The Oilers, currently fourth in the Pacific Division with an 11-9-2 record, have shown flashes of brilliance akin to those carrying them to last year's Stanley Cup Final, but remain a bit inconsistent.
Coming off a weekend win against the New York Rangers and with their next game scheduled for Friday against the Utah Hockey Club, TSN insider Darren Dreger (h/t Karman Gill) hinted that the break provides an opportune window for General Manager Ken Holland to engage in trade discussions.
Dreger fueled speculation about a possible Oilers trade happening soon, reporting the team is actively exploring options to upgrade its defense.
“There isn’t panic in Edmonton about their defense, but there is definite concern,” Dreger said. "There is a chance that the Oilers may pull the trigger early in acquiring a defenseman."
While the market for blueliners is tight, several names could become available as the trade deadline nears.
Columbus’s David Jiricek is one of the best-available players at the position and his trade is imminent, though the Oilers might not have enough assets to acquire him.
Other players such as Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov and Pittsburgh’s Marcus Pettersson have been linked to Edmonton in the past.
"League sources said the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks have interest in [Petterson], and there’s every reason to believe other teams will covet him," Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported on Nov. 18.
Although the Oilers limited New York to just two goals on Saturday, Edmonton has allowed 69 goals to opposing teams this season while only scoring 64 for a negative minus-5 goal differential.
A defensive upgrade could provide the Oilers with some stability and not make them so dependent on their offensive goalscoring.
