Oilers facing cap crunch in quest to fill out roster
The Edmonton Oilers have started the speed-dating process with the available unrestricted free agents.
The Oilers have 18 of 23 roster players signed and about US$11 million in cap space, but it could be $12 million if they bury Al Montoya’s $1.125-million contract in the American Hockey League.
According to CapFriendly.com, only L.A., Florida, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Tampa Bay have less money to spend on free agents. The Oilers’ fiscal story: They have 10 forwards at $39.5 ■ million: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Milan Lucic, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zack Kassian, Drake Caggiula, Jesse Puljujarvi, Ty Rattie, Jujhar Khaira and Pontus Aberg — the last four all making less than $1 million.
There are five defencemen at ■ $19.7 million: Andrej Sekera, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Kris Russell and Matt Benning.
Three goalies for $7.7 million: ■ Cam Talbot, Mikko Koskinen and Montoya.
Two buyouts at $1.666 million: ■ Benoit Pouliot and Eric Gryba.
The Oilers have to sign restricted free agents Ryan Strome and Darnell Nurse. If Strome gets $3 million and Nurse a two-year bridge starting at $3 million, that leaves only $5 million unless they trade somebody.
So the Oilers aren’t looking at James van Riemsdyk, James Neal or Mike Green.
The Oilers needs are simple enough:
A top-six forward, preferably a
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right-winger.
A right-shot centre who can win
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draws.
A versatile bottom-six winger.
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A No. 7 defenceman.
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Wingers who might be available to the Oilers are Michael Grabner or Thomas Vanek.
Jay Beagle, 32, and Kyle Brodziak, 34, are right-shot centres who might be attractive to Edmonton.
The bottom-six winger? Among those available are Matt Calvert, 28, Antoine Roussel, 28.
On the blue-line, Nick Holden, 31, and Kevin Connauton, 28, are both from Edmonton and able to play some power play on the point.
It is difficult to see how the Oilers can fill all those holes with so little cap room, but they will probably sign two or three free agents somehow if the price is right.