Around the trade deadline, the biggest name on the market for defenders was that of Kevin Shattenkirk. There was some verbal that suggested he was a target for the Oilers, but Peter Chiarelli elected to not heavily pursue big name options and Shattenkirk was traded to Washington for a package including a first round draft choice.
While Shattenkirk wasn’t a bust in Washington, he failed to push the needle for the club and was mediocre at best in the playoffs, where Washington again fell in the second round. He won’t come cheap this off-season, but Shattenkirk saw his value decrease in these playoffs and will almost certainly be looking for a new home come July 1st.
Why Is He Out There?:
Kevin Shattenkirk will be the most coveted free agent defender on the market come July 1st and, even after a difficult playoff, is in line for a massive payday. Washington acquired him strictly as a rental, and almost certainly will not be re-signing the rearguard.
The Capitals are tight against the cap as it is, and have multiple free agents to re-sign including TJ Oshie, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov and Andre Burakovsky. Bottom line is there simply aren’t enough dollars to go around in Washington, and Shattenkirk is the likely odd man out.
What Does He Do Well?:
This is a player who may just be the premiere offensive defender in the NHL today. Split between St. Louis and Washington, Shattenkirk posted 13-43-56 in 80 games and was a featured player on both teams. His -7 rating raises some concerns, but overall there is a lot to like with this player.
Shattenkirk is an excellent offensive weapon from the backend who is very good in transition, is extremely mobile, quick and smart. His speed and smarts allow him to be an astute puck carrier, while his passing ability is second to no one on the market this summer. He can make and take a pass with the best of them and can transport the puck like few other rearguards.
He possesses a strong shot that opponents have to respect, and it should come as no surprise that Shattenkirk is one of the better powerplay quarterbacks in the NHL. He’d instantly be Edmonton’s top point option on the PP.
The right-shot defender is 6′ and 209 pounds, but doesn’t play a physical game by any means. He averaged just 19:56 TOI per game during the regular season and even less, 18:27 per night, in the playoffs. Those TOI numbers were a surprise to me.
Where Will He Play/Where Should He Play?:
Last summer, the Oilers were reportedly willing to ship Taylor Hall to the Blues for Shattenkirk, which suggests that the Oil believe Shattenkirk can be a top-pairing defender. I tend to agree with them, and would say that this player can be on the top-pairing on the right side.
In Edmonton, that spot is held by Adam Larsson and while the case could be made that Shattenkirk is a better player, I’d keep Larsson there based on his chemistry with Oscar Klefbom. That would leave second-pairing duty on the right side for Shattenkirk, alongside Andrej Sekera when the Slovakian defender is healthy.
That, to me, is more than an ideal spot for Shattenkirk.
What Will He Cost?:
Back up the brinks truck people, this is going to be a very expensive contract. Shattenkirk made $4.25 million on the cap last year, but his actual salary was $5.2 million for the year. He’ll likely want max term, so I think it will take seven years to get him under contract.
There was some talk about Shattenkirk getting upwards of $7 or $8 million per year on the open market, but I just don’t see how a team is able to make that work. This is player who also saw his value decrease during a tough playoff, so I wonder if he comes in at around $6 million per season. That’s still a pretty large ticket.
Closing Argument:
If Peter Chiarelli really wants to make a splash this summer, he’ll go out and sign Kevin Shattenkirk. That said, I highly doubt that’s what the GM does, and I think there is next to no chance that Shattenkirk is an Oiler come opening night in October.
The Oilers like this player, we heard them connected to him last summer and around the deadline, but the bottom line is that Shattenkirk will cost too much and the Oilers can’t add a major contract without dumping one of their own. With the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl deals expected to be done in July, Edmonton needs to be cognizant of their spending elsewhere.
Kevin Shattenkirk would be an amazing signing for the Edmonton Oilers, and I’d love to see them make it happen, but I just don’t see the club being able to shoehorn what would be another massive contract onto the books.
We can dream, though.
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