The Panthers have beaten the Oilers in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, and the regular-season rematches of the past two Cup Finals between the Panthers and Oilers are set for Nov. 22 in Florida and March 19 in Edmonton.

The Oilers acquired Paul Fischer in the aftermath the St. Louis Blues signing Edmonton RFAs Dylan Holloway and Phillip Broberg to offer sheets last summer. The Blues sent the Oilers a third-round draft pick in 2028 and Fischer for future considerations after Edmonton chose not to match the offer sheets. The deal felt like a gesture of thanks.

While this offseason saw plenty of movement on the Oilers, the summer of 2026 is set to be a monumental one for the franchise. A total of 11 Oilers players expected to get some NHL time this upcoming season are set to hit the UFA market.

Nurse, meanwhile, is a younger 30-year-old defenseman, but is coming off a low-production season, scoring just 33 points in 76 regular-season games. Making things worse, he carries an annual $9.25 million cap hit through June 2030.

As the Edmonton Oilers move forward this offseason, the front office is preparing for the summer of 2026. Star Connor McDavid is scheduled to be a free agent next offseason, and there have already been multiple rumors around him potentially leaving.