The Edmonton Oilers are considered one of the many teams looking for center help as we approach the trade deadline on Wednesday afternoon. With less than 48 hours to go before the buzzer sounds, however, the top two pivots on the rental market have already been moved.
Martin Hanzal was moved to Minnesota for a couple of high draft choices, while Brian Boyle was sent to Toronto for an AHL forward and a 2017 second round pick earlier today. I’m not surprised the Oilers didn’t acquire Hanzal, the price was far too high, but I’m a little surprised the club didn’t acquire Boyle, who appeared to be a perfect fit.
We do know, per Jim Matheson, that Edmonton was interested in both of these players and snooped around them prior to their trades.
So Edm in on Hanzal and Boyle but both are out. Still looking for veteran C with some offence to help them win a draw
— Jim Matheson (@NHLbyMatty) February 27, 2017
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With these two off the market, what happens now for GM Peter Chiarelli in his quest to find another pivot for his club? Edmonton sits dead last in the NHL in faceoff percentage and their penalty kill is arguably one of the worst in the entire league. The club has to do something to address these areas prior to the final playoff push.
I suspect the Oilers will try to do something, but options are thin now with Boyle and Hanzal already being moved. So, what are the remaining realistic options for Edmonton as we chug towards Wednesday?
The Options:
Anton Lander (Bakersfield Condors): This certainly isn’t a sexy option, in fact I feel like most people (myself included) would actually be disappointed if this was Chiarelli’s solution to Edmonton’s issues in the bottom six at center. Lander has been a complete mess offensively in the NHL since his arrival in 2011, and his numbers last season were so bad they actually defied logic.
Granted, Lander has been a lot better this season, but still I’m not sure I’d be comfortable with him. He has registered 1-3-4 in 22 games at the NHL level this season, last suiting up on February 11th. In the AHL, however, Lander has gone 18-19-37 in 22 tilts and was named AHL player of the week earlier today.
His biggest assets at the NHL level? He’s strong in the circle (56.03% this season) and can be a key component on a PK unit.
Jay McClement (Carolina Hurricanes): The 33-year old veteran is a pending UFA and, while he isn’t as good as Brian Boyle, he could be an option for Edmonton’s bottom six. That said, he provides almost no offense (4-2-6 in 56 games this season) and has been playing around 12 minutes a night as of late.
In the dot, McClement really hasn’t been that great, winning only 48.41% of his draws this season. He does see some action on the PK, however, and he could help in that regard. Other than that, however, he’s strictly a fourth line center in the NHL. I don’t think he fits with the Oilers at this point, but he’s certainly going to be an option.
Derek Ryan (Carolina Hurricanes): He’s a former U of A Golden Bear, so the Oilers will likely be interested in him, but they should stay far away. Ryan, at 30 years old, had a great run earlier this season but has been held pointless in his last 14 games and has seen his ice time decrease by two minutes over the last month.
He’s a replacement level player and, in my mind, is no better than Anton Lander, in fact I think I’d much rather Lander at this point. Ryan has won 57.41% of his draws, which could be appealing.
Joe Colborne (Colorado Avalanche): He still has another year left at $2.5 million per, but Edmonton was interested in Colborne over the summer and he’s currently having a nightmare season for the Avs. He’s registered just 4-1-5 in 50 games after going 19-25-44 with the Flames a year ago. He isn’t as good as his 2015-16 season, but he certainly isn’t as bad as his 2016-17 season indicates.
Colborne could be a good buy-low option that would settle in as Edmonton’s third line center for the rest of the season. He’s a bigger guy and was over 50% in the dot during his last two years in Calgary. I’d be willing to take a chance on him, and think he’d do much better on an Oiler team that is markedly better than his current Colorado group.
Steve Ott (Detroit Red Wings): At 34-years old, Ott likely doesn’t have much left in the tank. That said, the pending UFA could be a real solid rental for Edmonton. He’s an established veteran with lots of experience and he plays a style that perfectly fits what Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan want.
His offensive numbers aren’t great, 3-3-6 in 42 games, but he’s solid defensively and can play on the PK moving forward. He’s also extremely strong in the dot (57.95%) and is likely to have a pretty cheap price tag attached to him. He’s more of a 4th liner at this point in his career, but he would be a fine depth piece for Edmonton moving forward.
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