3 Risky Trade Options for the Oilers This Season
Now that the summer has faded and NHL organizations are beginning their training camps, it begs the question for teams in a win-now mode of what other deals they could concoct to help push them over the edge and go on a long run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Many deals normally never work to help that goal, and teams are saddled with either bad contracts or players that end up leaving afterward anyway, becoming a full-time rentals. The Oilers are currently in a win-now mode and have brought back the band, short of a few players, to make another run at the Stanley Cup.
There may be three potentially risky trade options that the Oilers could try to help bolster their chances.
Firstly, the Oilers could move their 2024 first-round pick. This move is very common for most teams, especially when they feel they are very close to making it to the championship.
According to capfriendly.com, the Oilers hold their first-round draft picks for the next three seasons. It's highly likely, according to Bob Stauffer, that this will be one of the moves general manager Ken Holland will examine and make happen. This first-round pick would help secure needed help in an area such as defence.
On the flip side, the Oilers will need to decide on whether moving yet another first-round pick would be a wise move as they will need to restock the cupboard ASAP. This will all come down to whether they feel their window to winning is still quite open.
Another option would be moving a blue-chip prospect like Philip Broberg. Broberg has had a less-than-ideal time with the Oilers in terms of cracking the lineup and becoming part of their defence core. It's expected for him to stand out and make a difference to become part of the Oilers' plans. If he can't, I could see Holland deciding to move on from him and try to find another blue-chip prospect included in a deal to help them long-term.
Finally, there is the option of trading Dylan Holloway. Holloway had a tough year last year as he had an injury that cut down his season and momentum. He also needs to stand out and make some noise at this year's camp to show that he can belong in the top 9 and become an integral part of the Oilers' long-term plans.
He's also in the final year of his entry-level contract of $925,000, and the 21-year-old, who was drafted in the 2020 entry draft 14th overall, certainly needs to make a case for his abilities.
Time will tell whether Ken Holland will make a move like this or another move to give the team a chance to make further inroads into the playoffs and potentially knock on the Stanley Cup Final door."
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 10 | 202 ANSWERS 3 Risky Trade Options for the Oilers This Season Which option will Holland choose to trade this season? | ||
| 1st round draft choice | 105 | 52 % |
| Trade Dylan Holloway | 30 | 14.9 % |
| Trade Philip Broberg | 67 | 33.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
