With the Edmonton Oilers possibly reaching their first postseason in 2017, the team may need some insurance as they take on the rest of the year.
That being said, Bob Stauffer mentioned some possible trade targets the team could look into come Feb. 28. One of them is Arizona Coyotes defenceman Michael Stone.
Edmonton Oilers
Stone, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound blueliner, is a solid player to flesh out the back end. He has one goal and nine points through 39 points this season but is a minus-7. Despite that, he is a physical, trustworthy defender with a lot left to learn.
The 25-year-old has 90 hits and 92 shot blocks this season but does struggle with turnovers and giveaways. Other than that, Stone has proven his potential to grow into a top-four defender who not only knows ho to be an all-around force.
Overall, he has an underrated point shot and is a physical player on both sides of the rink. Stone could evolve into a puck-mover and benefit from a change in location. If he were to come to Edmonton, he would turn into an important asset, especially going into the postseason.
The Truth Behind a Stone Trade
Stone becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. This means that he could go and join another team for a lot more money. Additionally, the team could also give away too much for a short-term rental, especially if he decides not to stay.
Considering the expansion draft, Stone isn’t protected. This could also lead to trouble, and lead to the Oilers protecting assets that they don’t necessarily want to protect. Of course, they could protect him by signing him to a contract extension with a no-movement clause prior to the expansion draft.
However, this is a sticky situation, and things get too complex for the team, especially when no one knows how he will live up to expectations.
In my opinion, this team could benefit from the services of Stone. Therefore, they should look into free agency options, but I wouldn’t move big names out for him.