The Edmonton Oilers are rumored to be "evaluating the market" aiming at landing a defenseman via trade before March's deadline.
One of the Oilers' main targets, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, is Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard.
Edmonton views the veteran defenseman as a potential target available for a reasonable package sent in exchange for his services, particularly given their struggles with penalty killing this season.
“David Savard is in the lineup for the Montreal Canadiens and he’s going to be a target for a number of teams, including the Edmonton Oilers,” Pagnotta said during Monday's episode of "The Latest" on TFP. “I think the Oilers and (GM) Stan Bowman are looking around to see what their options are going to be later on in the season.”
Savard, 34, is a physical player and a reliable defenseman—a profile that aligns with the Oilers’ needs.
The veteran is also in the final year of a four-year, $14 million contract with a cap hit of $3.5 million, making it more palatable for Montreal to trade him instead of losing him for nothing next summer.
This season, Savard has tallied four points in 18 games, including a 3-0 win over the very own Oilers on Monday's slate of games in which he put up a +1 plus/minus valuation over 20:52 minutes of playing time.
“They definitely want to bring in somebody with physicality and a defensive mind on that blue line,” Pagnotta said. “They’re last in the NHL right now on the (penalty kill). They want to certainly improve that element, but they’re also cognizant of the time of year it is financially."
If the Oilers pursue Savard, they could leverage future draft picks to facilitate a deal. Edmonton still holds their second- and third-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, as well as their first-round pick in 2026.
That said, they would also be forced to move some salary via trade or waivers, as Edmonton only has $360,000 in cap space.
"They’ve got some cap space, they’ve got a little bit of wiggle room right now, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to spend it," Pagnotta said. "I think they’re strategically looking at options."
