7 Edmonton Oilers players that are pending unrestricted free agents
The 2026-27 season is just around the corner, and it could be the swan song for a few Edmonton Oilers players.
A number of roster players are entering the final year of their contracts, meaning that Edmonton could be experiencing quite a bit of roster turnover going into next summer. Luckily for the Oilers, all of their star players are locked down for at least another season, including captain Connor McDavid.
Instead, it will be a few key depth players that will need to either re-sign or find another team to play for starting on July 1.
As it stands, there are a total of seven Oilers players set to become unrestricted free agents after this upcoming season…
1. Kasperi Kapanen
Stephen R. Sylvanie/Imagn Images
Age: 30
Cap hit: $2.6 million
2026-27 stats: 8 G, 9 A, 17 PTS, 41 GP
Kasperi Kapanen had his regular season cut short due to injuries, but he made quite an impression in the playoffs. That earned him another one-year deal with the Oilers this past summer.
He’ll need to continue to prove himself if he wants to secure a longer-term deal next time around.
2. Mattias Janmark
Jerome Miron/Imagn Images
Age: 33
Cap hit: $1.45 million
2026-27 stats: 1 G, 7 A, 8 PTS, 43 GP
Mattias Janmark has scored a total of seven goals over his last three NHL seasons, despite playing in 194 regular season games in that span.
Injuries shut his season down midway through last year, and unless he does something unexpected, it’s safe to assume this could be his last campaign with the Oilers.
3. Frederik Andersen
David Kirouac/Imagn Images
Age: 36
Cap hit: $1 million
2026-27 stats: 16-14-5, .874 SV%, -3.3 GSAx
Frederik Andersen was brought in as a short-term fix to Edmonton’s goaltending, and at his age, retirement could be a real possibility any year now.
A good year could turn into a contract extension for the Danish goaltender, but the Oilers will be hoping one of Devon Levi or Tristan Jarry can take over the reins.
4. Spencer Stastney
Perry Nelson/Imagn Images
Age: 26
Cap hit: $1.52 million
2026-27 stats: 2 G, 8 A, 10 PTS, 66 GP
Spencer Stastney was brought in on the same day the Oilers traded Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak last season, but was never able to find a consistent spot in the lineup.
He’s a decent depth defenceman and will need to take another step to prove his long-term worth for Edmonton.
5. Ty Emberson
Robert Hanashiro/Imagn Images
Age: 26
Cap hit: $1.3 million
2026-27 stats: 2 G, 10 A, 12 PTS, 72 GP
In the battle of depth defencemen, it feels like Ty Emberson has the edge. He will enter his third season with the Oilers and seems to have a spot locked down on Edmonton’s third pair.
Will that equate to another contract extension, or will the Oilers opt to look elsewhere next summer?
6. Mathieu Joseph
Griffin Hooper/Imagn Images
Age: 29
Cap hit: $1 million
2026-27 stats: 2 G, 9 A, 11 PTS, 51 GP
Mathieu Joseph will take over for Curtis Lazar in this year’s role as the veteran depth forward. If he continues to be the player he has been over his career, the Oilers will take it, but a contract extension may be unlikely in that case.
Joseph will have to step up more than expected to stick around past this season.
7. Max Jones
Perry Nelson/Imagn Images
Age: 28
Cap hit: $850,000
2026-27 stats: 3 G, 2 A, 5 PTS, 21 GP
Max Jones seems to have some fans in the organization, and that could prove vital for him after this season.
He’s been a physical forward who can provide a little offence from time to time. It’s unlikely Jones will be a full-time NHLer next season, but he’s a perfect AHL call-up option in case of an injury.