Edmonton Oilers considering trade that would ‘shake things up’: top NHL insider.

The Edmonton Oilers named Stan Bowman general manager and executive vice-president of hockey operations on July 24, 2024. He was introduced by CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson. PHOTO BY SHAUGHN BUTTS /Postmedia

This in from NHL insider 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.

Let’s do this! The Cult of Hockey podcast. By the Faithful and for the Faithful. Today Bruce McCurdy and David Staples dig into the recent troubles around the Edmonton Oilers with the failure to retain Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway on budget contracts, the questions around Darnell Nurse and Evander Kane, and the quality of the Edmonton prospect pool. P.S. Podcast episode image by Patrick Phillips of The Oilers Fanatic podcast.

Talking with Cam Moon and Brenden Escott on Oilers Now, Seravalli said: “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, Seravalli 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, Seravalli said. If Kane was out, then got healthy and came off Long Term Injured Reserve during the season, Seravalli said, where would Edmonton find players to move out? There are no obvious trade candidates. It’s also the case that having Kane 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 he argued is a better player than any of the other unsigned veterans such as Tyson Barrie, Justin Schultz and Kevin Shattenkirk.

DeAngelo was waived by the New York Rangers in 2021 after he provoked a fist fight with teammate Alexandar Georgiev. DeAngelo has admitted being a hot-head in the past.

“All the intel that I have is that he’s a really well-liked teammate,” Seravalli said. “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.

DeAngelo had an iffy regular season in 2023-24, playing just 31 games with only 11 points, and -7. But he was solid enough to play nine games in the playoffs for Carolina. And in the two previous seasons, he had 42 points in 70 games and 51 points in 64 games. Of course, he worked the power play in those better seasons but who is to say Evan Bouchard will have perfect health this year? Would it not be wise to have a high-powered back-up on the payroll? DeAngelo could well be that player and he’s between four and six years younger than other players being mentioned just now such as Tyson Barrie, Justin Schultz and Kevin Shattenkirk.

4. I’m not sure I buy the argument about not matching Broberg or Holloway in order to keep salary cap flexibility. It all depends if Kane is going on LTIR — a situation as murky as mud. But if Kane is indeed LTIR-bound that would buy time for the Oilers to either move out another player or see if anyone else gets hurt as the season progresses. That newly-injured player might then be on LTIR and help the Oilers fit Kane under the cap when he’s fit enough to return to the line-up.

I suppose if the team had felt strongly enough about retaining Broberg or Holloway, it would have made such a move. Evidently, the Oilers did not feel so strongly, so good-bye Broberg and Holloway it was.

5. Seravalli also wondered why the Leon Drasaitl contract negotiations were not yet wrapped up. Seravalli did not make a big deal out of it, but nonetheless raised it.

I’m not worried yet, as there could well be a larger discussion going on between Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid about what each of these players might want in order to both keep the team together but also have the cap space to keep the team competitive. That would not necessarily be a quick or easy discussion. Of course, I’m no insider, I’m just speculating.

6. Good to see Seravalli stand up for second chances for players like DeAngelo. This is the age of cancellation and rapid, self-righteous and sometimes merciless judgement, often based on the barest of facts or misinformation. It’s also the case that the road to success isn’t paved by angels, nor by blustering armchair critics, but by individuals who know how to work with others and get the task at hand done well. If DeAngelo is such an individual, he should be welcome on the Oilers.