Two players for the Oilers to buy and one prospect to sell at the trade deadline
The Edmonton Oilers don’t have much cap space to buy at the trade deadline unless they clear some. If they do, there are two players they should seriously consider.
The Edmonton Oilers are in a situation not unlike many serious contenders: They are a great hockey team, but they have such little salary cap space, a rental is the most realistic scenario for them. Even if the Oilers traded one of their current players like Cody Ceci, there is still a strong possibility a rental is all they would get this season, given the overall cap hit of many prominent players in the rumor mill.
So, while this article talks about two players Edmonton should buy, it’s more realistically involving either one player or the other, not both. This is assuming the Oilers don’t shock the league and make a dramatic move that will suddenly open unprecedented cap space, but logically, that won’t happen.
Oilers must strongly consider one of two serviceable players at the trade deadline
A contingent of the Edmonton fan base would ideally see someone like Jake Guentzel come to Alberta and at least serve as a rental while the Oilers seek to win their first Cup in three-and-a-half decades. But someone like Guentzel would involve quite a bit of player movement on the Oilers part, making it less likely for such a trade to occur.
That said, the names you will see in today’s article won’t make for any blockbuster trades, as they are solid role players and not game-breakers. However, both have enjoyed success in the NHL, and they have been moderately productive enough throughout their respective careers to provide adequate help for Edmonton.
Besides the two players listed, there is also one prospect whom the Oilers would likely add to a hypothetical trade package. Since we talked about him before, that prospect is not Philip Broberg, but instead another name who would make for an outstanding addition to anyone’s prospects pool.
Which players should Edmonton target as March 8th approaches, and which prospect could they move to help facilitate the trade?
Player to buy: Anthony Duclair
Anthony Duclair once enjoyed an outstanding season with the Florida Panthers, so if a high-scoring team like the Edmonton Oilers consider adding the current San Jose Shark to their lineup, maybe he will have enough help to resemble the player he was in 2021-22. Even if Duclair puts forth a little over half of that production, he would be yet another forward who would force opponents to account for him when he’s on the ice, given the scoring prowess he’s shown in the past.
Currently, Duclair is averaging less than a half-point per game, with 23 in 55 outings. But he’s still recording a solid 14.7 shooting percentage, implying he still has an accurate shot and is making sound selections when he has a chance to score. The 28-year-old continues to make the most out of a dysfunctional situation in San Jose, and it leaves you to wonder what he could do on a team that can outscore any opponent.
If Edmonton trades for Duclair, he won’t be the low-scoring player we have been watching since October over in San Jose. Better yet, he won’t cost a lot in compensation to bring in, and as mentioned on the previous slide, there is one prospect in the pool that the Oilers could insert into a package to entice San Jose to make a trade.
Prospect to sell: Olivier Rodrigue
The former 62nd-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft has come a long way since his debut season in the AHL, snagging just an 0.894 save percentage and a 2.99 GAA with a shutout for the Bakersfield Condors in 11 games.
He regressed in 2021-22, splitting time between the Condors and the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder, securing GAAs of 0.886 and 0.907, respectively, with respective 3.09 and 3.57 GAAs. However, Rodrigue has since turned things around, winning 14 games in 2022-23 with a 0.912 save percentage and a 2.77 GAA before slightly improving those numbers this year.
While Rodrigue will probably never become a No. 1 goaltender in the NHL, and his ceiling in Edmonton would involve backing up Stuart Skinner, he could still make for a solid 1B in a place like San Jose. Or, if the Oilers target the next player on this list, there is a good chance he would factor in as an eventual 1B in the City of Brotherly Love.
Right now, Samuel Ersson has been taking almost all the reps with the Flyers, so Philadelphia would be one team looking to add some goaltending prospects to their pool. Trading Rodrigue to Philadelphia’s system with other assets would also be a big win for the 23-year-old, but who would Edmonton ideally get in return?
Player to buy: Sean Walker
Stuart Skinner continues to be one of the most up-and-down goaltenders in the NHL as we draw dramatically close to the 2024 trade deadline. And while there are no goaltenders listed in this piece to provide insurance for the erratic Skinner, a blueliner would help prevent pucks from getting to the net, and Sean Walker should be there for the taking.
The Flyers, regardless of whether they contend, would benefit from trading Walker thanks to the strong possibility he will want a major pay raise this coming offseason. Because of this, Walker would almost certainly be a rental, but a valuable one since the blueliner is more than fine with blocking shots or breaking up rushes.
He’s one of the more physical skaters in Philadelphia, and that would also be the case in Edmonton should the Oilers try to make a trade. Skinner still isn’t facing a ton of shots per game, with just 27.11 through March 4th, but given his overall inconsistencies, if the Oilers can get that number down, it will more than work in their young goaltender’s favor.
As a bonus, Edmonton would also be getting an outstanding puck mover whose Corsi and Fenwick For Percentages also imply Walker more than helps make plays in the offensive zone. That means Skinner will be forced to face fewer shots on net, and he could enjoy some much-needed consistency for the rest of the season.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference as of March 4th)