Spencer Stastney may be the odd man out as Mike Babcock prepares to sort through a crowded Edmonton Oilers blue line.
Edmonton enters training camp with 8 NHL-caliber defensemen and only 6 regular lineup spots. That leaves general manager Stan Bowman with a roster decision before the season opens.
Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, Connor Murphy and Ryan Shea appear positioned to stay. Shakir Mukhamadullin is also expected to receive a regular role after arriving in the Darnell Nurse trade.
That pushes Stastney and Ty Emberson into a direct battle for the seventh-defenseman job. Emberson's right-handed shot could carry weight because Edmonton's depth chart already leans heavily to the left side.
Matt Parks of The Hockey Writers pointed directly to that imbalance.
“The Oilers have Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, and Ryan Shea who are left shots, so keeping righties, or players who can play the right side, should be the priority,” Parks wrote. “That should make Stastney expendable.”
Waiver risk could force Bowman into a trade
The Oilers could attempt to send the extra defenseman to the minors, but both Stastney and Emberson would require waivers. Edmonton would risk losing either player without receiving anything in return.
A trade would allow Bowman to recover an asset while clearing a roster spot. Stastney's new contract carries a $1.525 million cap hit for the 2026-27 season.
The timing makes the situation more striking. Edmonton acquired Stastney from the Nashville Predators in December 2025 for a 2027 third-round pick, then signed him to his extension in July.
Stastney recorded 10 points across 66 regular-season games last season. He also finished with a -11 rating while working outside Edmonton's primary offensive and special-teams roles.
His mobility and defensive experience could still interest teams seeking affordable blue-line depth. But the Oilers don't have much room to carry an extra left-shot defenseman who may spend long stretches as a healthy scratch.
Edmonton's three-goalie situation could tighten the roster even further. Frederik Andersen, Devon Levi and Tristan Jarry are all positioned to compete for space when camp opens.
Bowman doesn't need to force a deal immediately, but the waiver deadline will create pressure. Unless Stastney beats out Emberson or an injury changes the depth chart, his brief Oilers tenure could end before another puck drop.
Should the Oilers trade Spencer Stastney before training camp ends?
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