Oilers Lose Key Forwards, Lock in Bouchard
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By Doug Hirdle
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Summary:
- Corey Perry, Connor Brown, and Viktor Arvidsson depart as the Edmonton Oilers free up salary cap space ahead of key extensions.
- Evan Bouchard extends his stay, 4yrs valued at $42 million.
- Andrew Mangiapane, Riley Stillman and Matt Tomkins joined the roster on two-year deals.
On Tuesday, the Edmonton Oilers made some important roster changes as they gear up to bounce back from falling just short in the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row.
They said farewell to a few veteran players but locked in a new deal for their top defenseman and brought back a familiar player to Alberta.
Perry Inked with the Kings, Brown Signed with the Devils
Corey Perry, fresh off bringing veteran grit and playoff savvy to Edmonton, has inked a one‑year deal with the Los Angeles Kings. He’ll earn $2 million up front, with the chance to pocket another $2 million in performance bonuses.
Even at 40, Perry showed he could still produce, finishing last season with 19 goals and 11 assists in 81 games, then adding 10 goals and four assists over 22 playoff contests.
While his exit leaves a real leadership void, it also frees up valuable cap space.
Meanwhile, Connor Brown has moved on as well, agreeing to a four‑year, $12 million contract with the New Jersey Devils.
The 31‑year‑old winger mirrored Perry’s regular‑season numbers, 13 goals and 17 assists, and chipped in five goals and four assists during 20 playoff games.
The Oilers also decided to send Viktor Arvidsson to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 draft.
The 32-year-old winger ended the season with 15 goals and 12 assists in 67 games, chipping in seven points over 15 playoff appearances. While he didn’t spend much time with Edmonton, his contributions in both the regular season and the postseaosn were consistent.
Edmonton Extended Bouchard via Four-Year, $42M Deal
All the roster changes allowed Edmonton to extend defenceman Evan Bouchard, who signed a four-year deal valued at $42 million on Monday.
The new deal comes with a significant salary raise, bumping his average annual value to $10.5 million from the $3.9 million cap on his last contract.
At 25, he’s coming off a breakout year, racking up 18 goals and 64 assists during the regular season. He took things to another level in the playoffs, putting up 32 points in just 25 games.
Bouchard said of the contract talks,
Nothing too painful. … And we’re happy where we are. We kind of just decided four years was a good term for myself, good term for the Oilers
Mangiapane, Stillman, and Tomkins Join the Roster
The Oilers continued also added forward Andrew Mangiapane on a two-year deal worth $7.2 million.
The 29-year-old is no stranger to Alberta, as he is making his comeback after spending the seasonw ith the Washington Capitals, where he tallied 14 goals and 14 assists in 81 games.
Before his stint in D.C., Mangiapane spent seven years with the Calgary Flames, earning a reputation as a hardworking, dependable winger who wasn’t afraid to get into the tough areas.
To add some depth, Kris Knoblauch’s side also brought in defenceman Riley Stillman and goaltender Matt Tomkins on two-year, two-way contracts. Both deals carry an annual value of $775,000.
