Edmonton Oilers’ Costliest Liabilities: Three Questionable Contracts for the 2026-27 Season

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Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman has made strides in reshaping the roster after trading offseason acquisition Darnell Nurse for $9.25 million annually—a move widely praised for relieving cap pressure. Yet, the team still carries three burdensome deals from the 2025-26 campaign that threaten long-term competitiveness. Below are the Oilers’ most perilous contracts heading into the 2026-27 season.

Trent Frederic ($3.85 Million)

Forward Trent Frederic continues to rank among the league’s worst contracts after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign. Signed to an $8-year, $3.85 million annual deal in 2022, the 26-year-old has regressed into a fourth-line role, posting just four goals and seven points over 74 games while primarily seeing 11:02 of average ice time. Despite a brief stint on the top line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Frederic’s lack of two-way impact and penalty-killing ability led to his demotion—including a two-game suspension during the playoffs. His no-movement clause complicates trade prospects, leaving the Oilers stuck absorbing his full salary through the 2030 season while he remains a cap-related liability.

Jake Walman ($7 Million)

Defenseman Jake Walman, 30, faces a brutal five-year, $35 million contract ($7 million cap hit) after a rollercoaster 2025 campaign. Undervalued at the 2025 Trade Deadline as a fourth-line enforcer, he rebounded with eight goals and 20 points in 53 games but plummeted to a career-worst minus-17 rating. Trading up to the second pair in Nurse’s absence, Walman will immediately draw scrutiny as a $7 million second-pairing asset. At age 37 by season’s end, his injury history (sub-65 games played annually) and declining mobility raise red flags, as his contract guarantees $7 million annually until 2031.

Tristan Jarry ($5.375 Million)

The Oilers’ acquisition of Tristan Jarry in December 2025 rippled with immediate fallout. Surrendering goalie starter Stuart Skinner, defenceman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick, the trade prioritized freezing the goaltending trove for short-term gains. Instead, Jarry posted a 3.86 GAA and .858 save percentage in 19 games before missing a month to injury, losing the starting role to Connor Ingram. With two seasons remaining at $5.375 million per year, his future in Edmonton hinges on a tumultuous three-goalie rotation featuring Devon Levi and Frederik Andersen. Even waiving Jarry would yield minimal cap relief ($1.15 million), leaving the Oilers saddled with mounting dead-weight salaries in their goaltending corps.

With these contracts looming large, the Oilers’ coaching staff faces an uphill battle to justify both talent allocation and cap discipline in the coming season.

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