4 Free-Agent Forwards the Oilers Could Sign to Improve Forward Depth – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

The 2026-27 season is roughly one month from getting underway, yet the Edmonton Oilers have already been hit by bad news. It was announced last week that goaltender Frederik Andersen, defenceman Alec Regula, and forwards Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark won’t be participating in training camp due to injury.

Seeing both Savoie and Janmark, particularly Savoie, kick the 2026-27 season off on the injured list is far from ideal. Savoie is expected to be a key secondary scorer for the Oilers, while Janmark has always been reliable as a penalty-killing option. Without either, the Oilers’ already questionable depth up front looks even worse.

Due largely to the injuries, it sounds as though the Oilers, who have just under $2 million in cap space, could dip into the free-agent market in order to help improve their depth. Oilers insider Bob Stauffer suggested as much last Wednesday.

“Matt Savoie (who took significant strides after the Olympic break last season) and Mattias Janmark are both PK’ers,” Stauffer wrote on X. “In theory the Edmonton Oilers have the cap space to look at potentially bringing in a current [unrestricted free agent] with PK experience.”

While the Oilers have not acted on such a move yet, Oilers fans know just how dialed in Stauffer is when it comes to this team. As a result, speculation has ensued as to who management may be considering. Should they indeed look at the free-agent market, here are four forwards that fit the profile Stauffer suggested.

Luke Glendening

A name that has generated some recent buzz in Edmonton is Luke Glendening. The 37-year-old veteran remains up for grabs on the free-agent market in hopes of securing what could be the last NHL contract of his career.

Glendening split the 2025-26 season between the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers, where he recorded two goals and nine points in 70 games. He additionally suited up in 10 playoff games for the Flyers, where he chipped in with one goal.

Those totals are only slightly below his career production, meaning Oilers fans shouldn’t expect much from him in terms of depth scoring. It’s what he provides in other areas, however, that have allowed for him to carve out a 934-game career.

Glendening has seen a ton of work on the penalty kill throughout his NHL career, which would make him a suitable replacement for Janmark in particular. Even better, he not only plays centre, but is quite good in draws. This past season saw him win 52.9 per cent of the 649 faceoffs he took.

Reilly Smith

While he doesn’t play centre, another player who may fit what the Oilers are looking for is veteran winger Reilly Smith. The 35-year-old isn’t the point producer he was earlier in his career, but can still chip in offensively as proven by his 16 goals through 69 games with the Vegas Golden Knights this past season.

Smith hasn’t been relied on when shorthanded as often as Glendening throughout his career, but does have plenty of PK experience. He would check off several boxes for the Oilers, and doesn’t project to cost a whole lot given his diminishing offensive totals in recent years.

Eeli Tolvanen

One wouldn’t think that the Oilers have the cap space to bring in Eeli Tolvanen, but at this point, the Finnish winger may be looking to take anything he can get. The 27-year-old appeared to be in line to sign a relatively rich contract this offseason, but instead continues to wait on the free-agent market with less than a month to go before the 2026-27 campaign gets underway.

Like Smith, Tolvanen could help improve the Oilers’ offensive depth, as he’s recorded at least 35 points in each of the last three seasons. That said, it’s his effective defensive play and work on the penalty kill which seemingly makes him a great fit for the Oilers. The question will come down to whether or not he’s willing to settle on an inexpensive deal.

Adam Henrique

Last but not least is a familiar option in Adam Henrique. The 36-year-old’s game has declined in recent seasons, as indicated by his three-goal, 15-point season in 2025-26. While his offence has completely diminished, however, he does have a ton of experience on the PK.

This past season saw Henrique log 1:39 per game on the penalty kill, the most of any Oilers forward aside from Jason Dickinson. He also went 54 per cent in the face-off dot, which adds further value. Bringing him back could also serve as a morale boost, as by all accounts he’s been a very well-liked teammate during his two-and-a-half seasons in Edmonton.

Troubling Times in Oil Country

While the Oilers have far bigger weapons up front than Savoie and Janmark, having both out to begin the season is far less than ideal. The real concern, however, is the injury to Andersen, who was expected to serve as their number-one goaltender.

It remains to be seen how much time Andersen could miss, but it’s certainly not ideal for a team that desperately needs a bounce-back after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign. While signing a forward won’t help that situation, it could help keep the Oilers afloat while they await the return of Savoie and Janmark.