The Edmonton Oilers might have to make a trade to solve their goaltending problems. As the Oilers come up to a stretch of hockey where they will play four games in seven days, inevitably, Stuart Skinner will get tired. It’s not clear the Oilers can or should count on Calvin Pickard to play the backup role and Jack Campbell has yet to be recalled from Bakersfield of the AHL. That poses an issue.
If GM Ken Holland is still talking about trades and scouring the marketplace, who is he going to have to give up to get what he needs? And, if he gives up too much, what are the chances such a move could derail the momentum the team is currently on, having won their last six games in a row?
It’s not necessarily a case of defenseman Philip Broberg wanting out, he just wants to play. For now, the Oilers have sent him down to Bakersfield where he will play a lot. He and his agent seem to think he’s an NHL defenseman and there are teams showing interest, suggesting they might believe he is too. But, the Oilers are deep on the left side and there’s no place for him on this current roster when everyone is healthy.
But, what happens in the event of an injury? It’s a given, at some point an injury to this lineup will occur. When it does, the Oilers can call upon Ben Gleason, or they can bring Broberg back up. That’s a short-term fix and neither may be the right answer if any injury is longer-term. If the Oilers trade him, they’re weakening the depth at that position.
