Edmonton Oilers Stay Quiet Ahead of Expansion Draft
By Sammi Silber
Just a day after rumors came out saying Jordan Eberle would be shipped out before the freeze, the Edmonton Oilers stayed quiet.
Each NHL team will finalize and make their expansion protection lists public Sunday. The deadline for trades prior to expansion draft was 3 p.m. EST Saturday. Until 8 a.m. EST Thursday following the draft, teams will not be allowed to make any more moves. Of course, teams can still make tradees with the Golden Knights only, starting Sunday at 10 a.m. EST.
Edmonton Oilers
Though the Oilers seem most definitely prepared to deal Eberle, they will not be trading him prior to expansion. Additionally, they have to add some pieces, including right wingers and another top-four blueliner, but again, that will happen later down the road. Though many were expecting some kind of trade, it was rather wise for the Oilers to stay quiet.
Wise to Stay Quiet
First off, a trade prior to expansion would complicate their protection plan. With the current projection, the Oilers will be able to use the 7-3-1 plan. This allows them to hang onto their stars while also protecting Mark Letestu and Zack Kassian. Of course, the Jujhar Khaira signing could mean Edmonton will protect Khaira those two players, but it could also just be another deal to make Khaira more appealing to Vegas.
If Edmonton dealt Eberle for a top-four defender now, they would have to use the 8-1 plan, likely leaving Kassian and Letestu up for the taking. The Oilers would lose a much bigger piece this way, so seeing them stay quiet and stick to the original plan now is a smart idea. Plus, there are still plenty of options for them waiting until after the draft.
Additionally, Edmonton may want to assess who they will lose and possibly organize some kind of deal with Vegas to get them to take someone like Benoit Pouliot. This way, they can look at what holes they have to fill before free agency kicks off on July 1.
Overall, the Oilers have a lot of options, and waiting instead of pulling the trigger was a smart move for them.