The Edmonton Oilers are coming off a brutal game-seven defeat in the Stanley Cup Final. The offseason has seen multiple defensemen leave the Oilers, with Philip Broberg now on the Blues and Cody Ceci on the Sharks. Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli took to social media to list out potential options if they were to sign an unrestricted free agent.
“UFA Update: #Oilers are perusing the market for right-shot D, including Justin Schultz, Tyson Barrie, and Kevin Shattenkirk, among others,” Seravalli posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Seravalli was also on the Oilers Now podcast and said that they are on the verge of making a “significant trade” to fill this roster hole. Because of the recent offer sheet drama with the Blues, they could make a last-second deal. While trades are usually not a part of training camp, the Oilers are a perfect candidate to make one.
While they did have a great run through the Western Conference playoffs, they need to keep pace. The conference has powerhouse teams in the Avalanche, Golden Knights, and Stars who could topple the Oilers in this year’s playoffs. Defense will be a key part in not letting that happen.
With the offseason coming to an end, the Oilers must make their decision soon. They can get an early start on the trade deadline by making a deal with a team that is not contending this season. New general manager Stan Bowman can also snag one of those UFAs that Seravalli mentioned.
Edmonton Oilers have options at defense
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Philip Broberg (86) controls the puck against the Florida Panthers during the second period in game four of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
When looking at a trade before training camp, the options start on teams who are likely not going to contend for the Stanley Cup this year. The Columbus Blue Jackets are coming off a miserable season and despite having a new coach, they are favorites to finish last in the Metropolitan Division. While Ivan Provorov is left-handed, he could still fit with the Oilers. His contract expires after this season and the Blue Jackets should trade him for future assets.
A better option for the Oilers is right-handed defenseman David Savard from the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are not in contention this season and should acquire as many assets for their players as they can. They could start that process before the season by dealing Savard. If they grabbed a mid-round pick for the 33-year-old, they would be much better off in the future.
Either of those options would be a good fit for the Oilers. If they are not able to make a deal before the season they might have to wait until the trade deadline. There are always teams who think they will contend but end up not doing so by March. The Oilers can snag a defender off of one of those squads.
Of the unrestricted free-agent options, Justin Schultz provides the most upside for the Oilers. Schultz spent the last two seasons with the Kraken, totaling sixty points in 143 games in his tenure there. He spent time with the Oilers at the beginning of his career. Schultz would be a great fit coming back as a veteran.
