Edmonton Oilers winger Jordan Eberle failed to impress this season and didn’t make a huge impact in the playoffs.
Eberle’s playoff numbers were not great, as he posted just two assists through 13 postseason games. His minus-6 was the worst on the team, and his struggles led him to a demotion to the bottom-six. Even with that, nothing sparked in Eberle’s performance, and he couldn’t bust out or step up for his team.
With Eberle not even doing well in the postseason or stepping up to the plate for different opportunities, one has to wonder: what is his future with the team?
Edmonton Oilers
Eberle’s Woes
The biggest problem he has had this season is hitting the net. A lot of his shots end up missing the net completely or being blocked by defenders. In fact, barely half of his shots this past year went on goal.
Looking at these numbers, it is concerning to see that a sniper like Eberle cannot get pucks accurately on goal. Not only does it wear down his reputation, but it also causes problems on a team that has a core playmaker. There has to be a high-scoring, accurate winger to complement the playmaking ability that comes from this team’s core.
Possible Future
Eberle’s value is high because he does have potential as a top-six winger. However, his scoring woes and hefty $6 million AAV may defer teams from giving up a lot for him. It is possible that Eberle could also remain with the team, but given their future, it does not look like Eberle, at least as he is now, will be a big part of it.
Edmonton can try to trade him in the offseason and get something in return, or they could very well leave him exposed for the expansion draft. Of course, the Vegas Golden Knights would definitely pick him up, and that would also help Edmonton in relieving cap space and protecting other assets.
There are many options for the Oilers moving forward, and they will definitely have to consider evaluating Eberle’s future.