The Edmonton Oilers are still a few months away from shifting their focus away from the playoffs and moving toward improvements they can make through free agency. Although, there are a few names that the team could look at once they begin preparing for the 2023-24 season. They could use a few new and improved names on the defensive end, and one name that caught my eye as a potentially good fit is current New Jersey Devils defenseman, Damon Severson.
He is an affordable player who would help bolster the team as a skilled defender and has shown he can be trusted as a top defenseman on a contending team as he currently is one on the Devils who are a Cup favorite heading into the postseason. If the Oilers go into win-now mode, Severson is a player the team should be looking at bringing in.
Who Is Damon Severson & How Would He Benefit the Oilers?
Severson is a 28-year-old right-handed defenseman from Brandon, Manitoba, currently playing for the Devils. He was drafted in the second round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Devils and has spent his entire nine-year career with them. He has played 641 games scoring 57 goals and adding 203 assists for 260 points, which comes out to a 0.41 points per game average.
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He played his junior career with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he played three full seasons with the club before turning pro in the 2012-13 season and getting his first taste of American Hockey League (AHL) action with their minor league affiliate, the Albany Devils. In his time with the Rockets, he played 260 games scoring 36 goals and adding 131 assists for 167 points, which comes out to a 0.64 points per game average.
Severson has never been an offensive defenseman and his lack of numbers statistically proves it, but he provides a valuable asset in his defensive ability. He has been a solid shutdown defenseman for a number of seasons and has been trusted over the years to play in clutch scenarios to help his team pull out a win in tight games.
Adding Severson on a cheap deal would be just the perfect thing the Oilers need to make them an even scarier contender entering the 2023-24 season. He will likely be looking at a pricy contract, so the team will have to make some moves to make this work.
What Would it Cost the Oilers to Bring Him In?
Severson’s current contract has a $4,166,166 cap hit. He will likely be looking at a small raise, which would likely be lifted to the $5-5.5 million range. Putting him alongside Darnell Nurse could make for one of the scariest top-four defensive corps in the NHL. This would likely lead to the team having to find a new home for Cody Ceci, although that could lead to bringing in more assets.
Severson is a much stronger player defensively than Ceci who hasn’t had a strong season. His step back opens up the opportunity for the Oilers to pull the trigger on a two-to-three-year contract for a player who brings much more to the table.
If the opportunity is there to bring in Severson, I would be doing everything to try and make it happen. His ability to eat up ice time and never look gassed is something the team would love to have to take some pressure off Nurse and Mattias Ekholm. With Evan Bouchard likely getting some more responsibilities next season, adding more veterans around him would only be beneficial for his continued development if the team decides to keep him.