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Can the Oilers Improve At the Deadline? |
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It's closing in on the 24 hours to go mark for the NHL Trade Deadline. Throughout the day, there will be announcements of trades and contract re-signings. The Oilers could experience a little of both.
I got to thinking this morning about what could realistically happen. The Oilers are a winning team when Shawn Horcoff is playing and Eric Belanger isn't. As long as the team stays healthy down the stretch, they will make the playoffs. They need to put in 8-5 or 7-4-2 over the last 13, and they way they're playing...no problem.
Making deals and tampering with a roster that's working comes with risk. Sure, the Oilers could make a deal to add one or two "name brand" guys, but remember in 2006...Added people at the deadline caused the Oilers to play .500 hockey up until the playoffs. Sure, the team came within one game of the cup, but the 2013 Oilers are more concerned at this time about just making the playoffs at all. Derailing team chemistry would be bad.
Let's go line-by-line to see how and where moves could occur.
L1: Taylor Hall - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jordan Eberle
I'm not changing this line for all the tea in China.
L2: Magnus Paajarvi - Sam Gagner - Ales Hemsky
This line isn't perfect, but I don't know how moving Paajarvi or Hemsky will bring in a better asset. If I had to pick someone to go, it would be Hemsky...But the only way I'm dealing him is if a beast comes back in return. Are there any "beasts" available? No, not really. So nothing is going to change here.
L3: Ryan Jones - Shawn Horcoff - Nail Yakupov
Here's a line that could use an upgrade. As much as I like Ryan Jones, there are plenty of better players out there. Ryan Clowe, how much would he cost? Troy Brouwer, if the Capitals would be willing to part with him. Would Eric Fehr be an upgrade on Jones? Not sure. Jussi Jokinen would be an upgrade skill-wise, but he's not tough, and we need two-way toughness here. Teemu Hartikainen? What would David Clarkson from the Devils cost? Or Drew Stafford from Buffalo? Brad Boyes if he won't re-sign with the Islanders is another option. If the Oilers don't mind giving up a decent prospect plus a draft pick, Nick Foligno on the Blue Jackets hasn't exactly had a brilliant season. I'd love to add him: Winger with size who plays chippy hockey. Let's just say the Oilers have options here and leave it at that.
L4: Brown - Smyth - Petrell
Oddly enough, this line is fine as a 4th line unit. I'd leave it alone.
D1 - Nick Schultz - Justin Schultz
Nick Schultz is over-matched trying to be a top pairing defenseman, but who's out there to get? The name I keep coming back to and will stick with is Mark Streit. Until the Islanders re-sign this guy, Streit will continue to be the best option available. Streit and Krueger have a history, so he'll come to Edmonton and re-sign here too. Actually, considering Streit's size and +/-, maybe you play him with Petry and Justin Schultz with Smid. Whatever works. The asking price for Streit would be a quality prospect, a 2nd round pick, and maybe a conditional 2nd pick (which could be as high as the Oilers 1st in 2014 based on Streit re-signing). The Message: If you want a puck-moving defenseman of significance, dig deep.
D2 - Ladislav Smid - Jeff Petry
Love both these kids. No issues here.
D3: Ryan Whitney - Corey Potter - Mark Fistric
I have no confidence in any of these. Should the Oilers pull out a magic deal, make the 3rd line pairing Nick Schultz and Ryan Whitney, and I'd feel fine with that. Nick Schultz is Steady Eddy. The Oilers can do whatever with this group and it wouldn't hurt.
Goaltending - Devan Dubnyk and Nikolai Khabibulin
There are some big fish out there available - Roberto Luongo and Miikka Kiprussoff - but the teams involved want too much for them. I'm happy with how Dubnyk/Khabibulin play.
Conclusion
The only real shot at a significant move over the next 28 hours or so is the Oilers acquiring Mark Streit. Chances of it happening are very slim. The Islanders are in the thick of a playoff hung and teams will outbid the Oilers for the defensemen. Oddly enough for being a team full of kids, the Oilers don't have many quality prospects they can part with. So it could be a really quiet deadline for the Oilers.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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