Insider hints Oilers will pursue blockbuster addition at trade deadline
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Photo credit: Edmonton Journal
The Edmonton Oilers are a clear Stanley Cup contender this season, and NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes they'll be going all-in at this trade deadline to improve the team.
The Oilers have already signed defenceman John Klingberg to a contract with the intention of a tryout in the top 4, but Seravalli's comments indicate more is coming.
Oilers looking at impact trade to improve roster for playoffs this season
The key point to Seravalli's report is that this will be the final season the Oilers have McDavid and Draisaitl on lower cap hits, meaning they may never have another opening to add as aggressively in trade. With that in mind, the Oilers will swing big.
»It's the last year they have McDavid and Draisaitl on incredibly manageable contracts. Not taking a swing and doing every single thing that you can, burn the boats, turn over very stone possible, is malfeasance. I think they know that, and recognize it.»
- Frank Seravalli
- Frank Seravalli
The Oilers will have a brief tryout for John Klingberg, but the primary target to add to the roster is still a defenceman. Last week, Seravalli reported on OilersNation that the Oilers could be swinging for a defenceman with an Ekholm-type impact.
»A pretty sizable defenseman in terms of impact. Think if you can, like take the bat off your shoulder and do it, something like a Mattias Ekholm-sized impact.»
If John Klingberg plays to his absolute career-best, the version he was with the Dallas Stars, he could potentially have that type of impact on the blueline.
That seems unlikely for a 32 year old coming off hip surgery, so it's still likely the Oilers trade for an impact defenceman.
Which defenceman could have an Ekholm-type impact to the Oilers blueline?
If the Edmonton Oilers are trading for the best defenceman on the market, that would likely be either Ivan Provorov or Mike Matheson.
Both Provorov and Matheson have been linked to the Oilers in trade this season, and both players are absolute workhorses on their respective teams - often playing much more than 20 minutes a night in all situations.
Adding a defenceman that could excel in all situations and be a minute eater in the top four could potentially give the Oilers that Ekholm-type impact, making the second pairing a dangerous 5 man unit with Draisaitl's line.
The Oilers have no excuses this season not to go all-out to get the best player possible in trade at the deadline. It should be an entertaining year for Oilers fans.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 19 | 688 ANSWERS Insider hints Oilers will pursue blockbuster addition at trade deadline Do you think the Oilers will make a blockbuster trade at the deadline this year? | ||
| Yes | 386 | 56.1 % |
| No, not enough cap space and assets | 302 | 43.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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