7 remaining free agent forwards the Oilers could take a flier on

The Edmonton Oilers aren’t believed to be done with the free agent market just yet.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his latest 32 Thoughts podcast, it is believed that on top of working out new deals for Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod, the Oilers would like to sign one more forward this offseason.

Overall, the opening days of free agency have been relatively quiet for the Oilers, though they brought in Connor Brown on a very inexpensive deal. While it remains to be seen whether they look to add one more forward from the remaining free agents, here are seven that they could pursue.

Jonathan Toews

Jonathan Toews’ future remains up in the air after some health concerns in recent seasons. However, If he decides to return for his 16th season, the Oilers should strongly consider offering him a deal.

Though Toews isn’t the same elite centreman he was during his prime, he can still produce points while also providing strong defensive play and incredible leadership. The 2010 Conn Smythe winner scored 15 goals and 31 points in 53 games with the Chicago Blackhawks this past season.

Tomas Tatar

Throughout his 783-game career, Tomas Tatar has always been able to provide consistent numbers offensively. The same was true this past season with the New Jersey Devils, as he recorded 20 goals and 48 points in 82 games.

One area of concern with Tatar is that his game seems to vanish in the playoffs, and that held true this year. He managed just a single goal in 12 playoff outings with the Devils and now has just 13 points in 52 career postseason games. That said, if the Oilers can bring him in on a cheap deal, he could be an excellent fit in their top six.

Noah Gregor

If the Oilers would instead prefer more of a gritty bottom-six-style forward, Noah Gregor may be the best fit. The 24-year-old, who grew up near Edmonton, recently went unqualified by the San Jose Sharks after a season in which he had 10 goals and 17 points in 57 games.

While Gregor’s offensive skills aren’t anything to marvel at, he is strong in his own zone and provides great speed to a lineup. On top of that, he would command a near-league-minimum deal, which would be highly beneficial for an Oilers team that is very cap strapped.

Pius Suter

At this time, the Oilers’ bottom six features more defensive specialists than offensive skills, which may make Pius Suter an intriguing addition. While Suter himself is strong in his own zone and can help on the penalty kill, he can also provide secondary scoring.

The 27-year-old Swiss forward is versatile, as he can play all three forward positions. While this past season was a bit of a disappointment for him, he had an impressive 2021-22 campaign, scoring 15 goals and 36 points in 82 games.

Max Comtois

Similar to Gregor, Max Comtois went unqualified by the Anaheim Ducks recently, and as a result is now a free agent. The 24-year-old was highly touted out of junior hockey after two impressive performances for Team Canada at the World Juniors in 2018 and 2019, but has struggled to produce over the past two seasons.

Comtois looked like he was coming into his own during the 2020-21 season, scoring 16 goals and 33 points in 55 games. That offence has since vanished, but perhaps a change of scenery along with a more skilled Oilers lineup is exactly what he needs to get his career back on track.

Paul Stastny

Another reliable, bottom-six forward the Oilers should consider is Paul Stastny. While no longer the offensive talent he was for many years in his career, the 37-year-old is still an extremely smart player who could be an excellent fit as this team’s fourth-line centre.

Out of all the remaining free agents on the board, the Oilers likely wouldn’t find a better one when it comes to faceoffs than Stastny. The veteran won an extremely impressive 57.1% of the draws he took this past season.

Denis Gurianov

After recently going unqualified with the Montreal Canadiens, Denis Gurianov is now a UFA. The 26-year-old has blazing speed with an incredible shot, but has struggled in recent seasons to put up consistent offence.

Gurianov was at his best in the 2019-20 season with the Dallas Stars, a year in which he scored 20 goals in 64 games. Despite his struggles in more recent years, the skill remains intact for the 2015 12th overall pick. He could be an intriguing add on a cheap deal.

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