Spencer Stastney's short stint with the Edmonton Oilers was fine, with the highs and lows relatively evenly spaced. He was a decidedly average player in terms of shot strength and shooting percentage, as well as being middle of the pack in skating speed. The defenseman, now a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins may yet develop into something more, but at almost 27 years of age, the most likely outcome is that he'll remain about where he is. With the logjam on defense for the Edmonton Oilers, and their stated goal of winning the Stanley Cup, they were probably right to make a change.
The player the Oilers received in return, FIlip Hallander, is not that different on paper, other than the position he plays. Only a few months younger than Stastney, the left-shooting center has similarly average National Hockey League statistics, in an even smaller sample size. Where the two differ other than position, is how and where their development time has been spent.
Swedish league and international play
Hallander has only played 18 NHL games in his career prior to today. A second round pick in 2018, his normal development curve may have been interrupted by the pandemic, as he only suited up 3 times for the Penguins prior to last season. Instead Hallander played for the Swedish Hockey League's Luleå HF and Timrå IK and made a number of international appearances with the Swedish national team as well. Hallander served in a depth role for the national club, but he was the leading scorer for Timrå IK in his last season there.
Hallander won individual awards as the best forward in the Swedish Hockey League, and the scouting reports consistently identify him as a high pace and hard working player. That sort of energy is exactly what a NHL club needs in its bottom six forward group. In limited minutes, Hallander should be able to use his size and speed on the forecheck, disrupting opposing teams and pushing the pace while the Oilers top players are off the ice. In a very small, two-game sample size this year, Hallander has managed to do precisely that. He joins the Oilers with a goal and two assists to his name already, in only 10ish minutes of playing time.
Given the recent string of injuries that the Oilers opened the season with, adding center depth seems like a good idea to balance the lineup and reduce the risk of overworking or injuring the team's stars. If Hallander can continue his strong play, he just might be more than a stopgap solution for the Oilers.
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