The 2025–26 season has been pretty up and down for the Edmonton Oilers. The team has struggled to find consistency in their game, looking like a contender some nights and a basement dweller on others. The bottom-six continues to be a formless void, the second defensive pairing isn’t sorted out, and the goaltending has continued to be uneven, even after bringing in two new starters.

Despite all of this, Edmonton sits just two point out of first in the Pacific Division at the Olympic break, so things could certainly be worse. As we round into trade deadline season, talk will continue about the Oilers and what moves they should make. Andrew Mangiapane is probably gone, someone like Bobby McMann might be coming in.

However, the Oilers should aim higher than that, take a true “big swing” at the deadline, bringing in a top-flight player they know can produce.

So what would that deal look like, and what kinds of players should they target?

Why take a big swing?

The Oilers have never truly been “all-in” during deadline season. More often than not, especially under Ken Holland, Edmonton much preferred to add around the edges with some depth players rather than going big game hunting.

Derrick Brassard, Nick Bjugstad, Dmitry Kulikov, all servicable players but never going to move the needle. Even in free agency, Edmonton has been playing top-nine winger roulette with guys like Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, and now Mangiapane and Trent Frederic. McMann would be a move too similar to these kinds of bets for my liking. Sure he can maybe play top six if needed, but is he a true top winger on a championship contender?

Under Jeff Jackson and now Stan Bowman, it appears the Oilers are much more interested in making bigger moves. It was reported last year that Edmonton was involved trying to get Mikko Rantanen out of Carolina, but they couldn’t offer the same package Dallas did. That would’ve been a big swing.

The last biggest move was Ekholm

Before Artemi Panarin was traded to Los Angeles, there was speculation that Edmonton might try to get him as a rental. Both those moves would’ve been potential needle movers, almost certainly in Rantanen’s case. However, I think the Oilers need to look to their deadline past for inspiration. Namely, the Mattias Ekholm trade. Ekholm’s name wasn’t being broadcast to the league as a top trade board guy, but Nashville was looking to sell and willing to listen on their assets. It wasn’t a shock when Edmonton got him, but it wasn’t necessarily an expected move either.

The Oilers also gave up a decent amount to get Ekholm. Their most recent first rounder in Reid Schaefer, their most productive defenceman in Tyson Barrie, a first-round pick and a fourth rounder. Obviously the trade was well worth it but at the time, that was a lot of assets.

However, Ekholm was a proven commodity in the league, a steady defenceman with a reputation of good and even great play. If the Oilers are going to take a big swing this season, it needs to be for someone proven, who fits the window age-wise, and who doesn’t hamstring your cap capabilities.

As for the type of player, I think it has to be a forward. Getting a legitimate top-six winger not only gives Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl a proven player, it also pushes the rest of the lineup down to make the team deeper. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins could play third line centre as speculated, Kasperi Kapanen could move down a line, it just gives you more options to make the forward core as strong as possible. So what players fit this mold:

on a team willing to sell, with the right age and contract for the window, with a proven reputation as NHL players? I’ve got two candidates for a big swing.

Travis Konency as an option for Edmonton

In my mind, Konecny is the perfect big swing. He’s the right age at 28, plays the right style, and is a proven contributor. He’s basically the only thing going for a Philadelphia Flyers team stuck in hockey’s version of the Twilight Zone (too good to tank, not bad enough for the lottery), and just last week was expressing frustration with the state of the team.

If Danny Briere decides to start listening on Konecny, Edmonton should be all-in. He has a no-move clause, but I’d imagine he’s willing to waive if the chance to play with McDavid is there. If they were able to do so though, Konecny would be a huge addition to the Oilers forward group. A physical, right handed winger who can score and hit? Sounds like the kind of player Edmonton has been wanting in the top six for a while. A Hyman-McDavid-Konecny line would be money.

charts from https://benchrates.com/player/171/travis-konecny/contribution

The cost would probably be similar to the Ekholm deal. A first-rounder, prospect, roster player, and additional pick. His $8.75M AAV is the hurdle to clear. Edmonton would need to move out some serious cap in order to make space for him. The only player that would fit in that price range on the Oilers is Darnell Nurse, but he has an NMC as well. If the Oilers truly wanted to make a big swing deal though, this is the kind of player you want to get.

Would Jesper Bratt be a good fit?

Another Metropolitan team that’s fallen on hard times is the New Jersey Devils. The Devils are having a bit of a season from hell, with another injury to Jack Hughes and some roster drama between players like Dougie Hamilton and GM Tom Fitzgerald, it may be possible they’re open to selling.

If the Devils are looking to maybe retool or even sell, Jesper Bratt would be a massive get for Edmonton. His $7,875,000 AAV is still high and would require some cap movement, but it’s easier than Konecny’s. Bratt is a year younger and shoots left as opposed to Konecny, but he’s also a proven offensive talent. 40 points in 56 games this season on a bad Devils team, and seasons of 88 points and 83 points the last two seasons.

His playstyle is more similar to a McDavid, relying on his skating skills and puck-possession to win zone time. A shifty, agile winger might be best paired with Draisaitl, sliding Vasily Podkolzin to either right wing, or the third line to boost the middle-six.

charts from https://benchrates.com/player/139/jesper-bratt/contribution

It’s very possible the Devils have no interest in moving Bratt, as he’s a part of their core. It’s also likely a trade for Bratt would cost more than a deal for Konecny, as he’s younger and the Devils are still a team who has dreams of competing.

If Fitzgerald can be talked into potentially parting with Bratt however, I think this would be a home run deal for the Oilers. Adding a true top-six solution in Edmonton deepens the entire team, and it’s the most impactful move the team could make, certainly more than adding more top nine players and hoping they perform.

A trade would almost certainly involve both the Oilers’ first rounder and a player like Isaac Howard. It’s always a bit risky to trade young talent. For a player like Bratt though, I believe it’s worth taking the risk.

Ultimately, I believe the best move for Edmonton is a big one. Think back to when the Pittsburgh Penguins got Phil Kessel. He didn’t even end up playing much with Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby, but he was a proven contributor that made the entire forward core stronger and deeper. That’s the kind of trade the Oilers need.

Whether the acquired players line up next to 97, 29, or whoever, they need to be sure bets. Edmonton has tried time and again to bet on potential. It’s time for them to make a deal where they bet on proven results.

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