Edmonton Oilers Trade Talk: Will Ken Holland Help Dave Tippett Out with a Trade?

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Cult of Hockey

Short of firing Dave Tippett, what can the Edmonton Oilers do to fix this sinking ship?

1. Play Cody Ceci with Darnell Nurse.

…both Evan Bouchard and Tyson Barrie have struggled on his right side. Bouchard and Barrie get the job done when they’re moved down the line-up to face weaker competition. But when they’re put up against the best opposition in heavy minutes, they start leaking Grade A shots and goals against.
…it would give Edmonton a go-to top pairing for all situations, a twosome the coach could trust and employ repeatedly.

BLH’s Thoughts: Sure, why not? It’ll rob the other pairings but if the plan is to play these guys 29 minutes a night and limit everybody else’s TOI like Tipp’s been doing with the forwards, what’s the worst thing that could happen?…

2. Pull the trigger on a big trade, most likely for a goalie.

The Oilers could use the jolt of a big trade.
…goalie, left defence and third line centre are all major needs, but Edmonton has a first round pick to spend to try to solve one of the problems.

BLH’s Thoughts: Good luck here. A team-jolting trade would mean somebody of significance is on their way out and is it just me or should they try and keep those kinds of players?

I feel like they’ve got one move, maybe two if they trade the 2023 first rounder as well, but seeing as they’re in the middle of a massive slump, there’s not one team who’s going to do them a favor and all the other GMs are most likely licking their chops hoping that they get a phone call from Ken Holland so that they can bend him over a barrel.

3. See more of what Foegele, Marody and Benson can do with more ice time.

I’ve liked Tyler Benson’s game. He’s hustled hard and been OK on defence.
Cooper Marody is another with skilled forward who might help on a third line.
But it’s Foegele who really deserves a chance. He’s a big, fast and aggressive winger who makes things happen on the forecheck.

BLH’s Thoughts: I agree with the Foegele part, but promoting Benson and/or Marody any higher at this point would hinder more than help. I don’t believe their offense would be able to overcome their lack of defense.

Edmonton Sun

Oilers are spinning wheels but don’t expect any big moves behind bench or on ice

No doubt, three wins over the last 12 games is far from acceptable and their .594 points percentage is 15th when the GM Ken Holland rightly points out they have to finish in the top eight because every team that wins is in that group.
The Oilers were never as good as their 9-1 start or 16-5. Not saying it was an illusion, but they won six games by a goal (two in shootouts and one in OT) and lost only once that way. Now, the wheel’s turned. Lost by a goal in Seattle in the last 12, lost by a goal to the Bruins, now to Jersey and the Islanders.
…the Penguins are 18-8-5 without Sidney Crosby for a long while and Evgeni Malkin all season, which is damning if you’re an Oiler fan.
Some of his moves are head-scratching like putting Devin Shore on the second line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins out on Long Island, like not playing Ryan McLeod more in Jersey when he was flying, like not giving Tyler Benson a sniff at the top six, for a game or two.
The Oilers who have had eight coaches — Pat Quinn, Tom Renney, Ralph Krueger, Dallas Eakins, Todd Nelson, Todd McLellan, Ken Hitchcock and Tippett—since 2010. How many is too many?
Unless it goes completely sideways, as it did in Vancouver before Bruce Boudreau came in on his white horse, Tippett is staying.
What usually happens when teams are struggling is a trade, of course to help the coach out. They do need another top six forward.
Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk probably would help, but unless Oilers could convince him to re-up for several years in the $3-million range after the season, they aren’t qualifying him at $4.85 million salary to keep his rights.
The Oilers have precious few assets to move.
Yamamoto for another winger? Maybe. But, who else?

BLH’s Thoughts: So, here’s the thing about the “how many coaches is too many?” narrative that the Edmonton MSM will be throwing out this week, it doesn’t mean shit because at the end of this year, there will be another new coach unless Edmonton wins the Cup. Even then I wouldn’t bet my car on Tippett returning.

Now, when that happens you won’t find Matheson, Tychkowski, Leavins, Nugent-Bowman, Stauffer, Spector, Willis, or anybody else asking why Tippett wasn’t re-signed or arguing that they should’ve re-signed him because “stability”, they’ll find a way to justify things and move on.

Spector’s Hockey

SPORTSNET: In his recent three bold NHL predictions for 2022, Luke Fox speculated the Columbus Blue Jackets could trade Patrik Laine at some point this year. The 23-year-old winger got off to a hot start to this season but was sidelined by an oblique muscle injury and the tragic death of his father
THE ATHLETIC: Eric Duhatschek believes the number of teams with interim general managers or those still seeking GMs will have an effect upon this year’s trade deadline (March 21). The Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks fall into that category. Meanwhile, San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson is on medical leave.
RDS: Pierre LeBrun reports the Florida Panthers have held internal discussions regarding the possibility of acquiring Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens.