This was what is expected to be the last NHL Trade Deadline for Edmonton Oilers General Manager Ken Holland. The roster we have between now and the whole Playoffs is what he will retire on. If you need a refresher, let’s go over how he did.
Forwards: The whole world knows what this team’s offense is capable of. A top 6 right winger was needed, but scoring down all four lines shouldn’t be a problem if the coaching staff just leaves successful lines alone. Maybe Dylan Holloway will come back from the AHL at some point and provide a top 6 or middle six spark, but I doubt there’d be permanent room on the roster for him now. If Jordan Eberle had not re-signed with the Seattle Kraken, he would’ve been traded on Deadline Day, and Holland was reportedly keeping tabs on him. But he did re-sign, and there will be no reunion party. Another trade target the Oilers were in on was Vladimir Tarasenko, but it was noted after his trade that he only wanted to go to the Florida Panthers. Edmonton did acquire Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick from the Anaheim Ducks. Carrick showed his worth to the team in a fight during his Oilers debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets when the Oilers were down 3-0. He’ll take face-offs, kill penalties, and add more physicality to the 4th line. In team practice, Henrique was centering the third line between Evander Kane and Corey Perry. That line could be a problem for teams in the Playoffs. Bringing in a guy who was on pace for 55 points and his 7th 20 goal season while on the 30th place team without subtracting a roster player or a decent prospect is something that Holland deserves props for. He’ll provide what Carrick provides but also add more secondary scoring. For a roster that’s improved defensive play on good days, we’ll now see even stronger two-way play from the forward group. But after seeing the returns for some other forwards, I also don’t like that this cost Edmonton their 1st round pick this year.
Defense: After the Calgary Flames traded Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars, it was reported that Edmonton offered Cody Ceci and a 1st round pick. Flames GM Craig Conroy turned down his provincial rival, keeping the Battle Of Alberta alive and well. Alex Carrier was in trade rumors, but the Nashville Predators will hang onto him. Why wouldn’t they when they’re in a Playoff spot? Before puck drop on Thursday, the Oilers traded for Troy Stecher. He is a solid #6 or #7 option for the sake of depth. Much to the chagrin of the Oilers faithful, Ceci is still on the team. Truth be told, Ceci isn’t as bad of a defenseman as he’s made out to be. But he’s also not good enough for top 4 minutes. Fans were hoping to get a better right-handed partner for Darnell Nurse but will instead hope that he and Ceci eventually improve as a pair or that he can keep playing well with Vincent Desharnais while Ceci plays sheltered 3rd pair minutes with Brett Kulak.
Goaltending: Whether at the blue line, between the pipes, or among the forwards, preventing goals was the team’s bigger issue in last year’s Playoffs. Holland stated a couple of weeks ago that he would not go after a goalie. It seems fair to agree with him. It is Stuart Skinner’s net, he has been pinned as the team’s future in that position. Calvin Pickard has served the backup predicament well since Jack Campbell went down to the AHL. Will his solid play in the regular season carry out in the Playoffs? Or will they give Campbell his shot at redemption, given how good he’s been for the Bakersfield Condors? MacKenzie Blackwood and Jake Allen were viewed as trade options in November when Edmonton’s goalies couldn’t stop anything. At that time, their stats were good in spite of the teams they were playing behind. You could argue that they would be better behind the Oilers, but their stats have worsened as the season has gone on. Some analysts liked the idea of bringing in Marc-Andre Fleury because he has the Stanley Cup pedigree and can be a positive presence in the locker room. But he has no desire to leave the Minnesota Wild, and that will end his Playoff clinching streak at 17 consecutive seasons. Let’s hope Pickard continues his solid play up until Game 82 so Skinner doesn’t burn out again before Round 1. Perhaps we once again see the version of Campbell from Game 4 against the L.A. Kings last year.
Final Thoughts: This wasn’t an amazing Trade Deadline, nor was it the most unholy Trade Deadline ever. As the TSN panel put it, “Not flashy but functional.” If you’re only looking at this team’s moves, it was a good week. If you’re comparing them to moves made by other teams, especially on the day of, it was underwhelmingly average in what has been called a Cup Or Bust year. I understood what Holland meant when he once said, “You can’t go all in every year,” and you can’t blame him for the circumstances that I mentioned above. However, the final year of his contract and career, which many hockey fans view as the defining moment of his legacy, during the prime years of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, was the year to go all in. He decided to trust the comradery that the leadership group feels among their teammates, and we’ll see if that’s enough to win the big prize. It was more than enough to dig themselves out of their early season hole. A year after making an A+ trade for Mattias Ekholm, I give his Deadline this year a C+. My perspective on the entirety of his five year tenure in Edmonton will depend solely on the results of this postseason. I still remain optimistic because the Playoffs are unpredictable every year. Some teams finish first or second overall in the standings, add more pieces, some substantial, and then choke in the first round. I still remember the Oilers being mocked heavily for their 2021 offseason, but then they went to the Conference Finals in 2022. The stat sheets are cleared after the last game of the regular season. If the Stanley Cup was won on paper, the games wouldn’t have to be played.
Are you satisfied with this year’s Trade Deadline? Are you not? Let me know.
