There are few, if any teams that have been more fun to watch in 2023-24 than the Edmonton Oilers given their wild ride through mid-February. Just about everyone counted them out early, but Edmonton has since clawed their way back into contention to the point they are currently third in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division with 63 points as of February 13th.
While there is hardly any chance of this team catching the mighty Vancouver Canucks, it doesn’t mean they won’t potentially sneak into a higher seed for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. One way to help solidify their chances would mean trading for a high-profile player before or at the trade deadline, and there is one in particular who would make a lot of sense.
Adam Henrique hasn’t been part of a good team lately thanks to the Anaheim Ducks struggles. But somebody will cash in big when they trade for him, and the Oilers should more than just strongly consider the idea.
There are times when it makes sense for NHL teams to upgrade weaknesses to their lineup, but it also sometimes makes sense to upgrade strengths. And nobody in professional hockey today has a better one-two combo than the Oilers with Connor McDavid (77 points) and Leon Draisaitl (62 points). Add in names like Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and you may wonder where Henrique even fits.
Despite their strong scoring, the Oilers are not a top-five scoring team, and Henrique could be the missing piece to turn a great offense into an elite one. For an Anaheim Ducks team that is currently 29th in scoring with only 132 goals, Henrique has done a remarkable job of making the most of what he has in Anaheim, recording 35 points and 15 goals, the latter of which is tied for second behind only Frank Vatrano.
He’s hit 15.8 percent of all his shots on goal so far this season, and Henrique would also be a good asset to factor in on the power play should the Oilers trade for and need him on the man advantage.