13 Edmonton Oilers set to become UFAs after 2025-26 season
The Edmonton Oilers lost six players to free agency this summer, and they might lose even more next summer.
While this offseason saw plenty of movement on the Oilers, the summer of 2026 is set to be a monumental one for the franchise. A total of 11 Oilers players expected to get some NHL time this upcoming season are set to hit the UFA market.
Chief among them is captain Connor McDavid, who could become one of the highest-profile free agents in league history if he doesn’t ink an extension with the Oilers. Top defencemen Mattias Ekholm and Jake Walman are also set to expire after the upcoming season.
Something will also have to be done about goaltending, as both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard will see their current deals come to an end.
Here are all 13 players that the Oilers will have to decide on throughout the 2025-26 NHL campaign:
1. Connor McDavid
- Current contract: eight years, $12.5 million AAV
It’s no secret that signing McDavid to a long-term extension will be at the top of the Oilers’ priority list this summer.
The Edmonton captain ranks second in franchise history in points behind Wayne Gretzky and is one of the most talented players of all time. His next contract will surely break NHL records.
2. Mattias Ekholm
- Current contract: four years, $6.25 million AAV
Age is starting to become a factor for Ekholm, and his next contract will likely reflect that.
The 35-year-old Swede dealt with nagging injuries last season, and it was evident he was not at full strength in the Stanley Cup Final. He is still an excellent defender when healthy, but there will be some risk on his next deal.
3. Stuart Skinner
- Current contract: Three years, $2.6 million AAV
Skinner’s Oilers tenure started out promising but quickly hit some rocky ground over the last few seasons.
His inconsistent play has made him a polarizing figure among the fanbase, and the jury is still out on whether or not he can be the team’s long-term starter. What the Oilers decide on will likely determine the team’s future between the pipes.
4. Jake Walman
- Current contract: three years, $3.4 million AAV
Walman wound up being an excellent fit with Edmonton after a trade deadline deal, and keeping him around on an extension would be wise.
The 29-year-old is likely to play in a top-four role with the Oilers this season and, if he continues his good play, a significant raise is likely in the cards. With a ton of cap space being freed up next summer, the Oilers should be able to afford it.
5. Brett Kulak
- Current contract: four years, $2.75 million AAV
Brett Kulak has been exactly what the team has wanted of him throughout the entirety of his four-year deal in Edmonton.
Initially expected to be a very good depth defenceman on the third pairing, the Stony Plain native has done excellent pinch-hitting in a top-four role at times. It’s hard to say if the Oilers will keep him around on another deal, but there will be a market for him in free agency.
6. Calvin Pickard
- Current contract: two years, $1 million AAV
It feels like the Pickard era in Edmonton is coming to a close, but it’d be unwise to bet against the journeyman.
The veteran has proven his haters wrong time and time again over the past two seasons, and even had a ridiculous 7-1 record in the playoffs last season. The Oilers are due for a big change between the pipes, and at 33, it feels like this may be Pickard’s swan song.
7. Adam Henrique
- Current contract: two years, $3 million AAV
It was a surprise last summer that the Oilers were able to re-sign Adam Henrique, but they are having some buyer’s remorse already.
Henrique had a fairly disappointing 2024-25 season in Edmonton with just 27 points in 81 games, and went long stretches in the playoffs where he looked invisible. Rumours have swirled that the team already tried to trade him this summer, to no avail.
8. Kasperi Kapanen
- Current contract: one year, $1.3 million AAV
Kasperi Kapanen became an unexpected fan favourite in the playoffs and found a way to parlay that into a one-year deal.
There is plenty to like about Kapanen’s game, which is accentuated by some quick boots and willingness to throw the body. Add some offensive skill to that, and he becomes a decent utility forward. He’ll get bottom-six minutes next season with a chance to play for another deal.
9. Troy Stecher
- Current contract: two years, $787,500 AAV
Troy Stecher played a much bigger role in his second season with the Oilers.
He managed to appear in 66 regular-season games and eight playoff matches. During that time, he developed some decent chemistry with Darnell Nurse. He probably shouldn’t be playing top-four minutes, but he is still a very useful depth defenceman.
10. Curtis Lazar
- Current contract: one year, $775,000 AAV
The ex-Edmonton Oil King is looking for new life in the city where it all began for him.
Lazar was a cheap free agency addition for the Oilers this summer and will be a strong candidate for the fourth-line centre role next season. If it works out, maybe it’ll be the start of a multi-year partnership in Edmonton.
11. David Tomasek
- Current contract: one year, $1.2 million AAV
David Tomasek comes over from the Finnish league looking to prove himself in North America.
He’s a skilled forward who can score goals and help out offensively, with some concerns over his foot speed. He’s a wildcard for the Oilers this season who could certainly earn an extension if he fits.
12. Noah Philp
- Current contract: one year, $775,000 AAV
Noah Philp will enter Oilers training camp with the goal of becoming a full-time NHLer.
He made his NHL debut last season with some decent results and put up a career year in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors. Philp has plenty of fans within the Oilers organization and will hold his destiny in his hands.
13. Max Jones
- Current contract: two years, $1 million AAV
Another trade deadline acquisition, Max Jones was brought in to bring some snarl to the Oilers. What they got was little more than a whimper.
He’ll be battling for that 13th-forward position, but a season in the AHL is the more likely outcome for him. A future in Edmonton beyond that feels far-fetched.