The Edmonton Oilers don’t need much convincing that they have enough star power to compete for the Stanley Cup.
Connor McDavid is still Connor McDavid. Leon Draisaitl remains one of the best offensive players in the NHL. The problem is what happens when the Oilers have to fill out the lineup around those two.
That’s where a player like Drake Batherson could make a massive difference.
There is already speculation connecting Batherson to Edmonton, and the more one looks at the potential fit, the more sense it makes. The Ottawa Senators winger is a legitimate top-six player who can produce offense without carrying the sort of superstar contract that makes these trades nearly impossible.
Here’s how the trade would work out:
Oilers get:
Drake Batherson, F
Senators get:
Isaac Howard, F
2028 first-round pick
2029 third-round pick
For Ottawa, this would be about accepting reality.
If the Senators don’t believe they can keep Batherson long term, getting a first-round pick and a former Hobey Baker Award winner in return would give them a pretty compelling package. Howard could eventually become Batherson’s replacement if he reaches his potential.
For Edmonton, however, this would be about something much more immediate.
The Oilers are trying to win the Stanley Cup now.
Batherson Could Be a Rental for the Oilers
There is one major complication.
Batherson could be looking for a contract worth around $10 million per season, which would make keeping him beyond this season extremely difficult for the Oilers.
But that doesn’t necessarily kill the idea.
In fact, it could make the trade more appealing.
Edmonton could acquire Batherson, give him a chance to play alongside McDavid or Draisaitl and see what happens. If the Oilers win the Stanley Cup, they could then decide whether keeping him is worth the massive financial commitment.
The salary-cap picture is also expected to improve significantly as the NHL’s revenues continue to rise. That’s why a $10 million contract that looks enormous today could become considerably more manageable in another year or two.
The immediate problem is getting Batherson’s current $4.9 million cap hit onto the books.
That’s where Edmonton would have to get creative.
The Oilers don’t have unlimited room to maneuver, meaning acquiring Batherson could require another trade to clear salary. That’s not necessarily a reason to abandon the idea, though. If the organization believes Batherson is the player who can complete its top six, moving another contract becomes a price worth paying.
After all, Edmonton isn’t collecting assets for some distant rebuild.
It’s trying to win now.
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Batherson Could Finally Fix Edmonton’s Top Six
The biggest argument for making this trade is that Batherson fills an obvious need.
The Oilers have plenty of intriguing young forwards, but they don’t necessarily have another established winger ready to step into a top-six role and immediately produce alongside McDavid or Draisaitl.
Howard hasn’t shown he’s ready for that responsibility yet.
Matthew Savoie on the shelf at the moment, and even when healthy, he hasn’t exactly established himself as the obvious answer beside either superstar.
That’s a problem for a team with championship aspirations.
Batherson would solve it immediately.
The 28-year-old has the size, skill and offensive ability to play significant minutes against difficult competition. More importantly, he wouldn’t need the puck constantly to be effective. Put him beside McDavid and there is a good chance Batherson’s job becomes relatively simple: get open, win battles and finish chances.
The same could be true alongside Draisaitl.
That gives new head coach Mike Babcock another legitimate weapon to move around the lineup. Instead of trying to manufacture a top-six winger from an unproven prospect, the Oilers could simply acquire one.
And that’s why this trade makes so much sense.
Edmonton already has the superstars.
It just needs to surround them with enough legitimate NHL talent to maximize the opportunity.
Batherson could be exactly that player.
If Ottawa is genuinely convinced it can’t keep him, the Senators should have a reason to listen. A first-round pick, Howard and another draft selection would give them assets for the future.
For the Oilers, meanwhile, giving up those assets would be a relatively easy decision.
If Batherson helps McDavid and Draisaitl win the Stanley Cup, nobody in Edmonton will care about a draft pick in 2028.
Oilers Could Solve Their Top-6 Problem With One Trade Idea