A couple of early trades have kicked off trade deadline season in the NHL. Both the Vancouver Canucks and the Winnipeg Jets have already acquired significant pieces as they prepare themselves for a deep playoff run. While both those top contenders in the Western Conference have gotten an early start, the Edmonton Oilers should eventually make their move on one or more pieces.
This is no season to waste for the Oilers, and as other teams Edmonton will most likely have to go through added big pieces to their rosters, the Oilers have yet to close in on a player. There have been many rumors, as there are with a number of contenders, but until a deal is struck, it is all speculation and doesn’t mean a whole lot. The Oilers proved that they could go on a 16-game win streak with the talent they have on their roster, but as games get tougher and opponents get better, it won’t come that easy from here on out (from “Edmonton Oilers streak numbers: They’re real and they’re spectacular”, Edmonton Journal, Feb. 8, 2024).
Last season, we saw a ton of top talent being moved over to the Eastern Conference as the arms race was seemingly there in 2022-23. Every player acquired in that arms race went to waste as the Vegas Golden Knights, a Western Conference team, took home the Stanley Cup. This season, the West looks stronger and ready to give each other tough series on the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers are in their Stanley Cup window, so at the very least, they have to use the assets at their disposal to keep up with the competition in their conference.
Who Makes a Difference & What Assets to Use
There are two important questions regarding the Oilers leading up to the trade deadline: which additions would make a difference, and what assets do the Oilers have to use to acquire these pieces?
Since the Canucks and Jets struck early and still have time and room to improve their roster further, I don’t believe they are done making moves. That means to keep up with both of them, at the very least, the Oilers need to bring in two players that address the holes in their lineup. Whether this includes a top-six winger, bottom-six centerman, top-four right defense, or a 1b goalie, any of these areas would make the Oilers better with the right addition.
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Bringing in two players from one team and killing two birds with one stone may just be the answer if the Oilers wait, but some options could slip away from them as well if they wait too long. These teams, like Vancouver and Winnipeg, struck early for a reason. There’s no reason why they can’t do so again, or another team, from the East or West, come into the picture and start adding early as well. At the very least, contenders in the West that may get in the Oilers’ way when it comes to fighting over certain players include the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, and Golden Knights. That doesn’t even account for all of the teams in the East that have yet to start their acquisitions.
The Oilers seemingly have a lot to do, but other than signing Corey Perry, they haven’t used any of their most valuable assets to make an impact in their lineup. TSN has the Oilers’ first-round pick ranked fifth on their trade bait board. It is likely going to be used somewhere, and for rebuilding teams, it might be the most valuable piece the Oilers have to give up. There are certain prospects like Philip Broberg, Xavier Bourgault, and Raphael Lavoie that I’m not as keen on Edmonton trading right now, but that doesn’t mean that the team won’t if the right deal comes their way.
The Oilers used their first-round pick and one of their better prospects in Reid Schaefer to acquire a big fish (Mattias Ekholm) at last year’s trade deadline, as well as using a third-rounder to acquire Nick Bjugstad. As far as the smaller arms race in the West went last season, these were important moves and kept them in the running. This season will have to have as large of an impact as that one did for the Oilers to keep up with the juggernauts of the Western Conference, who are already getting significantly better.
