NHL Trade Talk Recap: Oilers, Sharks & Senators Hit Snag

In today’s NHL Trade Talk Recap (July 29, 2026), we’re looking at three different versions of the same NHL problem right now: young stars are hitting the market, and the money is going up fast. Matt Savoie is next in line for the Oilers, and it sounds like Edmonton might wait a bit. His value could jump, and their extension talks could turn into “pay more than we wanted” real quick.

Meanwhile, the Sharks locked up Macklin Celebrini on a massive $18.8 million AAV. That price is so high it’s basically resetting expectations, not just buying him long-term. And in Ottawa, Drake Batherson extension talks are stalling hard, with Ottawa trying to keep him while Batherson could be looking at open-market money that the Senators might not be able to match.

Oilers and Matt Savoie: extension talk sounds like a “wait and see”

The Oilers haven’t exactly been flooded with super-young standouts lately, but Matt Savoie has quickly separated himself. He played all 82 games and put up 37 points. He even looked solid on the penalty kill. Plus, he has shown he can play alongside Connor McDavid, which increases his value to Edmonton.

The only catch is timing: Savoie still has a year left, and the Oilers seem focused on this season, so extension chats haven’t started yet. The smart move for Edmonton is to not wait too long, because if Savoie’s offence jumps again, his price could spike hard. And they could end up paying way more than they want.

Why Matt Savoie Should Be the Oilers’ Next Core Contract

Celebrini locked up, and the price is high.

The Sharks just signed Macklin Celebrini for five more years, keeping their future superstar in San Jose. The only bummer for some fans is the money. It’s a record-setting $18.8 million AAV, which puts him at the very top salary in the league when it kicks in.

But honestly, with Celebrini being a legit young superstar (115 points in a “down” year, still fourth in scoring), it’s hard to call it an overpay. Also, the cap’s only going up, so this number won’t look quite as big forever. Sharks fans basically should see this as a great move, even if it makes future contract talks a little more stressful.

Did Celebrini Actually Take a Discount — or Just Reset the Market?

Senators-Batherson talks hit a snag

Ottawa’s trying to sign Drake Batherson to an extension before he hits unrestricted free agency next summer. But league sources say the two sides are way apart. Batherson’s current deal is about $4.95 million a year, and the expectation is he could want something like $10–$11 million on the open market.

The Senators want to keep him, but they’re trying to make the numbers work with their internal contracts. The NHL salary market has changed dramatically with several recent star contracts resetting expectations. If Ottawa doesn’t get it done, especially with them reportedly not loving signing bonuses, Batherson could be leaning toward testing the market anyway.

The Senators’ Drake Batherson Contract Dilemma Just Hit Another Snag

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