The Edmonton Oilers have emerged as potential suitors in trade chatter surrounding Jordan Eberle, the 2008 first‑rounder originally drafted by the Oilers. Sporting News writer Sam Bernardi speculated the Oilers could pursue Eberle—who now plays with the Seattle Kraken—as a familiar veteran who could add depth and scoring around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Talks reportedly include the Kraken retaining salary to sweeten the deal and maximize draft capital in return.
However, earlier speculation about an Edmonton reunion with another former first‑round pick, Ryan McLeod, has cooled. McLeod, traded to Buffalo last summer, was briefly linked to a return to the Oilers via deadline maneuvering, but that possibility now appears to have fizzled according to recent insider updates.
Instead, Edmonton’s front office locked in a real deal at the trade deadline: acquiring Trent Frederic, another former first‑round pick—this time from the Boston Bruins—via a complex three‑team swap involving New Jersey as a middleman. The Oilers took on Frederic’s remaining cap at roughly $575K after Boston and New Jersey retained portions of his salary, in exchange for draft picks and prospects. Frederic joins Edmonton alongside Max Jones and Czech prospect Petr Hauser.
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While Frederic may not be a top-six winger, his physical presence and board‑retrieval ability add value to Edmonton’s bottom‑six forward depth. However, there’s uncertainty over his health: he remains on injured reserve and may miss playtime before the playoffs. Fans on r/hockey noted the Oilers had flexibility to carry him on LTIR through the postseason if needed—described wryly as leveraging a “loophole” in roster management.
As for Eberle, the window for a reunion appears unopened for now. A 2024 report from Oilers Daily had warned such a move was already “off the table” before newer rumors reached public ears, suggesting the Kraken’s intention was to re-sign Eberle rather than trade him.
So while a nostalgic return would be a compelling storyline, the practical route forward seems rooted in newer assets like Frederic—or potentially Germany’s Lukas Reichel, another first‑rounder mentioned in trade speculation linked to Edmonton in June’s rumors
