The Edmonton Oilers’ blue line is among the many weakest within the NHL. It’s no secret.
Buoyed by the crew’s general play throughout the 2023-24 season, the Oilers’ blue line was routinely uncovered by their opposing groups’ prime gamers. Their core usually discovered themselves trapped beneath their aim line, unable to alleviate stress and switch the puck to their star teammates. Whereas Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard frequently stood out above the remainder, it shortly turned clear that if the Oilers needed to grow to be a extra constant crew and one able to hoisting the Stanley Cup, their defensive core would want to grow to be each deeper and extra succesful.
Within the offseason following their heartbreaking loss in Sport 7 of the Stanley Cup Remaining to the Florida Panthers, the Oilers wasted little time overhauling their protection core looking for enchancment. Vincent Desharnais inked a contract with the Vancouver Canucks, Cody Ceci was traded to the San Jose Sharks, and Philip Broberg was nabbed by the St. Louis Blues. On the flip aspect, Ty Emberson was added from the Sharks, and it seems as if Troy Stecher will declare extra constant ice time on the Oilers’ third pairing to start the approaching marketing campaign. Nevertheless, regardless of these additions and subtractions, you’d be hard-pressed to search out most of the opinion that Edmonton’s new-look protection core is dramatically improved compared to final season.
Associated: Oilers Protection Will Be Achilles Heel this Season
If the Oilers need to grow to be a extra competent and constant crew, and one that may defend nicely all through an extended season, they’ll want so as to add to their blue line. As is, their protection core is first rate, however as a crew with Stanley Cup aspirations, common merely isn’t ok. With that being mentioned, let’s check out 5 defenders the Oilers ought to goal this season through commerce to bolster their blue line.
Brian Dumoulin
2023-24 Crew: Seattle Kraken (Present Crew: Anaheim Geese)
Contract: $3.15 Million x One 12 months
Brian Dumoulin is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, a veteran of greater than 700 NHL video games, and a dependable defenseman on a cap-friendly contract that expires come the tip of this season. At 6-foot-4 and 210 kilos, Dumoulin brings nice dimension to the ice and is a cellular and efficient skater regardless of his towering stature. Just lately traded to the Anaheim Geese, he’s no stranger to blocking pictures or time on the penalty kill and is a minute-munching defender whose poise and confidence with the puck helps to enhance the play of the teammate he’s paired with.
Buying and selling for Dumoulin can be a wonderful transfer to bolster the Oilers’ blue line and enhance its depth. With two Stanley Cup rings, his presence and management can be invaluable to Edmonton of their ongoing seek for a championship. And whereas he doesn’t convey appreciable offense to the ice, it’s his calm and constant play that may profit the Oilers probably the most – transitioning the puck to Edmonton’s forwards to allow them to overwhelm opposing groups with offense whereas additionally thwarting scoring probabilities would make Dumoulin a key piece for the Oilers.
Erik Gudbranson
2023-24 Crew: Columbus Blue Jackets
Contract: $4 Million x Two Years
Though he doesn’t play a flashy sport, Erik Gudbranson is a strong defenseman who’s a terrific chief and makes wonderful outlet passes to his teammates. At 6-foot-5 and 225 kilos, he’s a bodily power who makes life tough for opposing groups’ finest forwards. Coming into the third season of his four-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Gudbranson averaged shut to twenty minutes of ice time per sport final season and was named as an alternate captain in his second marketing campaign with the crew. The third-overall alternative within the 2010 NHL Draft, he has skated in additional than 800 profession NHL video games and is as imposing as they arrive.
With two years remaining on his present contract at a cap hit of $4 million per yr, including Gudbranson may show to be tough for the Oilers from a monetary perspective. Nevertheless, if Edmonton may flip a participant to Columbus in return who carries a similarly-hefty wage – Evander Kane, for instance – a deal between the 2 golf equipment may very well be simpler than meets the attention. Including Gudbranson would give Edmonton a lift of toughness, a attribute which may very well be missing following Desharnais’ departure.
Kaedan Korczak
2023-24 Crew: Vegas Golden Knights
Contract: $825,000 x Two Years
The Vegas Golden Knights boast an extremely deep blue line and one that’s arguably among the many finest within the NHL. Nevertheless, it’s this embarrassment of riches that might make Kaedan Korczak an expendable asset, because the soon-to-be 24-year-old continues to face stern competitors in his hopes of incomes a full-time function inside the Golden Knights’ protection. Through the 2023-24 season, he skated in simply 26 video games with Vegas, and in these video games, he averaged a bit of greater than 16 minutes of ice time. A second-round choice within the 2019 NHL Draft, he’s knocking on the door for extra video games and ice time with the Golden Knights, however a larger alternative might not be within the playing cards for him due to their unimaginable depth.
Whereas it might be no straightforward process to pry one of many Golden Knights’ most promising younger gamers from their group, it may very well be a transfer that Korczak would welcome had been the possibility to be a constant and full-time NHL participant with the Oilers on the desk. A 6-foot-4 defensive-defenseman, he’s a powerful skater whose bodily play and skill to skate the puck out of bother can be of large worth to Edmonton and their model of play. If the fee to amass Korczak is nothing greater than a draft decide or Oilers prospect in want of a change of surroundings, including the teen may very well be a low-risk, high-reward transfer given his potential and reasonably priced contract.
Nick Leddy
2023-24 Crew: St. Louis Blues
Contract: $4 Million x Two Years
A primary-round draft decide, Stanley Cup champion, and a veteran of greater than 1,000 NHL video games, Nick Leddy has unimaginable expertise and stays an impactful two-way defenseman. Whereas his offensive sport isn’t as potent because it as soon as was, his capability to move and ship the puck to his forwards hasn’t wavered, which is why he nonetheless averaged greater than 22 minutes of ice time per sport with the St. Louis Blues final season. With 130 profession playoff video games beneath his belt, he can be a wonderful addition for the Oilers.
Like most gamers on this listing, the complication with any potential commerce involving Leddy can be his contract. Whereas his annual cap hit isn’t egregious, the Oilers would want to discover a strategy to match his annual wage into their cap scenario. By way of return, the Blues would certainly ask for an asset or extra of truthful worth for him given the 2 seasons remaining on his present deal. If the 2 groups may come to a deal, the Oilers can be including a participant excellent for his or her system and magnificence of play.
Jan Rutta
2023-24 Crew: San Jose Sharks
Contract: $2.75 Million x One 12 months
The Oilers and Sharks aren’t any strangers to 1 one other relating to transactions, so maybe the 2 golf equipment may swing one other deal whereas their telephones are nonetheless heat. After swapping Ceci and Emberson this offseason, the Oilers ought to have their sights set on Jan Rutta. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning and at 34 years previous, his profession has been lengthy and winding. Contemporary off of the finest season of his NHL profession with the Sharks this previous season and with one yr remaining on his present contract, it may very well be the proper time for the Oilers to convey Rutta into their group.
A pending unrestricted free agent, the value tag to amass Rutta from the Sharks definitely wouldn’t be a excessive one. As a crew set on buying draft picks and prospects to enrich their rebuild, the Sharks may very well be content material with a easy draft decide from Edmonton in alternate for the Czech native. Whereas this commerce may very well be extra prone to happen on the 2025 Commerce Deadline reasonably than earlier than the beginning of the season, including the 6-foot-3 and 200-pound defender would add on the spot depth and defensive prowess to the Oilers’ blue line.
Who’s the High Goal?
Whereas the Oilers would clearly profit from the addition of those 5 defenders, their prime goal throughout the 2024-25 season needs to be none apart from Korczak. With nice dimension and defensive instincts, he would inject fast poise and composure into Edmonton’s skinny blue line. Plus, at simply 23 years previous and with an reasonably priced contract over the following two seasons, he may very nicely develop right into a dependable and long-term piece for the Oilers within the years forward. A local of Yorkton, Saskatchewan, a transfer to Edmonton and a rise in enjoying time may very well be precisely what he must grow to be a daily NHL participant.
