The season that Jordan Eberle has had thus far has been one to forget. The former 30-goal scorer has been snake-bitten this season, only tallying 32pts through 55 games, and has had trouble finding a set spot in the lineup. This has caused many to wonder whether or not Eberle should be shipped out of town while his value is still high. This has been a hot-topic among the fanbase recently, so I thought I would provide a few thoughts on the whole ordeal.
The Oilers seem to be gauging the value of Eberle on the market, but I am here to say that they shouldn’t make a trade just yet.
The Source:
Megan recently posted a piece earlier this week that commented on the rumour addressed in this article if you want to check that out first!
Anyway, the rumour comes in the form of an Elliotte Friedman quote:
“I think they have tried to trade both Eberle and Pouliot for some time now, and I don’t think there’s a market [right now]” – Elliotte Friedman
What Happened to Jordan Eberle?
To first understand why the Oilers shouldn’t panic into an Eberle trade just yet, we must analyze what has happened to #14 this year.
Eberle started the year off on the team’s first line with Connor McDavid and Milan Lucic. The chemistry between Connor and Jordan was evident in the latter part of the previous season, so this made a considerable amount of sense. However, despite early season success from the team, Eberle showed signs of regression early on. From the play dying on his stick to the whiffing of quality scoring chances, something was definitely up with Eberle’s game. This drop-off in production has been an area of concern among Oiler fans and public opinion has rapidly turned against him.
His playing style, which has been the source of success through the past few seasons, is one of finesse and skill. However, his lack of strength and aggressiveness on the forecheck and backcheck has also been a significant weakness of late. This has always been a staple in Eberle’s game but, with a bigger team surrounding him, it is much easier to notice. With Peter Chiarelli being a strong advocate for teams that beat opponents with strength, it’s would be easy to see why Eberle might have fallen out favour with the team’s GM.
The Oilers have also been keeping a keen eye on their salary cap situation in the coming years. As mentioned briefly by Elliotte Friedman this past week, Peter Chiarelli and co. are gearing up to sign the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to some hefty contract extensions this summer. Their combined cap hit is expected to reach somewhere around the 15-20 million range. Moving Eberle’s 6-mil salary could provide some welcome cap relief, as well as bring back a suitable player with a lower cap-hit.
He has been playing a better game recently, finding a spot on the second line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but this has not offset the ever-present trade rumours circling Eberle’s name.
My Take:
While Friedman says it is unlikely that the Oilers will move Eberle, they shouldn’t be exploring the idea quite yet.
The Edmonton Oilers should not make a panic move with Jordan Eberle at this year’s trade deadline. His drop-off in production has affected the team in stretches but, for the most part, the team has been able to pull their own weight without Eberle firing on all cylinders.
One of the main reasons why the Oilers shouldn’t be quick to move him is the fact that they are extremely weak on the Right-Wing. Outside of Eberle, the team is currently relying on Leon Draisaitl, a natural center, to provide offense from the wing. This is sure to cause problems down the road if a center like Nugent-Hopkins gets injured and Draisaitl has to shift back to center-ice. The injury to Tyler Pitlick magnifies this issue even further. If the Oilers decided to dump Eberle without bringing back a suitable replacement on the right-wing, this could have catastrophic results on the team’s late-season playoff push. The depth is not there right now, so trading your best RW mid-season would not be the wisest of moves.
The other issue with any potential deadline deal is the question of how much Chiarelli can demand back. The value at the moment for Jordan Eberle is at an all-time low, and the Oilers could find themselves hard-pressed to make a move that benefits them in the long-run. If they decide to retain his services for the second half of the season and into the playoffs, they provide more time for Eberle to find his game and improve his trade value. You can also demand more on the market during the off-season than the trade deadline, as teams around this time aren’t necessarily looking to make blockbuster moves.
This isn’t to say that I am opposed to trading Eberle in the offseason. If the Oilers can find the right deal for him in the summer, then by all means, they should pursue it. I just don’t believe that the ideal trade would be available at the deadline. Patience is the key to these type of moves, so the team shouldn’t be forced into making a panicked trade.
Thanks For Reading!
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