There’s a fair bit of business to do for the Edmonton Oilers as they dissect the season gone by that ended with an unceremonious exit in the first round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs.
There are several visible gaps on the roster, starting with the goaltending and the blueline. While Darnell Nurse is one name likely to be moved, all eyes are on how Oilers general manager Stan Bowman solves the goaltending dilemma, in what has proven to be Edmonton’s stickiest problem in recent years.
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All season long, the Oilers have been linked with a move for St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington.
The Team Canada champ didn’t have the best of years with St. Louis but still upped his game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, which, unfortunately, didn’t end with a gold medal. In any case, Binnington showcased his value at Milano-Cortina, serving another reminder that he’s not down and out just yet.
Binnington played 41 games (started 39) for St. Louis this season and ended the year with an .873 SV%. His goals-against average of 3.33 was his worst since his rookie year, giving cause for concern.
But while the Oilers have been strongly linked with a move for Binnington, his $36 million contract with a $6 million cap hit will be a pain to fit under the salary cap. And that’s not all.
Even if the Oilers decide to do business with the Blues for Binnington, it appears they could face some competition for the Canadian goalie. NHL insider David Pagnotta reports that the Carolina Hurricanes have some level of interest in Binnington after failing to get Sergei Bobrovsky on board.
The Florida Panthers are also rumored to be keeping tabs on Binnington since all signs point to Bobrovsky testing free agency this year.
“If the Florida Panthers cannot get Sergei Bobrovsky locked up to a new contract, Binnington will be on their radar, too,” Pagnotta reported. “Bobrovsky, meanwhile, wants to stay, but he wants term, and while he’ll take a discounted AAV, it hasn’t appealed to the Panthers so far.”
When it comes to the Oilers, however, Binnington might end up being a pipe dream. Unless Bowman does some serious roster surgery and manages to ship out Tristan Jarry’s $5.375M cap hit, it would be borderline impossible to bring Binnington to town.
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The Oilers also have some free agents to re-sign, starting with Jason Dickinson, Kasperi Kapanen, and Connor Murphy. Rumors indicate Darnell Nurse could be on the move, and dumping his $9.25M cap hit will give Edmonton some room to maneuver, but Bowman will likely have to take a bad contract back to make it all work.
When all is said and done, the Oilers’ roster may have a slightly interesting look to it after free agency. With an underwhelming class of free agents and what is expected to be a bustling trade market, Bowman will have his work cut out for him come July 1.
