The news of the Vancouver Canucks acquiring Elias Lindholm has put pressure on the rest of the league to not get caught sleeping before the trade deadline. The Edmonton Oilers are one of the teams that may be looking to improve via trade before the March 8th deadline.
Welcome to Vancouver, Elias! pic.twitter.com/rck7wbwDX8
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 1, 2024
In the history of the NHL, after the All-Star game trade markets and rumours start up. So over the next month, there will be lots of talk about who the Edmonton Oilers should/are interested in. Most of these rumours will not come true, but I highly doubt that the Oilers will not do anything at the deadline.
Edmonton Oilers Need To Act Sooner Rather Than Later
If the Edmonton Oilers do end up getting in on the trade market I think they need to make their move sooner rather than later. There are a few reasons as to why it is better to make the trade before the final trade deadline time.
One reason is the player you are trying to acquire is still available. A prime example is the Lindholm move. I don't know if the Oilers would have brought in Lindholm, but if they wanted to they can't now as he has already been traded. This is the biggest issue if you wait till the end. You may need to pay a bit more, but at least you get the player you want.
Another reason is the player being brought in gets more time to find their role on the team. Chemistry is a big thing in the NHL and it takes time to build that chemistry. The more time a player is with the team practicing and playing games the better they fit in when it comes to playoff time and playoff success is why deadline deals are made.
Whether the Edmonton Oilers make a trade or not is still up in the air, but the one thing that I think is very important is not waiting till the 12th hour to make a move. The cost of a player may be lower, but that could also mean you miss out on a lot of other options. We will have to wait till March 8th to see what the Oilers end up doing.