The Oilers defensive woes continue, and this was evident yesterday again the Sharks. Edmonton consistently have issues getting the puck out of the zone and seem disjointed and confused as to what to do. The rumour mill had indicated that the Oilers are taking a serious look at Oliver Ekman Larsson, but is this the correct course of action?
Oliver Ekman Larsson LD, Toronto Maple Leafs
I like how he plays and has shown that he can be quite effective offensively with 535 points in 1119 games. On the defensive side, he is a competent defender, but nothing outstanding. Furthermore, he is a left hand shot, which Edmonton already has in abundance. Should they acquire OEL, he would be deployed on the right side, which he has done, but will limit his effectiveness. He is at his best on the left side. I think OEL is a good player, but I'm not sure he fits well with a team already struggling to manage the puck in their own zone. If I were Stan Bowman and co, I would look exclusively at right hand shot defencemen.
I've looked around the league and targeted certain players the Oilers should try to acquire.
Colton Parako, RD, St Louis Blues
He's a great defender and was on team Canada for both the Olympics and Four Nations. He would solidify the Oilers D in a big way and make them a legit contender again. However, he has a full NMC and would need to waive it to come to Edmonton. Furthermore, the Oilers do not have the assets to pick him up unless they include Savoie or Howard, 2027 first rounder and even then, I don't think the Blues would do it. Also, the Oilers Cap space is an issue, as they would need to find a way to fit his 6.5 million dollar contract. I don't see that happening. It would be awesome , but it's a pipe dream.
Dougie Hamilton RD, New Jersey Devils
He's been in the rumour mill for a while and he woulds bring size, experience and mobility to the blue line. He has a monster Cap hit of 9 million, and again, assets and cap are a big problem for the Oilers. Unless the Devils agree to retain half his salary and the Oilers part with their 2027 first round pick, I don't think this happens either.
Connor Murphy, RD, Chicago Blackhawks
Another big boy standing at 6.04, Murphy would be a great fit for the Oilers. He blocks shots, hits, skates well and makes the simple plays, which is something the Oilers sorely need. They have enough offensive players, what they need is solid defensive d man like Murphy. His 4.4 cap hit could fit if the Oilers can move salary the other way. Furthermore, he's a UFA at the end of the year so I think the asking price is something the Oilers could afford. I think he should be at the top of their list.
Zach Whitecloud, RD, Calgary Flames
He has decent sizer at 6.02 and he checks all the defensive boxes ad like Murphy, he hits, skates well, has sound defensive positioning and reads the game well which is what the Oilers need. He should also be at the top of their list as he's signed to a 2.5 million per year for the following two season. I'm not sure the Flames would want to help the Oilers out but if they can make this trade, do it immediately.
Brandon Carlo RD, Toronto Maple Leafs
This guy is mean and has great size at 6.05. Again, he has all the attributes the Oilers need as he hits, is defensively minded and reliable, and is the type of guy you want in the playoffs, playing a take no prisoners style. Also, because Boston retained some of his salary when they traded him to the Leafs, his cap hit would be 3.485 ending in 2027. Edmonton would definitely need to part with their 2027 first rounder ,but I say do it without hesitation.
All in all, I would avoid OEL and target one of the players mentioned above, as they are solid top four right handed defensemen who would solidify the Oilers D core in a big way, and hopefully erase some of those atrocious turnovers and decisions in the D zone. The Oilers big issue in acquiring some of these players is the lack of a 2026 first rounder and elite prospects. Hopefully Bowman can make something work which will help the Oilers defend at the NHL level consistently.