The Hometown Savior?

<![CDATA[The Edmonton Oilers defense badly needs a savior. Many are hoping it will be Nashville's Shea Weber, while others are hoping for players like Christian Ehrhoff, Andrei Markov or Dan Boyle to come save this unit. There is a name we have discussed on this blog many times who might be available again for the taking, and could be the savior needed for the Oilers' blue-line. That hometown product? None other than Dion Phaneuf.

Nick Kypreos opened a can of worms suggesting Dion, and Ottawa center Jason Spezza, is on the trading block with a tweet Sunday afternoon:

@RealKyper: Ontario captains on the way out soon? Independent sources say both #Sens and #Leafs shopping Spezza/ Phaneuf to west conf #NHL teams

It’s no real shock that Spezza is on this list, in fact we heard The Fourth Period report this in early March. Spezza is entering the final year of his contract, and likely will have teams like Anaheim and St. Louis begging to get him.

Dion however, Dion is actually a pretty big surprise. He’ll have teams all over him because there is a shortage of defenders and Dion is a high level player. The real surprise lies in the numbers, the contract numbers. Phaneuf signed a seven year extension in December that is worth $49 million, a $7 million yearly cap hit. That’s a hefty investment, and the Leafs are already looking to get out from under it?

Odd, very odd to say the least, and it is something that can’t be ignored.

Does He Fit?

To keep it in simple terms, yes, yes he does fit in Edmonton. What are the Oilers lacking? The first thing that pops into my mind is a top-pairing defender that can play 25 minutes a night and play in all situations. That’s exactly the kind of defender that Phaneuf is.

Phaneuf was by a mile the Leafs best defender this past season, and would no doubt have been Edmonton’s too. Dion’s shot differential was actually pretty good, and he was a plus player on a bad team. On top of that, his defensive game has improved dramatically since his trade from Calgary a few seasons ago. He’s matured and developed quite nicely.

As mentioned, he plays 20-25 minutes a night and does it very effectively, which is exactly what this Oilers team needs. He has a bomb from the point, and would be a welcomed addition to a power-play lacking the bomb since Souray was banished to the AHL. He’s a good PK’er too,and plays that physical, tough, game that every Oilers fan seems to love.

He’s got the perfect mix, size, toughness, good puck moving skills and a big time shot, he’s a complete player in that regard, and his defensive game would far and away be the best in Edmonton. Oh, and he fills a hole on the left-side at the top of the depth chart as well.

Dion is young enough where he is likely still in the early part of his prime and fits in with the Oilers core group of young players. He faces the tough competition and does a pretty good job. He’s a legit top-pairing defender, and would improve the team with ease.

A lot of Oilers fans don’t like Dion because of his past as a Calgary Flame, but this is a good player. A top-pairing, 25 minutes a night defender with the skill set of Phaneuf’s who can come in and improve a blue-line the way he can is a perfect fit for Edmonton. He’d instantly fill a major hole on this roster.

If you are looking for a top-pairing defender that fits the bill of what the Oilers need, Dion might be the most realistic bet this off-season.

So, Whats The Cost?:

This is something up for interpretation. The Leafs are going to want to make a splash, and one wonders if the third overall pick would be of interest to Toronto. I’d have to think, after missing out on top prospects like Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton before, that the Leafs might be interested in moving up the draft order this June.

What about center Sam Gagner, who has often been connected to the Leafs and is likely on the outs in Edmonton? The Leafs have always liked Sam, but they already have a Gagner in Nazem Kadri, and to a degree Tyler Bozak. I’m not sure Gagner really fills a hole in Toronto, but we know the Leafs like him, so I’ll throw that in there.

The Leafs will likely want a defender back in the deal, and the Oilers have a few that might fit the bill. Prospect Oscar Klefbom seems like a decent fit from what we are hearing the Leafs want, while Jeff Petry seems like a logical choice, although I’d be against moving him.

Finally, forwards Jordan Eberle and Nail Yakupov have to be on this list. You have to give to get, and you better believe the Leafs will be asking for the young Eberle, who has established himself nicely as a complementary piece in Edmonton. I can’t see Edmonton moving him, but the Leafs will ask. Yakupov getting a change could be all the kid needs, and he seems like he’d explode onto the scene in Toronto, in a good way.

Overall Thoughts:

Dion Phaneuf is exactly what the Oilers need. He’s a 20-25 minute a night defender who brings size, physical play and point production. He plays in all situations, handles the tough assignments, handles them well, and is a legit top-pairing defender in the NHL. The cost will likely include a big asset heading the other way, but it fills a major hole on the roster. At the very least, the Oilers should be making a phone call to the Leafs regarding Toronto’s top defender.

He’s a fit, and could be a major help to the Oilers’ defense. He may not be the savior Edmonton wants on defense, but he certainly could be the savior that Edmonton needs. If I’m MacT, I’m making sure, if he truly is on the market, that this guy is an Oiler.

Tomorrow, we look at Jason Spezza and his potential fit in Edmonton.