Even while the NHL teams have a break from playing during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, it doesn't mean the 32 organisations have stopped working. There's still plenty to do, especially with the Mar. 7 trade deadline now only just over two weeks away.
The Edmonton Oilers are undoubtedly among those teams expected to bye buyers between now and the deadline, as they look to strengthen the roster ahead of another playoff challenge to make the Stanley Cup Final. As much as the majority of last season's roster remains intact, they still need more to take that final step and win in all for the first time since 1989-90.
We've gone on record as stating our belief that a goalie upgrade is still the most urgent requirement to help the Oilers come playoff time. (Yes, they will be there.) However, it is to be expected that general manager Stan Bowman and the rest of the front office are looking at all areas of the team, when it comes to improving their situation.
Oilers connected to Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Along this lines, Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News has reported that the Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights have both shown interest in Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The centre plays on the third line for the New York Islanders, and is now in his 13th season of NHL action.
Pageau is an interesting potential candidate, with him known more for his high-energy defensive play earlier in his career, including being a crucial part of the penalty kill unit. However, he has developed his offensive game as he's gone along and overall is having one of the best seasons of his time in the NHL.
The 32-year-old has always been strong when it comes to face-offs, and in this respect he is currently on course for a career-best 59.7 percent faceoff efficiency. In addition, he is also projected to finish the 2024-25 campaign with 41 total points, which would be the second-most of his NHL career.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau having a tremendous season overall
It doesn't stop there either, with a 51.0 Corsi For and 51.5 Fenwick For % in All Situations both projected to also be the second-best of Pageau's career. And keep in mind the only time he performed better in either category was back in 2012-13, when he only played nine games in his first season of NHL action.
The point is, that the 2011 fourth round draft pick is having a tremendous overall season and would be a good pickup for the Oilers. However, the reality is that he's unlikely to end up in Edmonton, and it is mainly to do with his contract situation.
Consider that Pageau is owed the balance of $5 million for this season and the whole amount for the 2025-26 campaign, before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The Oilers are currently projected to only have $947,825 of available cap space at the trade deadline.
The only hope for the Oilers is that Evander Kane is ruled out of a return prior to the playoffs, and soon, which would then open up another $5.125 million to be used. Even then however, the team has more than just Pageau to consider in their attempts to boost the roster.
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