Jim Matheson wrote a piece the other day confirming something I wrote about a month ago, that the Oilers have not had any contract negotiations with Jeff Petry and his camp is expecting to be traded. Keeping Jeff Petry out of the long term plans of the club is going to be MacT's Alamo. The monument will be a national treasure, I'm sure.
As Matheson reports, the Oilers did not offer Petry a long term deal in the summer, contrary to what many assume happened. Instead they seem hell-bent on moving out their best Defenseman. The reasons are unknown. The backup plan is unknown.
The list of teams that seem to be interested are Detroit, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Montreal. I would also add Calgary to that list considering the challenge they have ahead of them holding off the teams that are close to making the playoffs.
The last thing I want to see is Jeff Petry in a Calgary Flames uniform. The idea that the Oilers could spend the better part of a decade developing a good Defenseman just so he could help the Flames make the playoffs makes me sick to my stomach.
Any trade to a Western conference team increases the odds of making the Oilers look really bad. This is especially so if he signs an extension with that team before hitting free agency. Still, the Oilers can't really afford to pass up the best offer for Jeff Petry if they refuse to even try to negotiate a new contract with him.
If I were to guess a top 3 places Petry will end up at the deadline it would be Tampa Bay, Detroit, or Los Angeles.
1) Tampa Bay is a great team to target because their Defense is their weakness and they don't have a 2nd but they do have an extra 1st. The Oilers could add to Petry with a secondary prospect like Simpson/Gernat/Moroz and potentially grab another 1st in the Draft. It's a play I make every day of the week. The Lightning have struck out on all the other right shooting D so far and Yzerman has dealt with MacTavish before.
2) Detroit is Petry's hometown. He has family there and it would probably be a dream come true playing for them. If they are one of the teams that Matheson says have inquired about an extension the Oilers might be able to get more than a rental price for their pending UFA. If they were allowed to talk contract before a trade occurred it could be in Edmonton's favour (relatively).
3) Los Angeles is in seriously get of missing the playoffs even while being a very strong possession club. They have been down a Defenseman all season (for VERY good reasons) and they should be very aware of what Jeff Petry can bring to the table. I'm not sure if they would be willing to make a desperation move, but they haven't been in this position for some time. I would rate their chances of making the playoffs as very poor. They need all the help they can get.
Those seem to me to be the best teams the Oilers could target and maybe get the most out of in a Petry trade. Still, at the end of the day I would prefer if the team stepped up and made an offer to their best blueliner. You need to keep your best players and add to them, not swap them out for picks and prospects.
Mobile, right shooting, possession driving, defensively responsible Defensemen are rare in the NHL and that's why every playoff team is looking for one. The Oilers have one, for now, and are apparently extremely motivated to move him.
It took the better part of a decade for Petry to get his game to this level and giving up on him now is maddening. I don't hold out much hope that this management group is capable of assessing Defensemen or making the right decision with this player. Time will tell.
LINEUP
It's getting thin out there. Yesterday the entire Wagon line (still a dumb name) was MIA from practice. Hendricks was in his walking boot, Klinkhammer returned home because apparently being around while your wife delivers a baby is customary (and something that can't be unseen), and Gordon was just AWOL (probably trying to find a pair of those track pants that Winnipeg sells that will get you traded if you wear them). Gordon did not take the skate today but Henricks did, however Hendricks will not play. The roster is in serious limbo. Mix in Hall still hurt and Scrivens nursing his hamstring and you get one beat down roster. Should be a good one!
Purcell RNH Eberle Hamilton Roy Yak Gazdic Gordon(?) Fraser Pouliot Lander Pakarinen
Ference Petry Klefbom Schultz Marincin Fayne
Fasth
OILERS KEYS TO THE GAME
1) Enchantment Under The Sea. If Viktor Fasth doesn't take his mom to the Enchantment Under The Sea dance then he will continue to phase out of existence. The puck travelled right through him against the Senators as if he wasn't even there. I can't tell if he needs more time with his Goalie coach or with Doc Brown. He has had 4 straight games with a sub-.900 save percentage. Tough to win like that.
2) Rattling Sabres. In their last game Stafford scored a goal and Myers picked up 2 assists. The new guys are finding ways to contribute already and should still be just finding their niche in the lineup. I've long wondered what Myers could do if he wasn't forced to be "The Guy". He can log huge minutes and has all the physical tools to impact the game. We're still in the window where you see that initial boost when a player moves to a new team, but I think both of the guys they got will continue to contribute and maybe even flourish on a team like the Jets.
3) Get ready to be hit. The Jets have the 4th highest total hits in the NHL. They play an extremely physical game and seem to rub Edmonton's nose in it every chance they get. There are many times where a high hit count means you didn't have the puck at all, but the Jets are also the 6th best team in Corsi For %, which suggests that they carry the play just fine. They play a game of possession and when they get the puck back they make you pay for taking it away in the first place. Without Hendricks, Klinkhammer, or maybe Gordon the Oilers are all but crippled in the hit department. There isn't really a physical presence on the top line if Pouliot isn't playing there.
Puck drops at 6:08 PM Mountain Time on Sportsnet Oilers. Tank On!
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