The Edmonton Oilers have come so close yet are still so far from capturing that elusive Stanley Cup in the Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl era.
Back-to-back losses in the Finals have not only taken a toll mentally but also physically, having played so much extra hockey. Edmonton started to look worn down by the end of their run in 2024-25, and because of that, general manager Stan Bowman has attempted to inject more youth and speed into his lineup heading into 2025-26.
Isaac Howard and Andrew Mangiapane have been the notable additions up front this summer, but NHL analyst Jesse Courville-Lynch of The Hockey Writers doesn’t believe the Oilers should stop there, suggesting a blockbuster move for Red Wings star winger Alex DeBrincat.
“The Oilers have shown they aren’t scared to make big moves if it means improving their team and being able to make a deep postseason run… One player who stands out as a potential trade target for the Oilers is superstar forward Alex DeBrincat, who has solidified himself as a star in the NHL,” he wrote.
“Realistically, a trade looks like the Oilers acquiring DeBrincat in exchange for Mattias Ekholm, Beau Akey, their 2027 first-round pick, and their 2028 second-round pick,” he added.
DeBrincat, heading into the third season of his four-year, $31,500,000 contract with the Red Wings, is fresh off a 39-goal, 31-assist, 70-point campaign where he played in all 82 games.
Whether or not Detroit would have any interest in parting with the 27-year-old is certainly in question; however, there’s no denying how nice the threat of a two-time 40-goal scorer that is a right shot would look next to McDavid or Draisaitl for years to come. Not to mention, he and McDavid lit up the OHL together in 2014-15 as members of the Erie Otters and could rekindle that chemistry in Edmonton.
