3 Edmonton Oilers that will be traded after the New Year

2 of 4

The Edmonton Oilers are in a midst of a funk, with a record of 4-4-2 in their last 10 games and sitting outside the playoff wildcard behind their Alberta nemesis, the Calgary Flames. The team is still in the hunt for the playoffs, however after being in the Western Conference Finals a season ago, the expectations coming in this year was much higher.

So far this Edmonton Oilers Season

This poor showing by the Oilers before the start of the New Year leaves everyone to wonder if there will be changes to this line up. Whether or not Ken Holland decide to make a major shakeup or do minor adjustments is completely up to them, but they cannot sit on their hands and do nothing and watch this underperforming Oilers plummet in the standings.

The Oilers have so a lot of question marks on the team, and with limited room to operate due to salary cap restrictions, it will take creative thinking from Holland and his team. I am not saying trade these players just for the sake of trading and dumping their salary, what I am saying is some of these players might need change of scenery and trading them away will benefit the Oilers to reach their true potential this season.

The Oilers cannot let the McDavid and Draisaitl Stanley Cup window to close. It is now or never for this team, another missed or early exit from the playoffs will be detrimental to the Oilers in trying to convince those two superstars to stay in Edmonton. With everything said, here are the 3 Oilers that will be traded after the New Year.

Nov 30, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Edmonton Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi (13) talks with referee Beau Halkidis (48) during the second period of a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports /

RW Jesse Puljujarvi

This will not come in as a surprise to everyone, as last offseason, there were loud rumors regarding the Oilers’ willingness to trade the disgruntled winger, Jesse Puljujarvi. However, nothing materialize and all trade fires were splashed away with ice cold water and Jesse was still with the Oilers.

The reluctance of Ken Holland to part ways with Puljujarvi during the offseason for no less than a second rounder proved to be costly. Holland was trying to sell high on an underperforming player with the hopes that Jesse will figure it out somehow. So far, that gamble by the Oilers management has not paid off as Puljujarvi has only managed to score 2 goals with 8 assists and a -12 +/- in 35 games this season. Those are horrendous numbers considering the Oilers gave Jesse every chance to be with McDavid on the top line especially with Evander Kane gone due to the wrist laceration he got against the Bolts.

Now the Oilers will be lucky to even trade Puljujarvi for maybe a fourth rounder at best. However, this trade must be done, as both sides need a change and the Oilers will have nothing to lose if the trade Jesse as it is believed he will go back to Europe after this season.

SUNRISE, FL – NOVEMBER 12: Teammates congratulate Tyson Barrie #22 of the Edmonton Oilers after he scored a second period goal against the Florida Panthers at the FLA Live Arena on November 12, 2022 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /

D Tyson Barrie

This particular trade might be a head scratcher for some, but the Oilers definitely have to look to trade right handed scoring defenseman, Tyson Barrie. Most will question why on Earth will the Oilers trade Barrie who has scored 27 points this season. However, if we dig much closer to Barrie’s production, most of his points are coming from man advantage, which is 19 points.

If he plays alongside Draisaitl and McDavid on the powerplay, points will be of abundance for sure. The Oilers have up and coming scoring defenseman in Evan Bouchard, having Barrie in the lineup pushes down Bouchard in the depth chart, and hindering his progress. By trading Barrie who is a liability in the defensive end, will free up the lineup and also freeing up $4.5 million for 2023-2024 season.

That cap relief will be a welcome gift for the Oilers as they try to look to extend the aforementioned Evan Bouchard next season. Of course, the Oilers will have to find a team that will be willing to take Barrie’s cap hit, and that is the tricky part for Ken Holland. We might see a three-team-deal involving a team like Arizona who can absorb that cap space.

The Oilers need to move Barrie after the New Year as they can still sell him high to a team that is in dire need of scoring from the back end.

ST PAUL, MN – DECEMBER 12: Darnell Nurse #25 of the Edmonton Oilers shoots the puck against the Minnesota Wild in the first period of the game at Xcel Energy Center on December 12, 2022 in St Paul, Minnesota. The Wild defeated the Oilers 2-1. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /

D Darnell Nurse

Call this crazy, absurd, anything, but Ken Holland must correct this contract mistake as soon as possible. There is no doubt about the talent of Darnell Nurse, it is not the problem, the issue is giving a big chunk of money to a player who cannot perform to the potential of the money given.

Everyone will agree that the $9.25 AAV given to Nurse by the Oilers was an overpay. Last season, and even in the playoffs, we can move past that as he was dealing with a bunch of injuries, but this season, Nurse has been for the most part healthy, but still producing paltry numbers. Not only that he is not performing compared to his contract, he is making costly errors on the defensive end that a top pairing defenseman should not be making.

I get, it will be tough to move this massive blunder of a contract by Nurse, but the Oilers need to somehow explore the idea after the New Year. Paring Nurse with Puljujarvi on a trade might not be a bad idea. After all, most teams would like to have a young defenseman, but again, it will take some maneuvering from Holland to make this one work.

Home / Analysis