Published Mar 18, 2024<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 6 minute read<\/span><\/p>\n Did the Edmonton Oilers get it wrong by failing to focus on acquiring a speedy defenceman at the NHL trade deadline?<\/p>\n Does Edmonton have the team speed to match fast NHL squads like Colorado and Vancouver?<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n In 2024, the Oilers picked up three new forwards in Corey Perry, Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick, but not one of them could be called a fast NHLer. For all his grit and savvy, Perry is one of the slower players in the league.<\/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 D-man pick-up Troy Stecher is a decent skater, but he\u2019s also the team\u2019s seventh d-man, not an obvious pick to force either Cody Ceci or Vincent Desharnais, who are slower skaters, out of the line-up.<\/p>\n Finally, to make room for veterans on the roster, Edmonton moved out two of its best skaters, forward Dylan Holloway and d-man Philip Broberg.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not too late for Holloway and Broberg to find their way back to the Edmonton roster and make significant contributions this year. It\u2019s also the case that Edmonton filled significant needs at centre and on the bottom lines picking up Henrique and Carrick.<\/p>\n But in Edmonton\u2019s 3-2 loss to the Avs of Colorado on Saturday night, Colorado was able to create dangerous rush chances repeatedly against the Oilers, often with fast d-men like Cale Makar and Sean Walker jumping into the play. Walker scored two goals against the Oilers and almost had a third.<\/p>\n This is the same Walker that Sportsnet\u2019s Elliotte Friedman has said the Oilers looked at closely at the trade deadline.<\/p>\n \u201cEdmonton took a long look at Walker,\u201d Friedman said on 32 Thoughts podcast. \u201cUltimately decided not to do it. And Colorado got him.\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 The Avs got Walker by moving the salary of centre Ryan Johansen and a first-round pick in 2025 to Philadelphia. The Flyers also got a 5th round pick in 2026. Johansen has one more year on a deal that pays him $8 million per, with his original team the Nashville Predators paying half of that cap hit, $4 million per year.<\/p>\n On Hockey Night in Canada, commentator Kelly Hrudey said of the Walker deal: \u201cThat\u2019s such a good trade by Colorado. He\u2019s on their third-pairing and he does so many things.\u201d<\/p>\n Hrudey noted Walker\u2019s big hit in that evening\u2019s Avs-Oilers game on Evander Kane. \u201cWalker is a guy I\u2019ve really admired ever since he was playing for L.A.\u201d<\/p>\n Walker is explosive, Hrudey said, \u201cJust everywhere, all over the ice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just a smooth, good, overall defenceman,\u201d said fellow commentator Kevin Bieksa. \u201cGood first pass. Can bring you a little bit of offence, but competes a ton and can defend. So just a good pick-up for whoever he plays for.\u201d<\/p>\n I will also note that former Oilers d-man Jason Strudwick, now an analyst with Sportsnet, has been saying for many months now that what the Oilers need is a puck-moving d-man to play with Darnell Nurse.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n On Oilers Now, Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli told host Bob Stauffer said he would not have traded a 1st round pick and Cody Ceci for Walker. \u201cI hold the opinion whether it\u2019s today, tomorrow, three months from now or six months back, that Sean Walker wasn\u2019t a big enough upgrade over Cody Ceci to warrant giving up another sixth round pick.\u201d<\/p>\n Former Oilers player, coach and GM Craig MacTavish agreed with Seravalli\u2019s assessment, saying he would not have traded Ceci and a 1st pick for Walker. \u201cThat\u2019s too rich for me,\u201d MacTavish said. \u201cI don\u2019t think the pedigree is there. Obviously he\u2019s a bit of a later developer. He\u2019s had a really good year. But the pedigree is not there to give up a really popular member of your team, Cody Ceci. He\u2019s a very functional NHL player. And a first round pick. In my mind it\u2019s too high, it\u2019s too much.\u201d<\/p>\n 1. Strudwick is right. For most of the year it seemed to me the top need on the Oilers was a third-line centre, but Ceci, Nurse and Desharnais all went into extended slumps after the all-star break. Puck moving appeared to be a major issue with the trio, and it became evident that a sharp puck-mover paired up with Nurse might hit the spot for the Oilers.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n 2. At the trade deadline the Oilers went after Chris Tanev, a hardcore defender who is arguably a better puck-mover than Ceci or Desharnais, though that is not certain. With this pursuit of Tanvev, Oilers management seemed to focus on bringing in another Top 4 right shot d-man to partner with Nurse. But Calgary rejected Edmonton\u2019s offer, which reportedly included a first round pick and Ceci. And there was not a lot left on the market after Tanev, though Walker was available.<\/p>\n 3. From Friedman\u2019s report, it\u2019s evident that the Oilers also had their eyes on Walker. In the last two seasons, Walker has scored 0.95 pts per 60 5-on-5, ranking him 81st overall for regular NHL d-men. For comparison: Bouchard is 10th overall, 1.36 per 60; Ekholm 59th, 1.04; Nurse 67th, 1.00 per 60; Tanev is at 118th overall, 0.86 per 60; Kulak 131st, 0.84; Ceci 175th, 0.74; Desharnais 222nd, 0.59, reports Natural Stat Trick.<\/p>\n 4. From his point scoring rate \u2014 and even if we try to set aside the recency bias of Walker\u2019s great performance on Saturday \u2014 it\u2019s evident Walker can move the puck well. Walker is on an expiring contract with a $2.65 million cap hit. To bring him in, Edmonton would likely have had to move out a contract.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n 5. If Edmonton does decide it needs to get faster, it still has options.<\/p>\n It can play Stecher over Ceci or Desharnais.<\/p>\n Or it can move over Kulak to the right side and play him with Nurse. At the same time, Edmonton could bring up Broberg to pair with Ceci or Desharnais on the third pairing.<\/p>\n A d-man group of Bouchard, Ekholm, Nurse, Kulak, Broberg and Desharnais\/Ceci would not be fast, but it would be faster and more agile than what we\u2019re now seeing.<\/p>\n 6. Of course, Ceci may yet pull out of his recent slump and shut down this kind of talk. For my part, I\u2019d like to see the Oilers experiment, using Stecher and Broberg in the final games of the year, as well as trying out Kulak with Nurse. Kulak has excelled all year and he\u2019s a decent bet to step up into a bigger role just now, even if it means he plays on his off-side.<\/p>\n 7. I like what I\u2019ve seen so far of Henrique, Edmonton\u2019s main trade acquisition. I especially like his smarts and commitment to defensive hockey. It\u2019s not something we\u2019ve often see from Edmonton centres since Shawn Horcoff left town. Edmonton did indeed have a major gap at third-line centre, and it looks like it\u2019s been filled.<\/p>\n Advertisement 7<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The only big question then is if the Oilers should have also moved on a first round pick in 2025 to bring in Walker. That would be a steep price to pay, and Edmonton may well have thought it had better options, such as Stecher stepping in, or Kulak moving over, or Broberg stepping up.<\/p>\n What say you?<\/p>\n David Staples:\u00a0<\/span>Troubling blind spot on Trudeau\u2019s energy policy keeps tripping up NDP\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n McCURDY: Oilers sign hot goalie prospect<\/strong><\/p>\n LEAVINS: 9 Things<\/strong><\/p>\n STAPLES: Oilers lose 3-2 to Avalanche in overtime thriller<\/strong><\/p>\n Recommended from Editorial<\/p>\n Oilers sign hot shot goalie prospect<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n![\"Oilers\"](\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/edmontonjournal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/hkn-avalanche-oilers-20240316.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288&h=216&sig=j5tQHo8CAm9PEcCW39rXCQ\" "\\"\\"")
Colorado Avalanche’s Sean Walker (26) and Edmonton Oilers’ Cody Ceci (5) battle for the puck during first period NHL action in Edmonton, Saturday, March 16, 2024.<\/span> Photo by JASON FRANSON<\/span> \/THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/span><\/p>\nArticle content<\/h2>\n
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