Oilers have Jordan Eberle on their trade "wish list": report
It sounds like the Edmonton Oilers are eyeing a reunion with Seattle Kraken forward Jordan Eberle.
Much has been said in recent weeks about which part of the roster Oilers GM Ken Holland will look to improve ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Last season, the team opted to bolster their defence, adding Mattias Ekholm in a blockbuster deal with the Nashville Predators.
This season, it is looking like the team will look to add an impact forward who can play with either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl in the top six. Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel has been speculated upon, but it is not a sure thing that he hits the open market.
Eberle, who spent seven seasons in Edmonton from 2010 to 2017, is also a player who has been connected to the Oilers in some rumours.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun added some credibility to the Oilers’ interest in bringing back Eberle during an appearance on today’s edition of the Got Yer Back podcast with Ryan Rishaug and Mike Johnson.
“Jordan Eberle, I believe, is on the Oilers wishlist if Seattle falls out [of the playoff picture],” said LeBrun. “There are a bunch of guys that I believe the Oilers have checked in on and kicked tires on; that’s why you’re starting to hear names come out.
“I think the idea is, [Warren] Foegele has played so well in that role, but the idea is maybe to find someone else for Leon [Draisaitl].”
Pod Stream: Streaks Ended / Trade Talk Heats Up! Knights stop Oilers, Immediate returns for #Canucks/#Flames, Leafs/Avs/Oilers shopping… #LetsGoOilers #VegasBorn #LeafsForever #GoAvsGo #GoJetsGo https://t.co/Bvxj642dsL
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) February 7, 2024
The prospect of bringing back Eberle is an interesting one. The 33-year-old scored 20 goals and 63 points with the Kraken last season and, from all accounts, enjoyed his time playing in Edmonton. He is one of the only big-name offensive wingers that could realistically become available ahead of this year’s trade deadline.
The Oilers would also be buying low on the player, as Eberle is below his pace from last year, with nine goals and 28 points in 46 games so far this season. He has been playing on Seattle’s top line alongside Jared McCann and Tomas Tatar.
There is no question that he would be put in a more advantageous spot in Edmonton, most likely beside Draisaitl and Evander Kane. Those numbers should see a bit of a bump if the Oilers decide to bring him into their top six.
Eberle is set to become a UFA at the end of the season but still carries a $5.5 million cap hit for the rest of the year. If the Oilers can convince the Kraken to retain 50% of that cap hit, it would bring it down to a much more reasonable $2.75 million.
We’ve seen the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames make two in-division trades so far this season, so let’s eliminate that as a reason why Seattle and Edmonton can’t make a deal. What kind of assets would the Oilers need to pull off such a trade?
The conversation would probably start with Edmonton’s 2024 first-round pick. If the Montreal Canadiens can get that for Sean Monahan, the Kraken should also be able to get the same for Eberle. Holland could also decide to sell high on Foegele, who is also a pending UFA, considering the team has a pretty solid bottom-six group with the addition of Corey Perry.
Offloading Foegele would open up a lot more room for the team to get creative. You could always circle back to him as a UFA in the summer.
No matter if a deal to bring Eberle back to Alberta’s capital materializes or not, it is sure to be one of the more intriguing rumours to surround the Oilers in the leadup to the trade deadline, which is set for March 8.
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