What’s the Plan Oilers? Edmonton ‘See What You Got’ Approach Raises Questions About Team Trade Deadline Strategy

The Edmonton Oilers face a potentially tough decision as they try to upgrade their top-four on defense and think about a depth forward at the trade deadline. They may eventually have to make room for one of their top-six wingers, Evander Kane, but with the news that Kane had a second surgery and suffered a slight setback in his rehab time, things are murky. There is some uncertainty about Kane’s timeline, some even wondering if he’ll be back at all. So, if the club wants to bring in a top-four defenseman sooner than the NHL trade deadline, or they aren’t sure where they’ll find their depth at forward, it might mean having to make a “see what you got” move that few are expecting.

A Trade Likely Isn’t Coming Anytime Soon

Oilers insider Bob Stauffer hinted in November on his Oilers Now show that a trade may be on the horizon. It didn’t come to pass then, but he noted, “I think it’s inevitable the Oilers trade for a right-hand shooting defenseman. I think that’s coming, I think we all know that’s coming. I think it will be picks, for the most part, that gets used.” That report seems to hint that the Oilers don’t have the solution they need internally. The focus from within would be on a forward.

Assuming the Oilers can’t get Jeff Skinner to waive his no-move, and they aren’t sure what Kane’s regular season situation is, how will the Oilers find space to add? And, where will the assets to make a trade come from? They don’t have a first-rounder in the upcoming draft to trade. The Oiletd also don’t have a full cupboard of prospects that they can necessarily afford to dangle someone to grab a player that might help today.

They might have to test one of their prospects to see if they can fill a role on this team.

Can Noah Philp Play a Role on the Oilers Before the Deadline?

Rob Brown argued on the Got Yer’ Back podcast the Oilers don’t have enough assets to outbid someone at the trade deadline. He said Bowman would have to get creative at the deadline, and Jason Strudwick said if the team trades next year’s first-round pick, they won’t have a first over the next two seasons.

When asked if Matt Savoie or Noah Philp would be a player the Oilers test out, Brown said it would be Philp because he can play a fourth-line center role. If a player like Derek Ryan were traded or demoted, Philp could take his spot.

Rishaug added that if the Oilers tried him out 15 games before the trade deadline and he played really well, it would answer a few questions. “There’s the money argument, and the see what you got argument,” Rishaug claimed.

There are still enough questions surrounding Skinner and Kane that the Oilers don’t have a clear path to making changes. That might mean giving a run to someone in-house and seeing if they can solve an issue that would mean not having to make a deadline move.

Is Philp that guy? He might be.