Oilers Expected to Trade Away $1.5 Million Veteran Defenseman

The Edmonton Oilers are expected to trade a veteran defenseman earning $1.5 million due to a positional logjam on their blue line, with general manager Stan Bowman currently holding eight NHL-caliber defensemen on the roster. Five players — Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, Connor Murphy, and Ryan Shea — are considered locks, while Shakir Mukhamadullin, recently acquired from the San Jose Sharks in the Darnell Nurse deal, is also expected to secure a roster spot. With training camp for the 2026-27 season approaching, at least one defenseman will likely need to be moved to clear space.