Oilers Bargain Bin Shopping – Defenders

In part one of my post on bargain bin value contracts yesterday, we took a look at a few options for the Oilers up front. Today, we keep on rolling with a look at a few defenders who could fill the bill as a late summer signing. The free agent defensive class was pretty weak this year, but shockingly there are some good names still left on the board. Without further ado, here are some options for the Oil on the defensive side of the puck.

The Candidates:

James Wisniewski (Carolina Hurricanes): I touched on the veteran rearguard last week here, and he remains the top UFA (in my mind) on the market in terms of defenders. Wisniewski is a veteran who fits into an up-tempo system and whose strengths fit with Edmonton’s weaknesses. He’s a strong puck mover, possesses a big shot and can man the point on a powerplay.

Should Wisniewski be willing to sign a one-year deal, which I assume is the likely outcome for him, then he would be a great addition for the Oilers.

Matt Carle (Tampa Bay Lightning): Another victim of a buyout, Carle possesses many of the same qualities that Wisniewski does. He’s a strong skater, makes a good first pass and can move the puck well, has solid offensive instincts and is a sound positional hockey player.

That said, Carle struggled mightily last season, only registering 2-7-9 in 64 games. At 31 years old, he isn’t likely to have a massive spike north in the coming years, but he should be better than he was last season. On a small one-year deal, he may provide some value to a team. He can also play on the powerplay, which is an item important to Edmonton right now.

Dan Boyle (New York Rangers): There is a strong chance that Boyle’s career is done. He had a very tough end to this past season with the Rangers, ending up as a healthy scratch during a first round playoff loss. At 40, Boyle is likely to continue declining and won’t be much more than a third-pairing, powerplay specialist.

That said, Boyle is a great leader, extremely mobile, moves the puck very well and is very experienced at running a successful powerplay. Boyle also played for Todd McLellan in San Jose, so the connection is there.

Brandon Gormley (Colorado Avalanche): A former high draft pick by Arizona, Gormley simply has not panned out like many had hoped he would. The 24 year old defender has struggled to keep an NHL job and was not qualified by Colorado this past June.

That said, Gormley is a mobile defender who can move the puck and who has solid defensive instincts. His style is described as “mature” and he is still growing as a player. He won’t fill a big role, but Gormley could be a nice addition as a depth defender, perhaps as Edmonton’s seventh man. No doubt he would come cheap as well.

Jakub Nakladal (Calgary Flames): The Flames elected, somewhat surprisingly, to not qualify the 28 year old Czech defender. Nakladal possesses size (6’2” and 212 pounds), a hard/heavy shot, is a right-shot, and has a “defensive conscience”. In addition to that, his scouting report indicates a player who can contribute on the penalty kill.

Final Thoughts:

I’d love to see Edmonton roll the dice on one of Wisniewski, Carle or Nakladal. All three of them fill a hole on the depth chart and help bring balance to the righty/lefty issue that haunts the Oilers at this time. Wisniewski is the best bet, but Carle would also bring experience and help out.

Nakladal is a wild card, but I was impressed by his short NHL stint last season. He isn’t as proven, but he would certainly be a longer-term solution if he panned out.