Peter Chiarelli has begun tinkering with his roster at the NHL level, dealing backup goalie Anders Nilsson to the St. Louis Blues for a 5th round pick in 2016 and prospect Niklas Lundstrom. The Oil also recalled Laurent Brossoit from Bakersfield to fill the backup spot for the time being.
Anders Nilsson came to Edmonton this summer without much fanfare but found himself in the NHL thanks to a stellar training camp in which he vastly outplayed Ben Scrivens. After winning a job, Nilsson impressed greatly by posting terrific numbers in October and November, then he took off by winning six of seven starts and pushing the Oilers into playoff position in December.
Alas, it didn’t last for Nilsson, who hasn’t given the Oilers a quality start since that run in December. He spent some time in the AHL and was struggling mightily at the NHL level when he got looks. After playing himself into the plans in Edmonton, Nilsson played himself right out in these last two months. Add that to Cam Talbot bouncing back and playing quite well, and the writing was on the wall.
I think the odds of Nilsson returning for next season were slim to none, in fact I still expect him to head back to the KHL. This was Peter Chiarelli picking up assets for a player who simply was not in the plans.
The Return:
All things considered, this was a quality return for Edmonton. The Oilers snagged themselves a 5th round pick here, giving them two picks in the round at this point. On top of that, they snagged a goalie who will join the system immediately, most likely in Norfolk of the ECHL.
In 13 ECHL games this season, Lundstrom has posted a .929 SV% and a 2.92 GAA, pretty solid numbers. He’s also received a cup of coffee in the AHL, playing in four games and posting a .901 SV% and a 2.75 GAA. Not sexy numbers, but solid for a young goalie getting his first looks at the level.
The odds Lundstrom becomes an NHL’er are slim, but he’s young (23 years old) and seems to be showing improvement year over year. He may just be a place holder, but he’s an interesting player nonetheless. Possibly the backup to Eetu Laurikainen next season in Bakersfield?
Final Thoughts:
Not a sexy deal, but a quality move by Peter Chiarelli. Nilsson’s SV% on the season is just .901, which is significantly below average. While he had a nice run at the start of the season, he’s cooled off in a big way and he hasn’t posted a quality outing in over two months. For all intents and purposes, Anders Nilsson was not part of the future in Edmonton.
The Oilers recoup a draft choice (Liam Coughlin was a 5th rounder, the man they traded to get Nilsson) and get a young goalie to add to the system. Overall, a pretty solid first move for Peter Chiarelli at the 2016 NHL trade deadline. Now it’s time for the heavy lifting.
***FINAL NOTE***: The Oilers have assigned Ty Rimmer to Bakersfield of the AHL from Norfolk of the ECHL. This likely means that Lundstrom will report to Norfolk.
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