The Philadelphia Flyers have stumbled into a nightmare start, and one of their most intriguing forwards could suddenly be worth watching in Edmonton.
Philadelphia is winless through seven games at 0-5-2, has surrendered 28 goals while scoring just eight, and is coming off Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. For a Flyers team that reached the second round of last season’s playoffs, this is much more than an early slump. It’s the kind of collapse that forces management to confront uncomfortable decisions.
That brings us to Owen Tippett and the Edmonton Oilers.
Edmonton was linked to Tippett earlier this year, and Flyers general manager Danny Brière has already acknowledged receiving calls from interested teams. He insisted at the time that he wasn’t shopping his speedy winger. But with Philadelphia desperately searching for answers, could that position change?
There is no confirmed new trade negotiation involving Tippett and the Oilers. However, the combination of Edmonton’s previously reported interest, Tippett’s offensive ability and the Flyers’ increasingly desperate situation makes this one of the more interesting NHL trade rumors to examine.
Why Owen Tippett Could Be Back on the Edmonton Oilers’ Trade Radar
The connection between Owen Tippett and Edmonton isn’t something that emerged overnight.
In June 2026, NHL insider David Pagnotta reported that there were whispers of the Oilers having Tippett on their radar. That earlier reporting is important because it establishes that Edmonton’s interest has been discussed before.
What has changed is Philadelphia’s situation.
The Flyers have lost their first seven games, including a 5-1 defeat against Boston on Saturday followed by another convincing loss to Carolina on Sunday. The team has struggled to generate meaningful offense, defend consistently and respond when opponents seize momentum.
Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman discussed Philadelphia’s problems on the October 12 edition of 32 Thoughts, suggesting that management might look for a way to spark the team rather than immediately replacing head coach Rick Tocchet.
Friedman did not specifically identify Tippett as a player who could be moved. Nevertheless, his comments highlight the mounting pressure facing the organization.
My view: If Brière decides that his team needs a significant roster shake-up, Tippett is the type of player whose trade market would be worth exploring. That doesn’t mean Philadelphia should trade him. It means the Flyers could learn what other teams are prepared to offer for a talented player with considerable value.
What Danny Brière Has Already Said About Trading Owen Tippett
Perhaps the most revealing part of this story comes from Brière himself.
During a June interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer, Brière acknowledged the attention surrounding his winger while making it clear he wasn’t actively seeking a deal.
“I’m not going around shopping Owen Tippett,” Brière said.
He also acknowledged that other clubs had been calling about the player’s speed and overall skill set.
Brière emphasized that he valued Tippett and did not foresee a trade happening.
Those remarks deserve serious consideration. They are evidence of existing outside interest, not evidence that the Flyers have now made him available.
However, circumstances can change a general manager’s calculations. Philadelphia entered the season hoping to build on its playoff progress. Instead, the Flyers are struggling to score, struggling to win and facing growing frustration.
Would Brière consider moving a valuable winger if the return addressed another significant roster need?
That’s the question Edmonton should be monitoring.
Why Owen Tippett Would Be an Intriguing Fit With Connor McDavid
There is a compelling hockey argument for placing Tippett alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.
Tippett combines explosive skating with a powerful shot and a willingness to attack defenders at speed. He’s a winger who can create opportunities off the rush rather than relying exclusively on his linemates to manufacture offense.
During the 2025-26 regular season, Tippett recorded 28 goals and 51 points in 81 games. He also registered 220 shots on goal and 166 hits.
Those numbers illustrate his appeal. Tippett isn’t simply an offensive specialist. He can bring speed, physical engagement and a direct attacking style to a top-six forward group.
And he’s only 27.
Edmonton already has elite offensive playmakers. What makes Tippett attractive is the possibility of adding another forward who can pressure opposing defensemen, retrieve pucks and turn quick transitions into scoring chances.
I particularly like his potential alongside Draisaitl. Tippett could provide straight-line speed and a shoot-first mentality, while Draisaitl could create opportunities through possession and passing.
McDavid would also benefit from another winger capable of keeping pace with his rush offense.
There are risks, of course. Tippett doesn’t automatically become a 40-goal scorer simply because he changes teams. His offensive production has fluctuated, and Edmonton would need to evaluate his consistency away from the puck.
Still, his skill set checks several important boxes.
Owen Tippett’s Three-Year Scoring Trend
Tippett’s recent production offers a useful indication of what the Oilers would actually be acquiring.
Owen Tippett: Last 3 NHL Seasons
Philadelphia Flyers | Regular-season production
Source: Hockey-Reference. 236 games across the 2023-24 through 2025-26 seasons. Bars compare season point totals.
Over those three seasons, Tippett produced 76 goals and 147 points in 236 games.
That works out to approximately 26 goals per 82 games, illustrating that his 20-goal campaign in 2024-25 wasn’t necessarily representative of his ceiling.
However, Tippett has managed just one goal and one point through Philadelphia’s first seven games this season.
That production needs to improve, but I wouldn’t evaluate him solely through seven games on a struggling team.
For Edmonton, the more important question is whether his speed, shot generation and recent scoring history would translate into greater production in a stronger offensive environment.
Can the Edmonton Oilers Afford Owen Tippett’s $6.2 Million Contract?
This is where the trade becomes considerably more complicated.
Tippett carries a $6.2 million annual salary-cap hit under an eight-year, $49.6 million contract that runs through the 2031-32 season.
His contract also contains a modified no-trade clause in 2026-27, including a 10-team no-trade list.
Edmonton had approximately $1.44 million in current cap space, with its projected cap position already extremely tight.
The Oilers cannot simply add Tippett’s entire contract without addressing their existing obligations.
Here is an illustrative calculation using Tippett’s $6.2 million cap hit and Edmonton’s $1,436,666 current-space snapshot:
Can Edmonton Afford Tippett?
Move the slider to model the annual cap hit Edmonton sends out in a hypothetical trade.
Baseline: $1,436,666 in reported current Oilers cap space. Tippett AAV: $6,200,000. Simplified model only. LTIR, roster construction and NHL cap accounting may change whether a real trade is compliant. Cap snapshots change as transactions occur. Source: PuckPedia.
These are simplified annual cap-hit comparisons, not confirmations of NHL cap compliance. Edmonton’s long-term injured reserve situation, other roster moves and transaction timing must also be considered.
The bigger issue isn’t just finding enough space this season. Edmonton would be committing to Tippett for several additional years.
Stan Bowman would need to determine whether that contract fits the organization’s long-term plans, particularly while maintaining the depth necessary for a Stanley Cup run.
There is also the matter of trade assets.
Edmonton doesn’t hold its 2027 first-round pick, reducing its flexibility in putting together a conventional draft-pick-heavy proposal.
Any serious negotiation would likely require discussions around young players, prospects, future picks or established NHL salaries.
Philadelphia would have every reason to demand meaningful value.
NHLTradeRumor.com Trade Value Index: What Is Owen Tippett Worth?
My editorial trade-value model puts Tippett at 76 out of 100, reflecting a valuable top-six winger whose contract and recent inconsistency complicate a potential deal.
The model evaluates five areas:
Owen Tippett Trade Value
Original NHLTradeRumor.com editorial model. Category scores reflect the author’s assessment, with a total possible score of 100. Not a verified market offer, reported asking price or statistical prediction.
This isn’t a reported NHL trade valuation or an estimate of an actual offer. It’s an editorial framework for comparing the player’s strengths against the practical difficulties of acquiring him.
From Philadelphia’s perspective, Tippett’s contract control and established production are reasons to seek a substantial return.
For Edmonton, the problem is that the Flyers might want the very assets Bowman would prefer to keep.
Brière previously identified a top-six centre as one of Philadelphia’s most significant needs. If that remains a priority, a package consisting mainly of marginal draft picks and depth pieces would be an unconvincing starting point.
I don’t see Philadelphia sacrificing a talented 27-year-old winger simply to create headlines or punish a struggling roster.
A Tippett trade would need to make the Flyers better over the longer term.
Would Trading Owen Tippett Actually Help the Philadelphia Flyers?
This is the part of the discussion that deserves more attention.
When a team begins a season without a victory, trading a recognizable player can appear to be the fastest way to demonstrate accountability.
But Tippett isn’t an aging rental whose departure would necessarily signal a new direction. He’s a prime-aged forward with years remaining on his contract.
He also brings a dimension Philadelphia cannot easily replace: high-end speed combined with legitimate goal-scoring ability.
If the Flyers trade him and receive only futures, they risk making an already struggling offense even less dangerous.
On the other hand, if Brière receives an offer featuring a promising centre or another player who addresses a glaring organizational weakness, the conversation changes.
That’s why I believe Philadelphia should listen without rushing.
There is a difference between exploring a player’s value and actively trying to remove him from the roster.
For Edmonton, that distinction matters. A desperate selling team might create a buying opportunity, but the Flyers still have reasons to set a high price.
My Prediction: Could Owen Tippett Be Edmonton’s Next Major Trade Target?
I believe Tippett would be a legitimate hockey fit for the Edmonton Oilers, but I remain skeptical that a blockbuster trade is imminent.
The biggest obstacles are his contract, Philadelphia’s incentive to keep him and Edmonton’s limited salary-cap flexibility.
The Flyers’ winless start alone isn’t enough to turn Tippett into a realistic trade acquisition.
What I would watch next is whether Brière begins making substantial roster changes, whether Philadelphia’s offensive struggles continue and whether established NHL insiders report renewed conversations involving Tippett.
Until that happens, the Edmonton connection remains previously reported interest rather than evidence of active negotiations.
My prediction: Tippett is more likely to remain in Philadelphia in the immediate future, but his name is worth monitoring if the Flyers fail to stabilize their season.
For Stan Bowman, this is a situation worth keeping an eye on. The best opportunities sometimes emerge when another team is forced to reconsider plans that looked settled only a few months earlier.
The unanswered question is whether Philadelphia has reached that point — and whether Edmonton could afford to take advantage if it does.
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