The Oilers explored adding Jean-Gabriel Pageau before the NHL Trade Deadline (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
One of the biggest knocks on the Edmonton Oilers, who came within one win of hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2024, has been their offensive depth.
Before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, the Oilers attempted to address that flaw by acquiring bottom-six forward Trent Frederic from the Boston Bruins, along with Max Jones.
But was there another forward on their radar?
Pageau Fit the Oilers’ Needs, But Deal Stalled
Multiple sources have informed RG that the Edmonton Oilers were interested in acquiring center Jean-Gabriel Pageau from the New York Islanders before eventually pivoting to Frederic.
Pageau had 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) and had won 59.6 percent of his faceoffs through 58 games prior to the March 7 deadline.
In addition to his faceoff dominance, Pageau plays on both special-teams units and brings a wealth of playoff experience, with 41 points (23 goals, 18 assists) in 82 postseason games.
The fit appeared ideal for Oilers GM Stan Bowman, who was seeking to shore up the team’s center depth with a longer-term option. Pageau—especially with some salary retention—would have provided the kind of reliable, two-way presence the team could count on for multiple playoff runs, bolstering their case to retain Connor McDavid long-term.
But several factors got in the way of a deal.
Islanders Wanted More Than Picks, Wouldn’t Retain Salary
Pageau is not a pending unrestricted free agent; he has one more year left on his deal with a $5 million cap hit and a 16-team no-trade clause.
According to sources close to the situation, the Islanders ultimately decided against the trade for two key reasons.
The first was their unwillingness to retain salary on Pageau’s $5 million contract, which runs through the 2025–26 season. The second was a lack of interest in dealing veterans for a package centered around draft picks.
Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello made that clear in his post-deadline press conference.
The Islanders did make one deal, sending star forward and pending UFA Brock Nelson and prospect William Dufour to the Colorado Avalanche for top prospect Cal Ritchie, a first-round pick in 2026 or 2027, a conditional third-round pick in 2028, and defenseman Oliver Kylington.
That trade aligned better with the Islanders’ long-term vision, as they expect Ritchie to be NHL-ready by fall 2025.
The Islanders also held onto another pending UFA, Kyle Palmieri, with both sides reportedly working toward a contract extension.
Since the deadline, the Oilers have gone 5-2-1 in eight games. Frederic has yet to debut for Edmonton as he recovers from a lower-body injury.
Marco D'Amico is a beat reporter covering the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL Draft, while also being a recurring guest on TSN690 and BPM Sports. His work primarily on NHL CBA breakdowns and prospect analysis, all while covering the Montreal Canadiens on a day-to-day basis.
