What Would It Really Cost the Oilers to Get Jamie Oleksiak? The Answer May Surprise Fans

What Would It Really Cost the Oilers to Get Jamie Oleksiak? The Answer May Surprise Fans

At first glance, Jamie Oleksiak seems like the perfect defenseman that the Edmonton Oilers should pursue. He’s really tall at 6’7”, plays tough hockey, blocks shots, protects the goal area, and has valuable playoff experience. But here’s a tough truth that Oilers fans might not want to accept: getting Oleksiak could be much more expensive than what his performance on the ice would suggest.

Now that the goaltending situation looks better with Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram, Edmonton is focusing on improving their defense. Oleksiak’s name often comes up because he fits the mold of a “playoff hockey” player. He’s big, tough, experienced, and dependable.

However, this is where things get tricky.

Even though Seattle is in a playoff position, people in the league think the Kraken would consider trading Oleksiak if it’s just a temporary deal. The problem? Seattle won’t let him go easily, especially to a team in the same conference. It seems like they might ask for at least a second-round pick and the price could go up quickly if Edmonton wants any salary cap help.

And that’s the main problem.

Oleksiak isn’t a top defenseman. He doesn’t create scoring chances. He doesn’t change the game flow. Still, the Oilers might have to give up a valuable draft pick or a young player just to make the salary cap work. That could be a risky move for a team that doesn’t have many trade options.

Some team leaders in the league wonder if Oleksiak’s tough image is more important than his actual performance. His basic statistics are decent, but not extraordinary. Paying a lot just for his size is what can cause strong teams to make poor choices at trade time.

If Ken Holland decides to make this move, it won’t just be about hockey—it’ll make a bigger statement. Are the Oilers looking for real improvement, or just trying to appear tougher?

Because if Oleksiak costs a high draft pick and future options, Edmonton might grab attention during the trade deadline… but end up struggling where it counts the most—during the playoffs.