Edmonton's big upgrade is officially in motion and the acquisition is no small move
The Edmonton Oilers have a clear off-season target in mind, and a fresh name just got attached to it.
David Pagnotta reported this week that Edmonton is in the market for a speedy winger this summer. One name being whispered is Philadelphia Flyers forward Owen Tippett.
The fit makes sense the second you look at the profile. Tippett is 6-foot-2 with elite skating, a proven scoring touch and the kind of pace Connor McDavid eats up on the rush.
The 27-year-old finished his regular season with 51 points across 81 games for the Flyers. 28 goals. 23 assists. Two game-winners. On a $6.2 million cap hit.
His playoff run was short. Six games, two points, plus-2 rating. Philadelphia ended its postseason early, which puts every veteran name on Daniel Briere's roster into trade circulation by default.
GM Stan Bowman has been busy elsewhere this off-season. He restructured the front office, promoting Michael Parkatti to VP of Analytics and Technology and bringing Kirt Hill in as Assistant GM of Player Procurement. The hockey ops work is done. The roster work is next.
Why Tippett would solve Edmonton's biggest top-six gap
Edmonton finished 41-30-11 with 93 points, 14th overall, 2nd in their division. The team got swept out of the first round by Anaheim. The offense disappeared at the worst possible time.
McDavid and Leon Draisaitl need pace beside them. Tippett delivers that in a way most free agents wouldn't. The contract is also reasonable for a top-six winger with goal-scoring upside.
Daniel Briere's group has been openly retooling. Philadelphia finished 11th overall at 43-27-12 with 98 points and got bounced in the first round. Briere has indicated the rebuild is moving toward a younger, faster forward identity.
That direction makes Tippett available in a way he might not have been a year ago. The Flyers also have Matvei Michkov developing into a real top-six threat at $950,000. The depth chart is shifting fast.
What does Edmonton give up to make a deal? Probably a first-round pick plus a young roster piece. Maybe a prospect Briere targets. The cost is going to land somewhere in that range.
Honestly, the smart bet on the Oilers this off-season is that Bowman gets aggressive on at least one big swing. The head-coach search is still open.
The crease still has questions. A top-six speedy winger would at least lock down one major piece.
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Maxim Berezkin reportedly staying in the KHL for two more years already took one option off Edmonton's depth chart this week. That makes outside additions more important, not less.
McDavid's window doesn't pause for incremental moves. The Oilers need real upgrades. Tippett's name is the kind of whisper that turns into a trade quote by July if both front offices keep talking.
The market opens for real after the Stanley Cup Final. Bowman's summer is just getting started.
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YESTERDAY
MAY 29, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Taylor Hall | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Logan Stankoven | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Jackson Blake | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Seth Jarvis | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Cole Caufield | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Carrier | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Alexander Nikishin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Josh Anderson | - | - | - | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | - | - | |
| Alexandre Carrier | - | - | - | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | - | - | |
| Kirby Dach | - | - | - | |
| Phillip Danault | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||