The Edmonton Oilers have been dominating NHL headlines in what is usually a quiet period of time for the league. It all began just over a week ago, when the St. Louis Blues announced that they had signed Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway to offer sheets. It was a surprising, yet wise move from the Blues, who were well aware the Oilers were very limited in cap space.
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Days later, the Oilers made two trades. The first saw them acquire Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks, giving a strong indication they wouldn’t match Holloway’s offer sheet. A short time later, they moved defenceman Cody Ceci and a third-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenceman Ty Emberson.
Moving on from Ceci and his $3.25 million cap hit seemed like a win for the Oilers, as many believed it was done in order to retain Broberg. That didn’t turn out to be the case, as general manager Stan Bowman instead chose not to match either player, meaning both are now members of the Blues. All of a sudden, a deal which moved out a not-so-great contract in Ceci could turn from a major win into a serious problem.
Oilers Have Major Holes on Blue Line
While Ceci was by no means a perfect defenceman, he played some significant minutes for the Oilers over the course of the last three seasons. At times, those minutes looked to be too much for him, though being tasked to be an everyday top-four defenceman isn’t an easy task for defencemen in the NHL.
Had Broberg remained with the Oilers, losing Ceci wouldn’t have been a huge deal. Without both, however, they now have a blue line that consists of everyday players in Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, Brett Kulak, and a number of question marks.
Other blueliners who are expected to have roles with the Oilers this coming season are Troy Stecher, Josh Brown, and the recently acquired Emberson. Given that three of the four everyday defencemen mentioned above are left-handed, at least one of Stecher, Brown, or Emberson figures to now be tasked with some of the significant minutes Ceci had previously handled. Though Broberg was also a left-handed defenceman, he had proven during the playoffs that he was capable of playing on the right side.
Assuming the Oilers go into the season without making any more transactions, their blue line does not match the organization’s goal of competing for a Stanley Cup. They have what many believe is the best forward group in the NHL, and a goaltender that, while not perfect, has proven he can get the job done in Stuart Skinner.
Many seem to believe that a trade is coming, whether now or midseason, to help improve the blue line. They will have the cap space to do so once Evander Kane is placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), though many fail to realize they lack pieces to move out that other teams would find valuable.
Aside from Matthew Savoie, who is very unlikely to be moved given that the Oilers just acquired him, the franchise doesn’t have many other high-end prospects that would draw a ton of interest. They are also without a first-round pick in 2025, which suggests that acquiring an impactful, top-four defenceman may not be as likely as some fans had been envisioning.
Ceci Well Liked in Dressing Room
During his time with the Oilers, Ceci was no stranger to trade speculation. His contract was often seen as a burden for a team that had limited cap space. Last season in particular had his name wrapped up in plenty of trade rumours, with reports even stating that his name was on the block heading into the deadline.
A Ceci move never occurred, however, which Oilers teammates seemed quite fine with. By all accounts, the 30-year-old was very popular in the dressing room, and was someone that other players were hoping would stick around.
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While fans are well aware of on-ice situations, day-to-day relationships and interactions among teammates often get missed. Having a talented roster plays a big part in winning a Stanley Cup, but team chemistry is often just as important. Some will say that these players are being paid big dollars and have to deal with the business aspect of the sport, but the fact of the matter is, moving out a popular teammate such as Ceci could have a bigger impact on the overall culture of the group than many realize.
Time Will Tell on This Decision
Based on how talented this Oilers group is up front, their shaky blue line shouldn’t matter a whole lot during the regular season. They may be exposed from time to time, but they have more than enough offence to mask those problems.
Once the playoffs start, however, it’s an entirely different ballgame. Should the Oilers not be able to add another impactful piece on the back end, fans may see that, while Ceci had his warts, he did provide value on a blue line that was far from perfect. Losing him could go on to affect the team in a negative light once the playoffs begin.
