Negotiation is all about finding an edge. Getting your hands on information that your opponent wouldn't want you to know can give you a psychological, financial, or strategic advantage and allow you to bargain from a position of strength. This is true in all negotiations, including National Hockey League trades. Specifically for this article, this applies to Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman, and potential acquisitions from an original six franchise in a bit of turmoil these days, the Detroit Red Wings.
Oiler fans know all about trading from a position of weakness. In the Oilers' past, along with Stanley Cups and NHL records, there are a multitude of reasons that the team ended up losing when it went to market with a player, or in search of one. Small market economics, poor team performance, the realities of being the northernmost franchise in the league. All of these factors came into play over the years. Some of them still exist today.
Detroit is a franchise in turmoil
Unlike the dominant clubs of the 1990s, 2000s, and even the 2010s to a lesser degree, the Red Wings are spinning their wheels, arguably even moving backward. The last time the franchise made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the 2015/16 season. They lost to a team on the rise, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and that was the end of an incredible streak of 25 straight postseason appearances for the Red Wings.
No playoffs for a decade is something unfortunately familiar to the Oilers. As are the trade demands of significant pieces of the franchise; and the turnover in the head office and coaching departments that so often accompanies on ice struggles. The Wings are likely to look very different by the end of next season, and one can expect them to perform poorly in the standings alongside the internal strife.
Steve Yzerman is no longer the general manager, instead getting the type of "promotion" that storied heroes of a franchise's past often do when they fail in their post-hockey careers. The search continues for a new GM, but whoever it is, the current roster won't be "their guys" and that's something clever opposing GM's can capitalize on.
Everyone is potentially available
While Dylan Larkin's trade request is widely known, he's surely not the only disgruntled player. Nobody likes losing. Some players may have made a request without the public becoming aware, and others may be willing to try new pastures, even if they were content to play out the year in Detroit. This extends from veterans to rookies, and all the way down the prospect list.
A few players worth considering:
- John Gibson (G) - 33 years of age - Career save percentage .910
- Justin Faulk (D) - 34 years of age - Right shot defenceman with offensive upside
- Alex Debrincat (LW/RW) - 28 years of age - Consistent offensive producer with three 40+ goal seasons on his resum
Edmonton has cap space, but Detroit also has the capability of taking on salary in return, having nearly $20 million in unused space currently. These are not the only players on the franchise that I'd be considering if I were Stan Bowman. With retention and an eye for what a true upgrade looks like, virtually any player on the roster might be had. After all, these were Yzerman's guys.
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