Is Stan Bowman Grooming Replacements for Key Oilers Veterans?

Since arriving in Edmonton last August, Oilers GM Stan Bowman has tried a different approach than his predecessors. Bowman has quietly begun reshaping the roster with an eye toward the future. While his unmatched offer sheets for Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg raised eyebrows (not his finest work), it wasn’t entirely his doing. Since then, he’s been working towards getting the roster younger and faster.

Part of Bowman’s gameplan, according to The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell, is that he’s bringing in players who will eventually take over key roles for important Oilers who might be starting to age out.

Oilers are Preparing for an Inevitable Future of Regression

In securing one of the summer’s best value signings in Andrew Mangiapane, and trading for a high-ceiling college winger, Mitchell wonders if the plan is for one of these two forwards to take over a spot currently held by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. There’s a long way to go for both potential replacements when it comes to their 200-foot game, but that may come with time and Howard seems eager to play in all situations.

Mitchell writes:

“Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was ineffective as a five-on-five contributor on the McDavid line one year ago…The organization may trust Andrew Mangiapane with the role in 2025-26, but Howard or another young player should eventually push his way into the lineup.”

Bowman is laying the groundwork in other areas of the lineup as well. Matt Savoie could be groomed to take over the top-line right wing role currently held by Zach Hyman—though that transition might still be two years away. On defense, Jake Walman looks like a long-term solution on the left side, potentially stepping in for Mattias Ekholm, who turns 35 next May.

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Behind the aging veterans, younger players are being positioned as eventual replacements. And, if some of the names mentioned above don’t pan out, reports of Edmonton staying well under the salary cap all year suggest that Bowman is keeping flexibility for deadline reinforcements.

This might not be a full succession plan that fans should expect to see take shape this coming season. That said, there could be signs of changing times for the Oilers. Bowman seems determined not to close the window to help the team win a Stanley Cup. At the same time, he’s thinking further ahead than the 2025-26 campaign.

Next: Revisited McDavid-to-Devils Trade Pitch Could Have Delivered Quinn Hughes to Oilers