Oilers Will Likely Try to “Offload” Tyson Barrie’s Salary This Offseason

As per Allan Mitchell of The Athletic, Tyson Barrie may be vulnerable over the next couple of months when it comes to trade talk out of Edmonton. The Oilers’ defenseman has a secure spot for now, but as Evan Bouchard grows into his role and takes on more minutes on the Oilers’ top power-play unit, Mitchell believes Barrie will be expendable and his salary used for other needs.

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Mitchell took a look at four possible trade candidates out of the Oilers organization before the start of the 2022-23 season. He eliminated Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Zack Kassian — although he did leave room for Kassian to be a buyout consideration — and was left with Barrie as the most likely trade target. Suggesting the defenseman’s $4.5 million salary should go instead to finding a solution to the Oilers’ goaltending and center concerns, there will be a market for what Barrie does.

Mitchell writes, “A less expensive player (Evan Bouchard) duplicates his skillset and Barrie’s cap hit ($4.5 million) may be needed elsewhere on the roster beginning next year.” In other words, the Oilers don’t need two right-shot defensemen doing the same thing.

Mitchell also adds a third factor into the equation and that is Barrie’s trade value. He can be easily replaced by Bouchard on the Oilers’ roster, but there are teams that don’t have a player of either defenseman’s skillset, nonetheless two players who do the same thing. His salary is decent if he’s in a top-four role and quarterbacking a power play and the Oilers could get something back of use.

When you factor in Barrie’s lack of a no-trade or no-movement clause in his contract, he’s the most likely candidate to go.

When Will He Be Shopped?

The Oilers would most likely look at this over the offseason, but if Bouchard continues to progress and he takes on the top unit power-play quarterback role this season, Barrie could be moved sooner. The question will become what the Oilers see as their most pressing needs and how quickly GM Ken Holland believes he has to solve those problems.

Depending on what the Oilers feel they need to do this season and before the NHL trade deadline, the idea of moving Barrie could be tossed around even sooner.

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