The Edmonton Oilers have had an odd 2023-24 season, as they have had some serious downs and some serious ups throughout their campaign. They started the season 3-9-1 before deciding to fire Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson who were replaced by Kris Knoblauch and Paul Coffey. They also chose to call up Calvin Pickard as the new backup goaltender after a terrible start to the season for Jack Campbell, who was sent to the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors.
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With the season more than halfway complete and teams focused on the upcoming trade deadline, the Oilers will have to decide soon what their plans are and what they’ll be looking to add in hopes of bolstering their roster. Their loss to the struggling Calgary Flames on Saturday (Feb. 24) night exposed two major issues heading into the 2024 Trade Deadline that the team needs to address.
The Oilers had a rough game against the Flames, and their defensive lapses and lack of scoring throughout their lineup were evident all game. While the team does have a few players who can continue to provide offensive power, it’s clear they could benefit from more scoring on their depth chart. They outshot the Flames 35-30 and still couldn’t find the back of the net more than their opponent. Defensively, the Oilers left Stuart Skinner out to dry and the Flames took advantage. The lack of goals and weak play in the defensive zone exposed two massive needs for the Oilers at the 2024 Trade Deadline.
Defensive Depth/Upgrade
The Oilers have struggled to find consistency on their blue line for several seasons, and this season is no different. Evan Bouchard has elevated his offensive play in a way that has him amongst candidates being considered for the Norris Trophy, which is awarded to the league’s top defenceman, and Mattias Ekholm has remained strong since being acquired last season. Other than those two though, there isn’t much to be excited about. Vincent Desharnais has stepped up in a big way in his limited role, but he is still a season or two away from being ready to take on a bigger role, while Cody Ceci, Brett Kulak, and Darnell Nurse have been okay, but not great.
The Oilers will need to either acquire a big-name defender who can stabilize the blue line, like Chris Tanev, or try to find a depth defender who can add some internal competition down the stretch. Bouchard’s defensive play is still something that needs improvement, and the other five haven’t been consistent all season. There was hope that Philip Broberg could turn into a strong bottom-four option this season, but he hasn’t been able to elevate his game and has found himself in the AHL trying to fight his way back to the NHL level.
The Oilers should be willing to part with assets to improve their defensive depth or upgrade for a top-four defender. Tanev is a player who would fit the bill and likely be able to provide enough to help them make a deep playoff run. If they miss out and are forced to go down the route of finding a depth piece, there are options in Nick Seeler and Zach Bogosian who won’t move the needle as far as a star player would, but they would create the internal competition I mentioned, as well as allow the Oilers to run seven defencemen and 11 forwards if they choose to do so during any game.
Top-Six Forward
The Oilers have five All-Star caliber forwards in their top six with Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl, and Evander Kane all able to provide plenty at both ends of the ice on a nightly basis. Unfortunately, they still have to try and find someone to fill out their top six, as Kane has had a rough season in the defensive zone and has slowed down offensively.
He can still provide a ton, but putting him on the third line is the ideal spot for him heading into the playoffs, opening up an opportunity for someone new to come in and make a bigger impact. One name the Oilers could look at is St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich, but there haven’t been any real connections to a star forward who can bring elite play at both ends of the ice.
Hopefully, the Oilers can make the right moves and have a strong enough roster to make a splash in the postseason. They would like to win their first Stanley Cup since 1990, but they will need to fill these two major holes if they want to do that. The Oilers are back in action on Monday (Feb. 26) night in a Pacific Division matchup against the Los Angeles Kings.