An argument can be made that the Edmonton Oilers defense isn’t good enough. But, with that argument, there’s a belief that the Oilers need to add another winger to help Connor McDavid and should use a defenseman to land that winger. The latest talk?… dealing with a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This creates a conundrum. If the Oilers don’t really have any spare defenseman to give but it takes a defenseman to land the forward they need, what does Edmonton do?
Former GM and now hockey analyst Brian Burke gave his take during an interview with Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now. Burke said, “It’s obvious their defence needs an upgrade or a change, but other than that, it’s a positive year….”
Well, that’s a nice thing to say… I think.
He added:
“I don’t think their defence played well enough. When I say, ‘played well enough,’ I’m not saying they’re not good enough. But they didn’t play well enough. “Bear is going to be a helluva player, and they’ve got a couple good pieces. It might be time for a change of scenery for a couple guys.”
Essentially, Burke is saying the Oilers have a better blue line than a lot of people are giving them credit for. He’s also saying that they didn’t perform their best in Edmonton and might play better somewhere else. Meaning, they would have value in a trade if offered to a team that believes said defenseman would improve in a new opportunity.
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Who Is He Talking About?
Adam Larsson is not the player Edmonton should have traded Taylor Hall for. That said, he’s a solid, defense-first blueliner who can provide steady minutes in the Oilers top-four. Is he a top-two d-man? Sometimes. But, not always.
Oscar Klefbom has the makings of a top-two defenseman, but he doesn’t seem to offer the consistency to remain in that conversation on a nightly basis. Still, he’s easily a top-four and his contract is a great value for someone who plays the minutes he does and in the situations he does.
Both Larsson (when he played) and Klefbom weren’t good enough against Chicago.
Darnell Nurse has taken a lot of heat since that series began and mostly because there’s heavy pressure on him to take the next big step in his development. He’s moving into expensive contract territory and there are questions about how well-rounded his game is and if he’s worth the money he’ll be making and will likely command on his next contract. Nurse probably fetches the Oilers the best return in a trade but there’s a definite possibility that moving him also brings with it that situation where you knew moving him would come back to bite you in the ass.
No one is moving Ethan Bear. Hard stop.
Matt Benning is expendable but probably doesn’t fetch you the forward you need and neither will someone like Caleb Jones.
Russell is an interesting player because there are a lot of teams that value what he brings on a nightly basis. But, there’s also a question of what that brings in a trade. He’s not drastically overpaid, but he’s certainly not underpaid. He’s not going to score you many points but he’ll always be among the league leader in blocked shots. He’s a good guy to have in the room and he’ll go to war every night.
He’s the kind of player on paper you’d want in Edmonton, but everyone seems eager to run him out of town.
The Verdict Seems to Be Adam Larsson
Stauffer, among others suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs might be a trading partner for the Oilers. If Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson is the target, it doesn’t seem like Russell would get that deal done. Would Adam Larsson?
In Edmonton, depending on what a player like Kapanen or Johnsson turn into, that deal might even settle fans who are still bitter about the Hall trade. Kapanen and Johnsson aren’t Hall. But, they are also very young and could develop into really good players, whereas Hall is what he is at this point in his NHL career.
Burke said of a deal for Larsson:
“Those might be fits. Those guys are both good players that you mentioned from here (Toronto). I think Larsson is a really good player. He didn’t have a great year, but I think he’s a really good shut down guy. There could be a fit there.”
And, this might be the right timing for Edmonton too.
Mark Spector of Sportsnet said. “In that Top 4, I think they will move Adam Larsson because I think there’s a huge ask around the league.” With so many teams looking for defensive help and a number that’s affordable, he mentioned the Leafs as well. “Look at the Toronto Maple Leafs? Do they need Adam Larsson. You bet they need Adam Larsson. And there’s other teams that would say the same thing,” Spector noted.
So, Adam Larsson for Kasperi Kapanen or Adam Larsson for Andreas Johnsson… would you make that move if you were Ken Holland?