Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch is now facing a really tough situation in the locker room with veteran player Adam Henrique.
The team’s management has officially put the 36-year-old forward on the trading list as the deadline gets closer.
General manager Stan Bowman is actively looking all around for ways to improve the team.
Well-known NHL reporter David Pagnotta recently shared big news that Edmonton is seriously discussing trades involving him.
However, trading this experienced player is quite difficult because his contract has a strong no-movement clause that he cannot just ignore.
Henrique has a lot of power over his own fate. He can refuse any trade that would make him leave the team.
Since the Oilers are in a tough competition for a playoff position in the Western Conference, they need to reduce salaries to change their roster.
Henrique makes things harder for the Oilers.
The long-time player signed a two-year, $6 million contract last summer, which means a pretty manageable cost of $3 million against the salary cap.
His scoring has really dropped off this winter. He has only been able to score 2 goals and get 10 points in 44 games.
This big drop in performance makes his salary a huge problem for a team that is already tight on money and trying to push through challenging games.
The coaching staff really needs better teamwork and stronger passing from the players on the lower lines to help their top stars shine.
In his career, Henrique has a lot of playoff experience and brings a strong two-way style of play. He often takes on tough defensive jobs.
Pagnotta has reported that Adam Henrique’s name is out there in trade talks.
States that he obviously has a NMC which makes things tricky, and is unsure if Henrique would be willing to waive in order to be moved.
— Oilers Daily (@oilersdailyy) February 28, 2026
If a strong Stanley Cup contender from the eastern part of the league makes a strong move for him, he might be willing to give up his trade protection for a new chance.
Edmonton really needs to make a smart move before the time runs out to fix their money issues.
Get ready for a lot of phone calls in Oil Country in the coming days. The team has put everything they have on the line.
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