NHL insider reveals Oilers shocking biggest trade priority this season

The most recent reports from top Oilers insiders suggest the team may be scouring the waiver wire to add a goalie in training camp next season. For a trade deadline move though, the team may be looking somewhere else.

According to a new report from NHL insider David Pagnotta on the Hello Hockey Podcast, the Edmonton Oilers are likely to pursue a stay at home defenceman in a trade this season.
https://x.com/nhlrumourreport/status/1946054067869848047?s=46&t=OJ3caFWCfVeV0DWdJLHvAQ

It's strange to hear this report from an NHL insider when the Oilers blue line is well over 6 defenceman deep. The Oilers have enough blue liners to create a competition in training camp already between Troy Stecher, Ty Emberson, Alec Regula, and Atro Leppanen.

Adding a stay-at-home defenceman for the playoffs is understandable as always, but it would have to be a sigficanf upgrade on a current player. On top of that, the Oilers may have much more pressing needs.

The goaltending situation obviously deserves more attention before yet another addition to the blueline, and the Oilers may have to reevaluate their forward group at the trade deadline too. Relying on 3 rookies in Howard, Savoie, and Tomasek will come with some risk next year.

Hopefully the Oilers can direct their assets to goaltending or forward this season, but if they add another defenceman, it should be a new core piece that reshapes the blue line as a whole - perhaps a Darnell Nurse trade.