The Edmonton Oilers continue to look at trade options ahead of the NHL trade deadline. They are said to be considering upgrades at certain positions, and a depth center or bottom-six forward with particular skills could be on their radar. This has led to chatter about the team’s interest in New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
A top-four defenseman might be the team’s priority, but if certain players can be acquired at trade-friendly prices from selling franchises, someone like Pageau could be an intriguing option for Edmonton.
Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal recently wrote the idea of Pageau excites him more than some of the other rumored trade targets in Edmonton. Pageau, 32, would bring defensive reliability, faceoff strength, and some offense to the lineup. “Not a huge man at 5’11 195, Pageau would add an extremely reliable defensive player up the middle,” he wrote. And, with a career faceoff win rate of 54% and strong penalty-killing ability, there are elements of his game that would be ideal for the Oilers during the post-season.
Meanwhile, Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News reported that the Oilers, along with the Vegas Golden Knights and other Western Conference teams, have shown interest in Pageau.
Is Pageau an Affordable Option for the Oilers?
In 52 games this season, Pageau has tallied 27 points while maintaining a nearly 60% faceoff win rate. His contract, however, presents a potential challenge. He has a $5 million cap hit through next season. It would take the Islanders retaining salary to logically make this deal work.
Not only that, but Pageau holds a 16-team no-trade list. It’s not clear the Oilers are on his list of preferred destinations.
If the Oilers pursue Pageau, how much they could save on his salary and what they would have to give up are the two biggest factors in the odds of this trade being probable. He could provide valuable depth at center, but if the Oilers overspend, they leave a possible gap on their blue line if an injury strikes.
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