The Edmonton Oilers made some changes over the offseason and seem poised to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final this season. One of their biggest moves was trading Cody Ceci and a third-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks for Ty Emberson, who is expected to play alongside Darnell Nurse on the second defensive pairing, at least to start the 2024-25 campaign.
While Emberson isn’t a proven star at the NHL level, his short stint with the Sharks last season showcased some defensive skill that the Oilers could utilize if they place him in a shutdown role and shelter him with a veteran like Nurse. While there are high expectations for Emberson, the Oilers have made it clear they will work with him in hopes of turning his potential into stardom.
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In a recent segment on Oilers Now, trusted pundit Frank Seravalli praised Emberson and called him a potential breakout candidate. However, he might have worried some fans when he spoke about his contract situation. Emberson is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and if he pans out, he could be looking for a raise. If so, Seravalli drew a comparison to Chicago Blackhawk Alex Vlasic.
Vlasic’s massive six-year deal worth $4.6 million annually kicks in this season. While he hasn’t established himself as a top-four defender in the NHL, the Blackhawks took a risk and paid their potential future stud what they believe he could become rather than his current value in hopes he continues improving.
There are some positives and negatives in going down that route with Emberson. It would be a huge risk to put that much money into an unproven defender while they’re contending. Emberson has already shown signs of being a solid defender at the NHL level, but the Oilers could run the risk of overpaying a player who might decline or not pan out as well as they’d hope. Alternatively, they could be rewarded with money being saved down the line if he elevates his game and stabilizes the Oilers’ defensive depth.
Emberson & Vlasic Seem Like Fair Contract Comparable
Vlasic has a bit more NHL experience with 97 games under his belt with three goals and 19 points, which comes out to a 0.19 points-per-game average. Emberson, on the other hand, has 30 games of experience with one goal and 10 points, which comes out to a 0.33 points-per-game average. While neither of them has been praised for their offensive ability, their defensive games are similarly strong, giving them both an edge over their teammates to remain in the lineup.
Emberson is going from the Sharks, who were dead last in the NHL last season, to the Oilers, who were one win away from winning their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history. Some fans have questioned whether it’s smart to put a player with minimal experience in the top-four defensive rotation while they push for a championship, but if they can make it to the Final with a defensive liability in Ceci on the blue line, they can do it with a less experienced player.
Thankfully, the Oilers have a full season to see how Emberson plays, analyze how he fits, and make a decision on his future with the team. He has been set up for success coming into the new campaign, but it’s up to him to find a way to prove to fans, his teammates, and management that he’s worthy of sticking around long-term. At the end of the day, a decision will have to come, but that’s not something they need to focus on just yet.
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