The Edmonton Oilers are one of the NHL’s top teams, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have problems. There are areas of their roster which could use improvements, particularly on their blue line. There are even some who still question their goaltending, whether fair or not.
Another problem for this team is their salary cap issues. This isn’t unusual, as many top teams struggle to make things work from a dollar perspective. Bad contracts, such as Darnell Nurse’s, don’t help the matter, but again, you’d be hard pressed to find a team that doesn’t have a bad deal or two on the books.
The biggest issue for the Oilers at this time is that they sit approximately $341,000 over the cap. That number doesn’t seem to be a big deal, though they sit there despite the fact they have yet to re-sign two restricted free agents in Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. While there is still time to get things sorted, the Oilers will have to move someone in order to pay two of their young up-and-comers, and that someone may very well end up being Brett Kulak.
Kulak is an Attractive Option
The Oilers by no means want to get rid of Kulak. The 30-year-old has been as reliable as they come since joining the team at the 2022 Trade Deadline. Though by no means flashy, he is a very steady presence on the third pairing, giving opposing teams very little in terms of offensive chances. He is also one of the team’s best skaters, which helps him transition the puck out of his own zone with ease.
Kulak has also proven to be very reliable in terms of health. He has yet to miss a game for the Oilers, suiting up for all 182 regular-season games he’s been around for, along with all 53 playoff outings. He also carries a reasonable $2.75 million cap hit through the 2025-26 season.
Perhaps most important of all is that, under the bright lights of a fan base who has been known to be hard on defencemen, he has very few, if any, who don’t appreciate what he brings to the team. So, if everything is so good, why would he be the one to get moved?
Unfortunately for the Oilers, there aren’t a ton of other options. The most discussed, and the one that fans would like to see move, is Cody Ceci. Though Ceci isn’t as bad of a player as many on X (formerly Twitter) seem to suggest, he isn’t worth the $3.25 million cap hit he commands. Other teams seem to share that sentiment as well, as the Calgary Flames reportedly turned down a first-round pick from the Oilers ahead of the 2024 Trade Deadline for Chris Tanev, only because Ceci would have been a part of the deal as well.
Ceci has been placed in a somewhat unfair role with the Oilers, as he’s a third-pairing defenceman who more often than not has been tasked with a top-four role. It hasn’t been a major problem in the regular season where the Oilers can often outscore their problems, but has been evident in each of the last three playoff runs. Head coach Kris Knoblauch even elected to have him sit as a healthy scratch for a game in the Stanley Cup Final versus the Florida Panthers.
Despite only having one year left on his contract, the Oilers would still need to add a piece in order to get Ceci’s deal off the books. While that still may be the route newly-hired general manager (GM) Stan Bowman chooses to go, it’s far from ideal, and may have him and the rest of his staff second-guessing things.
The only other option on the Oilers’ roster to be moved as a cap casualty is Evander Kane. Like Ceci, however, he will be tough to move. At his best, Kane is a top-six forward capable of providing goals and physicality. He hasn’t played nearly to the level he is capable of the past two seasons, however, due mainly to injury. Being 32-years-old with injury troubles and a contract that runs through 2025-26 with a $5.125 million cap hit doesn’t exactly make for a player other GMs are lining up to acquire.
The one outcome in all of this which could save Kulak from being dealt is Kane’s health. There has been talk that whatever injury (or perhaps injuries) he is dealing with could force him to go on long-term injured reserve. That would allow for the Oilers to re-sign Broberg and Holloway while remaining cap compliant, though if or when Kane is deemed good to go, a further move would need to take place.
Tough Decision Ahead for the Oilers
One way or the other, the Oilers are going to have to make a tough decision with one of the three players mentioned above. While fans would prefer Ceci to be the one on the move, it may indeed need to be Kulak. His salary, paired with his play, makes him an attractive asset and by far the easiest of the bunch to deal to another team.
