Rating the Edmonton Oilers results at the trade deadline
Photo credit: Sportsnet
The Edmonton Oilers are gearing up for the home stretch of the regular season, and GM Stan Bowman is coming off a productive NHL trade deadline.
Notably, the Edmonton Oilers added the likes of Trent Frederic and Jake Walman, but analysts around the league dont necessarily see it as a perfect fit.
The Edmonton Oilers are coming off a nail-biting victory over the Dallas Stars last night, and fans got their first glimpse of their newest blue-liner.
Insiders raise questions about Walman
Shayna Goldman at The Athletic wrote:
«Walman played matchup minutes for the Sharks and excelled despite his usage, with very little two-way support around him. He's hovering around break-even in expected and actual goals at five-on-five this season, and had a positive impact on both ends of the ice relative to his teammates.»
In the same article, Harman Dayal said, «Walman isn't a perfect fit - he's another lefty and his game can be a bit inconsistent - but he represents a huge upgrade for the Oilers at a reasonable cost, especially considering the extra year of term he has left on a modest $3.4 million cap hit.»
While analysts around the league have questioned Walman's fit on the team, he made an impact with a beautiful assist on Zach Hyman's goal, and he seems to be exactly what the Oilers need.
On a side note, GM Stan Bowman may have found a gem in Trent Frederic, but an ankle injury is keeping fans from seeing his full potential.
While fans wait to see if Frederic and Walman were the right move, Stan Bowman did a decent job in adding where he could. I give him a solid B+
Source: The Athletic
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