Stop us if you've read this before, but the Edmonton Oilers really do need to make a move or two prior to the Mar. 7 trade deadline. If this wasn't clear to Stan Bowman and the rest of the front office previously, it certainly is now following a season-high four-game losing streak.
Whether it's a quality upgrade in to the middle six, the top four, or between the pipes, something needs to be done. There are far too many players either not playing up to their ability or just simply not good enough, to be able to stand pat with the current roster.
Of course, just because the Oilers need some new blood, it isn't exactly a straightforward situation. For example, what will the organisation be prepared to offer as part of any potential return package, to acquire the player or players they aim for (if anyone)?
Oilers prospect on the table?
Well, one piece which is apparently going to have to at least be considered to put on the table, is one of the Oilers' better prospects. According to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, teams are going to be asking for Shane Lachance in any trade talks.
According to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required), Lachance is ranked sixth among Oilers prospects. Even allowing for the team's farm system being one of the worst rated in the entire NHL, the winger still has quality - in fact enough to seemingly entice other teams to show an interest in acquiring him.
Lachance was selected by the Oilers in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL entry draft and the first thing which stands out is his size, at 6 foot 5 and 218 pounds. As you'd anticipate, he's a physical player, but there is more to his game.
Shane Lachance appears to have a promising future
The 21-year-old is comfortable on the puck, has excellent anticipation around the net and is growing in confidence. He shows excellent leadership skills as evidenced by being captain with Boston University, and the projections are for him to reach the NHL by the 2027-28 seaon and become a regular in the bottom six.
Lachance has been excellent so far during his second season in the NCAA. At the time of writing he has produced 25 points (10 goals and 15 assists) in 32 games, and should easily surpass last season's total of 27 points.
Now we can appreciate that some Oilers fans might be reluctant to give up the Andover, Massachusetts native in any potential deal, given the overall perceived weakness of the team's prospect pool. However, if it's going to contribute towards obtaining a player who can immediately help in Edmonton, you have to seriously consider including him in any return package.
In addition, no matter how much potential Lachance might have, it's not as if he's ranked in the top two or three. Ultimately, whether or not he does actually get moved remains to be seen, but we would have no issue with the Oilers making such a decision.
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