The Edmonton Oilers will open training camp this month without four players, and general manager Stan Bowman says the club has not ruled out bringing in a free agent on a professional tryout to help absorb the losses.
The Oilers announced on Aug. 26 that goaltender Frederik Andersen, forwards Mattias Janmark and Matt Savoie, and defenceman Alec Regula are not expected to take part in camp next month.
“Both Mattias Janmark and Alec Regula continue to recover from medical procedures performed last season and shortly after the season concluded, respectively, while Matt Savoie and Frederik Andersen are currently rehabilitating injuries which occurred during off-season training sessions,” the team said in a statement posted to its official site. The club added that updates on each player’s availability would be provided when appropriate.
No return timelines were attached to any of the four.
Who the Oilers are missing
Andersen, 36, signed a one-year, $2.8-million contract with Edmonton in July after winning the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes last season, according to TSN. The Denmark native is set to begin his 13th NHL season, having previously played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks.
Janmark, 33, has spent the past four seasons in Edmonton. TSN reported he appeared in 43 games last season and last played on Feb. 25 against Anaheim, exiting that game early before the team announced in early March that he had undergone season-ending surgery.
Savoie, 22, was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in the summer of 2024. He played all 82 games last season, scoring 18 goals and adding 19 assists, and dressed for all six games of Edmonton’s opening-round playoff loss to the Ducks, TSN reported.
Regula, 26, was claimed off waivers in December 2024. He skated in 29 games last season and registered three assists, according to TSN, after missing the entire 2024-25 campaign with a knee injury.
Bowman not ruling out a tryout
Speaking on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, Bowman said the club is aware of what remains on the open market but stopped short of committing to anything.
“There are still some decent players out there who are trying to find landing spots,” Bowman said in comments reported by Daily Hive on Sept. 3. “I’m not sure if we’re going to go down that road.”
“We’re not overflowing with players, but we also don’t have a shortage of players. We’re in that mode where, yeah, we probably could try to bring a guy in on a tryout.”
Daily Hive reported the Oilers have just under $2 million in salary-cap space, and noted that unsigned forwards including Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting and former Oilers Evander Kane, Adam Henrique and Curtis Lazar remain available. Any tryout addition would most likely be a forward.
The schedule ahead
Edmonton opens a four-game pre-season slate at home against the Winnipeg Jets on Sept. 19, then visits Winnipeg on Sept. 22, Vancouver on Sept. 24 and closes at home against the Calgary Flames on Sept. 26. The Oilers announced the condensed set in June, citing the expansion of the NHL regular-season schedule to 84 games.
The regular season begins Sept. 29 at Rogers Place against the Vancouver Canucks, with the two clubs meeting again on Oct. 1.
Camp will also be the first for a substantially reworked bench. The Oilers introduced Mike Babcock as head coach on June 24, added D.J. Smith as associate coach a day earlier, and announced Misha Donskov as a coaching consultant on Aug. 27.
The roster turnover was extensive as well. Edmonton acquired goaltender Devon Levi from Buffalo and defenceman Shakir Mukhamadullin along with Zack Sharp from San Jose on July 1, signed defenceman Ryan Shea to a five-year deal the same day, and added Mathieu Joseph and Andersen on July 2.
Around the league
Elsewhere, the Vancouver Canucks signed defenceman Zeev Buium to an eight-year, $75.04-million contract extension on Sept. 4, TSN reported, a deal carrying an average annual value of roughly $9.38 million.
Photo: generic file image of an empty hockey arena by Chad Nathan via Unsplash. It was not taken at an Edmonton Oilers game or practice.
