5 Edmonton Oilers players who may not return next season feat. Leon Draisaitl, Sam Gagner

By Srihari Anand

Modified Jun 26, 2024 06:45 GMT

The Edmonton Oilers lost Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, giving the Florida Panthers their first Stanley Cup win. With the NHL draft and free agency quickly approaching, Edmonton GM Ken Holland will have to make major moves to strengthen the roster for next season.

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch, and star players Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl had a similar opinion of the 2023-24 squad, describing it as "one of the best groups" to play hockey. After all, it is with this squad the Oilers came back to make it to the Stanley Cup Final after being 31st in the league standing in November.

Five Edmonton Oilers players who may not return for the 2024-25 NHL season

The Edmonton Oilers have to face the reality that not all the players from the current squad will pad up for the team at the start of next season. Despite rumors that Holland will be leaving the organization after this season, the Oilers have to make harsh decisions to make their lineup better.

Here are five Edmonton Oilers players who we may not see next season:

#1. Leon Draisaitl

It may be surprising to see this name here, but the German winger will be in the last year of his $68 million contract. Getting him re-signed should be the Oilers' No. 1 priority this offseason but if the two parties cannot agree on a future, a massive trade may be in place.

Before the season started, Leon Draisaitl had mentioned that the 2023-24 season would be "Cup or Bust" for the Oilers roster. That took an unfortunate turn when the Oilers had an awful start to the season, but they clawed their way back and made it to the Stanley Cup Final. Is that enough for Draisaitl to be convinced to re-sign? We'll have to wait and see.

Draisaitl has a very personal relationship with Connor McDavid off the ice, and their partners, Lauren Kyle and Celeste Desjardins, are close friends, as is evident on social media.

Leon Draisaitl has been linked to the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks, should he and the Oilers decide to part ways after next season.

#2. Corey Perry

"The Worm" Corey Perry joined the Edmonton Oilers during free agency after a controversial exit from the Chicago Blackhawks. The veteran brought a lot of Stanley Cup Final experience with him, having made four of the last five Stanley Cup Finals, all with different teams. Unfortunately for the Oilers, the "Corey Perry" curse did not spare them.

Perry addressed his potential retirement before Game 7 and joked about playing for five more years. Although the 39-year-old veteran may continue his NHL career, it will probably not be with the Edmonton Oilers who will look to offload his $1.1 million AAV from their salary cap and use it to revamp their depth roster.

#3. Jack Campbell

It's hard to fathom how terrible Jack Campbell was given he never made it back to the Oilers roster, let alone start a game in goal, after they put him on waivers in November. After a disastrous start to the season, in which he played five games and had a 4.5 GAA and .873 SV%, he was demoted to the AHL and spent the remainder of the season playing for the Oilers' AHL affiliate Bakersfield Condors.

The 32-year-old netminder signed a 5-year/$25,000,000 extension in 2022. The $5 million AAV contract will be a huge salary cap relief for the Edmonton Oilers, who should be in the market for an elite goaltender despite Stuart Skinner's success this season.

#4. Vincent Desharnais

The 27-year-old defenseman has had a decent two-year stint for the Edmonton Oilers. In the 114 regular season games he has played, Desharnais has had one goal and 15 assists with 180 hits and 170 blocks.

Desharnais played in 16 playoff games in the Oilers' recent postseason run, but only had one point. His two-year/$1,525,000 contract had a $762,500 salary cap hit. He will be looking for a big extension that the Oilers may not be able to provide him with. Desharnais is already rumored to exit the team and test free agency this summer.

#5. Sam Gagner

"Papa Oiler" Sam Gagner's second stint with Edmonton has probably drawn to a close. He did not play a single game in the Oilers' postseason after garnering 10 points in 28 regular season games.

The 34-year-old forward will become an unrestricted free agent come July 1, after his $775,000 contract expires. Gagner would probably demand more term, and hence a higher AAV, to stay with the Oilers. More importantly, he will occupy a roster spot that can be filled with a more fitting depth player.