Oilers insiders still miss the point on Edmonton's biggest trade deadline need

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Liam McCormick
February 12, 2025 (10:15)

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The Edmonton Oilers are an all-around elite team this season, with the exception of still average goaltending. Yet, Oilers insiders still insist that the team can only be improved through a defence trade.

Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner has struggled majorly against top 10 teams this season, but GM Stan Bowman has repeatedly shot down any idea of trading for a goalie.

Oilers insider claim defence will be Edmonton's focus at trade deadline

David Staples of the Edmonton Journal relayed reports from former GMs Brian Lawton and Craig MacTavish that the Oilers should be pursuing a top 4 defence in trade, even after the addition of John Klingberg.

Size matters in the playoffs when you get down to the conference finals and the finals. It just does. Size is integral to success. And as much as I love what Edmonton and Stecher have done - they've played incredibly well. I mean, I'm just shocked at how good these guys have been all year - but at the end of the day, they're going to be facing bigger, stronger forwards and it's hard to overcome that.

- Craig MacTavish

Both Lawton and MacTavish hinted that the Oilers should be pursuing a physical top 4 defenceman who can break up cycles and play mistake-free hockey. Edmonton has already gone in the opposite direction with the addition of the offensive defenceman John Klingberg.

If the Oilers do add another defenceman, it should be a player who could step up for Klingberg in the instance his play drops off in the playoffs.

However, Klingberg's looked decent in his tryout so far, and the Oilers may be able to spend assets elsewhere. Why sign him for $1.7M cap hit if they don't intend to play him?

Oilers defence is already performing fine, should pursue goalie trade at deadline

At the end of the day, defence surely isn't the Oilers biggest need heading into the trade deadline. So far this season they've performed into the top 5 of most team defence stats.

The Oilers biggest we'd this season is clearly addressing their below average goaltending. It's absurd that a cup contending team is supposedly okay with going into the playoffs with subpar goaltending, again. This has to be the year the Oilers learn their lesson, and get another goalie to push Stuart Skinner.

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4 HOURS AGO \| 20 ANSWERS Oilers insiders still miss the point on Edmonton's biggest trade deadline need Do you think the Oilers will trade for a goalie this season, or a defenceman?
▢ Goalie
▢ Defenceman
▢ Both