Exploring options at defense for Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers will enter the 2024-25 NHL season with a glaring hole on the right side of their defense. The team will likely have to deploy one of Josh Brown, Ty Emberson, or Troy Stecher on the second pairing, but it strikes as a major need if the Oilers plan on competing for a Stanley Cup again this season.

Radio commentator for the team, Bob Stauffer, indicated Sunday that a right-handed shot defenseman with term will be on Edmonton’s radar this season but is fairly vague about when it will ultimately make that addition. Edmonton still has a few options left on the free-agent market, such as Kevin Shattenkirk or Justin Schultz. Still, Stauffer’s report indicating that the Oilers are looking for term attached likely alienates any current free-agent candidates.

Not only will it push Edmonton away from any free-agent options, but the report from Stauffer indicates the Oilers will peruse the trade market for a second pairing right-handed shot defenseman. Their options are limited at this stage of the NHL calendar, but there are still a few options worth exploring.

Arguably the best option for Edmonton resides about 200 miles south in Calgary. Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames has two years and $9.1M remaining on his contract and represents an ideal candidate for the Oilers to plug into their top four. He’s scored 138 points in 239 games for the Flames over the last three years while averaging 23:31 of ice time per night. Andersson can be trusted in all situations and is a responsible player in the defensive zone.

Despite the fit and the separate trajectories of both teams — the Oilers and Flames don’t like each other, to put it bluntly. The two organizations have only connected on three trades in their histories, with the most recent coming in 2019 being a swap of James Neal and Milan Lucic. General manager of the Flames, Craig Conroy, has shown a willingness to trade within the Pacific Division, but aiding his organization’s biggest rival may be too bitter of a pill to swallow.

The Washington Capitals are another option, although they would not be considered a rebuilding organization. The team brought in Matt Roy this summer on a six-year, $34.50M contract, which may make it more comfortable moving a defenseman such as Trevor van Riemsdyk. He wouldn’t be as much of a needle-mover as Andersson, but he would be a more reliable option than their internal candidates.

The younger van Riemsdyk brother recently played in his 10th NHL campaign last year and has excelled in blocking shots. He’s averaged 126 blocked shots a season with the Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Capitals, and the Oilers could use more of that after finishing 30th in the category last season. Adding van Riemsdyk to its defensive core would give Edmonton a grace period in adding a true top-four defenseman, as it could then move van Riemsdyk to the bottom-pairing next to Darnell Nurse or Brett Kulak.

Edmonton will be hard-pressed to find other options on the trade market with most teams having already finalized their roster heading into the 2024-25 NHL season. The Oilers are unique, as their offense could easily carry them to the trade deadline, but the right side of their defense must be addressed before the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.