The Oilers need a Defenseman and getting one is going to be nigh impossible. Nobody wants to give one up, certainly not if they are in the playoff hunt and even the Oilers arent completely out of that yet (hope can survive a few weeks longer maybe). So if the team wants a shiny new blueliner they’re going to have to search pretty hard to find one. What might be available right now, however, are high priced 3rd line wingers. Luckily for the Oilers, there happens to be a high priced 3rd line winger in Winnipeg who just might be an exceptional defenseman in disguise. Naturally I’m referring to Dustin Byfuglien.
For reasons yet to be comprehended the Jets took a perfectly good Defenseman and transformed him into a Forward. He doesn’t really like playing as a forward. He very much openly admits that he wants to be a defender again, but the powers that be in Manitoba have decided against it. If they have reasons that make sense for it they’ve kept them secret like it’s the answer to how they get the caramel into the Caramilk bar.
Byfuglien is 6’5…, 260lbs, and 29 years old. He’s a big man and was at one point an effective point producing defenseman who was also a positive possession player. Last year the Jets really started tinkering around with their roster and decided that it made more sense for them if Big Buff played as a Right Wing. He went on to collect 22 points in 32 games (0.688 p/g). He had 34 points in the previous 46 games (.739 p/g) so their plan to add more offense obviously didn’t exactly pan out. They actually robbed themselves of offensive opportunities.
Additionally, the Jets have had Byfuglien skating on a line with Lowry and Perreault for most of this season. Lowry has 1 goal and no assists. Perrault has no goals and 3 assists. The team is basically sending him out on an island to die at their own expense. The results have been less than stellar and they have really nobody to blame but themselves. Byfuglien has 16GP, 2-3-5 in the traditional numbers. That’s not good enough for a player with a 5.2M dollar price tag.
The Jets have to be wondering if it’s worth it to keep him around at more than 5M a season if he’s playing on the Wing and not producing. The fact is that contract is an albatross if the Jets refuse to play him as a defender or at least on the top lines. They couldn’t have done more to reduce his value in the trade market than by turning him into a bland winger and he’s exactly the kind of gamble the Oilers need to take.
The Oilers need a volume shooter on the back end. Byfuglien already has 55 shots this year and hasn’t been under 200 in a full year since his 1st full NHL season in 2007-2008. Just for the sake of comparison, Justin Schultz is on pace for 112 shots this season which would also be his career high. The Oilers need someone physical. Guess who leads the Jets in hits with 54? The next highest total on the Jets is Ladd’s 45. The Oilers need a Defenseman. Dustin Byfuglien is one, no matter what the sad sack Jets say otherwise.
There’s a 3rd line RW rotting on the vine out there instead of playing Defense. He’s a big, right shooting, point producing, physical, volume shooter whose value HAS to be lower today than it ever would be if he was actually playing his natural position. I am making the phone call every day to see what’s needed to let Edmonton take that 5.2M Cap Hit off of Winnipeg’s hands.
Do they need a defenseman? Jeff Petry is available. Beyond that there’s a stable of young defensemen in the system that could be added. The Oilers are acquiring a 3RW with loads of salary in this trade proposal, so don’t expect Jordan Eberle going the other way. That said, what will it take to make it happen? The Oilers want what Byfuglien can provide and the Jets are cutting off their nose to spite their face.
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