The bright minds of the NHL agree: the Edmonton Oilers are legit this year, but they’re also expecting a trade or two

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The bright minds of the NHL agree that the Oilers are legitimate this year, but Edmonton fans can expect to see a trade or two before the NHL trade deadline.

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested on the 32 Thoughts podcast that Oilers ace Connor McDavid now believes his team can win.

Co-host Jeff Marek suggested that the Oilers no longer just rely on McDavid to save them in games. “It’s different now in Edmonton.”

Friedman agreed. “It’s different. I do think they are going to come out to add (players). I do. It’s just a question of when. I think they are going to look at another goalkeeper, just depending on how everything goes. And I think they could look at a left shot. D. But he (McDavid) looks up and down and around and sees that this team is good enough to win. And I think this takes it to another level. “

On Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, NHL network analyst Brian Lawton echoed some of these thoughts: “The Oilers have shown everything you need to be legitimate, but I still hear people shooting at them: ‘Their game of Power is through the roof. He’s still led by two players. They don’t know what it takes to sustain him. They’ll have to answer that during the season. For me, yes, I think they’re there. I think their management is excellent. I think their training is top-notch. Dave Tippett doesn’t get enough credit because he never won a Stanley Cup … Well now he has a chance to get over the hump … I’m still waiting for a move or two from Edmonton before they’re done with the date trade limit this year. And if they do, then yeah, they’re 100% legitimate. Even if they don’t, I still think they’re a Top 8 team in the NHL and if you’re a Top 8 team in the NHL, you have the opportunity to do something. “

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My take

1. When did I tell you the beatings would end? The sarcastic comments about McDavid wanting out? The endless put-downs of the team? The beating stops when the team starts to win. That changes everything. And right now everything is changing for greasers.

2. You will see from the table above that Edmonton now has a strong Core 12. Their Top 7 forwards (two top lines and third center line), Top 4 d-men and the No. 1 goalkeeper are, as a group, impressive. Between Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen, the Oilers have done it on the net. The pairs of Cody Ceci and Duncan Keith, Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard / Tyson Barrie have been doing well. The first two lines are as good as the first two lines of any NHL team.

3. Derek Ryan started well at third center line, but has dropped. If you were to project Edmonton’s trade needs for a playoff run, you could prioritize bringing in another center over bringing in another goalie, at least if Koskinen continues to play well, Mike Smith recovers, and Stuart Skinner continues to look strong wherever he’s tending the ball. net. .

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4. Slater Koekkoek and Kris Russell have had their troubles as the third left-handed d-man pair. That’s another area where I hope the Oilers will make a deal, bringing in a veteran d-man at the deadline, just as Oilers general manager Ken Holland has done for two years in a row, acquiring Mike Green in 2020. and Dmitry Kulikov in 2021.

5. Philip Broberg is doing well in Bakersfield, but I don’t see Tippett or the Oilers betting on him or Dmitry Samorukov on the left side in the playoffs. They might as well get a few games in Edmonton, but Holland and Tippett will bring in a veteran for the playoffs, right? Does anyone disagree with me? We might well disagree on what the best tactic might be, but Holland’s record here is clear.

5. I still like Ryan downtown. It is fast and smart. But depending on how fast Ryan McLeod develops and how quickly Dylan Holloway recovers from injury and a long layoff when he returns to play, Edmonton’s main need appears to be a strong and capable third-line center. Of course, if the goalkeeper falls in part or there is an injury to an important player, things change quickly.

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6. If the Oilers are seeking help from Bakersfield this year, Seth Griffith or Cooper Marody can take on a deep end role in the NHL and probably get ahead, but with Holloway out and McLeod and Tyler Benson already in Edmonton, depth is lacking. onwards. On defense, Broberg, Samorukov, William Lagesson, Markus Niemelainen and Filip Berglund could get NHL games and probably defend themselves in a third pair. But I don’t really see any player in the Bake that Edmonton has in an NHL playoff run. There will be a trade or two then, with the Netherlands perhaps moving a defensive prospect to bring in the right player.

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