Overview

• Independent analysts Travis Yost and Dom Luszczyszyn credit a deepening blueline for Edmonton’s emergence as perennial Stanley Cup contenders, noting puck-moving contributions rose from 0.9 to 1.3 Grade A shot involvements per 15 minutes since 2021-22.
• Luszczyszyn’s dollar-value model ranks four Oilers defencemen among the NHL’s Top 60, led by Evan Bouchard ($12.8 million), Mattias Ekholm ($9.8 million), Jake Walman ($7.9 million) and Darnell Nurse ($6.5 million).
• Jake Walman’s acquisition at the 2024-25 trade deadline is hailed as one of the season’s best deadline pickups after he delivered significant puck-moving impact on a $3.4 million contract.
• Management is reshaping its salary cap structure to preserve flexibility for veteran trades and prospect promotions given concerns over Ekholm’s age and recent injury.
• A look back at former bottom-pairing Oilers defencemen, now largely plying their trade in Europe, underscores how rare sustained Top-4 NHL roles can be without the current cohort’s skill alignment.