Oilers’ Ruthless Summer Stance an Early Test for the Roster

The Edmonton Oilers’ 2025 offseason under new General Manager Stan Bowman is a vastly different one than the offseason of his predecessor. Taking a more calculated and unsentimental approach to roster construction, he’s testing his roster early. Patience is going to be required by the players and the fan base, if his early moves are an indication of how he intends to move forward.

As highlighted by Oilersnation.com, Bowman isn’t jumping the gun and isn’t overspending on the current roster or new additions, just because the Oilers are a contender and an attractive option for free agents. In fact, he took a hard stance, letting valuable assets walk when he wasn’t prepared to match deals from other teams.

The Oilers Said No and Goodbye to Several Players

Key departures include Corey Perry and Connor Brown, both of whom were not brought back after impactful runs with the team. Perry, who signed a one-year, $775,000 deal with Edmonton in January 2024, has since joined the Los Angeles Kings but was a key contributor last season. Brown, who played his best hockey during the 2023-24 playoff run — but wasn’t as good last season — ultimately signed with the New Jersey Devils. John Klingberg was an experiment that worked, but the Oilers weren’t prepared to give him $4 million.

Bowman even pulled off trades, sending Viktor Arvidsson to Boston and Evander Kane to a division rival in the Vancouver Canucks. Some will argue Kane’s time with Edmonton had passed its expiry, but he was instrumental when healthy.

The Oilers Additions are Cost-Effective Bets

The additions have been cost-effective bets. Andrew Mangiapane got better offers from other teams, but chose the Oilers at a two-year discounted rate. Curtis Lazar comes in at at $775K cap hit. Neither name is flashy, but Bowman wasn’t willing to throw big money at anyone. He also ensured that no-move clauses were not included in either deal. Mangiapane got a modified no-trade, but there’s still an option to move him if things don’t pan out.

Evan Bouchard is the lone signing that some will question. His $10.5 million four-year deal is full price. That said, Bowman didn’t have the leverage in that deal.

All the while, Connor McDavid is watching to ensure he feels comfortable with the way this roster is constructed. Bowman is walking a tightrope, and he’s erring on the cautious side.

While this “ruthless” strategy may sting in the short term, Bowman isn’t done. Championship teams are not made in July, and he’s got a bigger-picture focus in mind. In fact, there’s a chance he says goodbye to more players before he adds anything else. Among the potential exits could be Adam Henrique or Mattias Janmark.

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