The Edmonton Oilers have been enjoying strong hockey this season and appear poised to make one other deep playoff run with their present staff. With strong goaltending, robust ahead depth, and good defensive depth, followers are excited for the staff’s possibilities at successful their first Stanley Cup since 1990. Nonetheless, some followers nonetheless argue that the Oilers may have to enhance their defensive depth if they really need to make a run and contemplate themselves contenders this season. In response to a latest report on TSN’s Insider Buying and selling, the Oilers have been calling across the league gauging the defensive commerce market and seeing what is accessible, including gasoline to the fireplace and proving new basic supervisor Stan Bowman is open to spending property to assist his franchise win a championship.
Associated: Insider Claims Oilers Serious about Extending Ty Emberson
The Oilers have been related to a number of big-name defenders up to now together with David Savard, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Marcus Pettersson, however nothing has come to fruition simply but. After buying and selling Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks and dropping each Philip Broberg and Vincent Desharnais within the offseason, the Oilers hoped they might cope with a seemingly weakened defensive core, however they’ve been pleasantly stunned. Ty Emberson, who got here again in return for Ceci, in addition to Troy Stecher have been enjoying sound hockey and have helped lead the staff to a playoff spot.
Pierre Lebrun talked about that the Oilers had “solid a large web” across the league to see what was accessible, and that Bowman has been extra energetic on the telephones lately. He did name-drop Savard as a possible match however mentioned their flexibility in video games might permit them to amass one thing aside from a right-shot defender in the event that they imagine it’s the appropriate match. He mentions a left-shot puck-moving defender particularly, insinuating that the Oilers are comfy bringing in somebody who permits them to stay versatile, and it doesn’t simply should be a shutdown defender.
What Choices Might Be Obtainable?
When contemplating the choices accessible available on the market, let’s check out the plain. Savard was talked about in the identical section as somebody the Oilers might look into buying, as he’s a right-shot defender. He’s 34 years outdated and at the moment enjoying for the Montreal Canadiens, notching one aim and including 9 assists for 10 factors via 35 video games this season. All through his profession, he has scored 54 objectives and added 183 assists for 237 factors via 830 video games which comes out to a 0.28 points-per-game common.
An alternative choice that could possibly be attention-grabbing for the Oilers to pursue is New York Rangers’ Okay’Andre Miller. With the Rangers overtly prepared to make strikes, as we’ve seen with the Jacob Trouba and Kaapo Kakko trades this season, the Oilers ought to contemplate Miller as a depth pickup. He’s a left-shot and is a pending restricted free agent with a $3,872,000 cap hit. This season, he has scored two objectives and added 5 assists for seven factors via 35 video games. All through his profession, he has scored 31 objectives and added 81 assists for 112 factors via 329 video games which comes out to a 0.34 points-per-game common.
Ristolainen could possibly be another choice however his defensive inconsistency is a matter. Trouba could possibly be an possibility if the staff needed to deal with physicality however once more, his defensive inconsistency is a significant subject. There’s a likelihood they swing for the fences and check out to usher in an elite-level defender like Owen Energy and try to pry him away from the struggling Buffalo Sabres, however that’s most likely unrealistic based mostly on the potential asking worth in a commerce return, contemplating the Oilers probably don’t have the picks or prospects to take a swing like that.
On the finish of the day, it looks as if the Oilers are going to make a transfer for a brand new defender. As talked about within the Insider Buying and selling section, the staff desires to ensure they’ve sufficient depth in any case of accidents, as a result of they don’t imagine they might have a powerful sufficient blue line if any of their present defenders went down. With that being mentioned, hopefully, they don’t overspend for a defender who performs an inconsistent two-way recreation and has a tough contract. Hopefully, they bring about in somebody who can enhance their possibilities of successful a Stanley Cup and aren’t compelled to pay a premium.
