If Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is to move one of the team’s coveted young assets, it’s imperative he secures a player who will be under control for more than just this season.
In a conversation this week with Daniel Nugent-Bowman at The Athletic, Bowman addressed the defensive situation by saying “from Games 40 to 50 is when we’re going to try to really decide which type of player would be the best one to add. If we can add a defenceman, we’d like to” and that will come at a price.
The organization has just four strong trade pieces: The 2026 first-round selection, AHL winger Matt Savoie, OHL centre Sam O’Reilly and OHL defenceman Beau Akey.
The team’s prospect pool is so shallow Bowman must secure a legit return for any of these players. Here’s a look at possible defence targets that may warrant such an investment.
Henri Jokiharju, Buffalo Sabres
Jokiharju, 25, is a right-handed defenceman with over 350 games on his NHL resume. His cap hit ($3.1 million) should comfortably fit under the Oilers’ cap by the deadline if Bowman continues to accrue cap dollars as the season wears along.
He’s an unrestricted free agent after this season. If the team acquires Jokiharju from Buffalo, it should come with a new deal for this player. Here’s a look at the numbers from Puck IQ against each level of competition so far in the 2024-25 season:
| Category | Elite | Mid | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
|
TOI-Gane
|
5:16
|
4:22
|
6:06
|
|
Pct of TOI
|
33.5
|
27.7
|
38.8
|
|
DFF Pct
|
50.5
|
39.2
|
50.6
|
|
DFF%RC
|
-0.5
|
-11.5
|
0
|
|
Goals
|
2-1
|
0-2
|
7-4
|
All numbers five-on-five, via Puck IQ
Jokiharju plays a significant amount against elite competition (ranks No. 2 in terms of percentage of individual ice time) and has delivered solid results.
His playing style (impressive skater and puck mover, with passing a strength) fits with Darnell Nurse on a possible second pairing, and it’s also plausible that Jokiharju could slide up to the top pairing with Mattias Ekholm should Evan Bouchard struggle or have an injury.
That kind of depth on the right side of the defence is a strong need for Edmonton if the goal of winning the Stanley Cup is to be realized.
The cost would be dear. Jokiharju would be a strong option for Edmonton, especially with a contract extension signed as part of the trade.
J.J. Moser, Tampa Bay Lightning
This may be news to some, but Moser’s performance in his new NHL city is notable and probably of great value to a team like Edmonton.
The downbeat? It’s also valuable for his current team.
Puck IQ has Moser playing significant minutes versus elites in all three of his seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, and that trend continues this season with the Lightning.
The difference this season? Moser’s DFF percentage (smart Corsi, similar to expected goals) is 51 percent and his actual goal share (all numbers five-on-five) is 58 percent. He’s flourishing in his first sojourn with a contender. His performance against elites is part of an impressive resume this year.
He’s 24, left-handed and is signed for this and next season at $3.375 million. Tampa Bay gave up a big asset (Mikhail Sergachev) in the deal to acquire him, and Moser is paired most often with Victor Hedman. There’s no doubt playing with Hedman has zoomed Moser’s numbers, but the Oilers have a defenceman (Ekholm) who can impact possession numbers, too.
He’s a significant part of a contender, and that would raise the price. There’s no evidence Moser is available for trade, meaning he is more of a target than an attainable piece.
The Lightning have posted a strong start but play in a tight division. Tampa Bay has considerable depth so a deal isn’t beyond reason.
After trading defenceman Jack Thompson at the 2024 deadline, the Lightning are without a top-tier prospect on the blue line. It’s possible a deal around Akey could be considered if Tampa Bay management feels there’s enough quality at the NHL level. It’s also possible Akey falls shy of the mark.
Other options
Edmonton has a specific need, and as the Bowman interview with Nugent-Bowman shows the team is also looking at other areas of the roster for possible improvement.
Names like Nick Jensen (veteran right-handed defenceman playing with the Ottawa Senators this season) and Brandon Carlo (Boston Bruins stalwart for almost a decade) may be in play at the deadline, and those players will get traded for value if their general managers decide to move them.
For Bowman, there must be a clear line between rental price (second-round picks or lower, mid-level prospects and unsigned European draft picks) and names that have a real chance to play a feature role in Edmonton over the next several seasons.
The value of keeping his powder dry won’t be lost on Bowman. The interview in The Athletic with Nugent-Bowman acknowledges the organization lacks top-end trade pieces in order to make the kind of trades Ken Holland made not long ago. The Ekholm acquisition is an example of a deal that is probably out of reach for Bowman at this time.
On the other hand, Bowman will know the value of an additional year for all of the impact prospects in his system.
Another year for Savoie could mean NHL time on a feature line and a higher trade profile. It could also allow Bowman to offload a veteran top-six winger and replace him long-term with Savoie.
O’Reilly is exactly the player-type Edmonton needs badly on the NHL team. A two-way centre who is RH and can score, outscore and play a rugged style. O’Reilly’s only downside is the gap between today and the moment he makes a difference in the NHL. That gap could be four years, and Bowman must factor that into the equation.
As it pertains to the two names above, Akey would be an asset Bowman could consider dealing.
The team already has its impact puck mover and power-play quarterback (Bouchard) who should be here through the end of the decade and beyond.
The Oilers roster will have needs in the next two years in important spots on the defence. Ekholm and Brett Kulak are unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2026, and a player like Moser might be able to help. It’s unlikely he’ll fill all of the minutes required, but it would be an astute addition in an area that could be a major need in the days to come. Moser isn’t expensive now, and will still be a restricted free agent at the end of his current deal.
There isn’t much actively available across the NHL for Bowman on defence, and even less that might warrant trading the 2026 first-round pick, Savoie, O’Reilly or Akey.
Jokiharju and Moser do represent quality, with some risk, in this area. Up next: Forwards.
(Photo of Henri Jokiharju: Timothy T. Ludwig / Imagn Images)
