Insider Suggests Oilers Pursue Panthers Forward as Final Move

GM Stan Bowman said on Thursday that he imagines the Oilers are likely done adding before the trade deadline. That may be true as of right now, but one phone call can change everything, and until the clock strikes 3 p.m. EST on Friday, there is always a chance for another move to be made.

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Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, and Colton Dach have already been acquired, though in an ideal world, the Oilers would still love to add one more piece up front. They’ve often been connected to the Toronto Maple Leafs for players like Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Nicolas Roy — who was just traded to Colorado. However, insider Jeff Marek believes the perfect fit could be a name we haven’t heard much about in connection to Edmonton: Evan Rodrigues of the Florida Panthers.

Marek said:

“I’ve wondered about Evan Rodrigues, and could that be a fit with the Edmonton Oilers on that third line. Then you look at that third line and say now we’ve really got something there. I think the work that Bowman did yesterday specifically sets that up. They’re on their way to constructing a playoff deep third line in Edmonton,”

The 32-year-old Rodrigues is in year three of the four-year, $12 million contract he signed to join the Panthers as a UFA in 2023. He’s having another solid season in Florida, with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) produced through 60 games played.

The Oilers know Rodrigues quite well from their matchups in the last two Stanley Cup Finals, in which he was extremely impactful, tallying 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 13 games as a major reason the Panthers prevailed in both series.

Not only is he talented and a proven playoff performer, but Rodrigues is also a Swiss Army knife — one of the more versatile players in the league, capable of playing just about anywhere up and down the lineup.

Florida has made it clear it’s willing to sell in the midst of an injury-riddled lost season, so if Rodrigues is one of the pieces they’d be open to moving, Edmonton should absolutely explore what it would take to make him an Oiler.

Next: Oilers Columnist Floats Shocking Evan Bouchard Trade Theory