The NHL Trade Deadline is less than two months away, so this is the time of year when hockey fans start speculating about what their team will do at the deadline, and who they will acquire or trade away depending on the status of their team. For the Edmonton Oilers, they will be buyers because they have Stanley Cup aspirations.
It’s been well-documented that the Oilers’ biggest need is acquiring a top-four, preferably right-shot defenceman to play alongside Darnell Nurse. They need a clear upgrade at that position because Troy Stecher and Josh Brown aren’t going to cut it. However, they could also add a bottom-six centre. As of late, Mattias Janmark has been the fourth-line centre, but he’s a natural winger, so playing him up the middle is not sustainable in the long run. With that said, here are three centres the Oilers could add to bolster their roster.
Trent Frederic
The Boston Bruins are trending downwards and have been extremely disappointing this season, so they may look to shake things up. If that’s the case, general manager Stan Bowman should get on the phone and inquire about the status of Trent Frederic. He would be a perfect addition to the Oilers bottom-six. The 26-year-old only has six goals and 12 points through 44 games so far this season, but he has proven that he can score in the past. He had 18 goals last season and 17 the season before.
The 6-foot-3, 221-pound forward provides the grittiness and physicality that is severely lacking on this Oilers squad. He’s currently second on the Bruins in hits with 124. As a team, Boston leads the NHL with 1,191 hits, while Edmonton is dead last in that category with only 533. Frederic will undoubtedly make the Oilers tougher to play against and add an element to their game that’s missing.
Related: Oilers’ Hit Totals Have Declined Dramatically This Season
The only downside is that he’s a left-shot with a cap hit of $2.3 million. The Oilers would prefer a right shot as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Adam Henrique all shoot left. Plus, his cap hit is a bit hefty for a fourth-liner. But, he’s a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), so he will be off the books this offseason, and Boston could retain some of that salary. Bowman can get creative and make it work.
Jonathan Toews
In an interview, Jonathan Toews stated that he would like to make an NHL comeback. The 36-year-old hasn’t played since the 2022-23 season due to the effects of COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome. The biggest question mark is obviously his health, and if he would be able to get up to speed quickly and contribute to his new club, especially in the playoffs.
Edmonton could be a potential landing spot since Toews has ties to Bowman. He was Toews’ general manager with the Chicago Blackhawks throughout their three Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013, and 2015. Toews is a free agent, so they won’t need to give up any assets, which is beneficial for an Oilers team with limited assets in the first place.
However, a Toews and Bowman reunion seems unlikely. There are a few other teams inquiring about his services such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, and Colorado Avalanche. If there’s a bidding war for his services, the Oilers will lose. The former Blackhawks captain only makes sense for Edmonton if he signs a one-year deal at close to league minimum, since he hasn’t played in a few seasons, and his age makes him a risky target. Therefore, this is the least likely possibility, but it could be an option at the right price.
Jake Evans
Ideally, the Oilers will acquire a right-shot centre, and Jake Evans fits that bill. The Toronto, Ontario native would provide some offence to the fourth line as he currently has 10 goals and 23 points through 41 games this season. The 28-year-old would be an instant improvement over Derek Ryan who’s spent the majority of the last few months in the press box. This will allow Janmark to move back to his natural position on the wing.
However, the only caveat is that the Montreal Canadiens have somehow found themselves fighting for a playoff spot. They are only one point back of the last wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, so the question is whether or not Montreal will be sellers ahead of the deadline. Evans is a pending UFA with a cap hit of $1.7 million, so Montreal can look to move him for an asset if they can’t reach a deal with their 2014 seventh-round pick.
Oilers Have Internal Options
If Edmonton can’t find a trade partner, the Oilers have some internal options that should be discussed. They could elevate Jeff Skinner to McDavid’s wing while moving Nugent-Hopkins to the third-line centre position and having Henrique centre the fourth line. They have the ability to move people around if need be.
The organization could also recall Noah Philp moving forward. However, would head coach Kris Knoblauch trust the 26-year-old rookie in big situations come playoff time? That remains to be seen. Therefore, it will be more beneficial to add an experienced centre if they go that route.
At the end of the day, Evander Kane’s status will determine how much cap space the Oilers have to work with. So, don’t expect any moves until closer to the March 7 deadline. Who should the Oilers target? Or do they even need to add a centreman? Keep following The Hockey Writers for all your NHL news and rumours as we hit the halfway point of the season and inch closer to the Trade Deadline.
