The Edmonton Oilers’ 2024-25 campaign has had an interesting start. With an 8-7-1 record through their first 16 games, they hope they can find a way to build some momentum and begin climbing up the Pacific Division as they head into the middle of November. With their special teams units taking a small step back in terms of production, they have had to find different ways to win while they iron out the kinks and try to find solutions to their problems. While they still have the goal in mind to make the playoffs and make a run for a Stanley Cup this season, there is another team with a completely different goal that could be willing to trade away some players.
Related: Oilers’ Historically Bad Penalty Kill a Key Reason For Slow Start
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a tough start to their 2024-25 season with a 6-9-2 record through their first 17 games and sit in 7th place in the Metropolitan Division. After trading forward Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals recently, it has become clear that reports of them being open to trading almost anyone are accurate. If the Penguins are headed for a fire sale this season and plan to be sellers at the upcoming 2025 Trade Deadline, the Oilers should inquire about the availability of a couple of players.
Matt Grzelcyk
The first potential acquisition is Matt Grzelcyk, who has a $2.75 million cap hit and is a left-shot defender. While the Oilers may prefer to bolster their right side of the blue line with its lack of depth, bringing in a strong defender like Grzelcyk could help strengthen the defensive depth entirely, especially if Darnell Nurse is open to playing the right side. Grzelcyk, who is 30 years old, was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at 85th overall after a strong showing in the U.S. National Development Program where he played 60 games scoring three goals and adding 20 assists for 23 points. The following season, he joined Boston University in the NCAA where he scored three goals and added 20 assists for 23 points through 38 games.
Throughout four seasons in the NCAA, Grzelcyk scored 26 goals and added 69 assists for 95 points through 125 games which comes out to a 0.76 points-per-game average. Over nine seasons in the NHL, he has posted 25 goals and added 117 assists for 142 points through 463 games which comes out to a 0.31 points-per-game average. He has established himself as a strong two-way defender at the NHL level and has consistently proven he can be trusted to play a bigger role. If the Penguins’ asking price isn’t too high, the Oilers should immediately inquire about him.
Alex Nedeljkovic
The second player the Oilers could inquire about is goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic. The 28-year-old was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes at 37th overall after a strong season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Plymouth Whalers where he posted a 2.88 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .925 save percentage (SV%) through 61 games winning 26 of them. He has played 150 games in the NHL posting a 3.00 GAA and a .904 SV% winning 62 of them and posting eight shutouts. If the Oilers decide to take a look at improving their goaltending depth, he should be someone they check in on.
This season with the Penguins, Nedeljkovic has posted a 3.21 GAA and a .884 SV%. Considering he has played in front of a weaker defensive team, that’s impressive. With Stuart Skinner not playing in the elite way many expected, it’s fair to assume the team could look for an external upgrade as they head to the postseason. Nedeljkovic is also a strong upgrade on Calvin Pickard, who hasn’t been terrible, but it would be a smart decision to bolster the depth heading into the playoffs.
At the end of the day, the Oilers will be buyers at the 2025 Trade Deadline. However, they would be smart to inquire about these two players. The Penguins could also gauge interest on Michael Bunting, Jesse Puljujarvi, Marcus Pettersson, and Noel Acciari, but Nedeljkovic and Grzelcyk seem to be the strongest fits.
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