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(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

There has already been a major shakeup with the Edmonton Oilers in the wake of their opening round loss to the Anaheim Ducks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After weeks of speculation, general manager Stan Bowman made the move on Thursday morning, dismissing head coach Kris Knoblauch along with assistant coach Mark Stuart.

When the Oilers hit the ice in the fall, superstar captain Connor McDavid will be playing under his sixth head coach in 12 years of playing in the NHL since being taken first overall in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Additionally, next year’s version of the Oilers won’t look the same as the club that skated off the ice in defeat at Honda Center in Anaheim a few weeks back. And it’s looking more and more like one particular veteran who was acquired by now-former GM Ken Holland at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline from the Ducks won’t be back in Edmonton next season.

Veteran Forward Adam Henrique Likely Won’t Be Back With The Edmonton Oilers Next Season

Forward Adam Henrique, who was acquired from the Ducks at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, isn’t likely to return to the Oilers next season, according to Oilers Insider Jim Matheson of The Edmonton Journal. 

“Is there a path to resigning Henrique, 36, in their tight salary cap window? It seems unlikely even if the centre/winger were to take a big pay cut from his $3 million AAV, likely into the $1 million neighbourhood at his age,” Matheson wrote. “His skating speed has dropped off and on the Oilers’ depth chart now, he’s a fourth-liner. Still very valuable on face-offs, though, and on the Oilers penalty kill where he was in the first forward tag-team with Matt Savoie, but the Oilers have penalty-killer Mattias Janmark on the books at $1.45 million for one more year, although after shoulder surgery this spring, when he’s ready to play is iffy.”

Matheson continued by saying that the door still remains open for Henrique until it’s officially closed, mostly thanks to his strength in the face-off circle.

“Henrique had the worst statistical season of his 17 years with three goals and 15 points, also -12,” he wrote. “But, he’s still been rock-solid, 55.1 per cent, in his two-plus years as an Oiler (1,787 draws), and for his career, he’s taken 13,204 face-offs and is 50.6. He can still play somewhere, at the right price point.”

Adam Henrique Missed Most Of The Playoffs With The Oilers This Spring

After his aforementioned struggles providing offense during the regular season, Henrique sustained an injury during Edmonton’s Game 1 victory over the Ducks at Rogers Place, and didn’t play the rest of the series.

According to GM Stan Bowman, Henrique was missed in the face-off circle.

“We missed Adam a lot (against the Ducks) … he was overlooked,” said Bowman. “He was really good even on his off-side in the right face-off circle, excellent, even as a lefty.”

Henrique, who was selected in the third round (82nd overall) by the New Jersey Devils in 2008, has scored 278 goals with 294 assists in 1,058 career NHL games. He’s also added 13 goals with 14 assists in 68 career playoff games.