The Edmonton Oilers have a whole host of forward stars out due to injury, but it doesn't seem they're going to go to the prospect pool just yet.
Even with the likes of Quinn Hutson waiting in the wings for their opportunity to help the Oilers and gain valuable big-league experience, it seems that the team is opting to explore a lateral trade in order to get themselves to the earliest point in which Zach Hyman or another key contributor can get back into the lineup.
But first, let's clear the air: what even is a lateral trade?
This term has probably been circulating quite quickly in Edmonton's sports circles since last night, so let's take a quick moment to clarify what a lateral trade even is.
From my research across several hockey and sports outlets, there is no formal definition for the term. That said, in a hockey sense, this concept can be seen to take the form of a team looking to trade a player that is part of a unit where there is plenty of depth for a player that can fill a need elsewhere. Such was reinforced by Elliotte Friedman himself when he announced that the move could very well be a possibility for the Oilers.
The team that could be the best fit for the Oilers? The Chicago Blackhawks
And there is past precedence to suggest that these two teams could end up completing a transaction. Last season, the Chicago Blackhawks sent Connor Murphy to the Oilers, where he would become a key part in reinforcing the physical side of the team's defensive gameplay.
While the Blackhawks might be looking to take a step forward this season, their first three games have been anything but.
A three-game road trip to open the season saw the Blackhawks score just five goals while conceding 15. Those games saw the Blackhawks lose 5-2 in Vegas, 6-0 to the Utah Mammoth, and 4-3 to the Buffalo Sabres; in the latter, the Blackhawks surrendered a 3-2 third period lead and failed to pick up even an overtime point.
The aforementioned scorelines can only begin to highlight the fact that the Blackhawks need defensive help. The Blackhawks have given up 97 shots on goal and have posted a save percentage of just .854.
Say what you will about the Oilers' defensive play, but they are in a pretty strong position when it comes to their depth on that side of the ice.
The team already has four lines worth of defense and another 12 defenders in their system. Of those defenders, it's easy to argue that Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Shea, and Connor Murphy are all safe from a trade.
With regard to the remaining 16 members of the defensive corps, a good majority of them could very well have a case when it comes to being included in a trade package going Chicago's way.
That said, Chicago might very well be looking to add experience to help their young stars learn how to string wins together and start to work towards the 16-team playoff field. Among others, Jake Walman and even Shakir Mukhamadullin factor into this conversation to some degree.
The Oilers could make a case for sending Walman to Chicago to ease their salary-cap woes for now. But a package involving a depth defender like Mukhamadullin plus a prospect like Riley Stillman or a pick could also be a reasonable ask for Chicago, especially considering that they are only $1.5 million above the salary cap.
Even then, the Blackhawks' forward lines give the Oilers plenty of flexibility in terms of choice.
In this scenario, I am going to assume that Anton Frondell, Connor Bedard, Patrick Kane, and Frank Nazar are the four untouchables in the Blackhawks' forward group.
Beyond those four, the options are quite plentiful.
One of the three forwards that I think would best fit in Edmonton's lineup is Tyler Bertuzzi, who has recorded at least 45 points in each of the last two campaigns since joining the Blackhawks. He also brings a strong forechecking ability that would help the Oilers pin opponents in their own end. While his +/- rating is an issue (-39 in 2024/25 and -16 last year), his ability to put points on the board should offset those concerns.
The same can be said for Jordan Greenway, who was acquired over the offseason from the Sabres as part of the Bowen Byram trade. While he was more recently added by the Blackhawks than Bertuzzi and doesn't necessarily have the recent point-scoring that he has, he still is of a similar player personality to that of Bertuzzi.
Another name that could be in the mix when it comes to a lateral trade? Teuvo Teravainen. While the two-time Blackhawk/ex-Carolina Hurricane would represent a bit of an ask in terms of attempting to include him in a return and including his $5.4 million cap hit onto the main lineup, he would fill a depth scoring role that is desperately needed. And that's even with Owen Michaels' emergence in mind.
Three of the last five seasons have seen Teravainen record at least 50 points. That said, he is coming off a 35-point campaign, one that included a significant drop-off in terms of assist production. He also brings a high awareness of what happens on the ice and was at several points a fringe contender for the Frank J. Selke Trophy.
All three of the aforementioned forwards bring their own skillsets, which are similar but different in their own respects. That said, all three of them would fit quite well into the system that Mike Babcock is developing in Edmonton. Whether it comes in the form of a forechecking mindset that allows Edmonton to tilt the ice in their favor or simply an awareness of where the puck is at all times, Babcock could feel confident inserting any one of the aforementioned three forwards into a line that fits his style of hockey.
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