The Edmonton Oilers have proven they are going all-in this season and made their intentions known with the acquisitions of Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick. While they have now each played several games and have been playing well in their roles with their new teams, Carrick has been standing out in a big way for many reasons. Henrique was acquired to add depth as an established two-way forward who had been solid with the Anaheim Ducks this season, and Carrick was brought in as someone to add internal competition and bring a physical game to the bottom six. Carrick dropped the gloves in his first game with the Oilers and, since then, has proven himself to be a strong addition who should be able to help them make a deep playoff run.
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In the Oilers’ recent game against the Colorado Avalanche, Henrique was quiet offensively but made a huge difference defensively. Carrick was, surprisingly, the opposite. Carrick scored the goal that put the Oilers up 2-1 over the Avalanche, and while the Avalanche ended up winning in overtime, he was being used all over the ice. With how strong he has been in the faceoff circle this season, Carrick was used in every zone to take faceoffs throughout the entire game, and his success made a big difference. The Oilers will be able to utilize his ability to win the majority of his faceoffs moving forward, and he continues to prove he can be trusted consistently.
Since joining the Oilers, Carrick has won an impressive 65.7% of his faceoffs. He wasn’t brought in to be an offensive producer by any means, but if he can start to find some confidence with the puck on his stick, his role will only grow with the team. Carrick has quickly earned the trust of his coaches as he continues to be put out in defensive situations, and he has earned a couple of shifts with the top six. Carrick is playing at an elevated level as a pending unrestricted free agent and trying to earn a new deal. If he keeps playing like this into the playoffs, the Oilers should be trying to lock him up with a new contract.
Could Carrick Be Another Klim Kostin?
While Carrick has been really good since joining the Oilers, there is someone else that fans may remember that could be compared to him. Klim Kostin was acquired by the Oilers from the St. Louis Blues last season in exchange for Dmitri Samorukov in a deal that was viewed as giving two players fresh starts. While Samorukov’s career went downhill as he hasn’t been able to find a full-time spot in the NHL since the trade, Kostin exploded offensively with the Oilers and quickly became a fan-favorite with his physical play and personality off the ice.
The reason I compare the two is because Kostin was on an expiring deal and ended up being an X factor for the Oilers’ playoff success last season. If Carrick continues on this path and builds more confidence as the postseason nears, he could become the same type of difference-maker Kostin was. The issue with this comparison, though, is that Kostin priced himself out of Edmonton and forced the team to move him, and he ended up signing a two-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings worth $2 million per season, which the Oilers could not afford.
As mentioned in my recent article looking at what an extension could look like for Carrick, an extension shouldn’t be too pricey to bring him back. Compared to Kostin, Carrick doesn’t quite have the offensive upside, and he’s a bit older, but he could have the same physical impact.
Either way, Carrick has earned the trust of his team. I figured it was fair to compare what happened with Kostin since they play a similar style and are in the same situation. In his short time here, I have loved everything about Carrick’s style of play and intensity. Hopefully, Carrick can continue to have strong games down the stretch and end up re-signing with the Oilers past this season because the fit has been close to perfect.
What’s Next for the Oilers?
The Oilers have a couple of days off before they face the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (March 19). While Carrick will continue to be a big part of the Oilers’ success down the stretch, the rest of the team needs to continue playing at an elevated level if they hope to make a push. Hopefully, the whole team can pull their weight and help push for the Oilers’ first Stanley Cup since 1990.
