Trade Candidates: Jordan Eberle

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

After a decade of aimlessly wandering in the wilderness, the Edmonton Oilers are finally on the rise. That means the possibility of buying at the NHL Trade Deadline to bolster their lineup for the playoffs. Because the Oilers aren’t what most would consider to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, GM Peter Chiarelli will need to avoid mortaging the future to add a rental player to the current roster. St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk has been linked to Edmonton at various times over the past seven months, but his apparent unwillingness to commit long-term in northern Alberta means a deadline deal is somewhat unlikely.

However, if there is a deal to be made that improves the Oilers for this season and the future, then that makes sense for Chiarelli to pursue. One of the names that has been out there for much of the season is Jordan Eberle. He could be an attractive option for a team looking for a scoring winger. The Oilers could use a right-handed offensive defenseman and a top-nine center with offensive ability. Should Leon Draisaitl continue to show great chemistry with Connor McDavid, he could be moved permanently to the starboard side. When you include prospect Jesse Puljujärvi, the Oilers have their top-six right wingers for the next decade. That could make the streaky Eberle available, for the right price.

Contract

Eberle has two more seasons left after this one at $6MM.

2016-17

It’s been a streaky season for Eberle, who has goalless droughts of six (twice), nine, and most recently 18 games. Despite only scoring in eight games this season, he has 11 goals in those eight games. That includes three two-goal games. After breaking the 18-game drought, he has three goals and five points in his last three games. He’s been a consistent 25-goal scorer in his career, and should regress to the mean over the rest of season.

Season Stats

49 games: 11 goals, 21 assists, 32 points. 53.9 CF%, -1, 17:19 ATOI.

Potential Suitors

TSN’s Darren Dreger recently reported (transcribed by Chris Nichols of FanRagSports.com) that the Oilers asking price for Eberle “has always been high, understandably so, because he’s been one of the Edmonton Oilers’ players that is a big part of the core.”

Dreger speculated that if the Oilers decided Eberle was expendable, it would “ignite some kind of short-term market.”

Teams looking for an offensive winger include Anaheim, Buffalo, Minnesota, Montreal, Nashville, the New York Islanders, Ottawa, and Vancouver. Anaheim may be a division rival, but has great defensive depth and could strike a deal based on a package including Brandon Montour. Nashville could offer someone like Craig Smith plus something else; Smith has scoring ability and can play either right wing or center. The Islanders have a glaring need for a winger for John Tavares, whom Eberle has a history with. After a year of Eberle-for-Travis Hamonic rumors, Garth Snow could be ready for a major shakeup.

Likelihood Of A Trade

During the season? Not likely. The Oilers have a 98.9 per cent chance of making the playoffs, according to SportsClubStats.com. The Oilers don’t want to make a big move that will affect their expansion plans or weaken their poor right-wing depth. They’ll look to make adds like they did with Patrick Maroon at last year’s deadline: an NHL player who can contribute beyond this season. It would take a perfect offer to force Chiarelli’s hand mid-season or before the expansion draft.

This off-season? Much more likely. Especially if Draisaitl continues to show well alongside McDavid and Puljujärvi shows improvement. The Oilers’ cap situation will get murky in the coming years, with McDavid, Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, and Matt Benning all needing new deals in the next two off-seasons.