The Edmonton Oilers are putting together the final pieces of the puzzle ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season. That means making cuts to fine-tune the roster around Connor McDavid. On that note, one player originally drafted by the Florida Panthers has been placed on waivers.
With the NHL season-opener looming closer for McDavid and the Oilers, there’s little time to waste. Determined to chase the Stanley Cup once again—and this time actually conquer it—Edmonton is taking no passengers on its active roster for the campaign.
Now, the training camp and preseason roster in Edmonton has been trimmed down even further. Defenseman Riley Stillman—drafted by the Panthers in 2016—has been placed on waivers by the Oilers, but with one clear intention in mind.
“The Edmonton Oilers have placed defensemen Cam Dineen and Riley Stillman on waivers for the purpose of assignment,” the organization announced through its X account (formerly Twitter).
Where to now?
If Stillman clears waivers, the Oilers will assign him to California to join their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Stillman has grown used to playing in the minor leagues. Last season, the 27-year-old defenseman played just 5 games in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes. Instead, he made 35 appearances for their affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.
Just in case
Of course, it’s a risky move for Edmonton—any team could claim Stillman and derail their plans. What’s more, publicly announcing their intentions could come back to bite them.
By now, the Oilers should know better than to tip their hand and should play their cards close to the chest. When it comes to contract negotiations with McDavid, it seems the captain has already taken that lesson to heart.