Now we come to the coldest possible seats on the list. These guys are in the conversation but probably won’t be moved unless a surefire upgrade comes along.
1. LW/RW Warren Foegele
Foegele is a Jekyll and Hyde type of bottom sixer, someone who is either doing fantastic or makes you cringe depending on how you look at him.
Foegele is great at producing secondary offence. He finished the season last year in Carolina with 10 goals and 20 points in 53 games. At the time of this writing he’s only one point off that total from last year, albeit with three less goals.
That being said, Foegele has been a defensive nightmare this season, having been as bad as -15 this season, good for worst on the team. He’s been a big beneficiary of the coaching change, as since he, Nuge, and Ryan have been put together his +/- has gone down to -12, which is still the worst mark on the team but is at least better.
You’d expect better on that number for a guy making $2.75 million as a bottom six forward. He was +4 last season in Carolina, so we know he can be better.
If Holland can find a guy who is better defensively and can put up the same points as Foegele or better, he just might pull the trigger.
That being said, I can’t see Foegele moved in the short term as he, Nuge, and Ryan have formed a great third line that’s been chipping in more since the coaching change.
2. C/RW Derek Ryan
Ryan was originally brought in as a guy who would be the go-to fourth line center and maybe even push for third line center.
Well, Dave Tippett gave him a chance at both at different points in the season and he didn’t have any sustained success in either position.
Although four goals and 10 points are respectable totals for a fourth liner, at least meeting the bare minimum, like Foegele he’s been a beneficiary of the coaching change, being moved to the wing and doing much better with less defensive responsibility.
Since Jay Woodcroft put he, Foegele, and Nuge together as a third line, Ryan has had four points in the six games since he was moved on that line, and finally found a regular spot in the lineup. Prior to then he’d produced next to nothing in the beginning of the season and then produced points in bunches in January before being moved to the aforementioned third line.
Who knows if this will be sustained for the entire season but at least for the moment Ryan is a regular in the bottom six.
Like Foegele, his +/- has gone in the right direction as well, being a ghastly -11 earlier on in the season and improving to -8, still second worst on the team next to his linemate Foegele but at least better than it was before.
3. C/RW Kailer Yamamoto
If anyone needed any proof that players rarely develop in a straight line, Yamamoto is the poster boy for that.
Yamamoto has done OK this season, and is certainly contributing but I have a feeling if Holland can find an upgrade on Yamamoto as more of a finished product, he’ll pull the trigger and trade him.
Yamamoto has been up and down the lineup all season, as he’s been a bit of a streaky scorer. He’s had a lousy October, December, and February, going many games between producing points being plagued by inconsistency.
That being said, it’s not unusual for a 23 year old to be seeing this kind of swing in production. He just needs to be more consistent and he’ll certainly be seen as 100% a core player that there won’t be any heat on at all.
Furthermore, the McDrai duo have both publicly professed their love of playing with him, and if those guys are in your corner it’s unlikely you’ll be moved.
But, don’t count it out. Yamamoto’s name has come up in rumor’s – which of course are not always right but sometimes where there’s smoke there’s fire.
After all, the Edmonton Oilers are in win now mode so although Holland is smart enough not to give Yamo away for nothing, if there’s a clear upgrade at the position and they can make the cap space work, he might actually make the trade.
Not only does Yamo have time on his side, but he’s one of only five players on the roster with 10 or more goals (although Bouchard is close with nine). That’s not nothing.
On the other hand, one major red flag on a team that is currently second worst in their division in goals against, Yamo sits at third worst on the team at -7, just above Derek Ryan. That’s also way down from the +9 he had last season. That’s also not nothing.
I would say overall Holland may listen to offers for Yamo but he’s not trading him unless there’s a clear upgrade to be had.