The Edmonton Oilers were one of the teams rumoured to be in on Jacob Trouba earlier this season. Then, the New York Rangers dumped him and his massive contract on the Anaheim Ducks, for a bag of pucks and a set of goalie pads.
Now, say what you will about Trouba and his performance on the ice, the fact is that the Edmonton Oilers should not close the door on him. Just because the Ducks traded for the physical defenceman, it doesn’t mean they won’t be inclined to flip him for the right price.
Why do I get the feeling that Trouba could still be moved again this season? During the Ducks’ game this past week against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Leafs held on to beat them 3-2. As the game wound down, the Ducks skated off the ice following their loss, but as they headed to their dressing room, the scowl on Trouba’s face said it all.
It wasn’t one of those looks of frustration or anger at the loss. It was more one of the looks of desperation, the kind that says, “What the heck am I doing, here?”
It took me a minute to process the image. But when it hit me, I thought Trouba would be willing to move to a contender that really wants and needs him.
Enter the Oilers, who could well swoop in at this point and work out a deal with the Ducks that benefits both sides. Let’s face it, the Rangers lost big on Trouba. The Ducks stand to benefit even more by flipping Trouba later this season. It will come down to the trade deadline.
Time on the Oilers' side
The Oilers' claim of defenceman Alec Regula signals they are in the market for more blue-line help. While the Oilers missed out on Trouba, at least temporarily, the fact is that there are other defencemen on the market.
For instance, the Ducks flipped Cam Fowler to the St. Louis Blues for a depth D-man and a second-round pick. That trade signals that teams are open for business at this point in the season. It’s just a matter of waiting for the right deal to come along.
The best thing the Oilers can do right now is wait patiently for a good deal. Now is not the time to overpay for blue line help. Moreover, the Oilers are playing well at the moment. The club is third in the Pacific, one point back of the Los Angeles Kings and gaining ground on the Vegas Golden Knights at the time of writing.
With the Oilers 8-2-0 in their last 10 games, there is no need to push the panic button by any means. So, it seems GM Stan Bowman’s quest will be to see who’s on the market and what it will cost to bring them in. Fortunately, time is on the Oilers’ side.