Oilers may have opportunity to strengthen goaltending in trade from Utah Hockey Club
The Edmonton Oilers may have an opportunity to strengthen a key position in their lineup as pending unrestricted free agent goalie Karel Vejmelka will be available at the March trade deadline.
There have always been question marks surrounding the Oilers goaltending as starting goaltender Stuart Skinner has gone through several ebbs and flow in his game which has given inconsistency at times.
Oilers have an opportunity to put themselves over the top
Stan Bowman has made it clear that defence has been one of his priorities to strengthen as the March trade deadline approaches.
Karel Vejmelka turned aside every shot he faced for his first @pepsi shutout of the season!
Many think the Oilers will attempt to try and acquire a defenseman who may not be a flashy and very expensive purchase for the organization but perhaps adding a goaltender who could stabilize the net may be another option.
Vejmelka has seen a resurgence in his game since the team had been moved to Utah with the 28-year-old netminder holding a cap hit of $2.725 million for one season and will be an unrestricted free agent going into the summer.
Utah general manager Bill Armstrong will likely receive many calls from contending teams who are attempting to make their goaltending better and at a lower price as many contenders are straddling the cap ceiling.
Vejmelka's numbers show that he has more to offer especially on a contending team. He has played in 28 starts with a record of 11-14-3 but has a goal against of 2.47 and a save percentage of .912 with one shutout.
Oilers need to go all in this season
The Oilers season has turned around dramatically and has skyrocketed through
the standings and are now first overall in their division and 4th overall in the NHL. It's time that Oilers management put all their chips in the middle and spend what they need to make the team a true Stanley Cup winner.
Adding a goaltender of this calibre and at the cost he holds could be what the
Oilers need to put themselves over the top and hoist their 6th Stanley Cup in their history.
