Oilers could be set to turn to former Stanley Cup winner to boost defence

Despite entering the 2024-25 NHL campaign as favourites by the majority of media outlets to win the Stanley Cup, this didn't mean the Oilers were without concerns. Chief among these, is a defensive corps which just doesn't seem as strong as last season.

This concern was entirely understandable, after losing the like of Cody Ceci, Vincent Desharnais and Philip Brogerg during the offseason. As we've previously written, Ceci's leadership and likeability will be missed, Desharnais was a physical presence, and Broberg finally began to scratch the surface of his high ceiling during the Stanley Cup Final.

The blue line concerns only grew, following a disastrous home opener versus the Winnipeg Jets, when the Oilers were thumped 6-0. Yes it's only one game and that level of defensive calamity isn't going to be a regular occurrence -- at least you would hope not -- but is still something which needs to be gotten a handle of asap.

A potential option to help out in Edmonton

With this in mind, it does seem as if the Oilers are indeed looking at their options, to attempt to solidify the defenceman position. Consider comments made by NHL insiders Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun on Thursday, in an article for The Athletic:

"(Kevin Shattenkirk's) camp, led by agent Jordan Neumann, remains in constant communication with several teams, having in-depth conversations about his client’s potential fit. It’s believed the Edmonton Oilers are among the teams that have talked to them."

Now this isn't the first time Shattenkirk has been linked with the Oilers. Oil on Whyte's Devon Hladunewich wrote back in August, that the team should bring him in on a Professional Try-out (PTO).

Further, Shattenkirk himself has apparently expressed some interest in playing for the Oilers. As per Nick Horwat of Sports Illustrated during September, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said:

"You know who I heard would be interested in potentially playing there? Kevin Shattenkirk. That’s an example of what we were talking about. How Edmonton is coming off the list of places where people don’t want to go. ... I’ve heard that Shattenkirk would love to be a part of that team. If there’s a spot for him."

What Shattenkirk can offer to the Oilers

Now we appreciate that Shattenkirk has been known more for his offence than his defence during 14 seasons in the NHL. However, this doesn't mean he can't still offer some value to the Oilers on their blue line.

For example, it is noteworthy that the 35-year-old is a right-shot defenceman and could quite easily jump into a second pairing with Darnell Nurse. Shattenkirk's veteran leadership could provide a calming influence to Nurse, who is looking to rebound from last season's struggles, while also offering some stability after Ty Emberson's nightmare regular season debut for the Oilers.

On the other hand, even if Emberson begins playing better and Nurse returns to his form from before last season, Shattenkirk could just as easily slot in alongside Brett Kulak on the third pairing. It almost makes too much sense to bring in a player who knows what it takes to win a Stanley Cup, while also being renowned as a high character person.

We can understand those who have doubts connected to Shattenkirk's age, However, he performed just fine during last season with the Boston Bruins -- including playing in the playoffs -- is keeping himself fit and still has something to offer in the NHL.

Things look good financially as well

Now there is also the question of how much it would cost to sign the 2007 14th overall draft pick. In this respect, as per PuckPedia, at the time of writing it should be noted the Oilers have $291,775, along with another potential $5,124,947 courtesy of Evander Kane and his contract currently being on LTIR.

With the Oilers hoping to bring Kane back at some point during the regular season, his contract only offers temporay help in theory. However, helping the situation is that it shouldn't break the bank to sign Shattenkirk.

In this respect, the 2015 NHL All-Star played last season fo the Bruins on a one-year deal worth $1.05 million. Assuming he's prepared to suit up for a similar amount in 2024-25, then this is the type of figure the Oilers can certainly play with.

As a final note, it's worth pointing out Shattenkirk can also play on the power and penalty kill as and if required, helped by his mobility and strength. Now, we wait to see if he does actually end up in Edmonton, or if the Oilers feel confident enough to continue moving forward with their current blue line options.

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