The Edmonton Oilers have gradually infused young talent into their roster over the past few years. One notable addition is Matt Savoie, who the team acquired from the Buffalo Sabres last year and is expected to compete for a spot on the NHL roster this season. This summer, the Oilers also brought in Isaac Howard via a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Despite these youth movements, Edmonton remains a veteran-heavy team. Still, they are consciously injecting young players with high upside into the mix. Many in the hockey world view both Savoie and Howard as players with the potential to grow into top-six forwards.
The Oilers are firmly in win-now mode. They’ve reached the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last two seasons but fell short both times, losing to the Florida Panthers. In the 2025 Final, Florida took control of the series after Game 2 and never looked back.
While the Oilers can’t rely solely on young players to lead them to a championship, they also need to plan for the future. As veterans eventually retire, the team must ensure there’s a pipeline of capable replacements. With this in mind, Heavy.com has floated a trade idea between Edmonton and the Boston Bruins:
Trade Proposal:
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Oilers receive: Georgii Merkulov
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Bruins receive: 2027 fifth-round draft pick
Bruins Might Be Holding Merkulov Back
Boston originally signed Merkulov as an undrafted free agent, and he’s developed into a solid prospect with at least middle-six NHL potential. Despite this, the Bruins haven’t given him much of a shot — he’s played just 10 NHL games to date.
Although scouts believe Merkulov is ready for the next step, Boston’s current forward depth chart suggests limited opportunity for him in 2025–26. The Bruins’ center lineup features Pavel Zacha, Elias Lindholm, Sean Kuraly, and John Beecher, leaving Merkulov to battle with others like Marat Khusnutdinov for a fourth-line role.
From Edmonton’s perspective, this proposed trade represents a low-risk gamble with a potential high upside. If Merkulov breaks out in their system, he could become a long-term asset. With his contract expiring in 2026, the Oilers hope the Bruins would prefer to get a draft pick now instead of losing him for nothing next summer.
Merkulov’s Fit in Edmonton
While Merkulov might not crack the Oilers’ NHL lineup right away, he would likely become one of their stronger depth options immediately. There’s also the possibility he could push veterans like Adam Henrique or Mattias Janmark down the depth chart.
Merkulov could follow a similar path to Savoie, who many thought would jump right into a third-line role after being acquired. Instead, Edmonton gave him time to develop in the minors, and he now appears poised for NHL action.
Ultimately, this trade idea is centered on opportunity. Merkulov needs a team willing to give him a genuine shot. For the Oilers — who often draft late and face challenges adding young talent — acquiring a player like Merkulov could be a clever way to bolster their future middle-six forward group without giving up much in return.
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