The Edmonton Oilers have made another trade. Nick Bjugstad is heading to the Oilers in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick and AHL defenceman Michael Kesselring.
The Oilers needed help in the bottom six of their forward core, and there was arguably no better and cheaper option than Bjugstad on the market. He is 6-foot-6, plays with speed, and has 23 points in 59 games for the Coyotes. His stats won’t blow you away, but he steps into a bottom six that is desperate for a physical component and will provide just that. For only a third-round pick, this was a good addition for the Oilers as they gear up to try and win the Pacific Division over the next two months or so. They currently sit third in the Pacific Division with 20 games remaining, trailing the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights, who have each made big additions of their own.
With Connor McDavid playing at a historic pace, the Oilers must take advantage and go all-in this season. This move only moves them closer to being a Stanley Cup contender, and the acquisition cost was relatively cheap. Simply because of cap space, this is likely the final move the Oilers will make at the 2023 Trade Deadline unless they shock the world.
This comes just two days after the big-ticket acquisition of Mattias Ekholm. Ekholm proved how valuable he will be to this franchise in his debut, which was a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Oilers have a home-and-home series against the Winnipeg Jets coming up, in which you can expect Bjugstad to make his debut with the team. The Oilers have a record of 4-3-3 in their last ten games and will attempt to go on a run to start the month of March with their new-look lineup.
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