Edmonton Oilers officially out on acquiring star forward at trade deadline

Oilers management and their staff seems to be working their phones extra hard over the past few weeks as they're scouring the league to look for help ahead of the trade deadline.

According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the team is doing all it can to look at players and see if they can make a deal that makes sense. Also, Buchnevich is emerging as a priority for the Oilers.


It's clear that Holland feels the team needs a few upgrades as he looks for a top six forward along with bottom 6 help in secondary scoring and some toughness. Numerous names are being mentioned including Pavel Buchnevich, Jake Guentzel, along with new names like Anthony Mantha and Nick Dowd.


According to Seravalli, Guentzel is one of the most sought-after forwards in the NHL currently and it appears the Oilers are out of the running for him. The cost would be quite high as general manager Kyle Dubas states he's looking for two first round picks or a first round plus a prospect package. That would be a steep price to pay along with the ability to re sign him to a long-term contract which is a must.


Buchnevich, would be a great Plan B for the Oilers as he holds strong playoff experience and can put the puck in the net. Over the course of this season, he has played 57 games, scored 24 goals of 24 assists for 48 points and is a + 11. Adding him would certainly boost the top six which is also in need as Leon Draisaitl is struggling to find a consistent linemate for offence.


Lower cost options like Mantha and Dowd could be helpful for the team however, it seems that Holland is looking for a bigger ticket item as he shops across the league. It's safe to say the Oilers will be buyers at this deadline, but it remains to be seen on what price Holland will pay.