Elliotte Friedman Reveals The Oilers May Have to Move Tyson Barrie if They Pursue This Superstar

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Austin Sabourin
February 15, 2023 (7:28)

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As the trade deadline approaches, the Edmonton Oilers will be looking to add some depth to their blue line, it's pretty clear that they need a true number one defenseman.

we've heard a lot of rumours about Chychrun being a guy the Oilers are interested in, at one point it seemed like the Oilers and Maple Leafs were the front runners for him, but a lot of that talk has quieted down recently and seems like Arizona and the LA Kings are trying to work out a deal.

If the Oilers want to go deep this year, they have to go out and acquire a solid puck moving and true number one defenseman, and TSN's Chris Johnson has stated that he believes the Oilers will take a leap and try to get Erik Karlsson.

Karlsson is one of the best puck moving, and offensive defensemen's in the league right now, he sits 6th in the league in scoring with 73 points 18 of them being goals and 55 assists in 55 games played. He also averages 25:27 of ice time per game.

Just the other day he became the fastest defenseman to hit 70 points in 33 years. It only took him 53 games to hit this and that puts him with the likes of Bobby Orr Paul Coffey, and Denis Potvin. Karlsson is on pace for 108 points which would obliterate his previous career high of 82, which he set in 2015-16 with the Senators.

Elliot Friedman has come out and stated that if the Oilers were to pursue someone like Karlsson they would more then likely have to move Tyson Barrie.

Barrie has had a solid year for the Oilers and would be tough to move on from him, but if the return is someone like Karlsson you have to think the Oilers will do it.