It’s no secret that the Edmonton Oilers are in win-now mode and shouldn’t be hesitant in using their 2024 or even 2025 first-round draft pick in order to put them in a better position to do so. The team struck a big-time deal to bring in Mattias Ekholm at the 2023 Trade Deadline by using a first-round pick, but I wouldn’t doubt that their next ones could be used this offseason to make the team better.
The Oilers have to worry about cap space and there are going to be a few players likely moved. On a contender, those spots aren’t just going to be given to inexperienced young players or rookies. They’ll have to earn them. Instead, they can securely bolster those spots by bringing in talent whose cap hits aren’t detrimental and who might be around for a couple of years. However, the longer the term for cheap players who can contribute a lot to the success of the team, the higher the cost. This is why I believe that all four of these players could cost a first-round pick at the very least and be worth it.
Travis Konecny
The Philadelphia Flyers are in sell mode and are trading their better players for returns that will move the rebuild along. Travis Konecny is one of those better players that has been rumoured to be on his way out. He has two years left at an affordable $5.5 million average annual value (AAV). While it might not be affordable as is for the Oilers, some salary retention and a player heading back to the Flyers could make the deal work out for both sides.
Kailer Yamamoto is widely considered as the forward that is going to be traded and Ken Holland would like to upgrade the top-six right wing first and foremost. Yamamoto is still fairly young and has a style of play that is rewarded in Philadelphia by head coach John Tortorella. He’s hit a wall in Edmonton and the Oilers looked for different options later in the season. While moving his $3.1 million AAV contract out along with a first-round pick to bring in Konecny at $4 million AAV or lower, the Oilers would get their finisher with grit, speed, and a competitive drive. Kurt Leavins notes that Konecny “would be a true top-six prize for the Oilers” and he wouldn’t be seen as a rental, giving the Oilers a very good chance to win in the two years remaining on his contract (from “A list of possible targets for the Edmonton Oilers includes one name that may surprise you: 9 Things”, Edmonton Journal, June 11, 2023).
Andrew Peeke
The Columbus Blue Jackets happen to be the team that has taken advantage of the Flyers’ rebuilding situation already and acquired Ivan Provorov. Not long after that, they also brought in Damon Severson, pretty much locking in their top four and creating a logjam on the backend. This isn’t a bad thing for the Blue Jackets as they should get interest in a few of their players, especially Andrew Peeke. From an Oilers’ perspective, he seems worth a first-round pick to acquire.
Related: Oilers Can Take Advantage of Blue Jackets’ Defensive Logjam
In terms of right-shot defencemen available to the Blue Jackets, they have Severson, David Jiricek, Peeke, Adam Boqvist, Nick Blankenburg, and Marcus Bjork, not to mention Jake Bean who can play both sides but shoots left. The Oilers are looking to upgrade their right side as the playoffs saw Evan Bouchard, Cody Ceci, and Vincent Desharnais man that side of the ice. Ceci could definitely be seen as a cap dump and Desharnais is inexperienced despite his age. The Ceci and Darnell Nurse pairing did not work out for the Oilers late in the season, especially in playoffs, and a change is required if possible.
Peeke is a 25-year-old right shot who can play over 20 minutes a night and is defensively focused. With three years left at $2.75 million AAV, I would not be opposed to the Oilers utilizing a future first-rounder to get term, youth, and a great cap hit all wrapped in one while they are in a cap crunch.
Alexis Lafreniere
The New York Rangers have a decision to make involving their 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere. As far as players drafted that high go, he has fallen short of expectations. They are in a cap crunch, similar to the Oilers, so keeping an affordable player around should definitely be an option. The thing is, he needs a new contract and is likely to get a similar number as Kaapo Kakko. The Rangers are in a position to contend for the Stanley Cup and Lafreniere has been a second or third-line player for them (from “Can Jakob Chychrun stay healthy? Alex DeBrincat for Alexis Lafrenière?: Senators mailbag, part 2”, The Athletic, June 9, 2023).
Lafreniere hasn’t progressed so well over his three seasons in the league, even though he has seen positive growth, and the Rangers could even opt to bring back Patrick Kane or Vladimir Tarasenko with the money as their final top-six winger. At this point, Lafreniere might need a change of scenery, and if the Oilers are to take a swing at him, it will cost their first-round pick and another asset. While there might be a spot in the top-six on the Rangers next season for him, the right wing is where the Oilers are also looking to upgrade. In terms of finishing ability, Lafreniere is an upgrade over Yamamoto and should cost less, plus he would be playing beside one of two of the best players and passers in the world at five-on-five each shift, even if he still doesn’t get a ton of power play minutes right now.
There is a lesser chance the Oilers are serious about acquiring Lafreniere than Konecny or Peeke at this point, but it isn’t out of the realm of possibilities with each team’s situation. I don’t think it’s wise for the Oilers to hold onto their first overall picks for the next couple of seasons while they are in win-now mode because the value of those picks will help the team immensely. We shall see what Holland does with the little cap space and assets he has at his disposal.
