The Edmonton Oilers could use a lot more value contracts. With Connor McDavid headed for a big payday, Leon Draisaitl beginning his new deal, and a few looming deals expiring at the end of this year, it’s imperative to have as many inexpensive contracts as possible.
Heavy.com proposed a deal that would see the Oilers make a salary dump trade with the Anaheim Ducks to facilitate a reunion with Klim Kostin.
Oilers Acquire:
- 2026 4th round pick
Ducks Acquire:
- Troy Stecher ($787,500)
- Mattias Janmark ($1.45 million)
This is a big trade proposal for the Oilers. They move out two players who could be on the outside looking in, while opening up salary cap space to make further additions to the roster.
In this proposal, the Ducks acquire Troy Stecher, 31, a 12-year veteran right-handed defender. The 5-foot-10, 184 lb Richmond, British Columbia-native played 66 games last season with the Oilers, recording seven points. Stecher signed a two-year ELC with the Vancouver Canucks at 22 years old as an undrafted prospect. In addition to the Oilers and Canucks, he has played for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and the Arizona Coyotes.
The Ducks would also acquire nine-year NHLer Mattias Janmark, 32, to add to their forward depth. The 79th draft pick by the Red Wings in 2013 has 637 career games under his belt. Additionally, he brings 113 games of playoff experience to a team that desperately needs to know what it takes to win.
Oilers Make Room For the Return of Klim Kostin
The above proposal frees up $2,237,500 in cap space for the Oilers. That brings their total available salary up to $2.46 million. This would be more than enough space to sign a low-cost deal with Kostin.
Why would the Oilers want Kostin? For starters, he was successful during his tenure with the team. In his only year with the Oilers, he recorded an 11-goal, 21-point, and 157-hit season playing in 57 games.
Secondly, he wants to come back.
In a recent interview with Alexey Shevchenko of Sport Express, an online Russian sports publication, he revealed one NHL team with confirmed interest in his services, and another rumored team.
“There are offers. They talked about Los Angeles, where former Edmonton general manager Ken Holland works now,” Kostin said to Shevchenko. “There are rumors that the Oilers might make an offer too. Of course, this is my dream.”
Kostin went on to explain how he felt playing for the Oilers and their fans.
“I would like to try my luck again. This is the place where I felt most comfortable and was myself,” Kostin revealed to Shevchenko. “In Edmonton, the fans understand hockey; they see all the little things: even if you didn’t score or made a mistake, but you gave it your all, they appreciated it. They were the ones who pushed you forward.”
“I wanted to go out and die on the ice for these people.”
That kind of commitment to the fans and team is precisely the kind of swagger the Oilers need to inject into their lineup.
Oilers on the Outs With Stecher & Janmark
Allan Mitchell of The Athletic has predicted that the Oilers may lose Stecher to the waiver wire before the regular season begins.
Additionally, Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer has hinted at the possibility of Janmark being moved out to create cap space.
“It’s our belief that the Oilers are not done, that you may see between now and when we drop the puck for the first game of the regular season, a change in the lineup,” Stauffer said on an August 7, 2025, episode. “Maybe see Edmonton shed a contract. I could foresee a scenario where Edmonton builds cap space.”
“I think there’s one or two contracts they could move. We’ll see. People ask me about (forward Mattias) Janmark.”
With Stecher and Janmark out, that frees up the necessary salary cap and roster spots to sign a player like Kostin to a PTO.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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