Going into this year's trade deadline, it appears the Oilers have switched directions and decided to upgrade their forward position. Oilers rumours suggest they are no longer interested in Jakub Chychrun, the Coyotes defenseman who would give them a much-needed upgrade.
Patrick Kane, the Chicago Blackhawks forward, became the focus of their attention. Insiders feel Kane is an interesting player for many teams, as he still has plenty to offer any team he joins and would strengthen their offence.
The downside to Kane would be his contract as all NHL teams are only allowed to retain 50% of their salary which would put him around $5.25 million in cap space. With the Oilers' cap crunch currently affecting their movements it will be hard for them to make this trade unless they move a major piece off the roster.
Additionally, this doesn't address their bottom 6 not being good enough for a major playoff run, nor their defence score that needs an overhaul, especially on the left. It's certainly an interesting choice if the Oilers decided to pursue Kane.
