Oilers could sign Mikko Rantanen without losing significant roster players
A new inside report has connected the Edmonton Oilers to signing Mikko Rantanen in free agency this season, and they may actually have the cap flexibility to make the deal without losing significant roster players.
NHL insider Andy Strickland said today that he has «informed speculation» the Oilers and Rantanen have mutual interest in a contract.
Oilers could use deferred salary, rising salary cap to pay for Mikko Rantanen contract
Strickland's report suggested the Oilers could sign Rantanen in free agency this offseason if Carolina doesn't sign him first, and is confident the salary cap situation will work.
They're gonna be able to pay him there is some belief they can make that happen.
- Andy Strickland
The NHL's salary cap is confirmed to be increasing to at least $92.4M next season- and it could be more. With their contracts coming off the books, the Oilers will have at least $17.93M to re-sign or replace Bouchard, Emberson, Jeff Skinner, Corey Perry, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen, and John Klingberg.
That wouldn't be enough cap space to re-sign Bouchard, replace the rest, and add Rantanen, so the Oilers would need to take another route. However, there is belief the salary cap could rise past $92.4M.
The newest trend in the NHL to lower annual cap hits is using deferred salary - like used in Seth Jarvis and Frank Vatrano's contracts. There was some speculation Leon Draisaitl could've deferred money in his last deal.
It may be less likely a free agent like Rantanen would sign with deferred money, but the Oilers could perhaps save big time on Bouchard and McDavid's upcoming deals.
Not only that, but the Oilers could plausibly save money by calling up a few prospects next season on contracts under $1M. Matthew Savoie, Alec Regula, Olivier Rodrigue, and more are ready to make the jump to the NHL.
Should one played have to be traded to accommodate Rantanen's salary, the easy choice would be moving Evander Kane. A trade this offseason clearing his full $5.125M salary would probably be a necessity to fit in Rantanen.
If the Oilers can find a way to save $9M with the increasing salary cap and deferred money contracts, they could add Mikko Rantanen to the roster without losing one player currently on the team. It would be very difficult and take some luck with a rising cap, but not totally impossible.
Adding Mikko Rantanen to the Oilers offence would take the league's best offence to the next level already. It may be a dream scenario for Oilers fans, but hopefully it becomes reality.
