The Edmonton Oilers are officially on the hunt as the NHL trade deadline looms, but their target isn’t who you might expect. With the goaltending market virtually dried up—and Edmonton lacking the elite trade chips to pry a top prospect like Minnesota’s Jesper Wallstedt loose, the front office has pivoted. Their new obsession? Fixing the middle of the ice.
According to Allan Mitchell of The Athletic, the Oilers are heavily targeting a reliable third-line center to solidify their Stanley Cup ambitions. The most intriguing name on the board? Nashville Predators veteran forward Ryan O’Reilly.
Imagine O’Reilly, a Conn Smythe winner, locking down the third line, winning crucial defensive-zone faceoffs, and taking the heavy matchup minutes off Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It sounds like a match made in hockey heaven. But there is a massive, $3.6 million elephant in the room that threatens to derail the entire blockbuster deal before the ink can even dry. If the Oilers want the Nashville Predators star, they have to solve an internal crisis first.
Overcoming the Andrew Mangiapane Cap Hit Challenge
As an NHL analyst, I’ve watched countless teams try to fit square pegs into round salary-cap holes, and Edmonton’s current situation is a masterclass in roster gridlock. Whatever moves the Oilers make will entirely depend on what they do with struggling winger Andrew Mangiapane. Mangiapane carries a heavy $3.6 million annual average value (AAV) cap hit that extends through next season, and frankly, his production hasn’t justified the price tag.
If the Edmonton Oilers are serious about acquiring O’Reilly and his $4.5 million AAV, they have to clear Mangiapane off their books. They need to swap him for a player with a comparable salary or peddle him to a rebuilding squad in a cost-cutting dump.
What the Nashville Predators Want from Edmonton
The reality of the modern NHL trade market is that cap space is just as valuable as the players on the ice. If Edmonton cannot move Mangiapane, they will be entirely boxed out of the Ryan O’Reilly sweepstakes.
Even if the Nashville Predators are willing to retain a portion of O’Reilly’s salary to make the Oilers cap-compliant, Nashville management will demand a premium for doing so. Does Edmonton even have the prospect pool or the draft capital left to incentivize Nashville to eat dead money? Based on the lack of assets that kept them out of the goalie market, the answer might be a resounding no. Edmonton’s front office has to get creative—and ruthless—over the next few weeks.
Edmonton Oilers News, Hockey Pools, & Where to Watch
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