One of the biggest issues plaguing the Edmonton Oilers in the 2026 playoffs was the injuries to their centres.

Leon Draisaitl missed the last 13 games of the regular season and was clearly compromised during the series against the Anaheim Ducks. Jason Dickinson was injured even closer to the playoffs, while both Connor McDavid and Adam Henrique were injured in the series.

After back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and looking mediocre throughout the regular season, it was clear a deep playoff run wasn’t in the card. That also may be for the best, giving the Oilers a long off-season to regroup for the 2026-27 season.

It’s going to be a big off-season, and to an extent, already has been. They’ve re-signed two of their most noteworthy unrestricted free agents in Dickinson and Connor Murphy, and will presumably trade Darnell Nurse sooner rather than later.

On top of the obvious need to improve their netminder situation, the Oilers need to sign players for their bottom-six. One player who could be of interest is Scott Laughton, who ranks as Daily Faceoff’s 18th-best free agent.

Scott Laughton’s fit in the Oilers’ lineup

For Laughton’s fit in the lineup, it’s best to look at the Oilers’ current centre depth. McDavid and Draisaitl are clearly the team’s 1C/2C, but it’s a little murky from there. There’s a chance........

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