Published Mar 04, 2024<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 50\u00a0minutes ago<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 6 minute read<\/span><\/p>\n The Edmonton Oilers have already missed out on big name deadline day trade acquisitions such as Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan and Chris Tanev.<\/p>\n Perhaps that\u2019s not such a tragedy.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Last year at this time many folks were pushing hard for Edmonton to make a whopper of a deal, moving out the likes of Evan Bouchard for San Jose\u2019s Erik Karlsson, or going all in to acquire Jakob Chyrchun of Arizona.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n or<\/span><\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Both Karlsson and Chychrun eventually got moved in trades but neither has taken their new team to the promised land this season, not even to a playoff spot. Bouchard, meanwhile, has taken his game to an all-star level in Edmonton.<\/p>\n Let that be a cautionary tale about moving heaven and earth to bring in a big name player.<\/p>\n Instead of the highly-rated Karlsson, Oilers GM Ken Holland brought in a lesser known player, Mattias Ekholm from Nashville. Ekholm has been one of the NHL\u2019s very best two-way d-men since he was acquired.<\/p>\n Think of the tactic as Edmonton following the \u201cOne-Foot Hurdle\u201d principle, a rule of acquisition set forth by one of the world\u2019s greatest investors, Warren Buffet, in 1989.<\/p>\n Said Buffet: \u201cAfter 25 years of buying and supervising a great variety of businesses, (business partner) Charlie (Munger) and I have not learned how to solve difficult business problems. What we have learned is to avoid them. To the extent we have been successful, it is because we concentrated on identifying one-foot hurdles that we could step over rather than because we acquired any ability to clear seven-footers.\u201d<\/p>\n Headline News<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Erik Karlsson was a seven-foot hurdle. Holland was wise enough not to try and exceed his leaping ability and instead went for a major asset but one far less sexy, one with a much smaller reputation and less heralded name. But Ekholm did not cost Bouchard, just two low first-round picks. The Ekholm deal was the one-foot hurdle Holland could clear, and it allowed him to clear a second one, having some assets and cap space to trade for Nick Bjugstad.<\/p>\n This trade deadline appears to present a series of one-foot hurdles for Holland to clear, and he\u2019s in luck when it comes to one major need, as there is a glut of strong wingers on the market just now.<\/p>\n Edmonton\u2019s top insider, Bob Stauffer of the Oilers radio network, who travels with and works for the team, has now made clear what Holland\u2019s shopping list is, a top 6 right winger, a third or fourth line right shot centre, and a depth d-man, who will be seventh man on the depth chart.<\/p>\n \u201cI see Edmonton adding a top nine forward, probably a second line guy who can play right wing, if not a 3C, a third line centre, and then I still think they\u2019re going to add another centre, maybe another right shot,\u201d Stauffer said today.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n On defence, Stauffer said he was \u201cpragmatic\u201d and did not want to see Edmonton give up a first round draft pick unless they\u2019re getting back a player with term. \u201cI wonder whether or not it\u2019s just going to be a depth d.\u201d<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cThere is a way they can make those additions, maybe a top 6 right wing with an expiring contract, a fourth line right shot centre and a depth defenceman without moving anybody else out of the forward unit and that would give them a lot deeper forward unit and a depth defenceman that can come in as a seven.\u201d<\/p>\n 1. In the market this year Jake Guentzel of Pittsburgh represents the seven-foot hurdle. He\u2019s the big name player, the Stanley Cup-winner, the winger who rides with Sidney Crosby and puts up a point per game. It\u2019s starting to sound like Edmonton just doesn\u2019t have the cap space and assets to bring in Guentzel. Maybe if Edmonton gave up top prospect Philip Broberg and 1st round pick, then traded even more for another team to eat cap space, Edmonton could afford the player. It\u2019s enticing to think of such an acquisition, just like so many of us, including me, were tempted by the thought of Karlsson in an Oilers uniform.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n 2. But, as luck would have it, there are all kinds of other options to fill that Top 6 winger spot. They will all come with less of a price tag than Guentzel.<\/p>\n Guentzel makes most sense in a market where there\u2019s the cap space to sign him up for next season and beyond. That market isn\u2019t Edmonton. But maybe Edmonton could move out an asset or two and bring in a player with less of monster reputation just now, someone like Jordan Eberle of Seattle, Vlad Tarasenko of Ottawa, Tyler Toffoli of New Jersey or even Sonny Milano of Columbus.<\/p>\n Sonny Milano? Well, in the last two seasons at even strength, Milano has averaged 2.09 points per 60. Guentzel is at 2.12 points per 60.<\/p>\n Pavel Buchnevich, another seven-foot hurdle, has averaged 2.24 per 60, Eberle 2.08, Tarasenko 2.1, Toffoli, 2.17, Adam Henrique, 1.89, Anthony Mantha, 1.87, Ryan Hartman, 1.94, and Jason Zucker 1.85.<\/p>\n By comparison Warren Foegele \u2014 who some local folks are actually mentioning as a player who might by moved out of Edmonton just now \u2014 is at 2.21 per 60. Why would the Oilers move out Foegele just now?<\/p>\n Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is at 2.06 per 60, Evander Kane at 1.81 per 60 and Ryan McLeod, 1.75 per 60.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n More context: the vaunted Elias Lindholm is at 1.83.<\/p>\n There are, in fact, a whole bunch of forwards likely available in that 1.8 to 2.3 points per 60 category over the past two seasons, and a number of them represent one-foot hurdles.<\/p>\n How about make that bet instead of going all-in on Guentzel or Buchnevich?<\/p>\n 2. Remember, in rating and ranking these players, even strength scoring is critical because it\u2019s highly unlikely any of the new players will break into Edmonton\u2019s top power play. They\u2019re going to have to get their cookies and apples at even strength. No feasting on the power play.<\/p>\n 3. Guentzel is on an expiring contract \u2014 which Stauffer mentioned is a key factor here \u2014 but Buchnevich has one more year on a deal that pays him $6.3 million per, making the price for him all the higher. Good luck clearing that hurdle.<\/p>\n 4. Eberle, Mantha, Zucker, Tarasenko and Toffoli are all on expiring contracts. Ryan Hartman is also on one and makes just $1.7 million per. Milano makes just $1.9 million per.<\/p>\n 5. As for filling in the third or fourth line centre role, Nic Dowd is a one-foot hurdle. He\u2019s a real possibility, but if the Oilers want to make it even more simple they\u2019ll go with Sam Carrick of the Ducks. He\u2019d be super cheap and he makes the league minimum. Of course, most observers would say Dowd is a better play than Carrick, so there\u2019s that.<\/p>\n Advertisement 7<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0 Adding a d-man is a good bet. When has Ken Holland not done so in Edmonton? In 2020 it was Mike Green from Detroit for a fourth round pick and the salary dump of Kyle Brodziak. In 2021, Dmitry Kulikov for a fourth round pick. In 2022, Brett Kulak from Montreal\u00a0 (with 50 per cent retained) for a second round pick, a 7th rounder, and journeyman William Lagesson. Last year it was Ekholm.<\/p>\n All these deals were sane and reasonable investments in Edmonton\u2019s future.<\/p>\n We can all hope for more of the same from Holland in the next week.<\/p>\n David Staples: Danielle Smith\u2019s promised income tax cut is now \u2018contingent.\u2019 Seriously?<\/p>\n STAPLES: Game grades in big win over Penguins<\/strong><\/p>\n LEAVINS:\u00a0<\/span>9 Things<\/strong><\/p>\n McCURDY: Skinner and the Oilers squeak past Seattle<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/edmontonjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/0222Jake-Guentzel-penguins-oilers-scaled-e1708528078532.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288&h=216&sig=xSzCsL2jKkd4eoVq7DrVoQ\" "\\"\\"")
The Oilers could target Penguins winger Jake Guentzel.<\/span> Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\nArticle content<\/h2>\n
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Premier Danielle Smith and Finance Minister Nate Horner chat as they arrive in the Alberta legislature chamber to deliver the 2024 provincial budget in Edmonton on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>PHOTO BY DAVID BLOOM<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\/Postmedia<\/span><\/p>\nAt the Cult of Hockey<\/h2>\n