The Oilers begin a five-game road trip with the first of a back-to-back on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena against the Maple Leafs

This in from former Florida Panthers Asst. GM Steve Werier on the PDOcast with Thomas Drance, Werier’s description of a nuclear option some NHL teams will almost certainly use on under-producing veteran players in this year’s playoffs.

The Oilers have been connected to several veteran goaltenders of various quality with unattractive contracts. Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues has a $6 million cap hit in 2026-27, and Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins has two years left at $5.375 million.

The Red Wings are in a tough part of their schedule, continuing a six-game road trip that sees them face a couple of the most talented teams in the NHL, as well as squads desperate for positive results to stay in the hunt for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It was the middle of November 2023. The Edmonton Oilers, one of the preseason favourites to win the Stanley Cup, had won just three of their first 13 games. So, a new coach was hired, and it didn’t take Kris Knoblauch long to see what the first thing that needed to change in the dressing room was.