Edmonton Oilers should consider trading six shooting defensemen – Hockey Journalists – Edmonton Oilers

After a shaky start to the 2024-25 season, the Edmonton Oilers appear to be back on track. Although they suffered a loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night, it came in the second half of back-to-back games. After a 0-3-0 start they are now a much more respectable 4-5-1 in their first 10 matches. They may not have gotten rid of the weeds yet, but their panic levels have dropped significantly.

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While the Oilers should remain a great regular season team the rest of the way, there are concerns that the roster may not be built to compete in the Stanley Cup. There are no problems ahead, but the blue line is missing, especially the right one. Most expect management to make an upgrade via trade at some point, and here are six players they should target.

Timothy Liljegren

The Oilers may already be asking about Timothy Liljegren. The relationship between the 2017 first-round draft pick and the Toronto Maple Leafs has soured, and the fact that he’s only set to play one game this season certainly hasn’t helped matters.

Lilleigren’s decline last season is surprising, as he averaged a career-best four minutes under former head coach Sheldon Keefe. His play can be inconsistent at times, but the underlying numbers suggest he can still be a very valuable player. With a cap hit of $3 million this season and next, he’s not the worst option the Oilers could make, especially considering it might only cost a second-round pick to acquire him.

Cody Ceci

Will the Oilers make a move on Cody Ceci after they just dealt him? A lot of people are talking about this and it makes a lot of sense. Not only is Ceci in the final year of a three-year contract, but he knows the Oilers’ system and has proven he can make a big difference for them.

Perhaps the biggest reason this could happen is that the players on the roster love Ceci. Several insiders noted this, including Sportsnet’s Elliott Friedman. Bringing him back no later than the trade deadline, perhaps for just a mid-round pick, could be a huge morale boost for the Oilers’ locker room.

David Saward

Just a season ago, the Oilers were pursuing defenseman David Savard. The veteran homemaker ended up staying with the Montreal Canadiens, but looks set to be on the move this season considering he’s in the final year of his contract.

Savard is very limited offensively, but his strong defensive play allows him to be a top-four defender on a daily basis. With players like Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm, the Oilers no longer need to attack from the baseline, making Savard a reliable player. The issue could be price, as there were rumors last year that he could be a first-round pick. That’s too much, although perhaps now that his contract is expiring, a second will be enough to get the job done.

Jeff Petrie

If the Oilers don’t try to bring back Ceci, perhaps they’ll look at another former Oiler, Jeff Petry. The Detroit Red Wings could find themselves in a selling position depending on how their season pans out before the trade deadline, and if they decide to move players, Petry will almost certainly be one of them.

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Petry is not the same defender he was in his prime, but can still play an everyday role thanks to his strong skating. It has a cap cap of just $2.3 million, making it a very affordable option. Even at this point in his career, he remains above players like Troy Stecher and Travis Dermott. Like Ceci, he won’t cost much more than a mid-round pick.

Connor Murphy

Connor Murphy is another stay-at-home defenseman who would fit well in the Oilers defense. The Chicago Blackhawks rearguard is underrated from a defensive standpoint and can shut down the opposition’s top stars while delivering punishing shots.

The only problem with Murphy is that he has one more season left on his contract with a $4.4 million cap hit. It will be difficult for the Oilers to fit into this situation, but if the Blackhawks are willing to retain salary, it is an option that would likely interest general manager Stan Bowman. The question will be the price, as the Blackhawks have no real reason. move it if they don’t get an offer they really like.

Rasmus Andersson

Another Blue who has one more season left on his contract is Rasmus Andersson. The Calgary Flames defenseman is undoubtedly the best of the lot on this list, and based on what he brings, he’s getting a good deal worth a cap hit of $4.55 million.

Of course, this deal is a stretch. The Flames probably don’t want to help the Oilers, and they might not want to move Andersson at all given their great start to the season. However, if they start to fall in the standings, everything will be on the table, and if the Oilers can put together a better offer for Andersson, perhaps the two bitter rivals could create a blockbuster of sorts. However, the best offer would be a first-round pick and a top prospect, perhaps at least Matt Savoie.

The sooner the better for the Oilers.

Some believe adding a blue line is not a rush considering the trade deadline is months away. This is true. But speedy acclimatization of a player to a new team has its advantages. Not only will he learn new systems well before the playoffs, but he will also have time to adapt to the locker room and the city. It’s clear that the Oilers need to upgrade the right side of their backfield, and they better do it now.