The Edmonton Oilers are picking in the top-10 again this year. That was not the expected outcome after their 103-point 2016-17, and especially not with a healthy Connor McDavid. The team finished 36-40-6 this year, and wasted the last season of McDavid’s relatively inexpensive entry-level contract. The captain will start his eight-year $100MM extension in 2018-19, and immediately put a strain on the team’s finances.
So, what do you do this summer? Do you select another high-upside player and hope that he and other young prospects like Jesse Puljujarvi can quickly ascend the ranks to dominate at the NHL level? Or do you pick up the phone and try to make a move to improve the club immediately?
As we wrote yesterday, Peter Chiarelli is apparently considering both options carefully. The Oilers’ GM is open to the idea of trading the 10th-overall pick, and Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal even called the odds “high” that it is moved at some point between now and June 25th. As Chiarelli put it:
A player at No. 9 or No. 10 isn’t going to play next year. We’ll certainly listen to offers, and if there is a trade, it would probably be on the draft floor.
The question is, should there really be a rush to compete? Now that McDavid is already into his expensive extension, and Leon Draisaitl is already on year two of his eight-year $68MM deal, it’s not like there is a closing window. In fact, with their best two players both 22-and-under, there could still be an argument to be made that the window will be widest after two or three more years. That’s incidentally when some of the expensive contracts for underperforming defensemen will come off the books, giving the team more flexibility to go after free agents or lock up internal options.
By then, the 10th-overall pick could be ready to be an impact player in the league, while whoever they trade for could be headed for the open market.
On the other hand, Cam Talbot is signed for just one more season and is now on the wrong side of 30, while Milan Lucic is already showing drastic signs of slowing down. Waiting could open up other holes on the roster, that can’t be filled without trading other valuable assets.
So should the Oilers make a move? Does it make sense to hold onto the pick? Cast your vote and leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Edmonton should trade the pick. You call a team like the Rangers who are enduring a mini rebuild and ask about some of their veteran forwards and defensemen and try to get both. Helps you contend
AA, and Nyquist for strome 10th overall pick and lucic.
It all depends on what the Oilers can get for the #10 pick. They have $38.5 million tied up in 5 players. That’s a big chunk of their cap. If they can get a young, controllable defenseman that doesn’t make a lot of money, then make the trade. However, don’t trade it just because the player isn’t going to be ready to contribute next season. Make sure the value coming back is equal or higher than what you draft at #10. It is pointless to trade the pick for an average d-man & a bottom six forward. The deal has to make the team better
If they can tie the pick to Lucic thats something they should consider. Have to offer it to a rebuilding club with cap room
How about lucic with EDM retaining 1.5 million, strome, Russell , 1st pick(10th) and a 3rd for AA, Nyquist, Daley
Id think thats too much dead money to have a team take on.
Strome is a free agent. Restricted but still a free agent. And both Lucic and Russell have NMC’s. And Edmonton isn’t looking to get more guys they’d need to protect in expansion. They need pieces they will be allowed to keep on entry level deals.
With another impending entry draft coming in 2 years they need to have some controllable assets. They need to protect CMD and the Dr. Next they have to protect Nurse and Klefbom. But already have Lucic and Russell on NMC. So that’s 6. Then you have to think they can’t leave Larsson open. 7. Sekeras is protected by contract since the expansion happens before that expires. 8. Need a goalie protected. 9. So as you can see things become tight. They need some young controlled guys that they don’t need to protect. Right now all they really have is Yamamoto.