Oilers to Outbid Original Six Team in Ristolainen Trade?

With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching and the Olympic break now in the rearview mirror, the Edmonton Oilers are expected to be active. It didn’t take long for their name to surface in the rumor mill, as Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco reported that the Oilers have checked in on Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

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According to Di Marco, both the Oilers and Boston Bruins have inquired, though neither has emerged as a “serious” landing spot to this point. Still, the fit makes sense on paper.

Why Ristolainen Makes Sense for Edmonton

The Oilers have been looking for a right-handed defenseman to round out the top four alongside Darnell Nurse for what seems like an eternity. While Evan Bouchard has established himself as a member of the top pairing alongside Mattias Ekholm, the second pairing has been a question mark, particularly in high-stakes, playoff-type situations.

Ristolainen, 31, would give the Oilers size (6-4), physicality, and a stay-at-home defenseman that Edmonton’s blue line has been lacking at times. While he is not a possession ace, having an expected goals-for percentage of 47.38 and a goals-for percentage of 31.25 at five-on-five, it is important to consider the context. The Flyers have been struggling in their own end, and Ristolainen has often been asked to play a tough defensive role.

What Ristolainen would bring to the Oilers is simple: edge, penalty killing, and the ability to clear the crease. With Paul Coffey back around the team to help mentor the defense, Edmonton may feel they can corral Ristolainen’s game and give him a more defined role than he has been asked to take on in Philadelphia.

Where He Would Fit in the Lineup

If this trade is made, the best place for Ristolainen would be alongside Nurse on the second pair. This would allow the Oilers to keep Ekholm and Bouchard together on the top pairing, which has been one of the best in the league when healthy.

The alignment could look something like this:

• Ekholm – Bouchard
• Nurse – Ristolainen
• Walman – Emberson/Stastney

Ristolainen’s presence would likely reduce some of Nurse’s defensive burden and free him up to use his skating more effectively in transition. Meanwhile, Jake Walman, anchoring the third pair, would give Edmonton a balanced look from top to bottom.

The Cap Puzzle: Mangiapane’s Role

The financial side is where the intrigue begins.

Ristolainen has a $5.1 million cap hit through next season, which is certainly doable but not exactly trivial. For the Oilers to make the numbers work, it seems likely that salary would have to be shed. One player who has been mentioned in trade scenarios is Andrew Mangiapane, who has a $3.6 million cap hit.

One possible configuration, as has been projected in trade scenarios, might be for the Oilers to send Mangiapane, Calvin Pickard ($1.0 million), prospect Beau Akey, and a 2026 second-round pick to Philadelphia in return for Ristolainen.

There is, of course, one significant hitch here: Mangiapane’s contract protection. Any trade would depend on his cooperation in waiving his no-trade clause, depending on the terms of the clause itself. If Mangiapane is not amenable to waiving the clause, the Oilers would have to look elsewhere for a salary-out solution, possibly involving a third team or different players.

As for the Flyers, the acquisition of Mangiapane would give them a sixth forward locked under contract, while the inclusion of Akey and a second-round pick would fit with a rebuild.

Is It Worth the Price?

The price the Flyers are reportedly seeking has been substantial, compared to what Boston gave up for Brandon Carlo at last year’s deadline, and that was a haul that included a top prospect and high draft picks. Edmonton doesn’t have a first-round pick in the current season, so any futures such as their 2027 first or top prospects like Matt Savoie or Isaac Howard would probably be out of the question unless the price becomes wildly inflated.

The Oilers will have to determine if Ristolainen is what they’ve been searching for in a defenseman or just another mid-level player in a shallow market.

With the deadline approaching, GM Stan Bowman doesn’t have much time to decide whether to make a move or not. If Mangiapane is willing to waive his no-move clause and the price remains in the second-round-plus-prospect range, this is a trade that could lock down the Oilers’ blue line for two playoff series.

Or, they can just keep looking around.

Next: Former GM Suggests the Oilers Pursue a Multi-Player Trade with Blackhawks