NHL insider reveals grinder forward as option for Edmonton Oilers at Trade Deadline
On the latest episode of the Oilersnation Everyday, Daily Faceoff's hockey reporter Matt Larkin explains of a certain type of player that could put the Oilers over the top add focus on one aspect of their specialty teams which is penalty killing.
He explains that the Oilers have Stan Bowman as their general manager and he is well known for picking up players at the deadline who will help put his team over the top even though their names are not well known including Johnny Oduya and Andrew Desjardins when he was with the Blackhawks.
Complimentary Players may the answer for the Oilers at the Deadline
One of the key aspects for any NHL team trying to compete for a Stanley Cup is having superb specialty teams. The Oilers were one of the best teams in the NHL's playoffs last year regarding that aspect especially on their power play and their penalty kill.
According to NHL.com, the Oilers currently sit 8th overall in their power play which puts them at 24% compared to the best of the Winnipeg Jets at 32% efficiency. As for the penalty kill, the Oilers sit at a worsened 24th in the league which is clearly a glaring need that needs to be addressed.
On the other hand, Head coach Kris Knoblauch seems to feel that the team's specialty units are working well lately and has been a reason for the Oilers resurgence over their last eighteen games which is now put them at a 14-3-1 record.
The Oilers did have a slow start over the course of the first few months of the season but seemed to have turned things around in a short order.
Oilers Reporter Reveals His Choice for Trade
Speculation has been swirling around the Oilers organization on who could be a trade target, and one reporter Dave Staples of the Edmonton Journal reveals that he would love to see Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev with the Oilers.
The 33-year-old has been with the Kraken since they began in 2021 and has been a solid penalty killer and contributor as he has played 41 games this year, scoring seven goals with 76 for 14 points and has eight penalty minutes with 14 minutes and 27 seconds of average ice time.
It will be a fascinating next few months as the team continues to evaluate it's options but likely make their moves sooner rather than later.
