The NHL trade deadline is nearly a month away and the Edmonton Oilers continue to maintain a favourable position within the standings. Excitement and anticipation is already brewing amongst fans as they eagerly await Peter Chiarelli’s impending action on the market.
Obviously there is nothing abnormal about a playoff contender going on a trade splurge at the deadline. In many cases, one must make the necessary adjustments in order to be prepared for playoffs. When entering playoffs, the mindset has to be focused on going all the way.
But there is a difference maker that can always change the agenda of a team looking to make a splash at the deadline. Certain situations call for an important question to come to light. In this case, Peter Chiarelli must ask himself, “Are we for real?” If he decides they are, then I would expect a highly significant transaction close enough to a blockbuster to commence. Either way, we can expect Chiarelli to be active at the deadline
Lately, there have been rumours swirling about in the hockey world that St Louis Blues defender Kevin Shattenkirk could be a possible fit in Edmonton. Such a move to acquire a player of his calibre would surely be a blockbusting game changer for the Oilers as they head into the playoffs. However, it has been widely known for quite some time now that Shattenkirk has no interest in Edmonton long term. In other words, he would not re-sign with the Oilers when he becomes a free agent on July 1st. Case closed right?
Not exactly. Now there is a hypothetical scenario being shared out there that the Oilers could use him as a rental and then afford to let him walk into free agency. I am quite skeptical of this idea.
Are the Oilers Contenders?
There are two types of teams. Playoff contenders and Stanley Cup contenders. The Oilers fit the criteria of a quality playoff contending team.
The Oilers are finally starting to turn a corner this season. Everything is positively coming to fruition after years of being locked in a car with a wheel clamp. Lets make it perfectly clear. They are not Stanley Cup contenders yet. Yes, they are better but they still don’t quite replicate accomplished teams such as the Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay lightning, San Jose Sharks or the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are all perennial Stanley Cup contenders every year.
Teams like that can afford to go bold and pay the price at the deadline because they have already spent significant time building an organizational foundation and accumulating assets that they can afford to spare.
Stanley Cup contenders always know exactly what their game plan is because they are pencilled in to go far based on what they have accomplished in recent seasons and the quality of depth they have every year. The Oilers are new in all of this playoff talk and power rankings. They must put in their time like everyone else did.
In my opinion, wasting valuable future assets that will sustain Edmonton’s long term success and overpaying for a player that won’t be here past July simply for the benefit of a potential playoff run seems absolutely pointless to me. Especially for a team that JUST turned a new page this year.
Sacrificing a first rounder, a prospect and maybe even a roster player for a high profile player like Shattenkirk is worth it for a team that is already established as Stanley Cup contenders because they can afford it and their playoff path is much more clearer. For a team like Edmonton, who will face uncertainty heading into playoffs because of how long they’ve been out of it for, they do not need to pay that kind of premium price. Especially when the guy isn’t interested in Edmonton long term to begin with.
Even if Shattenkirk were to sign in Edmonton, he would have to be paid too much, which will undoubtedly cause major cap issues for the Oilers. They already have Milan Lucic locked up and players like Darnell Nurse, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid will need to be paid handsomely in the near future.
The intention heading towards the trade deadline should be to increase depth and add without having to subtract. Adding a veteran depth forward and defender and a backup goalie is all that is necessary. If a bigger deal is on the table, it must make sense financially and benefit the team in the long run.
If the Oilers make the playoffs, their game plan should of course be to win it all. But smart decisions must be made beforehand, based on the level the organization is at in terms of development as a legitimate playoff team. The Oilers are not Stanley Cup contenders on paper yet. Of course anything can happen at this time of year. All it takes sometimes is for a team to get red hot at the opportune time. Just ask the LA Kings of 2012 or the Oilers of 2006. I am certainly not ruling that out either.
What teams decide and strive for is based on a step-by-step process. The Oilers must take everything one step at a time and not count their chickens before they hatch. Just roll with it. They have a good enough team already so they are not in a weak position by any means. Anything can happen.
The Oilers are surely on the right path to greatness. Regardless of what happens between now and June, Edmonton’s impressive season thus far has put them back on the map in the hockey world.
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