing opposition turnovers and maintaining OZ possession. The highlight of Gourde’s career was winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of a defensive checking line in their bottom six. He could play as a top-nine winger, or he could even play as Edmonton’s 3C and bump down Henrique to 4C.
Unfortunately, Gourde is a terrible finisher. As discussed in my initial article, I believe the type of forward this team needs most is someone who can consistently capitalize on their chances, and Gourde is just not that. Furthermore, he also has an expensive cap hit of $5.2-million, which I don’t believe he is worth.
Ultimately, it comes down to what type of forward the Oilers want. At a similar price, the Oilers could similar go for someone like Kyle Palmieri, a top-six winger who could address their need for consistent finishing. But if Edmonton’s management is keen on acquiring a two-way forward with versatility, experience, and defensive utility, Gourde could be a strong option provided they can retain 50 percent of his cap hit.
Nicholas Robertson
Nicholas Robertson is a 23-year-old forward on the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is an expiring RFA this summer, currently carrying a $875,000 cap-hit. He ranks 32nd on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board.
While the Maple Leafs are in a playoff spot and not expected to sell, Robertson had requested a trade this summer (per Frank Seravalli) that was ultimately unfulfilled. He has had a difficult time obtaining ice time under both former head coach Sheldon Keefe and current head coach Craig Berube, as he has been scratched on numerous occasions. Both the team and player could greatly benefit from a fresh start.
Despite his deployment, Robertson is a fantastic finisher with an excellent shot. Though his ice time is low, he has averaged 1.02 5v5 goals per hour over the past three seasons, a typical scoring rate for a good top-six forward. Robertson also draws penalties at a spectacular rate, and even has solid defensive metrics to boot.
It seems that Toronto’s coaches have disliked aspects of Robertson’s game outside of his shooting abilities, such as his lack of play-making, small frame, and skating. He is also somewhat injury-prone. Still, as a young 23-year-old forward with finishing ability and a cap-hit of less than $900K, there could be significant upside to this player, especially on an older team like the Oilers in need of consistent finishing. If the asking price is reasonable, what’s the harm in giving him a shot?
Joel Armia
Joel Armia is a 31-year-old right-winger on the Montreal Canadiens, with a $3.4M cap-hit that expires this summer. He ranks 18th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board.
Armia combines some of Donato and Gourde’s most useful skills. In the past two seasons combined, he has been on pace for nearly 20 goals in a bottom-six role for a mediocre team, and in terms of goals scored above expected, Armia would be Edmonton’s fourth-best finisher behind Draisaitl, McDavid, and Jeff Skinner. Furthermore, Armia is quite reliable defensively at 5v5, and a top-notch penalty-killer.
Overall, Armia checks various boxes as a middle-six utility winger for the Oilers. He may not be the best passer, but that shouldn’t be a big issue if deployed correctly. I like the idea of a third line of Arvidsson – Henrique – Armia.
With some salary retention, Armia is a sneaky good option with the potential to be a useful third-line winger for the Oilers.
Trent Frederic
Trent Frederic is a 27-year-old centre on the Boston Bruins with a $2.3M cap-hit that expires this summer. He ranks 15th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board on The Athletic.
It seems that the Oilers may be looking to acquire some physicality and “grit” at the trade deadline. Now, for those who have read my articles over the years, you’ll know that I’m not a fan of enforcer-type players who simply throw big hits and contribute nothing else offensively or defensively.
But luckily, Frederic is not that type of player.
Throughout the past three seasons, Frederic has produced above-average two-way results at both ends of the ice. He uses his size and physicality to his advantage by consistently forcing turnovers and limiting space for opposition defenders to make plays, as his forecheck pressures per hour rate ranks in the 80th percentile among all forwards. Additionally, he’s an efficient finisher and has produced 1.78 points per hour at 5v5 throughout the past three seasons, borderline second-line production (!). To top it all off, Frederic’s penalty-killing results have ranked above average in every season of his NHL career.
Unfortunately, Frederic can be prone to taking ill-advised penalties, a potential concern for the playoffs, but that’s about the only notable complaint I have with his game. For a bottom-six forward that could slot in as 3LW or 4C, how much more can you ask for?
In my opinion, Frederic is the rare type of player that could satisfy both the analytically-minded and “old school” parts of the Oilers fanbase, and I believe it would be wise for Edmonton to target him.
Jake Evans
Jake Evans is a 28-year-old center on the Montreal Canadiens, and a pending UFA this summer with a $1.7M cap-hit for this season. He ranks 27th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board on The Athletic.
Aside from the fact that he draws a high rate of penalties, there’s nothing overly flashy or eye-popping about Jake Evans. This is simply an effective bottom-six center with solid results at both ends of the ice and decent speed. He is currently on pace for a career-high of 13 goals and 29 points this season.
If the Oilers miss out on Frederic, Evans is a perfectly fine backup option. He is likely to be an upgrade on both Derek Ryan and Noah Philp as Edmonton’s fourth-line center.
Jordan Greenway
Jordan Greenway is a 27-year-old left wing on the Buffalo Sabres, with a $3.0M cap-hit for the next three seasons. He ranks 18th on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board.
Interestingly, the Sabres have deployed Greenway in a defensive shutdown role. Per PuckIQ, he has played 43 percent of his TOI against elite opposition this season, more than any Sabres or even Oilers player (!); luckily, Greenway has performed quite well in this role.
His underlying defensive metrics are fantastic, as despite the quality of opposition he faces, the Sabres consistently allow fewer goals and scoring chances per hour at 5-on-5 with Greenway on-ice. He effectively uses his size and physicality to his advantage by being an excellent forechecker. Greenway is also a fairly effective penalty-killer.
Don’t expect much offence from him, but if the Oilers want a big, physical bottom-six player who can provide superb defensive value and match up against elite talent in the playoffs, Greenway would be an excellent target.
Brandon Tanev
Brandon Tanev is a 33-year-old left-wing on the Seattle Kraken. He is an expiring UFA this summer, currently carrying a $3.5M cap-hit. He ranks second on Frank Seravalli’s Trade Board on Daily Faceoff.
Statistically, Tanev is a quite similar player to Greenway. This is a bottom-six forward that provides little offence, but has excellent defensive results at 5-on-5, is a strong forechecker, and can be deployed against top opposition. Additionally, Tanev possesses a couple of advantages over Greenway, most notably better production totals and excellent drawn penalty rates. As he’s an expiring UFA this summer, Tanev’s asking price may be lower as well. Once again, if the Oilers are leaning towards a defensively-minded forward for their third or fourth line, Tanev could be a solid choice given they can retain some salary.
Michael McCarron
Michael McCarron is a 29-year-old forward on the Nashville Predators, making just $900,000 for the next two seasons. He ranks 31st on Chris Johnston’s Trade Board.
I mentioned earlier that I’m not a fan of enforcer-type players who simply hit and provide little to no value otherwise. Trent Frederic is not an example of this, but McCarron certainly is.
With minimal production, mediocre defensive results at 5-on-5 and on the PK, and a tendency to take ill-advised penalties, McCarron’s big frame and physicality do not ultimately outweigh the fact that he’s a net on-ice liability. It’s not the end of the world if the Oilers trade for him given his low cap hit, but I believe it would be an unnecessary waste of an asset(s), and there are far better options out there.
Other Options
- Jean Gabriel-Pageau was mentioned by Kurt Leavins on the Edmonton Journal. Pageau is a 32-year-old centre on the New York Islanders with decent production, above-average defence, and strong offensive play-driving results on a subpar team. If the Oilers wish to improve their center depth and perhaps push Adam Henrique down to 4C, Pageau is an option to consider, though his $5M cap-hit is highly unappealing.
- Justin Brazeau is a right-wing on the Boston Bruins, and another player mentioned by Seravalli on his trade board. Brazeau is a solid bottom-six forward with decent production totals this year, and decent possession metrics. In particular, he is a top-notch forechecker. However, if the Oilers are to deploy a second-line of Skinner – Draisaitl – Podkolzin, they would already have Viktor Arvidsson, Connor Brown, Corey Perry, and Kasperi Kapanen as RWs in the bottom-six, so they may not require yet another depth right-shot winger.
- Nick Bjugstad is a center on Utah HC, and mentioned on Chris Johnston’s trade board. Of course, most Oilers fans should recall that the Oilers had traded defenceman Michael Kesselring and a third-round pick for Bjugstad at the 2023 Trade Deadline. However, the trade did not pan out, as Bjugstad left the team in free agency and Kesselring went on to be an impact defenceman for Arizona/Utah. But, if the Oilers want to acquire a bottom-six centre with the benefit of familiarity, Bjugstad could be worth considering.
- Matthew Olivier is a winger on the Columbus Blue Jackets mentioned by TSN. He is another cheap, defensively-inclined winger option for the bottom-six.
Final Thoughts
Ideally, I would still lean towards acquiring a forward that can finish. Per CSA Hockey, the Oilers’ skater group have allowed the third fewest mid + high-percentage scoring chances per hour this season; adding a defensively-inclined forward certainly wouldn’t hurt, but it’s far from a necessity, as this team (or at least, the skater group) is already elite defensively.
Given the team’s outstanding scoring chance creation, I think some people are truly underestimating the impact that an efficient finisher could make on this roster. Per EvolvingHockey, if the Oilers merely had a league-average shooting percentage this season, they would have scored a total of ~18 more goals this season, propelling them from 8th to 3rd in the league in net goal differential. And if they had above-average finishing? They’d probably break the record for the highest goals per hour rate by a team in the 21st century. If the team can’t fit a high-end option like Nelson or Tuch on the roster, Donato or Armia remain solid backup choices that improve their finishing and still allow them to address other areas (given they can use the cap space obtained from Kane on LTIR).
That being said, the Oilers’ penalty-kill has room for improvement, and their bottom-six could still use some tweaks. While I’m not in favour of spending significant assets on someone like Gourde, I believe it still remains a solid idea to target a cheaper defensive forward like Frederic or Evans to solidify the fourth line.
Ultimately, from high-end scoring wingers to defensively-minded fourth-line centers, there are a variety of different forwards available at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. Only time will tell what type of player they acquire.
On Thursday, I will release an article all about defencemen trade targets for the team, analyzing players such as Mike Matheson, Rasmus Ristolainen, Jamie Oleksiak, and more.
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