Edmonton Oilers linked to three veteran defenceman on tryout contracts
Moments ago, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Edmonton Oilers are considering three veteran defenceman to bring to training camp on a Professional Tryout Offer.
Tyson Barrie, Justin Schultz, and Kevin Shattenkirk were named as candidates, with Seravalli noting that there are more under consideration as well.
Earlier this week, Oilers insider Bob Stauffer hinted that the team is closing in on a tryout contract with a defenceman who has a history with coach Kris Knoblauch. In his brief coaching career, Knoblauch has spent time with Travis Dermott, Jarred Tinordi, and Libor Hajek - who are also free agents at this point in time.
After trading Cody Ceci, letting Vincent Desharnais walk, and losing Philip Broberg to an offer sheet, the Oilers defensive depth certainly took a hit that they'll need to rectify before the playoffs. In reality, none of these defenceman could be trusted in a top four role on a deep playoff run, which means a trade will still have to happen.
Not only that, but the Oilers already have plenty of depth defenceman signed including Troy Stecher, Josh Brown, and Connor Carrick. For now though, it seems the Oilers want to fill out their defensive depth even more to get through the early part of the season. Hopefully, their top defenceman don't suffer any serious injuries.
It's a smart and no-risk move to pick up an extra defender before the season begins on what would likely be a league minimum contract. They have plenty of options from veterans in their 30s with hundreds of games played, and younger options that still come with NHL experience. Of course, there's two former Oilers in Justin Schultz and Tyson Barrie, and a former fan favourite in the latter. In the coming weeks, the Oilers will surely add one of these defenceman, then target a bigger addition through trade this season.
| POLL | ||
Who should the Oilers sign on a tryout contract? | ||
| Tyson Barrie | 103 | 48.6 % |
| Kevin Shattenkirk | 58 | 27.4 % |
| Justin Schultz | 25 | 11.8 % |
| Other/None | 26 | 12.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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