Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland found himself quite busy this trade deadline, acquiring three new players. He did all of his work before Friday’s deadline day, adding two forwards from the Anaheim Ducks in Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick. He also acquired right-handed defenseman Troy Stecher from the Arizona Coyotes. Unfortunately for Oilers fans, no top-six forward or top-four blue-line upgrades were made to the line-up. This leaves fans with the question: did Holland do enough for the Edmonton Oilers to make a run for the Stanley Cup?
The Arguments For the Oilers Deadline Moves
Rumors of Jordan Eberle possibly being an option for Edmonton had fans excited. He would have been a genuine upgrade in the lineup. Ultimately, he signed an extension with the Seattle Kraken. The Oilers were also loosely linked to Jake Guentzel and Pavel Buchnevich. Neither deal happened. Perhaps it’s all for the best as the prices were rumored to be extremely high and too much player movement can destroy the chemistry of an existing roster.
The Oilers have been the best team in the NHL since November 7th. The chemistry between the players has already been formed; adding or removing players messes with the mojo of the team. If Oilers fans wanted more from the trade deadline, they would have to give up a player.
In Henrique and Carrick, the Oilers added much-needed depth. Secondary scoring has been lacking this season for Edmonton and the flexibility and versatility of Henrique and Carrick are what GM Holland found most desirable. Furthermore, the ability to have players who can play multiple different positions is key in a playoff situation. Both Henrique and Carrick can put the puck in the net.
The Arguments Against the Oilers Deadline Moves
Despite the three new faces in orange and blue, many Oilers fans wonder if it’ll be enough. The Oilers have weaknesses, an inconsistent defense core, and an underperforming bottom six. Many fans called for a replacement for defenseman Cody Ceci, which was not what happened. Instead, Troy Stecher was an addition to the depth. His addition is not one of replacement but rather to have a veteran defenseman while also having another body in the lineup. The inconsistency and mistakes often made by the Oilers’ defense are something an extra body won’t fix.
So too, Edmonton Oilers fans wanted upgrades to the lineup, especially on the second line. The Oilers didn’t add there. All the while, teams like Vegas took huge swings and dramatically improved their team. The Winnipeg Jets added Tyler Toffoli. These are big swings Edmonton chose not to take. One could argue, that if you’re standing pat, you’re really going backward when other teams get significantly better.
Holland wanted depth and versatility. The juxtaposition of fans and GM has led to fans questioning if what was done was enough. With no significant upgrades to the lineup, only time will tell who was correct in what the Oilers needed.
