As much as offence wins games, defence is still key to winning championships, something which the Edmonton Oilers are well aware of. It's something which Jay Woodcroft unsuccessfully tried to work on by deploying a new system at the beginning of last season, but he failed and ultimately lost his job.
However, where Woodcroft failed, Kris Knoblauch succeeded after he took over as the Oilers' new coach. As a result, the team improved from the 17th-best goals-per-game average in 2022-23, to 10th-best in 2023-24.
As a result of this renewed focus on the defensive side of the game, the Oilers advanced to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2005-06. And while they did eventually lose in seven games, there was no denying the overall improvement and success at their own end of the ice.
Oilers blue line takes a hit
With this in mind, events since the conclusion of the 2023-24 season have given some cause for concern, specifically on the blue line. Thank to the trade of Cody Ceci and the decision not to match the Blues' offer sheet for Philip Broberg, the Oilers defenceman corps is not as strong overall as it previously was.
Now we appreciate that Ty Emberson has some intriguing potential, but he's still mostly unproven at this stage. In addition, while we know Darnell Nurse is capable of better, the concern is that he will continue to make unnecessary mistakes and be somewhat of a liability.
At the same time, it stands to reason for the Oilers to begin the 2024-25 campaign giving Emberson, Nurse and the Oilers blue line as a whole the opportunity to prove they can be as effective a unit as they were this past season. However, if things are not looking good and/or if an opportunity can be found to improve the defensive corps, you know the front office will do what they can to bring someone in.
Along these lines, Josh Wegman of the Score has named a potential target for the Oilers around the time of next season's trade deadline. And it involves the team taking a step back in time, for a reunion with someone who previously played in Edmonton.
Is bringing Larsson back, the solution?
More specifically, Wegman is talking about Adam Larsson, who played for the Oilers for five seasons, between 2016-17 and 2020-21. Of particular significance, he is a right-shot defenceman, which is the position the Oilers are considered to be weakest at.
Now we appreciate that Larsson has never quite lived up to the hype which comes with being drafted fourth overall, as he was in 2011. At the same time however, he has still enjoyed a fine NHL career spanning 13 seasons to date.
The 31-year-old has proven to be a good shut-down defenceman, durable, and capable of logging big minutes. At 6 foot 3 and 215 pounds, he's also an imposing physical presence who is invaluable on the penalty kill.
Critics may point to Larsson's lack of offensive game, but this isn't really an issue if -- for example -- he is paired with Nurse, who is a points producer. Further, for what it's worth, Larsson did just two seasons ago set career bests with 25 assists, 33 total points and a +27 rating.
Easier said than done
Now of course, just because the Sweden native has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate, it doesn't mean it will be straightforward to obtain him. For a start, it depends on how his current team the Seattle Kraken performs, with them determined to return to the playoffs after missing out this past season.
One final factor to consider is the contract situation for Larsson, with him set to enter the final year of his current deal and with a cap hit of $4 million. Assuming the Kraken do eventually consider trading him, what would it take in return for the Oilers to acquire a player who is just a rental?
Overall, Larsson does seem like someone to genuinely consider down the road for the Oilers. First things first though, let's see if Knoblauch can help Nurse regain his confidence, while also working on helping Emberson develop at the NHL level.