Mattias Janmark has Mike Babcock tied to Edmonton's clearest roster squeeze.
The Oilers did not create this logjam by accident. They kept adding forwards, then extended Colton Dach for 2 years at a $1.2 million AAV, and now the math is staring right back at them.
Edmonton suddenly has 15 NHL-ready forwards for a roster that realistically wants 13 up front to open the season.
That is why Janmark's name keeps moving to the front. He is heading into the final season of a 3-year contract worth $4.3 million in total, and he looks like the easiest veteran piece to move.
“There's a better chance” the Oilers trade away Mattias Janmark instead.- Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal
Stan Bowman does not need a blockbuster here. He needs space, cleaner roster lines, and fewer bodies fighting for the same depth spots.
Janmark's problem is timing. He was limited to 43 games in 2025-26, had shoulder surgery, and has not played since February 25.
That kind of year makes a player easier to move than to protect, especially when the team still wants more flexibility.
“Edmonton needs Dach's physicality on its fourth line.”
- Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal
The Oilers could be preparing to shed a major contract
The Oilers are projected to have just under $5 million in cap space with a full roster, which is enough room to function but not enough room to stay comfortable if they want more movement later.
Janmark's cap number is not massive on its own. But in a crowded forward group, that salary becomes more useful as trade space than lineup certainty.
The other part of this is role. Janmark was important during Edmonton's recent Cup runs, and that should not get brushed aside. He played 27 playoff games across 2024 and 2025 and produced 12 points.
That is real value from a depth forward. But past value does not always protect a player when a team starts trimming around the edges.
Babcock also has his own preferences to sort through. If Edmonton wants Colton Dach's size and edge on the fourth line, somebody with experience and a mid-range cap number is going to get pushed out.
That makes Janmark the logical pressure point. He still has enough reputation to bring back a modest asset, and moving him would open room without touching the core.
" “The Oilers could opt to start the upcoming campaign with Mathieu Joseph as the healthy extra and Dach in the AHL.”
- Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal "
This is not really about whether Janmark can still help. It is about whether the Oilers can justify keeping him when the roster is crowded, the cap still matters, and younger options are pushing from below.
Edmonton's biggest forward decision may not be flashy. It may just be the veteran everyone quietly knows is the one most likely to go.
Source : https://heavy.com/sports/nhl/edmonton-oilers/edmonton-oilers-expected-trade-mattias-janmark/
Should the Oilers move Mattias Janmark before the season starts?
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