A Sportsnet panel of NHL analysts dug into the biggest need for the Edmonton Oilers at the coming March 7 trade deadline, with ex-Oiler Luke Gazdic suggesting the team most needs help on the wing.
Host David Amber asked Gazdic if the Oilers have enough scoring talent around their two superstars, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.
“Right now, they don’t,” Gazdic said. “I think they do personnel-wise, they’re just not getting enough from them.”
Newcomer Viktor Arvidsson needs to score more and provide more pesky play, Gazdic said. “I think the bottom line is they need more from their depth. They cannot continually rely on the same two guys. That’s just not a sustainable way to run your offense.”
Analyst Jennifer Botterill disagreed with Gazdic’s take. “I might feel a little less concern than you do, Luke. I just think when you look at guys — whether it’s Nugent-Hopkins or Hyman — that haven’t had the point production that they have had in the last couple of seasons. But I also feel like there’s still time. You think about how you want to evolve throughout your season and when is the most important time, and I think when you have the two guys with McDavid and Draisaitl, and you still have 15 guys that have double digit points on the season. That’s just how the team is structured.”
Amber noted that the Oilers are still fourth in the NHL in scoring. “I’m just wondering when push comes to shovel and you know, every team’s going to game plan against #29 and #97 in a seven game series. Do you have enough?”
Amber concluded: “I can tell you the trade deadline is a month and two days from now, and Edmonton you have figure is going to be in the mix in some way, shape or form. And let’s not forget, E.K., Evander Kane, is going to be back in the mix. They it might be adding him as well, which would be a big, big addition.”
My take
1. Gazdic is not the first or only analyst or insider to talk about the Oilers needing another scoring winger. Bob Stauffer and Elliotte Friedman discussed this very need recently on Oilers Now.
2. It’s a long time in NHL days to the trade deadline. Much can and will happen. Injuries will occur. More will be known about the health of Evander Kane and his estimated time of return to the NHL. More will be be know about Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson and whether or not they can be counted on in the Top 6.
The Oilers will also see more of John Klingberg, Calvin Pickard and Stuart Skinner. How big a need do the Oilers have on defence? In goal? That will come down to how well Klingberg, Pickard and Skinner perform.
3. The Oilers don’t have a lot to give up in trade. If they keep trading away picks and prospects, how will that work out for them two or three years from now? They’re going to need a steady flow of young and inexpensive players to step up, as Ty Emberson and Vasily Podkolzin did this season. But you can’t trade away all your top picks and prospects and hope to win trades, as the Oil did with Emberson and Podkolzin.
4. My bet is that Skinner, Pickard and Klingberg play well enough that the Oilers don’t need another goalie or a Top 4 d-man. It could be that a top winger will indeed by the target, but I think a big, aggressive bottom line centre might hit the spot as well.
The key point today is that the Oil don’t have to decide for another month, and it likely pays to be patient, to see what arises and what their biggest need is come early March.
P.S. Noah Philp has been sent to Bakersfield, no surprise as he can now get in games during the two-week Four Nations tournament break.
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