The Oilers and Brian Boyle?

Edmonton enters the five day bye week in a great spot. Thanks to yesterday’s victory, coupled with LA and Calgary losses, the Oil are sitting pretty in the standings and will get to the middle of February in playoff position. That, likely, will make them a buyer come the deadline in just over three weeks.

One of the positions that many believe needs to be addressed is center ice. Connor McDavid is a franchise player, but after him there are a lot of question marks. Leon Draisaitl has shifted to the right wing on McDavid’s line, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has had another down season.

Drake Caggiula, a rookie who played wing in college, is currently centering the team’s third line. While Caggiula has done an admirable job, it seems pretty apparent that the Oilers could use a veteran pivot in that spot. Not only would that move make Edmonton deeper down the middle, but it would also allow Caggiula to develop as a winger in the NHL or center in the AHL.

Patrick Berglund and Martin Hanzal are two names that are often discussed, but big Brian Boyle may end up being the target for Peter Chiarelli. According to Surrey Eagles Alberta scout Joshua Marshall, the Oilers are talking with the Tampa Bay Lightning about Boyle.

I’m Hearing the #Oilers & #TBLighting are working on a deal. Sounds like Brandon Davidson for Brain Boyle could be the moving parts… #NHL

— Joshua Marshall (@JMarshyBosco93) February 6, 2017

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Now, I’ll add that I’m not familiar with Mr. Marshall and am not sure how accurate he is here. The reason I bring this up, however, is because it simply makes too much sense. Tampa Bay is likely going to miss the playoffs and Boyle is a pending UFA that would appeal to teams heading to the postseason.

Tampa Bay is in desperate need of young defenders, and the Oilers will likely lose Davidson for nothing come June’s expansion draft. On top of that, the Oilers don’t have to protect Boyle because he’s a pending UFA and odds are he won’t be selected by the Vegas franchise.

Lastly, both Boyle and Davidson would fill holes on their new teams, with Boyle giving the Oilers some extremely valuable cover at an important position.

A Quick Look At Boyle:

At 6’7” and 243 pounds, Boyle is a big bodied presence up the middle that few teams can counter. While he’s not the most physical player on the planet, he knows how to smartly use his size and his reach has a big impact on the ice.

Offensively, Boyle produces like a third line player, so far registering 12-7-19 in 47 contests. Last season, Boyle tallied 13-7-20 in a down year over the course of 76 games, and then added 5-0-5 in 17 playoff contests. Speaking of the postseason, Boyle has been the Stanley Cup Final in two of the last three seasons (NYR in 2013-14, TBL in 2014-15) and the Conference Final in the other season (TBL in 2015-16). This is a player with big game experience.

According to The Hockey News Boyle lacks the required skills to play a scoring role consistently, but the report calls him a checking center with the ability to chip in offensively from time to time. His versatility positionally and defensive ability are also praised by the publication.

While Boyle wouldn’t provide a huge boost to the Oilers offensively, he would be another competent veteran piece who can play in all three disciplines (five-on-five, PP and PK) and contribute from time to time. He’s a solid all-around player and would be an upgrade on Caggiula in the same position.

(Boyle can even be the team’s Buddy The Elf lookalike too!)

Final Thoughts:

A lot of people are holding out hope that Brandon Davidson will bring back a big piece, but I think that is unrealistic. The reality is that Davidson had a solid 2015-16 season, but he hasn’t followed that up this year with a second good season. Now, that’s due to injury, but fair or not it does impact his value.

Tampa Bay just moved a more proven piece in Nikita Nesterov for only a low-level prospect and a 6th round draft choice. I think Davidson has a little more value than Nesterov does, but I’m not sure it is that much more. Again, the expansion draft plays a role here too. Barring a sudden change of heart, the Oilers would likely lose the defender for nothing, and that too impacts his value.

If Edmonton can add a veteran piece like Boyle, who would help the team push for the postseason this spring, for Davidson they should do it. Boyle wouldn’t require protection and I think there is a solid chance he would re-sign with the club after the conclusion of the season.

This would be a strong add for the Oilers, and I think it is a name we should watch as we approach the deadline.