There have been very few occasions when the Edmonton Oilers fan base was as divided as it was on 2024 NHL Trade Deadline Day. Some fans and pundits were commending the moves that Oilers general manager Ken Holland made just before the March 8 deadline. Others were not too happy (from “Staples: ‘The definition of insanity: Sourness on social media about Edmonton Oilers on deadline day’, Edmonton Journal, March 8, 2024).
On March 6, the Oilers brought in Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick, unsigned draft choice goalie Ty Taylor and a seventh-round draft pick in the 2024 NHL Draft in a three-team trade with the Anaheim Ducks and Tampa Bay Lightning. Anaheim received a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Tampa received a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Holland turned around on March 7 and added depth defenceman Troy Stecher from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
Holland didn’t have to trade a roster player or a prospect to get these deals done, and that’s seen as a victory. But compare the work he did with Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon when he added Tomas Hertl, Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha or Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito when he snagged Vladimir Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo, and you have a real argument as to whether he really went “all in” as was the talk in the offseason.
Time Will Quickly Tell If The Deals Paid Off
I don’t believe in getting too high or too low at the NHL Trade Deadline because there’s still a lot of hockey to be played between now and the end of the regular season. In the Oilers’ case, they have 21 games left and that’s still a lot of time for players to gel on the ice and in the dressing room. I think one of Holland’s biggest considerations was not only adding the right players, but also the right personalities to go with what appears to be a tight-knit Oilers group. Former Oilers and Ducks’ head coach Dallas Eakins was interviewed on Edmonton Sports Talk on Trade Deadline Day and had glowing things to say about Henrique and Carrick both as players and as people. Whether you like Eakins or not, he would have an inside understanding of both organizations and their players, and for him to give a great review could mean good things for the Oilers down the road.
Related: Edmonton Oilers Trade Deadline History
The big question for one of the Oilers biggest rivals, the Golden Knights, is whether their moves will pay off. They haven’t been playing well lately, and even though Jack Eichel has returned to the lineup, they don’t have captain Mark Stone in their lineup due to a lacerated spleen. Fans can talk about the timing of Stone’s injury and how the Golden Knights have circumvented the salary cap with the long-term injury reserve (LTIR) loophole, but even if Stone were to somehow return to the playoffs, he wouldn’t be the same player he was last year. A lacerated spleen is a pretty serious injury to come back from. Losing Stone and waiting for Hertl to come back from his injury could help teams such as the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames or Seattle Kraken catch the Golden Knights for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Wouldn’t that be something?
Oilers Are A Bit Better Team Today, But Are They Good Enough?
Some of the fans and pundits that were upset at Holland over the past few days must have a special gift to see into the future or something. Because no one really knows for sure what the next month of hockey will bring. The Oilers’ roster is better than it was a week ago. It’s deeper, and the team didn’t have to part with prospects such as Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway or Olivier Rodrigue. They have two goaltenders, Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, who are playing good hockey. They have Jack Campbell raising his game down on the farm with the Bakersfield Condors, who could be called up if needed. Even Rodrigue, who is looking more and more ready for the NHL, would be available as well.
Combine that with one of the best forward groups in the NHL and a defence that’s improved as the year has gone on, and you might have the makings of a team that could finally break through in the 2024 NHL Playoffs. Time will tell if the Oilers improved enough – especially compared with other teams in the Western Conference such as Vegas, the Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars. But that’s why they play the games on the ice, and not on paper. The Oilers have as good a shot at winning the Stanley Cup as anyone this season. It’ll be interesting to see if Holland’s recent moves really make a difference.