For the first time in a long...long...long time the Oilers find themselves in a position where they might be buyers instead of sellers at the trade deadline. Looking to give their team an extra push in order to get into the playoffs and maybe go on a decent playoff run.
Our needs are nothing to break the bank on and are quite simple: a veteran winger who could play in a top 6 or top 9 role and a backup goalie who is anyone other than Jonas Gustavsson. The back up goalie position is one that honestly needs to be addressed now rather than at the trade deadline. Watching games that Gustavsson has started show why it is apparent the team does not feel confident starting him and why Talbot has played 29 of 33 games so far this season.
Allan Mitchel wrote a very good article on OilersNation.com last week on the trade assets the Oilers could use as trade bait to acquire players come trade deadline. Now here are the players that could benefit the Oilers and address their lineups needs and should be targeted at the Trade Deadline or perhaps even earlier than that.
Jarome Iginla
5,333,333 1 year remaining
I would absolutely love for the Oilers to acquire this player. Jarome would bring passion, leadership, and a winning intensity to the Oilers which would be extremley valuable to a young squad if they were to find themselves in the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. The 39 year old is off to a rough start to his 2016/17 campaign with 4 goals and 4 assist in 30 games. However he had 22 goals and 47 points last season and could definitely find chemistry playing alongside Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl or perhaps even McDavid. The Avs are playing absolutely horrendous this season and after Joe Colborne was obliterated by Alexei Emelin with ten minutes left in a 10-1 game he was to defeated to even stand up and defend for himself. However there was one..ONE player on the Avs who went in and stood up for Colborne. That player was Jarome Iginla and that shows the character and intensity he would bring to this Oilers team, and how much value his presence would bring to a young team fighting in the playoffs.
Radim Vrbrata
1,000,000 1 year remaining
Already has 8 goals so far this season after just 13 last year with the Canucks. Vrbrata is only two seasons removed from a 31 goal campaign and is a shot producing beast. Could be that perfect sniper to place next to McDavid. Only concern would be his speed, but with his goal producing and the amount of shots he puts on net the sky would be the limit when placed with an elite center like McDavid. Very low risk, high reward option here.
Thomas Greiss
1,500,000 1 year remaining
The New York Islanders have been a complete wreck this season. Greiss likely won't be available until closer to the Trade Deadline or maybe just after the Allstar break, as the Islanders are likely still holding on to hopes of turning their season around. Greiss had a save percentage of .925 last season and with the Islanders struggling this season it has dropped to a still respectable number of .912. Greiss has a career save percentage of .917 which is amazing for a backup goaltender. Acquiring Greiss would allow the Oilers to go with a 1A-1B tandem rather than our current situation of just having having Talbot play 90% of the games. Acquiring Greiss would also help give the Oilers a stronger goalie tandem than many of our competition and allowing Talbot more rest during the regular season could prove to be very valuable during the playoffs and in helping us get there.
Ondrej Pavelec
3,900,000 1 year remaining
Ondrej Pavelec is a player that is currently playing in the AHL and has no value to the Winnipeg Jets whatsoever. He could be had for dirt cheap and we could even get the Jets to eat some of his salary even though there is only 1 year left, in order to allow us to have room to still trade for a veteran winger. Pavelec has a career save percentage of .907 which is less than ideal. He also currently has a save percentage of .906 in the AHL, which is frightening. However, he is only one year removed from a .920 save percentage season and there is a chance he could find some of his old magic in a backup role with a new NHL team. This is a player we could trade for now and if it doesn't work out we could attempt to move him or bury him in the minors and call up Brossoit, or trade for a different backup goaltender at the deadline. With one year left on his contract there is virtually no risk and we could be bringing in someone who is potentially better than Gustavsson while still allowing our younger goalies like Brossoit and Ellis to further develop in the minor system.
Adam Girard
Writer/Co-founder - OILERS INSIDERS
No comments:
Post a Comment