Edmonton Oilers

As Injured Players Return, Oilers Trade Talk Begins to Heat Up

As key players return to the lineup, the Edmonton Oilers are facing a roster logjam that will lead to trades or waiver moves.

by
NHL Trade Talk
October 23, 2025

The Edmonton Oilers may have won in overtime against Ottawa, but one insider believes the team is still somewhat disjointed, with some imminent moves on the horizon. Frank Seravalli said on Flames Talk prior to the OT win by Edmonton that their early-season performance hasn’t matched the urgency they projected coming out of training camp.

“They needed to get off to a good start, and they don’t have anything that’s connecting any part of their game,” Seravalli said. “You’ve had nights where Evan Bouchard has looked lost, Connor McDavid has no goals (he has one now), Stuart Skinner has coughed up leads, and Leon Draisaitl and McDavid are playing together too often. It looks like a team that thought this would come a little easier to them.”

While Tuesday’s win helped them keep pace with Calgary, who lost to Montreal on Wednesday night, Seravalli noted that the Oilers’ issues go deeper than a so-so start. The roster remains unsettled, and with Jake Walman’s return adding another piece to the puzzle, Edmonton could soon face a numbers crunch.

Expect Some Moves in the Next 10 Days for the Oilers

According to Seravalli, several names could surface in trade talks once the roster is healthy. Mattias Janmark may be a candidate. The Oilers added Jack Roslovic, the young guys are starting to play well, and Zach Hyman‘s return is just around the corner.

So too, depending on how the blue line shakes out with Walman back, Ty Emberson’s place is in question. Alec Regula is likely to win a spot over Emberson, so when Regula comes back from injury reserve, Emberson could be moved.

The team also wants to avoid losing Noah Philp on waivers, while Curtis Lazar’s long-term fit could be evaluated.

“They’re going to have a surplus of players or a logjam in real short order here over the next 10 days,” Seravalli said, suggesting not every move will involve a trade — but something will have to give.

For a team still searching for chemistry, those decisions may come sooner rather than later.

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