The Edmonton Oilers have some very tough decisions ahead of them this summer. They need to figure out what this roster is going to look like before Connor McDavid’s contract expires. The possibility of him testing the open market becomes very real as his contract end nears. As a result, that leaves Edmonton with a short window to improve key areas of the roster, especially in goal. They need to give themselves the best possible chance to finally win the Stanley Cup.
Because of that, the Oilers have become one of the biggest talking points around the league lately. During a recent episode of Daily Faceoff Live, Jeff Marek joined the show and discussed what he believes should be Edmonton’s top priorities heading into the offseason.
Oilers’ Top Priorities This Summer
Marek started by talking about Isaac Howard and how the organization first needs to figure out whether he is going to be a full-time NHL player for them moving forward. If not, then Edmonton has to decide what his value looks like on the trade market. That matters because Howard could become one of their better trade chips. This could be the case if the Oilers decide to push harder to win right now.
From there, Marek shifted toward the top six and the need to find another high-end forward to play alongside McDavid. One of the first names he brought up was St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou, who has continued to surface in trade speculation over the last couple of years. The fit makes sense on paper because of Kyrou’s speed and offensive skill. However, the asking price could get complicated quickly. If Edmonton decides to move Howard in a win-now deal, it would not be surprising if the Blues asked for him as part of the package.
The conversation then moved to the blue line, which is where things got especially interesting. Marek mentioned Connor Murphy as a player the Oilers should try to re-sign around the $3.5 million range. He also brought up Michael Kesselring, who reportedly fell out of favour with the Buffalo Sabres during their playoff run. Kesselring could become a buy-low option this summer.
Then came the Darnell Nurse discussion.
Marek connected Nurse to the San Jose Sharks, whose growing forward depth could make them an interesting trade partner for Edmonton. He specifically mentioned Colin Graf as a potential return piece after Graf’s breakout season with San Jose. Nurse’s name has been tied to trade speculation ever since the Oilers’ season ended. In fact, Marek seemed to believe the Sharks could make sense as a landing spot if Edmonton seriously explores that route.
Lastly, Marek talked about the goaltending situation, which continues to hang over the organization. He was pretty blunt when discussing Tristan Jarry, referring to him more as a backup option than a clear starter. Because of that, he suggested Edmonton should look into a larger trade package to address multiple needs at once. One team he mentioned was Buffalo, especially if the Sabres decide to move Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. If those two teams end up talking, Kesselring could potentially become part of the discussions as well.
It’s pretty clear the Oilers have several major areas they need to address this summer. Most people would probably agree that goaltending still sits at the top of the list. Either way, this feels like the biggest offseason Edmonton has faced in a very long time. There is real pressure on the organization to finally get things right before McDavid has to make a decision on his future.
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