Edmonton Oilers Talk: Could Zdeno Chara Be a Realistic Option for the Oilers?

Coming from an Edmonton Oilers point of view, BLH provides you with excerpts from the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation from all of the internet’s best sites including Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, The Athletic, TSN and more!

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That Blueline…

Is this group an upgrade on the one Tippett had at his disposal last season? I don’t know. It certainly is different. We know what we’re getting with Nurse, Barrie and Russell. We know Holland hasn’t replaced all the bite Larsson plays with by bringing in Ceci, but might he be a fit in a shutdown tandem with Keith?
What we know today is the Oilers lost a solid, tough player in Larsson, a promising but inconsistent offensive player in Bear and a prospect who never managed to do enough to stay in the line-up in Jones.
They’ve brought in gamesmanship, leadership and experience in Keith, a future all-of-famer. In Barrie, they’ve brought back the guy who led NHL defencemen in scoring last season. We know what he is and what he isn’t. They’ve added Ceci, who’ll be the best pure defender on the right side. Last but not least, the door is open for Bouchard. All these changes to a group that will work behind a deeper and better set of forwards with the additions of Foegele and Zach Hyman.

BLH’s Thoughts: What we’re going to see is what happens when an NHL club doesn’t have a proven cycle-breaking shutdown defense first blue liner on its team. This group will be much better and moving the puck and I would think there’s a faction of Oilers fans that are at half-mast thinking about that.

Conversely, I reckon by at least the trade deadline, some cycle-breakers will be acquired if one doesn’t emerge from within the organization (Lagesson/Samorukov/Kesselring/Kemp).

The Athletic

Lowetide: 8 unsigned free agents who could help the Oilers

LD Zdeno Chara, Washington Capitals – Chara can still play (in fewer minutes), his wingspan is still a strength and his penalty-killing prowess (No. 18 among regular defencemen in shots-against per 60) remains a positive part of his game.
RD Billy Constantinou, Soo Greyhounds – Constantinou is a puck-moving defender who Edmonton could sign to an entry-level deal with the free space on the 50-man list. A great passer, he’s 6-foot, 185 pounds, so slightly undersized and he is one dimensional.
LW Ryan Donato, San Jose Sharks – Donato doesn’t kill penalties but if Holland is looking for some extra offence on the depth lines, Donato is an excellent bet.
LD Slater Koekkoek, Edmonton Oilers – He’s 27, can skate very well and moves the puck with authority. He’s also 6-foot-2, 193 pounds. There is some chaos in coverage but at a low cap hit Koekkoek would be a worthy target (again) for Edmonton.
C Pascal Laberge, Philadelphia Flyers – Chances are his NHL chances disappeared due to the injuries. However, he’s a right-handed centre who scored goals at a high rate in a very good league. Perhaps there’s a player there.
LW Evgeny Svechnikov, Detroit Red Wings – Svechnikov is a serious talent who could be a bargain for any team willing to take a chance on him. He is not a burner but is more of a finisher than Tyler Benson
LW Tomas Tatar, Montreal Canadiens – NHL free agency rarely sees a player who delivered this kind of offence in the previous season hang around this long, though. Chances are he’ll look like an enormous bargain by Christmas.
C Travis Zajac, New York Islanders – It’s still likely a distant bell, but Zajac remaining a free agent may mean he’s casting about looking for a value contract.

BLH’s Thoughts: Zdeno Chara would be a dream addition to this team and would fall in line with Ken Holland’s theme of adding more vets this offseason. Can’t see him leaving the East coast for one year to play for a team that isn’t a Stanley Cup contender though.

Realistic amongst those names for me would be Koekkoek for the simple reason that, to me, it seemed like the Oilers coaching staff trusted him last year and he didn’t shit the bed for the club. Although, Laberge, Constantinou, and Svechnikov are possibilities because there’s a chance they’d sign two-way deals.

I’d be willing to there are some PTO candidates within that group of names.

The Daily Goal Horn

On Christian Dvorak: There are a number of teams interested in trying to acquire (Christian) Dvorak. The Bruins have been rumored as well as the San Jose Sharks, and the New York Rangers. Other teams that could be keeping a close eye on him, depending on how other things pan out are the Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens. Here’s another team I’d also think might make a move – the New Jersey Devils.
On Reilly Smith: “One of the reasons Reilly Smith’s name is all over the rumor mill is because Gerard Gallant loves him too,” Friedman noted.
- So why mention Golden Knights forward Reilly Smith? A long track record of success with new head coach Gerard Gallant in both Florida and Vegas. And why wouldn’t he make this connection after the Rangers traded for another former Gallant favorite in Ryan Reaves and then extended him for a season.
On Evander Kane: Evander Kane’s troubles appear to be only mounting. On the heels of accusations levied by his soon to be ex-wife that he bet on his own games, it seems the San Jose Sharks are looking to trade him.
- “The team was trying to trade Kane earlier this summer, a source says, confirming a report from the Daily Faceoff. A big part of the reason for the team to pursue a deal was Kane’s strained relationship with many of his teammates, according to several sources.” – The Athletic
On Phil Kessel: Per Craig Morgan via Spector’s Hockey, Kessel’s agents asked the Coyotes to trade him before the season starts. It’s also being reported that he would like to play in Vegas but as of right now the Golden Knights are not interested. Most likely due to their limited cap space.
- Some other teams that might look to deal for Kessel are the Seattle Kraken, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Minnesota Wild.