After looking into a few goaltenders that the Edmonton Oilers could acquire, it’s time to take a peek at what else is out there around the NHL. For a team that has holes in their bottom six, defensive holes, and goaltending depth issues, there are more than a few options for the team to pursue as the trade deadline slowly gets closer. One player who will likely be moved based on the situation his team is in and how well he’s been playing is San Jose Sharks’ forward Anthony Duclair, who would bolster the Oilers’ bottom-six.
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The Oilers chose to fire Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson after a 3-9-1 start to the 2023-24 season and replaced them with Kris Knoblauch and Paul Coffey. This move was on top of the team choosing to send down goaltender Jack Campbell to the American Hockey League (AHL) after a brutal start to the new season. It’s clear the Oilers are willing to make changes and they know they will need to make more if they want to be considered true contenders when the postseason comes, regardless of the current hot streak they are on.
The Oilers have won their previous seven games and find themselves in a playoff spot for the first time this season. While a long winning streak has been fun to watch and is exactly what the team needed to boost their confidence for the rest of the season after a slow start, this winning streak won’t last forever. The Oilers’ forward depth outside of the top six hasn’t been the most dependable offensively, so adding an offensive-minded depth forward like Duclair could be the solution to that problem as the team aims to finalize their roster heading into the deadline.
Who Is Anthony Duclair & How Would He Help The Oilers?
Duclair is a 28-year-old forward from Pointe-Claire, Quebec currently playing with the Sharks. He was drafted in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft at 80th overall by the New York Rangers after a strong season in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Québec Ramparts where he scored 20 goals and added 30 assists for 50 points through 55 games and added 22 penalty minutes. He was establishing himself as a potential future steal with how strong his offensive game was but he still had some things to clean up, returning to the QMJHL the following season.
When he returned in the 2013-14 season to the Ramparts, Duclair scored 50 goals and added 49 assists for 99 points through 59 games and was honoured with being named one of the team’s alternate captains. He earned his first taste of NHL action the following season but didn’t stay for the full season, being sent back to the QMJHL midseason. In the 18 games he played in the 2014-15 season with the Rangers, he scored one goal and added six assists for seven points. When he returned to the Ramparts, he scored 15 goals and added 19 assists for 34 points through 26 games.
Duclair was acquired by the Arizona Coyotes the following year and he played his first full NHL campaign in the 2015-16 season where he scored 20 goals and added 24 assists for 44 points through 81 games. Since then, he has bounced around a few NHL teams, playing for the Rangers, Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers before joining the Sharks. In 526 games in the NHL, he has scored 129 goals and added 145 assists for 274 points which comes out to a 0.52 points-per-game average.
The Oilers haven’t had consistent offensive production from their depth forwards this season and it has been something they’ve been dealing with for several seasons. Adding Duclair would be the simple solution to that problem, as he has elevated his linemates in San Jose and he’s been doing that playing on a team that isn’t successful at all this season and is likely to be dead last in the standings at the end of the season.
If Duclair can spark the Oilers’ depth forwards and bring them more offensive production, the Oilers will be a scary team to play against. With the return of Dylan Holloway coming soon, he could be the missing piece for a third-line of himself, Holloway, and Evander Kane that would make up one of the scariest third lines in the NHL and hopefully, it would spark Kane, who hasn’t been having his best campaign this season.
What Would It Take To Acquire Duclair?
Duclair is on an expiring contract worth $3 million and while the Oilers don’t have the money to bring him in right now, they have a few players the Sharks may be interested in taking back in hopes of maximizing their return. Cody Ceci, Warren Foegele, and Brett Kulak are all players who could make the money work in a trade for Duclair and may find a new fit with the Sharks, but the Oilers will have to give up a prospect and a draft pick on top of that.
Theoretically, a deal for Duclair could include Ceci, Philip Broberg, and a second-round pick. Based on his stats this season, he likely won’t fetch a first-round pick in return. However, he could still bring back a prospect and a high draft pick because of what he’s proven he can bring to teams in their bottom six.
The Oilers will be active as we get closer to the trade deadline and Duclair is an ideal candidate if the team plans on improving their forward group. Hopefully, they take a swing at him to provide help on the Oilers’ mission to bring home their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
