In speaking with Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, Edmonton Oilers’ GM Ken Holland said, “We are not adding to our team. We cannot add to our team. We can only upgrade.” When explaining what that means, he elaborated that he’s aware he’ll have to pay assets to try to move a player out and potentially bring in a player that might be better. That means the Oilers aren’t just buying the flashy name near the top of a trade bait list, they’re making a hockey trade or moving a player or two first so they can improve their cap situation and get better in a specific area they believe might need improvement.
At the same time, he specifically noted that he’s got to look at the cost of upgrading. How much better is the player he’s looking than what he has? If a lot, it might be worth giving up the assets needed to make the improvement. If only marginally better, why mortgage the future to do something that doesn’t exponentially improve the odds of a deep playoff run?
With that in mind, the list of potential trade deadline targets changes. No longer would the Oilers add a depth piece like Radko Gudas or Shayne Gostisbehere to their blue line if they think what they have is better. They wouldn’t see a need to go for a forward like Ryan O’Reilly or Jonathan Toews at the center if they think Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are the three better pivots to run with.
Related: Oilers News & Rumors: Chychrun, Yamamoto & the Trade Deadline
Yet, Holland continues to say he’s working the phones. Who might he be looking at?
Jakob Chychrun Would Be an Upgrade on Brett Kulak
The Oilers have been linked by multiple insiders to the Arizona Coyotes. Some say it could be for Nick Bjugstad. Others say Gostisbehere. However, Jakob Chychrun might be the one clear upgrade the Oilers would consider. If we exclude Philip Broberg because of his dirt-cheap, entry-level contract, the question is, how much better is Chychrun than Brett Kulak?
There’s no doubt he would be an upgrade. But, would he be two first-rounders and a prospect better than Kulak? That’s what Holland has to decide because the cost associated with landing Chychrun is massive. Kulak is averaging over 18 minutes per night for the Oilers. He’s got two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 52 games. He’s a plus-5 and he’s giving the Oilers a solid effort for a decent salary.
That said, Chycrhun is averaging over 23 minutes per night and has 15 more points in 17 fewer games. He’s been on fire since returning to the lineup. He’s a plus-minus +6 on a pretty lousy team in Arizona and he’s tied for the third-highest average per game on the power play. Chychrun is a legit top-four defenseman who could potentially be a replacement for Darnell Nurse if an injury were to strike. Can the Oilers say that about any other left-shot d-man on their roster?
Patrick Kane Would Be An Upgrade On Any Right-Winger
One area the Oilers are not deep at is right wing. With an injured Kailer Yamamoto questionable and Jesse Puljujarvi potentially set to hit waivers this week, the Oilers are playing a mixture of wingers in their top six who can play both sides and jumbling things together on a nightly basis trying to find chemistry on any given night. They could use a proven scorer who is a legit fit for the rest of the season. Patrick Kane is certainly that.
With Vladimir Tarasenko going to the New York Rangers, Kane is going to have to consider other options if he chooses to leave Chicago. His list may be short and if the Oilers are on it, that helps in terms of the acquisition price. There’s no doubt that Kane is the best option here and a clear upgrade but it’s the salary and the cost of getting a third team involved that makes this tricky for Holland.
If Edmonton is looking at this, Holland is trying to figure out a way to manage the money and what it would cost in terms of picks to get all three teams where they need to be. This is not an easy deal to make, if possible at all.
Ivan Barbashev or Sam Lafferty Make For Decent Plan B Options
If a trade to land Kane is either too difficult to complete or the winger chooses not to waive and leave the Blackhawks, the Oilers have other options on the trade market that would be an upgrade over what they currently have in their top nine. And, the asking prices for their backup plans might be far easier to swallow. Those names are Ivan Barbashev and Sam Lafferty.
Barbashev is going to get some attention at this year’s deadline. He’s a name that many are rumored to be zeroing in on including the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Boston Bruins. He’s comfortable playing the right wing, he makes a reasonable $2.25 million (with retained salary is easy for the Oilers to make work) and the Blues are officially sellers. He’s having a bit of a down season, but like Yamamoto, he’s already hit the 20-goal mark in a season (26 last season). If he can find some chemistry on the Oilers, he’d be a nice addition.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are selling too and it’s not known what the market for a player like Lafferty would be. He comes in at $1.15 million, has another year on his current deal, and doesn’t mind getting physical. He kills penalties, can score, and would be an energy guy for an Oilers team that was looking for that before some recent internal additions to the lineup started stepping up.
If the cost is minimal, Holland could see one of these players as a good way to replace Puljujarvi, who could be moved or demoted and his $3 million cap hit coming off the roster.
