The Edmonton Oilers have been a hotspot for news recently, and today we bring you some rumours. Since the offer sheets last week, but even back to the end of the Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton has been swirling. However, what was significant from the offer sheets, was a couple of the moves that ultimately resulted. With them, it seems that the Oilers blueline has been left with a gap in it. One that needs to be filled, ideally, with a veteran presence.
The Edmonton Oilers Have Three Veteran Right-Shot Defencemen Targeted in Today’s Rumours
The hockey insider Frank Seravalli reports that the Oilers are interested in right-shot D. Those names include, but are not necessarily limited to, Justin Schultz, Tyson Barrie, and Kevin Shattenkirk. In contrast, one must keep in mind the possible reason these three remain unsigned free agents. Each of these three have very similar styles, more offensive, and past their primes. Therefore, this opens up a plethora of risk in the versatility, defensive abilities, and ability to perform at a high-level when called upon. Not to say that either of them can’t get it done, but they have seen possible reasons for concern given their recent performances.
This would invariably make the Edmonton Oilers management hesitant to act on such rumours. General manager Stan Bowman is a professional. He will do his due diligence and understand the timing of assessing where the Oilers are at and how much they can spend in terms of cap space. He would also know what their needs are, but also keep in mind that time will start to get tight, especially if one or more of those names gets signed elsewhere.
How Did Edmonton End up in This Position
The reason for the rumours, has been the recent flux of activity on the Edmonton Oilers backend. Philip Broberg was sent the offer sheet from the St. Louis Blues, which has since gone unmatched, so, he’s moved on. Over the course of the seven days Bowman had to match the offer, it seemed as though he might have been trying to retain his services. In terms of the blueline acquisitions, the club traded away Cody Ceci and received defenceman Ty Emberson in return from the San Jose Sharks. The club had already let Vincent Desharnais walk in free agency, as he signed with the Canucks. Therefore, of the Oilers seven top D from the end of season roster, three are gone. Now, Emberson will challenge for a roster spot, but to expect top-four minutes is not realistic.
What Do the Three Named Candidates Bring to the Table
Finding a reliable and versatile blueliner is the challenge for the Oilers. The challenge is trying to find a defenceman, who’s available, that could slot into the top-four if necessary. Schultz, Barrie, and Shattenkirk are the type of guys that could do that, especially if their play warrants it. However, each of them have seen reduced roles in recent memory. Schultz, as a member of the Oilers in fact, once played over 23 minutes a night. In contrast, last year he was down to 16:28, but did chip in 26 points. His asking price might be a hinderance, as he was making $3 M last year with the Seattle Kraken.
Moreover, Barrie is someone who was being healthy scratched a fair bit last year. That could’ve been a roster alignment thing, or battling injury, it is tough to say with certainty. Anyway, when he’s in the lineup, he is still effective, but, is he a defensive liability at this point of his career?
Finally, with Kevin Shattenkirk, he did play over 60 games for the tight defensive structure of the Boston Bruins. On the other hand, he was also being healthy scratched. Also, his 15:47 of ice time was way down from his career average of 20:17. Again though, like the other two mentioned, his is efficient still. Despite the lack of ice time, he managed 24 points in 61 games.
What Does the Rumours Mean for the Edmonton Oilers, Today
These names are all what coach Kris Knoblauch’s blueline needs to stay competitive in 2024-25. The Oilers have lofty expectations. Therefore, Stan Bowman needs to act quickly, as to give his team the best shot to win, based on what’s available. Are one of the three named, going to be the choice, or someone off the board? In any case, the Oilers need an improvment, or it could lead to an inconsistent defence in 2024-25.
