Host Hints Oilers Already Added One Trade Deadline Forward

Ryan Rishaug of the Got Yer’ Back podcast suggested during Wednesday’s show that the Edmonton Oilers may have already found a big piece of their trade deadline plans at forward this season. Rob Brown argued that Jeff Skinner will not get opportunities in the top six, while Evander Kane will be coming back. Rishaug said Kasperi Kapanen has earned his way into the Oilers top-nine, and if the Oilers were to have gone out and acquired a player like Kapanen for a fifth-round pick at the deadline, the Oilers would be fairly happy.

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Brown said, “This is a team that is going to pick up some bottom-six forwards with size and at the deadline. Usually, that’s what teams do, that are going for the Stanley Cup.” Saying that’s not Skinner, Brown believes that you just need to take a look at the way head coach Kris Knoblauch uses his forwards and Kapanen will get more looks, not less.

Rishaug noted, “They’ve already added a guy that maybe would have been the type of player that they were looking for at the trade deadline in a lot of ways.” He then also said that the Oilers successfully maneuvered their way through cap space issues to bring Kane back without issues.

Kapanen Won’t Be All the Oilers Add

As Brown mentioned, the Oilers will do more looking. They may target size and grit in the bottom six, and there’s talk that an upgrade on defense is a priority. The good news is, Kapanen was added already and he’s worked out quite well.

It’s one less thing that GM Stan Bowman has to go looking for — a top-nine forward with speed and skill that can score. Kapanen has the ability to play with top-level players, but he’s also useful in other ways. That he was picked up on waivers and the Oilers didn’t spend any assets to acquire him is a huge plus.

Next: NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup: Kaprizov on IR, Plus Kings & Leafs