Oilers Should Pursue Aaron Ekblad in Free Agency This Offseason

The Edmonton Oilers have absolutely no shortage of offence. They currently sit just inside the top 10 in the NHL in goals for per game (GF/G) with a 3.23 average. Scoring just over three goals a game is exactly what a team needs when playing in important hockey games. However, when that same team sits in the middle of the pack with 2.94 goals allowed per game, there may be a defensive issue. Which is why, regardless of this season’s result, the Oilers should take a look at a certain defenceman on the free agent market.

It can obviously be argued that with the subpar goaltending stats from Edmonton’s goalies this season, a change in net is the easy fix. While the guys in net haven’t been the best, it’s what they have, and the potential is there as we saw last season. And so, instead of dwelling on a goalie situation that is tough to fix, why not just bolster what’s in front of them? The free agent market is booming with talent this summer, and one man in particular should be on general manager Stan Bowman’s radar.

The Oilers’ Easy Fix

Aaron Ekblad has been a Florida Panther since they drafted him first overall back in 2014. He has been a staple on their blue line, and rightfully so. He has consistently posted 20-plus points in all but one shortened season. Defensively, he is no joke. He has a staggering plus/minus of plus-96 over his career, which is even more impressive when you consider the Panthers had a few tough years during the earlier part of his career. He has also been paired with a variety of different partners on the back end; however, he has managed to find some success with all of them.

Ekblad’s consistent offence, stifling defensive skills, and overall consistency are exactly the qualities needed in a defence group like this one. The problem is that Oilers’ management hasn’t been known in the past to throw big money and long-term contracts at free agent defencemen. In order to score Ekblad, they might have to compromise on that a bit.

Why This Works

There are a couple reasons why this works out nicely for both sides. While Florida fans may not be pleased to see a core piece of their team head north, they will be just fine. Panthers’ management recently made a big splash to acquire Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks to bolster their defence for a playoff run. At this time, a move like this is considered a deadline move where Jones is more of a rental, however, there is another way of looking at it. Jones has five years of term left on his current contract at the age of 30. He is very close in age to Ekblad, and they have similar offensive capabilities. The Panthers can avoid negotiations with Ekblad altogether in the summer, shed his $7.5 million cap hit, and do some shopping when free agency opens. Sounds like a win for the defending champions.