As we enter August, the Oilers have wrapped up all of their Summer moves, apart from a few possible extensions. As the dust has settled on this off-season, it’s time to look forward to training camp in a little over a month, and the potential moves that could come with it. The Oilers very likely …
As we enter August, the Oilers have wrapped up all of their Summer moves, apart from a few possible extensions. As the dust has settled on this off-season, it’s time to look forward to training camp in a little over a month, and the potential moves that could come with it. The Oilers very likely won’t make any big splashes or signing between now and the start of the season, meaning PTOs (Professional Tryout Offers) are the most likely and impactful way they will add to their roster. With a couple spots on the roster clearly up for grabs, such as a spot on Leon Draisaitl’s wing, as well as the backup goalie spot, here are 3 players the Oilers could look at adding to their training camp roster on a PTO.
Samsonov was a first round pick in 2015 with Washington, and since then he has turned that high draft pedigree into a respectable NHL career. Samsonov played with the Vegas Golden knights last season, and in a down year the 28-year old put up a .891 Sv% with a 16-9-4 record. While this might not seem impressive, it is worth considering that this isn’t that far off from what Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard did last season, and Samsonov put up much better advanced stats than the Oilers pair. Samsonov is also just a couple season removed from a very impressive campaign with the Maple Leafs in which he produced a 2.33 GAA and .919 Sv% in 42 games. With goaltending a dire need in Edmonton, Samsonov is definitely a player the Oilers will consider offering a PTO.
The Oilers have a need for a scoring winger to play alongside Leon Draisaitl, and with a lack of proven goal scoring available on both the trade market and free agency, taking a swing on a low risk proven veteran such as Pacioretty could be a smart move. The Oilers lost a very impactful veteran in Corey Perry in free agency, and Pacioretty could help to fill that void both on the ice and in the locker room. Last season the 36-year old had 5 goals and 13 points in 37 regular season games with Toronto, but in the playoffs he put up a very solid 3-5-8 statline in 11 games. Pacioretty could end up being a very slick veteran addition at both a low cost and low risk and would be an ideal PTO candidate for the Oilers.
All off-season, the Oilers’ mantra has been to get younger and faster, and Leason fits that bill. Leason is a big, physical 26 year old forward with a 6’5 frame and he would add size to an Oilers forward group full of smaller players like Matt Savoie, Andrew Mangiapane and Ike Howard. While he isn’t much of a scorer, it is worth noting that he still put up 17 points in 62 games with Anaheim last season and could be a useful fourth line piece who brings more physicality and jump than a player like Mattias Janmark or Curtis Lazar. Leason scored 11 goals in 2023-24, showing that he has 10+ goal potential, and at 26-years old he’s a great low-risk PTO option to add some youth to Edmonton.
