November 16, 2022 /

Edmonton Oilers Trade Talk: Tarasenko, Soucy, Chychrun, Kings/Oilers Preview, and More!!!

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

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The Athletic

Lowetide: Why the Oilers need to trade for an established defenceman
  • “The key for this team and this season lies in correcting a problem that has existed since it became known Oscar Klefbom’s playing career was over. The Oilers have been asking too much from the top end of the defence and relying on fringe help to complete the defensive group.”
  • “At five-on-five, Nurse averages 18:34 per game and his goal share is 42 percent.”
  • “Nurse-Ceci have struggled together this season, but only when Campbell is in goal. Nurse-Campbell is 7-14 goals (33 percent). Ceci’s time with Campbell is less severe (5-9, 36 percent) but the struggles of the pairing are tied directly to Campbell’s play.”
  • “In order for the Oilers to truly ice a championship-level team, the third pair needs to be Kulak and Barrie or Kulak and Bouchard.”
  • “Assuming the team is looking for a left-handed defenceman, the play should be to aim as high as possible on the depth chart. Adding a veteran replacement for the rookies and Murray on the third pair doesn’t move the needle.”
  • “Carson Soucy would be a quality acquisition, but his team (Kraken) is ahead of the Oilers in the standings.”
  • “Chychrun’s availability and price tag make him a less likely pickup, but if he plays well and stays healthy with the Coyotes the outlook may change.”
  • “In order to make a trade for Soucy or Chychrun, the organization must be willing to part with the 2023 or 2024 first-round selection, and top-end talent like Dylan Holloway, Xavier Bourgault or Broberg.”
  • “A winning streak during November would give Edmonton some breathing room but the emergence of the Kraken and Kings (plus Golden Knights) might put pressure on management to make a move.”

BLH’s Thoughts: I’ve. Been. Saying. This. Since. Pre-season… FFS! But if it costs a first rounder or a high-end prospect to get Carson Soucy, that’s a hard pass. F*ck that noise. 

I’m going to keep shouting out Montreal’s Joel Edmundson but I’m curious about Edmonton’s appetite to trade Evan Bouchard if it means the defense really improves considering Broberg can play both sides and Mikey Kesselring is really getting shit done down in Bako. 

Not related to a Bouchard trade, but does Connor Murphy move the needle for you? I can’t speak to his actual defensive effectiveness. I feel like he’s such a prick to play against every time his team faces the Oilers and I would like a bit of that on Edmonton’s blueline. 

Also unrelated, the team lacks an identity beyond the 2nd line. The third and fourth lines are a mish mash of players that are 5th liners, they’ve got one top pairing defender, a 2nd pairing defender and four 3rd pairing blueliners. Amongst those skaters, no hard-nosed grinders, no highly skilled playmakers, no snipers, no defensive specialists, no scrappers or yappers, just a bunch of vanilla unspecialized hockey players. Is this team turning into that same old easy to play against club when their top two lines are on the bench? 

It’s become so bad that Bob Stauffer is talking about Edmonton needing to acquire the likes of Sam Lafferty (CHI) and Zack MacEwen (PHI) as they are types that will move the needle. 

Has this club swung so hard the other way in their team build that they’re completely unbalanced with Evander Kane out? 

GM17 Kings @ Oilers

Who to Keep an Eye on For Los Angeles
  • #22 Kevin Fiala – Three goals and two assists in his last five games for T-Mac’s Kings. LA’s premier acquisition this past off-season is leading the team in scoring but for some reason he’s lining up on the 3rd line with Rasmus Kupari and Carl Grundstrom. It’s a dangerous line nevertheless and I’ve got a feeling they might give Edmonton’s defense some challenges. 
  • #34 Arthur Kaliyev – From LA’s 4th line, Kaliyev has 9 points in his last 10 games. The Oilers with they could have the depth scoring that LA has. Jay Woodcroft better have one helluva plan to mute the Kings’ offense tonight or they’re going to get lit up. 
  • #8 Drew Doughty – He’s averaging over 26 minutes a game since returning to action and has accrued 10 points on the year. He’s always had a thing for giving Edmonton’s young stars a hard time but I don’t think it’s worked on Draisaitl and McDavid so he’s turned his attention to Jesse Puljujarvi 

Who to Keep an Eye on For Edmonton
  • #22 Tyson Barrie – This guy is en fuego! Nine points in his last ten and has been promoted to the top pairing at times over the last week or so. 
  • #37 Warren Foegele – Two goals in his last pair. So now the expectations courtesy of the Edmonton media are sky high for McLovin’. That said, he’s skating very well, but at the same time does anybody think he’s a junior player stuck in an NHLers body? I mean, he’s absolutely reckless with his physicality, right? He goes in for the hit and half the time he misses the guy even though he’s got this massive frame. Also, I feel like when he gets the puck on his stick he gets overexcited and all of a sudden he thinks he’s Mario Lemieux and that often ends up poorly. I wish he would just calm his tits down a tad and hit that soft ice so Leon could feed him for shots because he has a really nice release. 
  • #21 Klim Kostin – The big Russian has impressed since being called up. It’s only been 8 minutes of TOI mind you but he’s been solid along the boards and with the puck. It would be a nice surprise if he could keep it going and find a place on this team’s bottom six more permanently. 

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m very curious to know if Draisaitl might get some revenge on Mikey Anderson for that slewfoot from last year’s playoff series that crippled the German superstar. 

Bob Stauffer reckoned on the radio yesterday that Stu Skinner will get the start and I think that’s a good choice. Confidence isn’t high with Jack Campbell at the moment and the Oilers need a netminder between the pipes that can give them a chance against this high-octane Kings team.

LA is young, fast, tough, they shoot, they’re skilled, and they’ve got some elite veteran leadership bringing along those kids. Edmonton is really missing Duncan Keith right now and more specifically Evan Bouchard. Doughty and Kopitar are still fantastic NHLers right now and I can see them leading this team to a win tonight. I have little faith in the Oilers’ defense and bottom six at the moment and with LA’s depth and intense forecheck, my feeling is that this is LA’s game to lose. I mean, 97 and 29 could win it on their own or the Kings could shit the bed too, but I’m leaning towards LA. 

Trade Rumors

Oilersnation

BLH’s Thoughts: I mean, if you think he’s going to take a deal akin to what Nuge or Kane took, sure, look into it but I can’t see that happening. The Ruskies tend to stay on the East coast and migrate to places like Florida, New Jersey, New York, etc. 

The other thing is, Puljujarvi or Yamamoto have to be moved before adding to Edmonton’s top-six on the right side. It’ll happen. But if we’re looking at STL, what about Ryan O’Reilly to shore up the team’s defense a bit?

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CategoriesArmchair GM Beer League Hero Edmonton Oilers NHL Rumors

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Beer League Hero Written by:

I'm the Beer League Hero! I am from Camrose, Alberta but I make my home in Taipei City, Taiwan. I've been through the ups and downs and the highs and the Lowes, the Bonsignores and the McDavids, the Sathers and the Eakins but I'll never leave my Oilers, no matter what! They're with me until the end and then some. GO OILERS GO!