Today, we’re talking about a mock trade that involves a beloved ex-Oiler and then finishing off with some chatter about where the Edmonton Oilers should be focusing their attention at roster-wise as the trade deadline approaches.
I should start prefacing these blogs with the fact that I write them a day in advance and because we’re getting so close to the deadline there’s a good chance I might write about a player or a team and it be old news by the time it gets to your beautiful eyes. If that happens, my apologies!
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The Latest Edmonton Oilers Trade Rumors
Getting the Boys back together!
To Edmonton: Jordan Eberle (75% retained)
To Seattle: 2024 1st Rd Pick, Raphael Lavoie (to retain 50%)
To Chicago: 2025 4th Rd Pick (to retain 25%), Mattias Janmark (to make the cap hits work)“Eberle, now 33, and seven years removed from his last appearance in Oil Country, is still a productive player. He collected 20 goals and 63 points last season and is on-track for 15 goals and 49 points this year… if the Oilers were to draw up a fit, they’d be looking for a right-shooting, top-six forward who is pass-first to play with Leon Draisaitl. Eberle checks all of those boxes. Plus, when you consider the market, he is likely to be among the most cost-effective players available relative to acquisition price… Eberle has 19 goals and 45 points in his last 63 postseason games, which is a higher points-per-game rate (0.71) than his career average (0.69).” – Frank Seravalli, Dailyfaceoff.com
- Getting Eberle at that sort of discount would be something I could get behind. However, I am concerned that he’s lost a step.
- That said, his shooting percentage is sitting about three points under his career average and one could see that popping back up with better centers.
- My only real qualm with this proposal is that Ken Holland has said time and time again that he won’t use a first rounder on a rental and there are better players/deals out there where he could use his 1st rounder and upgrade his roster not only for this season but next as well.
- We know that Eberle is going to be a UFA this summer and if it’s only money being spent to bring him in, why not do it then? He’ll be cheaper than the expiring $5.5/yr deal he’s one right now. There’s no doubt in my mind about that.
- I suppose Ebs re-upping in Seattle would put a cork in those plans though… So it’s up to the team to decide if he’s worth it.
- Personally, I’d avoid using a 1st rounder in any rental deal like it’s the plague. Use a prospect that’s already in the system.
Ferraro Says Oilers Need Depth at Forward
“I see a forward for a couple of reasons. It would be nice to get a little bit more depth offensively. Like somebody you can rely upon to score. I mean they thought it was gonna be Connor Brown, he don’t have a goal this, this year, right?
I also think another, another forward gives you versatility that Edmonton really doesn’t have with their forwards right now. That they would like to have.” – Ray Ferraro, TSN
- Ya know, I wonder if they don’t punt Brown and Janmark for better depth. Names like Duhaime (MIN) and Malenstyn (WAS) are popping up. Sam Carrick’s (ANH) name is starting to surface more and more, too.
- Why not just rip out the carpet and put some new stuff in?
- Oskar Sundqvist has, what, 20 points for St. Louis as a 4th liner? They’ve also got the Toropchenko beast scoring in their bottom six. Edmonton doesn’t have any of that. Those boys are all massive, can skate, are aggressive, and defensively sound. Can you say the same about Janmark, Brown, Ryan, Gagner, etc.?
- I think if Brown and Janmark are your backups for the full-time roster, you’re in good shape.
- The other day we talked about possibly bringing in Scott Laughton, Sean Walker, and then going out and grabbing Daniel Sprong, right? Would the Oilers have enough to pick up Duhaime and Bogosian out of Minny, too? Those are definitely the kinds of deals contending teams make to round out their team. Edmonton should be doing it too.
Piggybacking
“A stronger bottom six, the Edmonton Oilers will give them a better chance and I think the opportunities are there. Ken Holland can look in those areas. And I don’t think the price will be significant, but I think that it could be really helpful to the Oilers chances come playoff time.” – Mike Johnson, TSN
- I think that’s it right there. The club expects a rematch with either Colorado or Vegas and they feel that if their bottom-six is as good as or better than their opponents’, they’ll beat them.
- More speed, more size, more intensity. If Edmonton can get that, I think they’ll be in better shape, but it won’t mean anything if they continue to put up stinkers like they’ve been doing every other game since the end of the all-star break…
- They’ve got all those games in hand, but if they fail to gain any points with them, it’s all for naught.
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