The Edmonton Oilers might have to make a trade to solve their goaltending problems. As the Oilers come up to a stretch of hockey where they will play four games in seven days, inevitably, Stuart Skinner will get tired. It’s not clear the Oilers can or should count on Calvin Pickard to play the backup role and Jack Campbell has yet to be recalled from Bakersfield of the AHL. That poses an issue.
If GM Ken Holland is still talking about trades and scouring the marketplace, who is he going to have to give up to get what he needs? And, if he gives up too much, what are the chances such a move could derail the momentum the team is currently on, having won their last six games in a row?
Every win matters now. Holland needs to tread carefully. Let’s take a look at some of the names that are out there in the rumor mill and determine if these deals would be a mistake:
Philip Broberg Wants to Play and Vincent Desharnais Is Coming Along
It’s not necessarily a case of defenseman Philip Broberg wanting out, he just wants to play. For now, the Oilers have sent him down to Bakersfield where he will play a lot. He and his agent seem to think he’s an NHL defenseman and there are teams showing interest, suggesting they might believe he is too. But, the Oilers are deep on the left side and there’s no place for him on this current roster when everyone is healthy.
But, what happens in the event of an injury? It’s a given, at some point an injury to this lineup will occur. When it does, the Oilers can call upon Ben Gleason, or they can bring Broberg back up. That’s a short-term fix and neither may be the right answer if any injury is longer-term. If the Oilers trade him, they’re weakening the depth at that position.
In the case of Vincent Desharnais, the Oilers reportedly turned down a deal that would have brought Sam Lafferty to Edmonton. As good as Lafferty is, the Oilers might have been right to keep the big blueliner. He’s starting to figure out the NHL and limit his mistakes. He’s physical, good to play bottom-pair minutes, and he’s a scrapper. The team needs an element like that on the roster.
Right now, moving Broberg isn’t an issue, especially if the team gets a defenseman back. That changes quickly if bad news strikes the blue line as far as injuries are concerned. Moving Desharnais would be a bigger mistake. The Oilers bought into his future and he’s starting to show he’s got a decently-high ceiling.
Warren Foegele Is Strong Forward Depth
One of the names repeatedly mentioned in trade discussion is Warren Foegele. The main reason is thanks to his contract and cap hit, which if moved, gives the Oilers some options. On the surface, with a strong top six, maybe Foegele is expendable. But, he’s played quite well this season and he provides flexible depth the Oilers need.
His style of play will be important in later games. He forechecks, has speed, can give you skill in a pinch, and is an energy guy that is well liked in the locker room.
There is value in moving his $2.75 million cap hit. That said, he’s underrated in terms of what he brings to this roster on a nightly basis.
Cody Ceci Is Silently Steady
There’s been some chatter that Cody Ceci could be a target for some teams. He’s not discussed much in Edmonton, but that’s not a bad thing. It means he’s doing what he’s supposed to and not standing out as a reason the Oilers are struggling (which they were early in the season). He’s not bringing offense, but there is value in keeping the defense pairings steady and the Oilers score enough.
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Ceci is the regular partner of Darnell Nurse and more than that, he allows Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard to stay together. So too, he keeps the bottom pair where they should be on the roster. Moving out Ceci to free up cap space would disrupt the chemistry of the pairings and potentially pose a problem.
As it does with Broberg or Desharnais, the same issue arises when it comes to depth on the blue line if you move Ceci. The difference is that Ceci is a regular in the top four and he’s averaging over 20 minutes per night.
So What Should the Oilers Trade?
Of the players on this list, Broberg is the only one that doesn’t immediately impact the roster. If Holland can move him for another defenseman who needs a chance of scenery, that could work. That said, the ideal trade for the Oilers is to move Jack Campbell in a deal that brings back another goaltender. It will cost the Oilers to get a team to bite.
If a club like the San Jose Sharks were to move Mackenzie Blackwood for Campbell, you can expect a prospect and a high pick going to back to the Sharks as part of that trade. The same could be said for Jake Allen or Cayden Primeau of the Montreal Canadiens. It’s a price to pay, but Edmonton may have no choice but to make it. Any other deal potentially throws a wrench into the current lineup — one that is playing extremely well right now.