It’s no secret that the Edmonton Oilers are looking for a right-shot defender who can hammer the puck on net. The Oilers badly need an offensive rearguard to join their ranks, especially one that can play the point on the powerplay.
While he may not be the sexy option like Tyson Barrie was during the summer, Arizona defender Michael Stone fits the bill to a degree and may be available according to insider Jim Matheson, who tweeted the following out on Friday.
Coyotes offensive D Michael Stone is apparently available. UFA in July. Would Edm be interested? Big shot
— Jim Matheson (@NHLbyMatty) November 18, 2016
Stone is a right-shot defender who is just 26 years old and has played parts of six NHL seasons. He’s got decent size at 6’3” and 210 pounds, and has a big time shot from the point, as Matheson pointed out.
Here is his scouting reporting via The Hockey News:
Assets: Has ideal National Hockey League size and displays an all-around game from the back end. Also owns a very good point shot. Can also be a physical force.
Flaws: At times, he has a tendency to try to do too much with the puck (which gets him into trouble in the defensive zone). Must become more consistent.
Career Potential: Big, inconsistent all-round defenseman.
The Oilers have been plagued by inconsistent defenders before, but in my limited viewings of Stone I’ve mostly seen him good. He’s strong in the offensive zone and, as mentioned a few times, has a great shot. I’ve noticed his passing is also a strong suit, and he’s different from guys like Justin Schultz in the sense that he isn’t a defensive liability.
He’s not an elite defender or a big name, but he’s quietly been a pretty effective offensive defender in the desert for a few seasons now.
The Boxcars:
Stone has a stat line of 0-3-3 in just eight contests this season, but is coming off seasons of 36 (6-30-36 in 75 games), 18 (3-15-18 in 81 games) and 21 (8-13-21 in 70 games) points the last three years.
Here are the career totals for Stone:
Final Thoughts:
At this point, the Edmonton Oilers are not going to be able to acquire a difference maker on the backend. Teams rarely move those players in season, and if they do it’s usually as a high priced rental. Stone, while still a rental player, could be a really good fit for Edmonton at a relatively cheap price.
His skill set and handedness makes him a really good fit for this hockey club, and at his age he could be a longer-term option for Edmonton.
As for acquisition cost, I’m not sure what Arizona is looking for. If they want a veteran forward, I think Benoit Pouliot could be had quite easily. Pouliot has been in the doghouse all season long and will be a healthy scratch for the second straight game tonight against Chicago. If Arizona is looking for a veteran forward, Pouliot for Stone could happen.
Edmonton doesn’t have it’s second round pick this June (Boston for Peter Chiarelli) so draft currency would be difficult as a first round pick is an overpay for the player, but a third wouldn’t get this deal done.
Pouliot, like Zach Laing mentioned here for Ryan Murphy, seems to be the most logical trade candidate to fill this hole on the backend for Edmonton at this time.
I’m just not sure Arizona is in the market for a high priced veteran forward who they can’t stash on LTIR. That said, if a deal is there to be made, Michael Stone can help the Edmonton Oilers out in an area of need.
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