The Edmonton Oilers are continuing to address their porous defense. Edmonton recently finished off a disappointing 2025-26 campaign by getting bounced in the playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks. The Canadian club allowed 26 total goals in the six matchups against the Ducks. This average of 4.33 goals against per game ranked last among all playoff teams.
Goaltending is obviously a major concern for the Oilers. After all, Edmonton’s netminders posted a save rate of just .880 in the recent playoffs. Nevertheless, solidifying the blue line is also a focus for the club. So far, general manager Stan Bowman has officially re-signed defenseman Connor Murphy to a five-year, $20.5 million deal. Murphy was previously acquired via trade from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Edmonton is not done making alterations to its defense, though. Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos is reporting that the Oilers are interested in landing Rasmus Ristolainen from the Philadelphia Flyers. According to the NHL insider, “there’s a very good chance Ristolainen is finally traded this summer” as he enters his final season under contract.
This is not the first time that Edmonton has been linked to Ristolainen. It was revealed in February that Bowman “checked in on” the Flyers star. The Oilers ultimately resisted making a substantial offer for the blueliner, and Ristolainen remained in Philly. The veteran went on to pick up five points in 10 playoff games with the Flyers.
Move for Rasmus Ristolainen Hinges on Another Edmonton Oilers Trade
GettyThe Edmonton Oilers have been linked with a move for Rasmus Ristolainen before.
Interestingly enough, the Edmonton Oilers have already been linked to a potential summer deal with the Flyers. It was recently reported that current Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse could be moved to Philadelphia soon. The veteran blueliner recently requested a trade out of town, and the Flyers are a potential destination.
In return, Edmonton could land fellow defenseman Nick Seeler in a deal. Nevertheless, the Oilers may very well prefer Ristolainen over the American. After all, the Finn is widely viewed as the more complete blueliner. In moving Nurse, Edmonton will shed most (if not all) of his massive $9.25 million AAV salary. Ristolainen, on the other hand, will earn $5.1 million for the 2026-27 campaign.
According to Puckpedia.com, the Oilers have just over $7 million in projected cap space. Because of the team’s various roster needs, moving Nurse’s significant contract will be the only way to afford a player like Ristolainen. It remains to be seen if Edmonton has to sweeten the deal by adding another asset.
Edmonton Should Be Aware of Defenseman’s Injury History
One potential issue in the Edmonton Oilers’ pursuit of Ristolainen is his injury history. While a very talented player, the defenseman has suffered several setbacks in recent years. These ongoing issues limited the Finn to just 44 regular-season appearances during the 2025-26 season. He has only played more than 70 games in a year just once since 2018-19.
In another major piece of summer business, the Oilers have officially announced Mike Babcock as their next head coach. The veteran previously led the Detroit Red Wings to the Stanley Cup in 2008, but has failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs in each of his last five tries. Babcock will now lead Edmonton moving forward.
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