![\"Roster\"](\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/edmontonjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/roster-6.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nRoster<\/p>\n
My take<\/p>\n
1. No surprise to hear that the Oilers are interested in Rust. Which team isn\u2019t? What would be surprising is for Rust to end up here. He\u2019s got no trade protection whatsoever, so he even if he wanted to force a trade to a contending team like Edmonton, he\u2019s got no leverage to push for such a move.<\/p>\n
2. Why is it unlikely he\u2019d come to Edmonton? All kinds of teams have the cap space needed to take on Rust\u2019s contract for the next three years. The Oilers do not. If Pittsburgh wants to be clear of Rust without having to cover any of his salary, they\u2019ll move him to a team with ample cap space.<\/p>\n
3. Most experts who rank NHL prospects indicate that Edmonton has fewer top prospects than other teams. That means other teams who want Rust just as bad as the Oilers can offer more to get him, one more reason he\u2019s not likely to be coming to Edmonton.<\/p>\n
4. As I see it, at the trade deadline the Oilers are going to have room to make on big trade. They\u2019ll give up their 2027 first round pick to do so and use whatever cap space they can muster by then. It\u2019s possible that Rust might be available then, but it\u2019s unlikely Edmonton would win the bidding war for him.<\/p>\n
5. It\u2019s also the case that cap space will be tight in Edmonton in years to come. Rust is 33 next year, then 34 and 35 in the final two years of his deal. Unless Edmonton can find a way to move out a major contract, they won\u2019t likely be able to afford Rust under the cap in years to come.<\/p>\n
Rust is a decent to be a good player for a few more years (see chart below for scoring totals for NHL forwards aged 32 and over), but the key for Edmonton is to figure out a way to compete with younger, cheaper players.<\/p>\n
That means Edmonton betting on forwards like Ike Howard, Matt Savoie and Vasily Podkolzin, and hoping that their own older veterans such as Zach Hyman, Adam Henrique and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can keep coming up big in the playoffs.<\/p>\n