Edmonton Oilers: Potential Acquisitions – Central Division
Earlier this week I wrote an article seeing who the Edmonton Oilers could possibly acquire from the Pacific Division. In this article, I have gone through each team in the Central Division.
Arizona Coyotes
Antti Raanta (Current Cap Hit $4,250,00, 12GP-5W-0.905SV%) UFA
I do not think that the Oilers are going to be coming back with the same goaltending tandem as last season. So I think the Oilers will be on the hunt for one. After being replaced by Darcy Kuemper as the starter Raanta has been a solid backup goalie. Before that, he has had very good numbers as a starter, in 33 games in 2019-2020 he had a 0.921SV%. Which would be good numbers as a starter in Edmonton.
Phil Kessel (Current Cap Hit $6,800,000, 56GP-20G-23A) Trade
Phil Kessel would be an asset to the Oilers top 6. He is a pure goal scorer that has the ability to finish from anywhere. Being right-handed, he could be placed on the top powerplay unit and create a scoring threat on the left side. If you could get Arizona to keep some of his salary that would be even better.
Chicago Blackhawks
Brett Connolly (Current Cap Hit $3,500,000, 31GP-3G-3A) Trade
A good depth veteran. If the Oilers could do this trade and get Chicago to eat some of the cap on Connolly, it would be a move I would be okay with. Connolly was on the Washington Capitals team that won the Stanley Cup in 2018. He would be useful on your team as he could help with the playoff inexperience of this team.
Colorado Avalanche
Gabriel Landeskog (Current Cap Hit $5,571,429, 54GP-20G-32A) UFA
I don’t think Colorado is going to let Landeskog hit free agency, but anything is possible. I find this a similar scenario to what the Oilers have with Nugent-Hopkins. He has played through a lot of years with a bad team and the team is now having success.
I think if Landeskog tests the market he will get more money and term than Colorado can offer. It comes down to does he want to win or does he want money. The Oilers have more cap space to offer him more than Colorado and Edmonton also is starting to win. So if he leaves Edmonton could be a top landing spot.
Philipp Grubauer (Current Cap Hit $3,333,333, 40GP-30W-.922SV%) UFA
Looking to change out at least one goalie this offseason I think Grubauer would be an option. Grubauer could be a option as one part of a 1A-1B scenario. His save percentage has never been below .900. He has been a crucial part of the Avalanche’s success the last couple of years.
Dallas Stars
Jaime Oleksiak(Current Cap Hit $2,137,500, 56GP-6G-8A) UFA
Oleksiak is a big-bodied shut down defensemen. He is a player that would be able to take some of the Oilers’ shutdown minutes. He was paired with Heiskanen last season. If the Oilers were looking at bring up Evan Bouchard next season pairing him with a shutdown guy like Oleksiak makes a lot of sense.
Mark Pysyk(Current Cap Hit $750,000, 36GP-3G-1A) UFA
Pysyk is a Edmonton area guy who played his WHL career with the Oil Kings. After a more offensive season in Florida where he played a some winger, he played a bottom pair defence with the Stars where he was a +6 on a team that just missed the playoffs after having a COVID plagued season. He is a steady defenseman who I think the Oilers would use as a number 6 or 7 in their depth chart.
Minnesota Wild
Nick Bjugstad(Current Cap Hit $4,100,000, 44GP-6G-11A) UFA
Nick Bjugstad is a player I think the Oilers should really consider going after. He is something the Oilers don’t have, a right-handed natural center. He is responsible in his own end and does has the ability to contribute offensively scoring 15+ goals four times in his career. Check out this article by Silas Bengtsson for a deeper dive into Nick Bjugstad.
Ian Cole (Current Cap Hit $4,250,00, 52GP-1G-7A) UFA
Depending on if the Oilers are able to resign Adam Larsson, Ian Cole may be on the radar. Cole is a shut-down defenseman who has the ability to stop the cycle. He is older and slower than Larsson, but if cap and term was an issue in Larsson walking, you won’t have the same issues with Cole. He should offer a cheaper and shorter-term deal than Larsson.
Nashville Predators
Mikael Granlund (Current Cap Hit $3,750,000, 51GP-13G-14A) UFA
Granlund is a midlevel skilled center. He was the second-line center for the Predators last season. If he came to Edmonton I would like to see him play the 3rd line center role. He is getting older so if you can bring him in on short term contract I think he can help this team out in the faceoff dot where he was 51.8% last season.
Erik Haula (Current Cap Hit $1,750,000, 51GP-9G-12A) UFA.
Haula is a bottom 6 forward, with some skill to get you help get your team some depth goals. If he doesn’t get you some offence he will at least not hurt you. He could moonlight in the top six just like Zach Kassian does. I like the way Kassian plays when he is on. I think that Haula can come in for a cheaper cap hit and do a more consistent job.
St. Louis Blues
Mike Hoffman (Current Cap Hit $4,000,000, 52GP-17G-19A) UFA
If you are looking for a player to score you goals Hoffman will score you at least 25 a year. If the Oilers do bring in Hoffman do not expect him to be the first player back on the backcheck to lay down to block a shot. That is not his game. His game is to put the puck in the net and scoring goals is how you win games. Depending on price and term I would sign him. If Nugent-Hopkins doesn’t resign then he can play the left side on the powerplay.
Jaden Schwartz (Current Cap Hit $5,350,000, 40GP-8G-13A) UFA
A one-time 28 goal scorer Schwartz would be a nice fit in the Oilers’ top 6. Only getting 8 in the COVID shortened season, but getting 22 in the 71 games he played in 2019-2020. St. Louis has some good players on their team but they don’t have any superstars. Putting him with either McDavid or Draisaitl could bring him to a new career-high in goals.
Winnipeg Jets
Pierre-Luc Dubois(Current Cap Hit $5,000,000, 41GP-8G-12A) Trade
The Oilers currently have an excess of defensive depth. The Jets are weak in defense. With Dubios only having one year left on his deal I think he is one of the good trading chips Winnipeg has. With his lack of performance during the regular season and playoffs after the trade, the Jets aren’t that attached to him yet either. A defenseman, B prospect and a conditional draft pick could be enough to get him. Plus it helps the teams aren’t in the same division anymore.
Tucker Poolman(Current Cap Hit $775,000, 39GP-0G-1A) UFA
I don’t know if the Jets would move on from Poolman as he is a good option for a bottom 4 defenseman. If they do this is a player the Oilers may want to have a conversation with. He is not going to get you many goals or points but you do know what you are getting every time he is on the ice. He would play a very similar role to what Koekkoek did for the Oil this past season
This was my take on the Central Division. Keep an eye out later in the week for the final two divisions, the Metropolitan and the Atlantic.