Are the Oilers considering putting Brown on waivers?

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Ryan Hall
October 26, 2023 (10:32 PM)

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The new season for the Edmonton Oilers has gone completely off the rails. Many fans and pundits had high hopes that this team would pick up where it left off from last year's level of play down the stretch and into the playoffs. It appears that this is not the case, as the Oilers have limped into this season and have looked like a shadow of their former selves.

With the goaltending being brutal at times and a defense core that cannot keep the puck out of their end, there's a possibility that a prized forward, who was brought into the organization through free agency, may need to go on waivers. This begs the question: are the Oilers considering putting Connor Brown on waivers?

Brown was considered one of the larger acquisitions on an overall quiet offseason. His cap hit is only $775,000; however, he has a $3.25 million bonus that will apply to next season if they decide to play him in 10 games. After tearing his ACL just after four games last year, the 29-year-old appears to be not 100% yet, and he has not found his groove or game with the Oilers. He has not scored any points in the first six games of the year.

It's hard to say that this is a solution they need to do, and other players on this roster have not lived up to their end of the bargain, especially in the goaltending department. Many questions are remaining for this organization, and even though it's only been six games into the season, the trends look terrible and not favorable going forward.

It remains to be seen whether General Manager Ken Holland will make a major move to shake up the entire team, whether it's a coaching change or a major trade to send a message.

But a trade is unlikely to happen due to the low value these players have currently with their poor play. I would suspect a coaching change would be in order, as much of their woes have to do with a scheme change from Head Coach Jay Woodcroft.

The Oilers need to get back to what they know, which is scoring lots of goals and lots of points, and may need to outscore their defense a little to remain competitive.