Looking at three potential trade options from the current roster, to help the Edmonton Oilers resolve their goaltending issues.
In recent games, Stuart Skinner has been holding down the fort for the Edmonton Oilers while they continue their ongoing search for his goaltending partner. Overall, he has provided some mixed results so far, with stellar games mixed in with some mediocre ones. Nevertheless, at least Skinner has gone 5-2 in his last six starts, keeping the team afloat for now.
How long Skinner could keep it up remains to be seen however. The Oilers desperately need some help behind the pipes to work in tandem with him in the long run for the team to be successful.
Recently, we had suggested the idea of trading potential prospects in the Oilers system to help accomplish their goal. However, with their pipeline of prospects on the relatively weak side compared to other teams in the NHL, it might not be enough to get them a goalie of decent quality.
Perhaps the Oilers can look to some of their players on the current roster instead, to see if they would be more attractive trade chips for opposing teams to consider. In that case, who from their everyday lineup could be made available to help them net their much-needed backup goalie? Here, we take a look at three potential players that could get the job done:
Ryan McLeod
As a former second-round selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Ryan McLeod needed a couple of years of development before finally making his debut with the Oilers during the 2020-21 season. Last year, he put together his strongest season to date, with 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 57 games played.
McLeod also added five assists in 12 playoff games, as the Oilers reached the second round. In doing so, he received a two-year contract extension from the team this past offseason with an AAV of $2.1 million.
However, McLeod has struggled coming out of the gate so far for the Oilers in 2023-24. In 19 total games, he has yet to register a goal, and has only four helpers to show for.
At 24 combined with his contract, McLeod could be an intriguing prospect to be developed further on a young and growing team. Furthermore, with his primary position being centre, he should be enticing to any team lacking depth down the middle.