The Edmonton Oilers are rethinking their trade deadline strategy-and it’s not hard to see why.
Just a few weeks ago, the chatter around Edmonton was all about adding a top-nine forward. But now, the focus is shifting to the blue line. According to NHL insider Bob Stauffer, the Oilers’ front office appears to be recalibrating its priorities, and the reasoning behind that pivot is rooted in how the roster has evolved over the past month.
Let’s start up front. The emergence of internal options has eased the pressure to make a splashy forward acquisition.
Kasperi Kapanen, in particular, has found a groove playing alongside Leon Draisaitl. That pairing has clicked, with Kapanen bringing the kind of speed and confidence that’s helped stabilize the second line.
Then there’s Josh Samanski. Since being called up, he’s made a strong case to stick around.
The sample size is small, sure, but he’s shown enough to suggest he could be a viable third-line center option moving forward.
Add in the steady play of Jack Roslovic-who’s looked like a smart signing from Day 1-and the Oilers suddenly have a forward group that feels deeper than it did just a month ago. There’s also confidence in the depth at the AHL level, which gives the front office some flexibility if injuries hit down the stretch.
So, with those internal boosts, the need for another top-nine forward doesn’t feel quite as urgent. “I would have said six weeks ago that we would be looking at a forward Top 9 addition.
I now believe the target is another defenceman as well. So we’ll see what happens,” Stauffer noted.
And that brings us to the blue line-where the issues haven’t gone away.
The Oilers have been winning games, but they’ve often had to do it by turning up the offense and trying to outscore their problems. It’s a high-wire act that might work in the regular season, but it’s not the kind of formula that holds up in the playoffs. You can’t count on putting up five goals a night when the checking tightens and space disappears.
Goaltending hasn’t been the safety net either. With Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram splitting time, the save percentage has leveled off, and that’s put even more pressure on the defense to hold the line.
The results haven’t been there. Defensive breakdowns have led to high-danger chances-and goals against-that have proven costly.
It’s the kind of vulnerability that good teams will exploit come playoff time.
If Edmonton is serious about making a deep run, they know they can’t rely solely on firepower. They’ll need to win the kind of tight, low-scoring games that define postseason hockey.
That means tightening up defensively and limiting Grade A chances against. Right now, the current group of blueliners hasn’t consistently delivered on that front.
So as the trade deadline approaches, don’t be surprised if the Oilers make a move to shore up the back end. They’ve got the offensive weapons. Now it’s about building a defense that can hold up when the games matter most.