There’s been plenty of trade smoke blowing around the Edmonton Oilers this summer and it’s starting to sound like there may be some real fire at the source of all of those rumors. Specifically, various reports have suggested the team might be willing to part with Taylor Hall or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in order to improve their defense.
https://twitter.com/NicholsOnHockey/status/747941340780986368
By selecting Jesse Puljujarvi at the 2016 NHL Draft, the Oilers added yet another talented forward. Still missing from their roster – something that’s been missing for years – are skilled defensemen who can shut down the opposition while helping out on offense. Puljujarvi is expected to slide in and contribute immediately which would open up the option to trade away a forward or two without completely jeopardizing the team’s attack.
One of the available names could be Kevin Shattenkirk and it’s believed that the St. Louis Blues were interested in a couple of Edmonton’s forwards, including Hall and Jordan Eberle. A trade never transpired during the Draft (the Blues felt all the offers for Shattenkirk were too low) but the defenseman is definitely still on the block and Edmonton might be the ideal trade partner considering all they can offer.
Change is coming for the Oilers. Will this be the summer they finally acquire some help on defense?
