3 Oilers Most Likely To Be Traded Under Mike Babcock’s 2026-27 Season Run

Admittedly, it’s way too early to be talking about trades that could happen during a season that hasn’t started yet. At the same time, we’re in the dog days of the offseason where there isn’t much to talk about. As such, going through an NHL roster and looking at the most likely trade candidates became meaningful, especially for the Edmonton Oilers.

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The Oilers are a team that needs to win. So badly, in fact, they went out and hired the most polarizing coach in hockey. It’s a risk. The leadership group and management know it, but they’ve decided to go all in, taking the opposite approach to conventional thinking. They want to be pushed. This group wants Babcock to make them uncomfortable.

What could result from this decision is players not fitting his system, unable to adjust when he holds them accountable. Let’s take a look at the most likely candidates.

Tristan Jarry

Tristan Jarry will get a clean slate with Babcock, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll get a ton of rope. With three goalies in Edmonton and one recently acquired who has a history with Babcock (Frederik Andersen), Jarry is going to have to perform. If he struggles, he’ll either be traded if the Oilers can find a taker or buried in the minors if they can’t.

The Oilers would really like Jarry to find his game. They aren’t out for blood. However, last season was a disaster in terms of expectations after being acquired via trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Oilers, specifically Babcock, don’t have time for him to fumble his way through the first quarter of the season. If Jarry isn’t pulling his weight, Devon Levi and Andersen will get the bulk of the starts, and Stan Bowman will be scouring the market.

Trent Frederic

The Oilers need Trent Frederic to be a certain kind of player. He didn’t seem to recognize what that was under Kris Knoblauch, but expect Babcock to make Frederic’s role crystal clear. Get in on the forecheck, crash and bang, create space, go to the net, and be difficult to play against. Every team needs at least one of those guys, and Frederic has to figure out he’s that player in the bottom six.

Granted, he’s got a long-term deal that feels almost untradeable; the Oilers made their bet, and they need it to pay off. That said, patience with this player will be in short supply.

Spencer Stastney

Spencer Stastney might be the odd man out in Edmonton before the season even starts. He’s in competition for his spot with Ty Emberson and Shakir Mukhamadullin. Knowing that, he’s got to impress early, and that means getting Babcock’s attention in a good way.

The best thing Stastney can do is be reliable. Make the most of the limited minutes he gets and don’t become a liability on the ice. If he can’t manage that, Babcock likely won’t dress the defenseman. If that happens more than a handful of times, Bowman will start testing the market to see if there’s a trade that can be made to clear up the $1.525 million Stastney eats up.

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