The Edmonton Oilers are in a good position. Winners of 13 straight games, the team just added Corey Perry via free agency without giving up anything but a bit of cap space. The team also reinserted Dylan Holloway into the lineup without needing to move anyone to make room. That’s two potential depth adds that, if things pan out as expected, fill two areas of need for the team. According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, he also believes those deals open up some wiggle room to make other moves.
Suggesting that Edmonton could push their chips all in and use both the first-round pick in 2024 and 2025 to make the necessary changes to be a Stanley Cup favorite, let’s take a look at three areas that are arguably strengths of the Oilers, but could get even better.
Dump the Jack Campbell Contract
Some will argue goaltending isn’t an area of strength, but it’s fair to suggest the Oilers’ netminding situation is light years better now than it was even a month ago. Stuart Skinner has settled in and become one of the hottest backstops in the league over the past 10 starts, Calvin Pickard is more than adequately doing his job as a backup, and Jack Campbell is playing much better in the AHL after three terrible starts for Bakersfield.
Potentially comfortable with the combination of Skinner and Pickard, any move by the Oilers now is one that would see the team trade Campbell’s contract and use the cap space to make other moves. Of course, that’s easier said than done.
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This isn’t to rule out the idea that Edmonton might look at goaltenders, Seravalli suggests the Oilers could use the first-round pick they didn’t have to use to add a depth forward and dangle it as a sweetener in the Campbell trade. If GM Ken Holland can successfully find a taker, the Oilers can move the money owed to Campbell and go after a defenseman or a top-six forward.
Oilers Could Eye a Blue Line Upgrade
While Jason Gregor argues that there might not be a clear upgrade over a player like Cody Ceci on the right side for Edmonton, it won’t stop the Oilers from looking for this season’s “Mattias Ekholm” trade. Chris Tanev comes to mind, and maybe he’s an upgrade over Ceci. Maybe not. Either way, the price to make that change has to be heavily considered.
Alternatively, the Oilers might consider taking a step up and going after someone like Jakob Chychrun. There is a lot of chatter surrounding his future in Ottawa and his ability to play either the left side or the right side makes him an intriguing target. Is he a better option than Ceci? Could the Oilers take a giant jump up from Brett Kulak?
The Oilers defense has been solid. In fact, it’s been so good, it can and should be given credit as one of the main reasons the team has won 13 in a row. It’s reasonable to think that a similar package to what it cost for Ekholm might be what it takes to get Chychrun.
Oilers Could Swing Big on a Top-Six Forward
Edmonton would love to have a legitimate 25-plus goal guy on the second line to play with Leon Draisaitl. A couple of those types of players might be out there this season, Jake Guentzel being the most obvious. There’s a chance he’ll be on the move and while the Oilers are playing well and their forward group is among the best in the NHL, adding someone like Guentzel would make the Oilers offense scary.
How does any team defend a mix that has Connor McDavid, Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Guentzel, and one of Warren Foegele or Evander Kane in it? As impactful as this move might be, it might also be the easiest move for the Oilers to pull off. There are always more forward options available at the deadline than players in any other position. Typically, it’s a buyer’s market. That said, the cost on Guentzel would be significant, and he is a rental.
How much should the Oilers be willing to spend to put together a mix of 12 forwards that might be better than any in the NHL?
