Monthly Edmonton Oilers News Round-up
As the month of August comes to an end, here is a breakdown of all the Edmonton Oilers happenings you may have missed.
I think Stan Bowman is likely a better man than either you or me as he never took any offence to the offer sheets for Holloway and Broberg - he took so little offence, in fact, that he actually made a trade with St. Louis. You have to scroll down to see it, but the Oilers actually traded for prospect left shot D Paul Fischer and a 2028 third round pick in exchange for future considerations (NHL trade code for nothing).
Fischer was originally drafted in the fifth round by St. Louis in 2023 and was not signed to an ELC at the time of the trade. The book on him is he's a shutdown blueliner and not a point producer but he did produce 2-14-16 in 34 games for Notre Dame in the US College System last season with a -3 to boot after a +9 in the USHL. This is an intriguing prospect whose development will have to be tracked over the next few seasons, but from where I sit he's trending up and that's a good thing. He'll probably stay in the US college system for at least two more seasons and the Oilers will tell him to build on last season. 16 points in 34 games is pretty good for a guy who's "not a point producer."
Also, I already mentioned the Oilers have a great option in Jake Neighbours that they could offer sheet next offseason if they want to get revenge on St. Louis, but there are two more compelling options outlined here too.
Other hockey scribes butthurt over the Cody Ceci trade to San Jose
It's always amusing to me what some hockey scribes get upset about. NHL GMs are all business and they're in the business of improving their hockey clubs. This particular trade works out well for the player and for both teams - San Jose gets a veteran blueliner they can play on the top pairing, and a guy they can trade for draft capital at the next trade deadline provided Ceci has a rebounding season. Meanwhile, anyone in Edmonton surprised over this trade shouldn't have been. Even without the offer sheets to Holloway and Broberg, the Oilers were going to have to shed someone to get under the cap and Ceci was the obvious choice.
Playing in the top four he's a value contract, but playing in the bottom pairing he's way too expensive - and created over half the cost of a $6 million bottom pairing with Brett Kulak. I don't care what they did on the ice, that's WAY too much cap space invested at the bottom of the roster. Since he lost his magic chemistry with Nurse it's doubtful he'd be back in the top four again, so both the player and the team needed a fresh start. In Ty Emberson, the Oilers get a young, cheap defenceman they need whose numbers weren't out of this world (10 points in 30 games and a -4) but insert this guy into the lineup on a better team and he just might find that he does even better next year. Depending on what happens from here on in, the Oilers could play Emberson next to Nurse on the second pairing, next to Kulak on the third pairing, or as the extra guy. Training camp and the preseason will likely sort that out.
Per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, there are some compelling on that list - top among them are ex-Oilers Tyson Barrie and Justin Schultz, along with Kevin Shattenkirk. Another big name who struggled last season that GM Stan Bowman is looking into is Tony Deangelo. Then there are less compelling names in the mix like Travis Dermott, another veteran who struggled last season, in his case on a bad Arizona team last season.
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Personally, I hope Tyson Barrie gets the gig. He never really wanted to leave in the first place, he has familiarity with Edmonton and Darnell Nurse, and we could sign him for cheap because like everyone on the list he has no contract late in the offseason. But of course, all of these players have their magic - even Kevin Shattenkirk, the graybeard of the bunch, put up 24 points and a -2 for the Boston Bruins last year. Of course, word on the street is he's lost a step, so he wouldn't be my first choice. Dermott is the youngest of the bunch (27) although Deangelo isn't far behind (28). Wouldn't mind any of them as Oilers, though, all things considered.
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