OILERS TRADE SMID TO FLAMES + SIGN BRYZGALOV

The Edmonton Oilers have traded defender Ladislav Smid and goalie Olivier Roy to the Calgary Flames in exchange for two prospects, goaltender Laurent Brossoit and forward Roman Horak.

Smid has struggled this season with the Oilers, leaking chances against and looking lost on the ice at times. He hasn’t been the reliable defender that Edmonton has grown used to, and has been one of the guys who has struggled on the blue-line this season. His ice time has been less than usual and it almost looked like he didn’t fit into the MacT/Eakins model or roster vision.

Smid re-signed last year around trade deadline time for four years at $3.5 M per season, but that deal was done under former GM Steve Tambellini.

Roy struggled as a prospect for Edmonton at both the ECHL and AHL levels, and never truly established himself as anything. It didn’t look like he was coming back after his first contract and it’s safe to say he was a lost prospect in Edmonton.

The Oilers get two none NHL’ers back in return. Brossoit becomes Edmonton’s top goaltending prospect by a mile and will likely see some AHL time this season. He was lights out with the Edmonton Oil Kings at the WHL level and has been good in the ECHL this year. That said, he’s still a ways a way.

As for Horak, he’s a middling prospect who doesn’t really have too great of a future NHL-wise. That said, he’s a good addition for the Barons and will help add some offense at that level. Could be a decent call-up, but I wouldn’t expect anything more than that.

Ok, the Oilers have freed up $3.5 M is salary, so there has to be more coming here. MacT clears out some salary here and opens up a spot on his blue-line. There has to be another defender coming in from a different deal, there just has to be. I can’t imagine MacTavish moving Smid without a replacement lined up, I just can’t.

There has to be another move coming for the Oilers on the blue-line. We’ll stay tuned on that.

As I was typing the above, the Oilers signed goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. Terms of the deal have yet to be mentioned. I’m guessing this is going to be a one-year deal worth somewhere between $1-$2 M, which will be pro-rated.

Look, I’m not going to lie I like this move. When Bryzgalov is on his game he is a very good goalie. Will he bring that to Edmonton? We’ll see. He’s going to have something to prove and he is a talented goalie. I’m not sure how this will end, but I like taking this risk. The Oilers have to find ways to upgrade the roster, and risks like this are the only way.

Will Bryzgalov save the Oilers? I doubt it, but again he’s a good goalie and I think worth the risk. I’m actually looking forward to seeing him play.

Stay tuned, things are getting really hot right now in Edmonton.