With the recent signing of Jesse Puljujarvi to a one year contract worth $3 million, the next item on the agenda is locking up another young forward, this time to a hopeful long-term deal, which would certainly necessitate a trade involving Puljujarvi and perhaps one more piece.
Per Derek van Deist, the Oilers' goal is to sign RFA winger Kailer Yamamoto to a multi-year deal before his arbitration hearing August 7th to avoid a potential overpay on a short term deal. This would definitely be ideal for both parties, and it shows which player the Edmonton Oilers have wanted to keep from the beginning.
Yamamoto, 23, is coming off a year that saw him post 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points in 81 games. He has emerged as a solid top six option on the wing, playing most of the year on Leon Draisaitl's right side as part of the Oilers' second scoring line. His next contract will definitely see a pay raise from his last cap hit of $1.175 million. Just how much more is yet to be determined.
The problem that the Oilers have at the moment is that they're currently around $3M over the $82.5M salary cap with 3 players yet to sign in Yamamoto, Ryan McLeod and Tyler Benson - all RFAs. Assuming Puljujarvi is one piece who will move, the Oilers may also have to move someone like Warren Foegele or Tyson Barrie in order to complete their offseason checklist. Both Foegele and Barrie have had their names involved in trade rumours in recent weeks, along with Puljujarvi, who has basically been on the trade block for the past 2 or 3 years now.
