Oilers linked – After a six-game first-round loss to the Anaheim Ducks, the Edmonton Oilers face their longest offseason in five years. With Connor McDavid eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2027-28 season, Edmonton is reportedly looking at star wingers Jordan Ky
For the Oilers, the offseason has felt longer than it should.
Edmonton’s 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs ended in the first round after a six-game loss to the Anaheim Ducks. It wasn’t the kind of exit that leaves room for debate inside a franchise built on the expectation of deep runs. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both acknowledged after the series that Edmonton had taken a step backward. and the sting doesn’t fade when the calendar turns.
Now the question turns into something sharper: how does a team that has reached back-to-back Finals get back to being a contender?
McDavid’s message has been the same all along—his only goal is to win a Stanley Cup. With that standard, Edmonton’s entire 2025-26 campaign ended up feeling like a disappointment in Alberta, especially after a season that still followed consecutive Finals appearances.
General manager Stan Bowman has plenty to fix. and one of the clearest targets being discussed is a star winger to play alongside McDavid. David Pagnotta and reporter Jeff Marek have reported that Edmonton could pursue either Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues or Owen Tippett of the Philadelphia Flyers as part of the push to add scoring and speed in McDavid’s orbit.
Kyrou is 28 and is coming off a disappointing season with a retooling Blues club. He finished with 46 points. Tippett, also 2026-ready in the sense that he has been through the Flyers’ playoff run, helped Philadelphia reach the second round and ended the regular season with 51 points in 81 games.
Both forwards, crucially, are signed to long-term deals. That matters for Edmonton, because either player could become part of the core moving forward rather than just a short-term patch.
The salary-cap picture also shapes how realistic this feels. Edmonton is reported to have around $15 million to $18 million in salary cap space for next season. The Oilers could create a little more depending on what happens with defenceman Darnell Nurse. who the team is expected to shop even though his no-movement clause still applies.
With McDavid’s future looming over the franchise—and with him eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2027-28 season—this isn’t just another roster shuffle. It’s a summer where decisions can’t afford to miss.
Bowman still has other needs beyond the winger spot. too: goaltending. the defensive corps. a third-line centre. and at least two other bottom-six pieces have all been identified as areas that need attention. But the case for adding another top-six scoring threat is easy to see when you zoom in on what Edmonton is chasing.
A winger next to McDavid isn’t just a tactical idea. It’s a bet on keeping the franchise pointed at the one outcome McDavid has repeatedly said he wants: a Stanley Cup.
Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid Leon Draisaitl Stan Bowman Anaheim Ducks 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Jordan Kyrou Owen Tippett St. Louis Blues Philadelphia Flyers Darnell Nurse salary cap space