NHL Rumors: The Edmonton Oilers Will Take a Swing But What Are They Swinging For?

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek on the 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – An Almost Perfect Night for Jagr episode on the Edmonton Oilers are looking to but don’t expect them to add a goaltender. Forwards and defensemen are what they’re exploring.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Marek: “Anything else on the Edmonton Oilers, you mentioned them earlier?”

Friedman: “Yeah, I think one of the things that’s, that’s pretty clear with Edmonton is that I don’t think they’re going to add a goalie. Just in trying to figure out what they were doing. I think they’re looking at forwards. I think they’re looking at some D. I think Holland is going to take a swing.

And, but I think, I don’t, it doesn’t sound like they’re doing a lot of goaltending. And I think that, now if they suffer an injury, that’s something else entirely, then the whole picture changes. You know, knock on wood, that doesn’t happen. I don’t like to see that happen to anyone. But I just don’t think they feel that it makes sense for them to move an asset or re-juggle their lineup for goaltending as long as (Stuart) Skinner is on point.

And, you know, because one of the things there is that for every dollar that comes in, they’re going to have to move money out. So last year to do (Mattias) Ekholm, they had to include (Tyson) Barrie in that deal, and they had to move (Jesse) Puljujarvi in another deal, right?

So I think that’s what they’re looking at. They’re saying for every move that comes in, somebody is going off that roster. And I think they look at it as, let’s take the biggest swing we can and not waste any of our assets either to make a trade or to move someone or to do whatever in net unless something different happens.”