What a Trent Frederic Trade Means for Other Oilers’ Deadline Plans

The Edmonton Oilers’ acquisition of Trent Frederic on Tuesday was a tidy bit of business for a team that needed a physical forward who could add an element of grit to a playoff push. The Oilers paid a price to land their guy and have two teams retain salary in the trade, and it might offer some clues regarding their future trade deadline strategy. With a crowded but uncertain left-wing depth chart—including Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, Vasily Podkolzin, Mattias Janmark, and Jeff Skinner—the Oilers’ next moves before Friday’s NHL trade deadline should be fascinating to watch.

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Frederic’s Injury and LTIR Implications

One key wrinkle in the Frederic deal is his injury status. As Chris Johnston noted, there’s no guarantee he will be healthy before the playoffs, meaning he could remain on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) for the remainder of the regular season. PuckPedia added that if Frederic stays on LTIR, his cap hit becomes a non-factor. They add, “This suggests there’s at least a chance he’s back. Or, they also plan to trade Kane & not be an LTIR team.”

The Kane Trade Question

Evander Kane has been at the center of trade speculation, and the Frederic deal only adds fire to those discussions. The Oilers went to great lengths to make sure Frederic came in at the lowest possible cap hit. That hints they are maintaining the flexibility needed to bring Kane and his $5.125 million cap hit back before the post-season. Either that, or they have other moves cooking.

The Oilers have been shopping Kane, who holds trade protection and would need to approve a move to half the league. Perhaps there’s an indication the market isn’t hot for him. Or, perhaps Frederic is the guy who replaces Kane and he’s about to be traded.

Jeff Skinner’s Future in Edmonton

Sports 1440’s Jason Gregor tossed out a theory after the trade that the depth on the left wing in Edmonton could affect the status of Jeff Skinner. The seven-time 30-goal scorer has seen limited ice time in Edmonton, and with other left-wing options in play (Frederic now added to the mix), Skinner might be a trade candidate. He does have a no-trade clause, but Gregor notes, “Kane and Frederic aren’t healthy yet, and Skinner isn’t dressed tonight. Would it make sense to both parties to find a trade before Friday? Seems so.”

With the March 7 deadline fast approaching, it doesn’t feel like the Frederic trade news is the last ball to drop in Edmonton. Kane and Skinner are the two names most likely to be involved in further moves.

The Frederic trade may have been just the first domino to fall, setting the stage for a busy deadline in Edmonton.

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