Three Key Defensemen Identified As Possible Targets For The Edmonton Oilers
It's no secret that the Oilers blue line isn't what they need to be a Stanley Cup contender, and now three names stand out as possible targets for GM Stan Bowman.
The The Edmonton Oilers were one game short of lifting the Stanley Cup a year ago, and in the off-season, they tried to plug the holes on this roster so they can go one step further in 2024/25. With the additions of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, the forward group could be lethal once more, but on the blue line it's a different story, with the team relying on Darnell Nurse, Ty Embersson and other names to be effective on the second and third pairings.
With little movement on the blue line thus far, the team have struggled early in the season, and unsurprisingly they've been involved in many trade rumours, now being linked to three veteran blue liners. As we've heard all summer, the team has interest in veteran Kevin Shattenkirk, who would immediately bring offensive upside and veteran leadership to this group.
Unsurprisingly, they're also looking at veteran Mark Giordano, who spent most of his career on the other side of the Battle of Alberta, but with little left in his legs at 41-years of age, he would be nothing more than a depth signing. The final player linked to Edmonton is perhaps the best but most costly player to acquire in Toronto's Timothy Liljegren, who would pair perfectly with Darnell Nurse on the second pairing.
While there's other players like Rasmus Andersson potentially available, the Oilers don't have the assets to make a deal like that happen, but if the team continue to struggle early in the year, expect a big move to be made early so they can build chemistry and momentum ahead of what most expect to be another Stanley Cup Finals run.
| POLL | ||
Which of these defenseman is most likely to land with the Edmonton Oilers? | ||
| Kevin Shattenkirk | 40 | 41.7 % |
| Mark Giordano | 20 | 20.8 % |
| Timothy Liljegren | 36 | 37.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
