The Edmonton Oilers roster appears to be set, with less than $300,000 remaining in cap space. Barring a trade, this means that the team’s goaltending will not be addressed, which will frustrate many fans. While goaltending likely won’t be upgraded, however, general manager (GM) Stan Bowman could get crafty and improve his roster by signing a very good player to a very cheap contract.
Related: 5 Reasons the Edmonton Oilers Will Be Better in 2025-26
As of now, there’s no denying that the Oilers got worse this offseason. While they managed to sign Andrew Mangiapane, players wno went out the door included Evander Kane, Connor Brown, and Corey Perry. It will be extremely difficult to replace what those three brought to the team. However, there is one player still available who could easily make up for the loss of the offence they provided.
Evgeny Kuznetsov, who last suited up for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023-24, is looking to return to the NHL. The 33-year-old headed to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for the 2024-25 campaign, posting 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games for SKA St. Petersburg. Though he was considered an unreliable player in the NHL, there is reason to believe he can be counted on going forward.
Kuznetsov Has a Ton to Prove
In his prime, few NHL players were more skilled than Kuznetsov. He was a star talent with the stats to prove it, but he could have been better. He simply lacked the drive to become an elite player, which was a source of frustration for the Washington Capitals. Now, rather than being remembered for his dominance, he’s considered a disappointment.
The fact that Kuznetsov is looking to return to the NHL suggests he has more to give and perhaps something to prove. He will be motivated, and based on his stats from last season, it’s clear he still has a ton of skill. Though primarily a centre during his NHL career, Kuznetsov could easily shift to the wing and get a chance to play alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl and make the Oilers’ top lines an absolute force this season.
Though Zach Hyman is seemingly locked in as the left winger on McDavid’s line, there is no sure thing when it comes to Draisaitl. There has been talk that Mangiapane could play on his left side, though he has proven throughout his career to also be very useful in a bottom-six role. That could mean that the…
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