The Oilers are reportedly working on a blockbuster move!

If you thought because Mikko Rantanen was traded by the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday the rumours would stop, think again. NHL insider Andy Strickland of St. Louis believes that Rantanen will be on the move again this summer as he will hit free agency, and claims that the Oilers will be the ones to pull off the incredible move of signing the star forward in Edmonton.

“You want to know where Mikko Rantanen is going to end up?” Stickland said. “Edmonton. He’s going to Edmonton. They’re going to be able to pay him #1. And I think that there would be some interest from him.”

Co-host Cam Janssens had trouble seeing how general manager Stan Bowman would make the numbers work, already with most of his piggy bank paying captain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But Strickland believes the Oilers can make it work.

” Cam, don’t ask me to break down the cap,” Strickland said. “There’s some belief that they can make that happen. So you gotta look at who’s coming off the books, and all that type of stuff. Salary cap is going up, however they structure it. I mean, you just mentioned five teams (where Rantanen might sign this summer). How the hell are any of those other teams gonna pay him? You know what I’m saying? Everyone’s up against the cap.

“This is not just speculation, It’s informed speculation.”

Draisaitl and Rantanen have the same agent, Octagon’s Andy Scott, who already has an established relationship with the Oilers.

There have been a lot of rumours on what kind of money Rantanen was commanding in Colorado, but Strickland has denied that he had asked for $14 million. He said the Avs initially offered around 11.25 million in training camp, but later raised that to 11.6 million.

While Stickland is a great insider, who’s broken a lot of stories, some fans aren’t sure he’s calculated everything when he predicts Rantanen signing in Edmonton.

According to Puck Pedia, the Oilers will have $11.61 million of cap space next year, assuming the salary cap will be $88 million. Some say the cap will increase to at least $95 million, but potentially more, which would give Edmonton ample room to get some signings done.

But let’s not forget: the Oilers need to fill out the rest of the roster and still have to sign defenseman Evan Bouchard to an extension and give loads of cash for McDavid, who is playing the seventh season of an eight-year, $100 million contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, but can sign a contract extension this summer.

It’s not impossible for the Oilers to sign Rantanen as a free agent, but it’s not going to be easy. However, it will be entertaining to follow.