Since their 16-game winning streak slingshotted them up the standings, the Edmonton Oilers have found themselves in a bit of a rut. They are 4-4-1 since their 16th win of the winning streak and have struggled to find consistent, strong play throughout their lineup. With the March 8th deadline approaching fast, the Oilers are expected to become more active in hopes of bolstering their lineup and building a team strong enough to make a push for a Stanley Cup. With plenty of players likely to be made available at the upcoming trade deadline, the Oilers will have to make a decision soon as to who they will be targeting09 and what they’ll be looking to upgrade. Pavel Buchnevich from the St. Louis Blues seems to be an ideal option for the Oilers, and the two teams could emerge as trade partners.
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The Oilers will likely be looking to improve their goaltending, as well as add some defensive depth to their lineup for the postseason. While those two spots will be priorities, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them go after a top-six forward who can score. Buchnevich is a proven offensive threat and has shown he can be an elite two-way player during his time with the Blues. As a player who still has term left on his contract through next season, the Oilers may show more interest in bringing him in instead of a rental asset.
Who Is Pavel Buchnevich & How Would He Benefit the Oilers?
Buchnevich is a 28-year-old left-shot forward from Cherepovets, Russia. He was drafted by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft at 75th overall after a solid season split between the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and the MHL in Russia. In the KHL with Severstal Cherepovets, he scored one goal and added an assist for two points through 12 games. In the MHL with Almaz Cherepovets, he scored eight goals and added 15 assists for 23 points through 24 games. He remained in the KHL following his draft year until the 2016-17 season, when he played his rookie season with the Rangers.
During his rookie season, Buchnevich played four games in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Hartford Wolf Pack, scoring three goals and adding two assists for five points. In the NHL, he played 41 games, scoring eight goals and adding 12 assists for 20 points. Since then, he has maintained himself at the NHL level and has established himself as an elite two-way forward. He was traded to the Blues before the 2021-22 season, where he has played since. Throughout his NHL career, he has scored 157 goals and added 227 assists for 384 points through 491 games, which is a 0.78 points-per-game average.
Buchnevich would add firepower to an already lethal Oilers lineup. With a $5.8 million cap hit that extends through the 2024-25 season, the Oilers may have to part with someone they don’t exactly want to in order to bring him in. Names such as Evander Kane, Cody Ceci, Warren Foegele, and Mattias Janmark all come to mind but it seems like a deal could be made between the two, the Oilers just have to figure out the money side of things. He would allow the Oilers to further spread out their offensive firepower and could give them three dangerous scoring lines heading down the stretch.
What Would it Cost?
This wouldn’t be too complex of a trade to pull off, but the Oilers will have to be willing to part with someone who fits well with their team if they want the Blues to indulge their trade offer. Realistically, a trade looks like the Oilers acquiring Buchnevich in exchange for Foegele, Xavier Bourgault, a 2024 first-round pick, and a 2025 fourth-round pick. Foegele isn’t someone the Oilers would like to move but if Buchnevich is available, he is someone you move without hesitating. With this deal, the Oilers won’t have to worry about Buchnevich only being a rental either, which is a huge bonus.
The Oilers are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Friday (Feb. 23) night and will be looking to bounce back on Saturday (Feb. 24) in a matchup against the rival Calgary Flames. Hopefully, the Oilers can make a deal for Buchnevich to work and give themselves a strong chance of winning their first Stanley Cup since 1990.