from Jonathan Willis of the Edmonton Journal,

The Oilers’ agreement on a one-year contract with Justin Schultz yesterday has had an interesting side effect, opening up a second buyout window for the team if it desires to dump a contract. There are arguments both for and against such a course, with the most common argument against being fiscal: Why prolong the years that Edmonton needs to pay Nikita Nikitin and/or Andrew Ference when those players’ deals will end shortly anyway?

In most summers, that would be a strong argument. In the summer of 2015, however, some unique circumstances have arisen that render it moot.

This might be the best free agent buyers’ market since the arrival of the salary cap. Players have signed almost uniformly for reasonable dollars, and more than two weeks into free agency there are still plenty of quality players unsigned.

Cody Franson is still on the market. A 28-year-old, 6’5”, right-shooting rearguard who contributes on both special teams and plays tough minutes at even-strength, Franson would be a superb addition for the Oilers and would check off a bunch of boxes. Before free agency began, we had noted him as a priority target; remarkably he’s still unsigned.

Christian Ehrhoff is also unsigned, and reportedly even willing to agree to a one-year deal.

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