Oilers ‘cast a wide net’ in search of defensemen
The The Edmonton Oilers are the reigning Western Conference championsand also came within one win of winning their first Stanley Cup championship since the end of their dynastic days in 1990.
And while the Oilers are comfortably in a postseason position as they sit in second overall in the Pacific Division, they are reportedly looking to add to their defense by bringing in reinforcements.
According to affiliate analyst Pierre LeBrun of TSN, The Oilers start contacting other teams around the NHL to see the potential cost of bringing in another defense attorneythrough the Fourth Period.
“There’s probably an acknowledgment that there’s a lack of depth (on defense) if they start to run into injuries as the season goes on,” LeBrun said. “This week there was chatter at those meetings; they put together a list of names in terms of the D market and the idea is to upgrade the blueline if possible.
“It’s early in the process.” I’m told that Stan Bowman has just started calling around the league to gauge the market.
The Oilers next play against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center in Chicago on Saturday night; The puck is scheduled for 7:00 PM EST.
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Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is in his first season on the job
After the Oilers and former general manager Ken Holland decided to part ways, they found their next CEO – albeit a controversial one. The The Oilers hired former Blackhawks GM Stan Bowmanwho resigned in disgrace in 2021 after the Kyle Beach sexual assault scandal came to light.
“I believe his vast experience and proven track record in this role, along with the important work he has done in his time away from the game, aligns with our goal of being best-in-class in all aspects of our organization,” Oilers executive director of hockey operations, Jeff Jackson said shortly after being hired, according to NHL.com. “Through our many conversations, we share a common vision of where we are as a team and what it takes to win another Stanley Cup title.”
So far under Bowman, the Oilers have gone 25-13-3 in 2024-25.
2025-01-10 19:35:00
