The Edmonton Oilers trimmed their training camp roster to 24 players on Sept. 27, loaning defenceman Damien Carfagna to the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors and placing goaltender Matt Tomkins on waivers for assignment, the team announced on its official social media account.
The moves leave Edmonton one player over the 23-man limit for opening night, with two days to go before the regular-season opener against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday at Rogers Place.
Carfagna, 23, and Tomkins, 32, were considered long shots to make the opening night roster after Edmonton closed out a perfect 4-0 preseason. Tomkins has shuttled between the Oilers and Bakersfield in recent seasons and is expected to head back to the AHL once the waiver assignment clears, according to CBS Sports.
With one more cut still required, the closer competition is at forward, where Josh Samanski and Owen Michaels are battling for a bottom six spot, The Hockey Writers reported. The outlet identified forward Max Jones as the player most at risk of being the odd man out.
Edmonton’s injured reserve list is already set to open the season with five players: goaltender Frederik Andersen, forwards Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark, defenceman Alec Regula and forward Jason Dickinson.
Dickinson’s situation is the most uncertain of the group. The 31-year-old, an experienced penalty killer projected to centre Edmonton’s third line, re-aggravated a broken foot that first occurred late last season, head coach Mike Babcock confirmed during camp, The Hockey Writers reported. Dickinson is not expected to be ready for the opener but is not considered a long-term concern, and he took part in an optional morning skate Sept. 26, a sign his recovery is progressing.
Dickinson’s absence leaves a hole at third line centre. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Colton Dach and Trent Frederic are among the options the Oilers could turn to in the short term, per The Hockey Writers.
Edmonton opens the 2026-27 season Tuesday against Vancouver at Rogers Place, then travels to face the Canucks again Oct. 1 before hosting the Seattle Kraken on Oct. 3.
