What should the Edmonton Oilers trade deadline strategy be this year?
Everything is pointing to the Edmonton Oilers being a busy team at the upcoming trade deadline, but what part of the roster should they target?
At the start of the season, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Oilers GM Stan Bowman would trade for a top-four defenceman to help bolster the team’s second pair. That still might be the case, but it isn’t as clear as it once was.
Edmonton has been one of the league’s best teams since the beginning of the summer with their defence being among their strongest attributes. Could this cause the Oilers to look elsewhere on their roster in a potential trade?
Here are a few options that Bowman will have to consider over the next few months.
Top-four defenceman
Let’s start with the obvious need for this Oilers team: a legitimate top-four defenceman.
Specifically, a second-pairing guy who can skate alongside Darnell Nurse consistently. Think of it as a replacement for the spot that Cody Ceci played in over the past couple of seasons.
Right now, that spot is being handled by Troy Stecher and while he has been fine in that role, it’s clear he is better suited to be either a third-pairing guy or perhaps even an excellent extra defenceman.
Reports have connected the team to UFA defenceman John Klingberg this week. That could be an option, but there is no guarantee he can play at that level at this career stage.
Potential trade options
- Marcus Pettersson (Pittsburgh Penguins)
- Rasmus Andersson (Calgary Flames)
- Ivan Provorov (Columbus Blue Jackets)
- Rasmus Ristolainen (Philadelphia Flyers)
- K’Andre Miller (New York Rangers)
Scoring winger
The idea that the Oilers would need more scoring at the top of the lineup might sound silly, but why not?
It’s been smooth sailing for Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman in the top six when it comes to scoring, but outside of those three, there hasn’t been a ton. Viktor Arvidsson and Vasily Podkolzin have been good on the second line, but they aren’t exactly filling the net.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has caught fire recently, but he is still having a rather down season from a scoring perspective. If Bowman can bring in a scoring winger to insert into the top six, it would allow the Oilers to move a guy like RNH down to the third line, thus bolstering the team’s forward depth.
If not the top six, then a player who could add a scoring punch down the lineup.
Potential trade options
- Taylor Hall (Chicago Blackhawks)
- Brock Nelson (New York Islanders)
- Brandon Tanev (Seattle Kraken)
- Kyle Palmieri (New York Islanders)
- Mathieu Olivier (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Fourth-line centre
The age-old Oilers’ deadline target has always been a fourth-line centre. It seems like the team trades for one just about every year and this season may be no different.
Derek Ryan is the elder statesman who has held the position for most of the season, but the Oilers recently gave heir apparent Noah Philp a call-up to see what he can do in his place. The 26-year-old will now determine whether or not the team trades for a fourth-line pivot.
If Philp succeeds in the role, it could very well be his spot going into the playoffs. If not, a new face could be brought in through trade.
Potential trade options
- Trent Frederic (Boston Bruins)
- Jake Evans (Montreal Canadiens)
- Jean-Gabriel Pageau (New York Islanders)
- Ryan Donato (Chicago Blackhawks)
- Morgan Frost (Philadelphia Flyers)
Backup goalie
The Oilers have been getting fabulous results from their current goaltending duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, but could they upgrade?
Skinner isn’t at risk of going anywhere at the moment, but there could be an argument had for Pickard. It seems preposterous that they would ditch a backup who holds a sparkling 11-4-0 record on the season, but he hasn’t exactly been a world-beater.
Pickard is still a sub-.900 goalie and ranks 72 out of 90 NHL goaltenders when it comes to goals-saved-above-expected, according to MoneyPuck.
At this juncture, it seems unlikely, but who knows what could happen before the deadline.
Potential trade options
- John Gibson (Anaheim Ducks)
- Dan Vladar (Calgary Flames)
- Alex Lyon (Detroit Red Wings)
- Jonathan Quick (New York Rangers)