This in from Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff, his take that the Edmonton Oilers are considering a significant trade, not just bringing in a veteran d-man on a Professional Try-Out.
Talking with Cam Moon and Brenden Escott on Oilers Now, Seravalli: “The Oilers have options. They are pursuing those options. There are other things that Edmonton is looking at I think, including a potential trade that could shake things up a little bit more than just maybe the PTO route.”
This trade could happen before training camp, Servalli said. “The thing is it’s so fluid right now. I think there are seven different scenarios that Stan Bowman and his staff are probably looking at. They’re looking at a lot of different options around the league.”
The Oilers decided not to match on Philip Broberg or Dylan Holloway because of the uncertainty around Evander Kane’s injury situation. If Kane came off Long Term Injured Reserve during the season, Seravalli said, where would Edmonton find players to move out? It’s also the case that having him on the roster and not on LTIR allows the team to accrue cap space for a bigger move down the road.
Seravalli also mentioned that the Oilers should be interested in Tony DeAngelo, 28, who is a better player than any of the other unsigned veterans such as Tyson Barrie, Justin Schultz and Kevin Shattenkirk.
“All the intel that I have is that he’s a really well-liked teammate. Have there been some skirmishes that have popped up over the course of a career? Did he gain notoriety for his Twitter account? Those things are all true. Some of them are true. Some of them have become legend. But I think what you’re talking about is the potential for a 50-point defenceman on your team that is still in his 20s that is ready, willing and able to play for close to league minimum and would absolutely love to be in Edmonton.”
If the goal is to win, teams can’t hold a popularity contest when it comes to bringing in players, Seravalli said. “Are we looking to have a team of nice guys who win in the community? Or are we looking to have a team that wins the Stanley Cup? I think there is a way to blend both of those missions.”
My take
1. Again, Seravalli is one of a handful of leading NHL insiders. He’s a credible source. If he suggests here that the Oilers are looking at a bigger move, he’s heard it from a solid source, he’s not just making it up.
2. Edmonton has a Philip Broberg-sized hole at second-pair right shot defence. The Oilers are in desperate need of a d-man who can step up and fit in well with Darnell Nurse. That player is likely a right shot player who is extremely adept at reading the play and moving the puck smartly. Nurse can provide the defence and ferocity on the pairing, but he needs a partner with exceptional hockey IQ and top drawer puck-moving skills.
3. As I’ve said before, I see DeAngelo as a good bet. If there are any real questions about character, Nurse can help answer them, as he was DeAngelo’s teammate for half a year in Sault St. Marie.