In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, there is talk about how much the team wants to hang on to Philip Broberg , Sam Gagner gets back into the lineup, and the Oilers are going back to their old defensive pairings. Finally, is the price for Jake Guentzel going to be more than the Oilers can afford?
Oilers Trying to Avoid Broberg Trade
In a recent piece for The Athletic, Daniel Nugent-Bowman quoted Oilers General Manager Ken Holland, who dismissed the possibility of trading Broberg, stating, “No. I don’t see it.” Holland emphasized the rarity of finding young, 6-foot-4 defensemen and said the decision to keep Broberg in the AHL is strategic. He wants to provide substantial playing time rather than having Broberg watch most of the game in the NHL. Despite prioritizing a win-now mentality, the Oilers are cautious of derailing developments behind the scenes in Bakersfield.
Nugent-Bowman explained:
Holland has always had a steadfast belief in this player and has never wavered in thinking Broberg has top-four potential. Holland feels Broberg is NHL-ready now. It’s just that the Oilers have six healthy blueliners, who’ve been essential to the team’s recent 16-game winning streak and would require waivers to be sent down.soiurce – ‘Philip Broberg is showing his promise: Will NHL opportunity come with the Oilers or elsewhere?’
source- ‘Philip Broberg is showing his promise: Will NHL opportunity come with the Oilers or elsewhere?’ – Daniel Nugent-Bowman – The Athletic – 02/13/2024
How the Oilers feel about other prospects isn’t as clear. Would Edmonton be willing to trade Xavier Borgault or Raphael Lavoie? Is there a scenario where Dylan Holloway could be a player moved if a blockbuster deal was in the works?
Sam Gager Slotting Back In
“You just want to find a way to create value any way you can.” Sam Gagner said ahead of tonight’s matchup vs. the Detroit Red Wings. This will be Gagner’s first game for the Oilers in some time. He’s been out of the lineup, both due to injury and because the team was playing well.
Gagner will play on the fourth line with Derek Ryan and Connor Brown. Mattias Janmark comes out, and while that could hurt the Oilers’ penalty kill, after a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers need a scoring boost and some punch in the bottom six. Janmark has been somewhat of a black hole on offense, as has Brown. The hope is that Gagner could provide a bit of a spark.
Oilers Going Back to Original Defensive Pairings
The Oilers are returning to their familiar defensive pairings after an unsuccessful experiment swapping duos that seemed to be working. Head coach Kris Knoblauch has confirmed that the most recent defensive combinations in practice will be maintained against Detroit. For Oilers fans witnessing a 1-2 record since the All-Star break, this decision is an easy one.
It’s not clear why Knoblauch chose to switch things up in the first place. Some believe it was to give Vincent Desharnais a closer look in a more elevated role. Others wonder if management wanted to get a look at new pairings amid speculation of a trade that would see one of the six blueliners moved.
Either way, Edmonton needs to get back on track and the new pairings were not as effective as the old ones.
Guentzel Going to Be Expensive if the Oilers Are In
On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman says he’s hearing the potential ask for Jake Guentzel if the Penguins elect to move him is high. The NHL insider noted, “Dubas is sitting there, he’s saying, look, if you want Guentzel, I want the Giroux deal.”
That means, if the Oilers are waiting on the winger’s availability, they need to be prepared to give up their first-rounder in 2024, another pick, and a prospect. Considering the Panthers moved Owen Tippett — who has turned into a solid NHL player — the Penguins might be looking at one of Edmonton’s better prospects.
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