Would you trade Raphael Lavoie for Vladimir Tarasenko if you were the Oilers?

One of the hockey world’s worst-kept secrets this time of year is that the Edmonton Oilers are looking to upgrade their forward group.

They’ve been linked to the biggest forward name available in Jake Guentzel, another top option in Jordan Eberle, and there’s been some potential connection to Vladimir Tarasenko. You could think of those three each being from different tiers in terms of cost, too.

Guentzel would require the largest return package, likely consisting of at least a first-round pick and a high-end prospect. Eberle, meanwhile, is likely in the range of a first-round pick and a lower-end prospect. Lastly, Tarasenko might be the most affordable option, a check down, some may say, as a pending UFA looking to cash in on his next contract.

And on Wednesday, The Athletic’s Eric Duhatschek opined about five potential trades ahead of this years deadline, one of which had the Ottawa Senators trading Tarasenko to the Edmonton Oilers for prospect Raphael Lavoie.

There are many right wingers the Oilers could bid on to flesh out their top six — Tarasenko, Jake Guentzel from Pittsburgh, Jordan Eberle from Seattle, Pavel Buchnevich from St. Louis, Anthony Duclair from San Jose. In season, the Oilers have added veteran depth on the wing twice, first by bringing in Sam Gagner, then Corey Perry. Both will be useful depth players in what they hope is a long Stanley Cup run. But long term, neither is particularly suited to play top-six minutes, whereas Tarasenko can.

Remember, the Senators’ current general manager, Staios, worked in Edmonton’s front office, alongside Ken Holland, before leaving to join Ottawa. No one is more familiar with Edmonton’s prospect pool than Staios. And if Seattle falls out of the playoff race, Edmonton could also bid on Eberle and bring the former Oiler home. If the Oilers target Tarasenko or Eberle, that presupposes the Senators or Kraken believe there’s genuine value in Lavoie who, at 23, is an AHL All-Star but still a work in progress at the NHL level. On the plus side, 6-foot-4, 215-pound wingers sometimes take time to find their stride and if Lavoie ever finds his, that’s a quality both the Senators or the Kraken can use down the road.