One year ago, there was widespread optimism about the Edmonton Oilers’ off-season.

Acting GM Jeff Jackson had found a way to add two proven scorers in Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, while also bringing back key depth players like Adam Henrique, Corey Perry, Connor Brown, and Mattias Janmark. Despite losing Warren Foegele and dealing Ryan McLeod to Buffalo in the Matt Savoie trade, most fans and media felt the Oilers had upgraded a roster that was just one win away from a Stanley Cup.

That optimism, however, turned out to be premature. Neither Skinner nor Arvidsson hit the 20-goal mark during the regular season, and both spent time in the press box during the playoffs. The tone around the offseason shifted even further once the St. Louis Blues pulled off a double offer sheet, poaching both Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from the Oilers’ system.

This summer has been far quieter by comparison.

The Oilers made just one major addition in free agency, signing Andrew Mangiapane to a two-year deal. That move was only made possible by clearing out the contracts of both Arvidsson and Evander Kane.

The biggest story so far might be Evan Bouchard’s contract extension, which left many fans uneasy, either because they felt $10.5 million was too much or because they would’ve preferred to see the team lock him in long-term.

Once again, it appears this off-season may be underwhelming for the Oilers. But as we saw last year, judging an off-season before the puck drops can be risky.

There’s still time for GM Stan Bowman to make a move or two that reshapes the narrative. Here are three things he could still do before the end of summer, aside from extending Connor McDavid, which is too obvious to include.

The Oilers have made it clear they want to get younger, and with Draisaitl and Bouchard both under contract for at least the next four years and McDavid likely soon to sign a new deal, that approach makes sense.

The challenge for Bowman is figuring out how to build for the future without sacrificing the team’s ability to contend right now.

Acquiring Isaac Howard would be a step in that direction. He’s not a guaranteed 30-goal scorer, and expecting him to step right into an NHL lineup would be unfair. But Howard has real upside. With players like him and Savoie in the pipeline, the Oilers could start to transition their forward group without taking a step back in the present.

Right now, reports suggest Tampa Bay is asking for more than just a first-round pick for Howard, which is why nothing’s happened yet. If the Lightning’s position softens as the summer progresses, a deal could become more realistic.

If the asking price drops to a 2027 first-round pick, that’s a move Bowman should consider.

There’s still a slim chance Bowman adds another goalie before the season begins, but two major roadblocks stand in the way.

First, cap space. The Oilers are tight against the ceiling. Unless they can find a trade partner for someone like Adam Henrique (who holds a no-movement clause), they’ll be limited to acquiring a goaltender with an AAV under $2 million.

Second, the market is thin. Buffalo doesn’t appear to be shopping Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Devon Levi seems untouchable. There are no impactful names left in free agency, and a surprise deal for someone like Ilya Sorokin isn’t on the table.

That leaves fringe options. Cam Talbot is 38 and already in Detroit. Laurent Brossoit is coming off a long injury absence, and it’s unclear whether he’s even fully healthy.

All told, it’s hard to see a worthwhile upgrade being available. So while it’s technically possible, the odds are extremely low.

The Oilers could still dip into the free agent market and look for a low-cost, bounce-back candidate.

PuckPedia lists Edmonton with just $175,000 in cap space, but that’s assuming a 23-man roster with 14 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goalies. If the Oilers start the season with a 21-man roster, they could trim salary by waiving or assigning players like Max Jones ($1M), David Tomášek (burying $1.15M), and Curtis Lazar ($775k). That could free up as much as $2.8 million.

With that flexibility, Bowman could target a player like Jack Roslovic (if his price drops) or take a flyer on Viktor Olofsson, who quietly scored 15 goals in 56 games for Vegas last season. A reunion with Jeff Skinner is unlikely but not impossible.

If the Oilers want to be more conservative, they could look at depth options like Luke Kunin, Michael Carcone, or Joel Kiviranta, though it’s debatable whether any would be upgrades over what they already have.

Still, a low-risk addition to spice up competition in camp is the most plausible option left on the table.

There doesn’t appear to be a slam-dunk move left for the Oilers this summer.

An Isaac Howard trade would be exciting, and there’s mutual interest, but Tampa Bay seems firm on its asking price, and even if it drops, other teams will likely jump in. Upgrading the goaltending would have been ideal, but the market didn’t offer many viable options.

So, unless something unexpected happens, it might be a quiet final stretch of the offseason, aside from the looming McDavid extension.

That might feel a bit disappointing in the moment, but sometimes the best judgment comes only after we’ve seen the team take the ice. Keeping some cap flexibility and preserving assets isn’t the worst position to be in.