If the Edmonton Oilers want to improve their depth on the blue line, they have a solid option in Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. He has a sound two-way game that can be beneficial as an addition to the team’s bottom four. The Oilers have to improve their defensive game and it starts with their defensemen, as they have been lackluster at best this season. While the team is likely going to make the playoffs with ease, they could have a better chance of going on a deep run if they get the “puck-moving defenseman” that the Oilers’ players have been asking for.
Who Is Matt Grzelcyk & How Does He Benefit The Oilers?
Grzelcyk is a 29-year-old left-shot defenseman from Boston, Massachusetts currently playing for the Bruins. He was selected in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Bruins at 85th overall and has been with them ever since. He is in his seventh season in the NHL with 355 games under his belt. In those games, he has scored 22 goals and added 95 assists for 117 points which comes out to a 0.33 points per game average. This season with the Bruins, he has scored three goals and added 17 assists for 20 points through 51 games. He has built himself a reputation as a two-way defender that makes smart decisions at both ends of the ice and isn’t scared to get physical with anyone.
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Grzelcyk played the majority of his junior career with Boston University in the NCAA following a stint in the United States Development Program during the 2011-12 season. He played four seasons with Boston University and played 125 games, scoring 26 goals and adding 69 assists for 95 points, a 0.76 points per game average. He played alongside a couple of his current Bruins teammates Charlie McAvoy and A.J. Greer during his final season in the NCAA, where he was named team captain. In his final year, he scored 10 goals and added 13 assists for 23 points through 27 games.
Grzelcyk has been one of my personal favorites to watch in terms of defensemen this season. He has a really smooth stride that lets him get some space between himself and other players and has a strong shot when he uses it. He has a smart hockey sense that is evident in his decision-making on zone exits and entries and uses his physical side when he needs to. He would likely step in as a second-pairing defenseman, improving the team’s back end as a whole. He can play alongside anyone and can play big minutes if needed, which will be huge going into the final stretch of the season.
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Now, the players on the Oilers have asked for a puck-moving defenseman, and Grzelcyk kinda sits a little outside that description. However, watching him play he has confidence with the puck on his stick and could evolve quickly into exactly what the team wants. He doesn’t just dump the puck in every time he has it, instead, he is able to read the ice well and move it to an open player. It’s evident that his play would complement the blueliners the Oilers already have, and would give a nice boost to the team’s depth.
How Much Would It Cost The Oilers?
Grzelcyk signed a four-year deal with the Bruins in 2020 that concludes at the end of the 2023-24 season. The average annual value (AAV) of his deal is $3.687 million, making him an affordable asset at the deadline. He has no clauses in his contract that would restrict his movement to the Oilers, so it will come down to making a realistic offer to the Bruins that they can’t refuse.
The Bruins haven’t been shopping Grzelcyk at all this season, so they may ask for a bit more in any trade. He is a bottom-pairing player and could be involved in a deal if the Bruins think they can improve. I can see the Oilers acquiring Grzelcyk in exchange for Warren Foegele, Evan Bouchard, and a second-round pick. The package is hefty but the team will be getting more veteran leadership and playoff experience that will be a benefit to the squad for both this season and next.
Bouchard would be getting replaced with Grzelcyk, essentially. His play this season has been awful in his own end and he continues to be a liability when the puck is in the defensive zone. Coming into the season he was expected to compete for a spot on the top powerplay unit and show his improvements defensively, and he has not. Moving him out and giving him an opportunity to flourish elsewhere would likely be a benefit to his career, as he is quickly falling out of the pecking order in Edmonton, currently only sitting on the third pairing with minimal minutes on the powerplay.
