The Edmonton Oilers find themselves at a crossroads, grappling with a 5-12-1 record and already fighting for their playoff lives. With the spotlight on General Manager Ken Holland, the pressure is mounting to make strategic moves that could turn the tide for the team. While the inclination might be to pursue blockbuster trades (or any trade, for that matter), TSN’s Ryan Rishaug suggests in a series of tweets on X.com that doing nothing is not what the Oilers need. Instead, the focus should be on addressing specific needs to rejuvenate the team’s performance.
That could come in a variety of ways.
Holland Is Either Close To, Or Completely Desperate
As per Rishaug, Holland is seemingly open to exploring all options, except for moving their first-round pick and key players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. However, Rishaug warns that the desperation surrounding the Oilers’ situation could make trades challenging, with other GMs aware that Edmonton is in dire straits. Amid the team’s free fall, doing nothing is not an option, and the challenge for Holland is to make astute moves without succumbing to desperation.
Rishaug proposes a shift in focus, looking not only for immediate fixes for goaltending and defense. He suggests that the Oilers should seek elements that can positively impact the team’s dynamics. Among the attributes the Oilers may be looking for, he mentions Cup experience, physicality and toughness, and a positive locker room presence are highlighted as essential attributes.
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He mentions specifically a player like Patrick Maroon, who embody all three qualities. Unsure if his availability, Maroon could potentially be a valuable addition. However, Rishaug acknowledges the challenge of finding such players even if it’s imperative the Oilers inject fresh energy into the team.
Are There Solutions Internally for the Oilers?
In addition to external considerations, Rishaug suggests that internal solutions should not be overlooked. Granting another opportunity to goaltender Jack Campbell, who has shown improvement after a shaky start, might be a worthwhile internal adjustment. While it’s not ideal to call him up before he’s ready or fully confident in his own game, the urgency to act is clear. Thoughtful consideration and the prospect of badly losing a trade might make Campbell the more appealing choice than being dissected in a trade from an opposing GM that knows Holland is in a bad way.
Whether it’s Campbell, signing someone like Jaroslav Halak, or finding another option, the focus should be on strategic acquisitions that address specific team needs rather than succumbing to the pressure of making drastic trades.
Can the Oilers Elevate Themselves?
While some fans will take Edmonton’s dominance in the third period of their game against Carolina and pull positives from it, Oilers Nation should be cautious about how much that strong play really means. First, Carolina wasn’t exactly giving it their all up 5-2 and with 20 minutes left to play. Second, the Oilers still haven’t shown they can keep that kind of play up for a full 60 minutes. If they could, their record wouldn’t be what it is.
The ultimate factor that will determine if a trade is made is whether coaching and management believe the core players on this team have an ability to elevate their collective game swiftly. Without a resurgence from the top tier talent — essentially the same group that had one of the best records in hockey for a huge stretch — , the impact of external acquisitions and internal adjustments may be limited. Therefore, the Oilers must strike a delicate balance between making moves and motivating their core players to find their winning form.
The Oilers’ journey back to success involves finding the balance between believing in this team and what it’s capable of, and not mortgaging the future to add a player that, ultimately, doesn’t move the needle.