Oilers Should Tread Lightly on Shattenkirk

The life of an Oiler fan isn’t half bad these days.

Despite being on the losing end of a 2-0 score against the Nashville Predators this past Thursday, the Oilers are still in a prime playoff position at the beginning of February. This newfound success will require some getting used to, and what better way is there to acclimate to this new winning atmosphere then to talk about the Oilers at the Trade Deadline!

Instead of taking on the roll of the perennial seller, the Edmonton Oilers will instead be in a position to pick up some rentals as they prepare to make a run into the postseason. It seems as though the team will be adding to their roster rather than subtracting for the first in over a decade.

So, with this being the case, the Oilers have been linked to a variety of different players from around the league, perhaps none more than, St. Louis defender, Kevin Shattenkirk. Reputable NHL insiders Bob McKenzie, Elliott Friedman, and Pierre Lebrun have all linked the Oilers to having a considerable amount of interest in the 28-year-old RH rearguard. While Shattenkirk has been a very good player with an underperforming St. Louis team, the Blues do not want to lose the pending UFA for nothing, as they did with David Backes and Troy Brouwer just this past offseason.

Drafted 14th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2007 draft, Shattenkirk established himself as an offensive threat early on in his NHL career. In his first season in 2010/11, one in which he split time between the Avalanche and the Blues, Shattenkirk was able to net a impressive 43pts in his rookie season. He has since played 388 more games for St.Louis, amassing four 40+ point seasons in that time. Heralded for his keen offensive instincts, Shattenkirk could prove to be a useful asset for the Oilers, as they lack a lethal offensive weapon on the blueline. Over the past 3 seasons, he ranks 8th in goals by a defenceman.

While Shattenkirk has maintained some impressive offensive numbers through the season thus far, ranking 5th in points by defensemen and 3rd in defensemen goals, the Oilers should be wary of adding a guy of his caliber. The Oilers are in the market to add to their D-core, especially on the right-hand side but, Shattenkirk offers up a risk that the Oilers should take into account before unloading assets.

As good as Shattenkirk has been for the St. Louis Blues in the offensive end, he has not reciprocated this play in his own end. He is top 5 when it comes to defensive scoring, yet he ranks near the bottom in terms of his defensive play, holding a dismal -13 rating on the season. Now, one simple stat does not a player make but, upon analyzing video and having a few discussions with the St. Louis faithful it is safe to say that Shattenkirk’s defensive play has some room to improve. However, he is an offensive defenseman, and he does it well, so maybe we can overlook this aspect of his game.

The area that most concerns me about any potential deal revolving around Shattenkirk is the fact that he is a UFA at season’s end. Much has been made about his desires to play out east, specifically with the New York Rangers, so the Oilers should be prepared to lose him in the offseason if they acquire him at all. This should scare the Oilers away from giving up a significant piece, such as an Eberle or a Nugent-Hopkins. If this doesn’t fly for the St. Louis Blues, it should be a deal breaker.

Anyhow, if the Oilers decide to make a move to acquire Kevin Shattenkirk, they should proceed with caution and be sure not to get swindled by Doug Armstrong in giving up a guy like Eberle or RNH. His defensive play is very much a question mark but he makes up for it with his pristine offensive abilities. The bulk of the defensive responsibilities can be relied upon the likes of Adam Larsson, Kris Russell, and Darnell Nurse. The Oilers are in need of a quarterback on the power play and Shattenkirk could very well fill that hole and take the Oilers to that next level. A combination of picks and prospects would be the ideal scenario but only time will tell what happens.

Tread carefully Peter.

Should the Oilers pursue Kevin Shattenkirk via trade?

If not, whom would you go after?

Leave a comment and let me know

Preston Hodgkinson (@PrestonKixFM)