The Edmonton Oilers are hoping to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final this season, but this time, they are trying to win it instead of finishing as runner-up. After being defeated in seven games by the Florida Panthers, the Oilers set out to improve their roster with hopes of making their lineup stronger heading into the new campaign.
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With the losses of Cody Ceci, Vincent Desharnais, Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, Ryan McLeod, and Sam Carrick, fans were questioning whether or not the Oilers could be able to build as strong of a roster for the 2024-25 season, but they have been able to do just that. With a hole remaining on the right side of the blue line though, a recent report suggests they may have had discussions with two free-agent defenders, Tyson Barrie and Justin Schultz, both of whom have played on the Oilers previously.
“The Oilers have had exploratory conversations with free agent defencemen Tyson Barrie and Justin Schultz. Whether things proceeded past that point I do not know. But at the very least, Edmonton is considering its options on the right side. As I wrote last week, Barrie loved being an Oiler and would love to return. I understand Schultz is also open to the idea. On Schultz, that says a lot about the player as a person. He was given a pretty rough ride out of town on his first stop. In retrospect, Schultz was in a challenging situation here in terms of who he was paired with at the time and he paid the price for that.”
source: “When adding a Top-4 D to the Edmonton Oilers blueline good things come to those who wait: 9 Things” – Edmonton Journal – Kurt Leavins – 09/01/2024
Barrie and Schultz bring extremely different skill sets to the table. Barrie is an offensive defender who relies on his production in the offensive zone to keep him in the lineup on a nightly basis. Schultz on the other hand, has proven he can play big minutes in a larger role while maintaining a solid two-way game. For a team that is often criticized for not being able to play a strong defensive game, it’s no surprise fans are leaning toward wanting Schultz signed over Barrie, since Evan Bouchard has become the primary offensive producer on the blue line.
Barrie & Schultz Could Both Opt for a PTO
Kurt Leavins mentions in his article that both players are open to the idea of being an Oiler again, but it seems Barrie is more open to it having loved his time in Edmonton during his previous stint. While Edmonton does have just under $1 million in cap space heading toward training camp, both Schultz and Barrie could opt to accept a professional tryout (PTO) with the Oilers and earn their spot on the roster. It would make sense to have them come to camp, try them alongside several different partners, and see if anything works.
Either way, it seems like the Oilers are leaving their options open when it comes to improving their team. It should become more evident over the next couple of weeks which player they will bring in. When it comes to their contracts, I would be surprised to see anything more than a one-year deal worth more than $850,000. Now that September has finally arrived, it seems logical that the Oilers will soon announce their plans for camp, which will include any PTOs, trades, or signings before things get going. They open their season on Oct. 9 in a home game against the Winnipeg Jets.
