NHL insider names Oilers top trade priority this season, and fans don't like it
Photo credit: Edmonton Oilers Raw
According to a recent report from analyst Chris Johnston, the Edmonton Oilers could be in the market for a top-4 defenseman.
GM's trade-priority raises questions about urgency to win
Of course, it's the general manager's job to assess his team's needs and to know the trade market; keeping an eye out for help is sound management.
But to prioritize defense over goaltending seems to me a 'cart before the horse situation'. For years, fans, analysts, and sometimes even Oilers' players, have called for a change for a starting goaltender.
«Our goalies have been average," Stan Bowman was quoted saying in The Hockey News
, "haven't been elite and they haven't been bad. Sort of the way our team has been.We've had ups and downs with both goalies, the defence and the forwards. It would probably be clearer if it was costing us games night after night, but that's just not it.»
Except, team goaltending has cost the Oilers games, on several occasions, in fact.
Edmonton's D-core was rated tops in the league before the season started, but hasn't been playing that way; it's a recent problem and the team should not panic quite yet. Kris Knoblauch has been making adjustments to his blueliners in order to point them in the right direction.
Oilers' goaltending, however, has been an issue for several years and has passed it's 'best-before' date. A trade should be imminent, if the general manager hopes to qualify for the post-season this year.
Again, while the defense has also seen a drop in performance, some analysts believe the defensive corps is a solid group that should improve and pick up their play.
It's viewed by some as a team-defense issue (lack of connection between forwards and defensemen) rather than a personnel problem requiring a major trade.
Goaltending, on the other hand, is an issue all of its own.
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