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Edmonton Oilers Trade Rumors: Could Eberle Be Dealt

By Sammi Silber |
Dec 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Edmonton Oilers right wing Jordan Eberle (14) skates with the puck as Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Mark Streit (32) defends during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Edmonton Oilers right wing Jordan Eberle (14) skates with the puck as Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Mark Streit (32) defends during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Edmonton Oilers winger Jordan Eberle has struggled greatly this season, to the point where he’s no longer putting up first-line numbers.

So far this year, Eberle has not been able to shoot accurately on goal, and only has eight goals in 39 games this season. Out of 100 shots this season, 43 percent of them have missed the net completely, and barely over half of them made it on net.

Prior to Thursday’s game against the Bruins, Edmonton demoted Eberle to the third line, which greatly decreases his value. The Oilers clearly need to find a quality, high-scoring right winger, and with Eberle not stepping into that role, they should shop him before his value goes down too far.

Eberle’s Potential

The 26-year-old winger is in the last two years of his six-year, $36 million deal. He usually has the potential to snipe pucks and was said to be working on his shooting in the offseason. This year, however, not only has he struggled to score, but he appears slow and sluggish. This is a problem for a still-young winger who has a lot of potential to improve his game.

However, our struggling Eberle can be another team’s treasure. As seen with Justin Schultz, Martin Marincin and company, improperly developed Oilers can become assets to their respective clubs. Other teams could tailor Eberle to fit their needs, and with fewer expectations, they could get him back to form.

On the Block

According to TSN insider Darren Dreger, the asking price for Eberle is high. However, there’s a risk of that price going down if Eberle is demoted to the fourth line.

“…He’s been one of the Edmonton Oilers’ players that is a big part of the core. But if he’s no longer that, even on a short-term basis, that’s going to ignite some kind of short-term market.” – Darren Dreger

Next: Eberle Demoted, Davidson Sick and More Practice Notes

The Oilers need to start shopping him before he becomes a fourth-liner with the team. Surely his name has a lot of buzz, because he is a proven goal scorer with room for growth. However, if the asking price is high enough, the Oilers need to make their move, and fast.

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