The players the Oilers picked up this season to help win a Stanley Cup have done next to nothing to better their chances in the playoffs, says Rob Couch.

The Edmonton Oilers had some needs to address at the trade deadline, and GM Ken Holland felt like he did that. As it turns out, all of the additions the Oilers brought in this season have done about as much as Brett Kulak in these playoffs.

The Oilers added top-six forward Adam Henrique, middle-six forward Corey Perry, fourth-liner Sam Carrick and depth defenseman Troy Stecher during the season. The Oilers have played 10 playoff games, and these four additions, which were supposed to fill holes and make the team even more competitive, have combined for three points. To put it into perspective, Kulak has three points as their third-pair defenseman.

Five players on the Oilers have been doing most of the heavy lifting this post-season, and the team needs help. It isn't coming from where they thought it would at the trade deadline, whether due to injury, not getting ice time or not doing enough in the ice time they do get.

Oilers' Additions Struggle to Find the Scoresheet

Although Henrique's injured, that still doesn't help the Oilers. He recorded one goal and two points in his first game but went without a point in his next five games. He's been out of the lineup since Game 2 but may return to the lineup in Game 6.

It seemed as though Holland insisted on bringing Carrick over from the Anaheim Ducks in the Henrique trade, paying a bit more. After a short time, Carrick was a healthy scratch in the regular season and found himself in the same position in the playoffs other than the three games he has gotten into. 

He recorded an assist but logged under 9:30 of ice time per game. While his physicality is a big part of his game, the Oilers desperately need secondary scoring, which the coaching staff is not confident he can provide in Game 6 and potentially Game 7.

Perry recording no points in the whole playoffs to date is concerning. His impact has become less and less apparent to the point where he barely even saw the ice in Game 5, playing 7:11. 

The only thing he has been seen doing lately is holding his stick up to Brock Boeser to goad him into doing something after cross-checking became a theme of the series.

Stecher hasn't been dressed for the playoffs. But he should be a part of this series, especially when Cody Ceci struggles on defense. Moving him away from Darnell Nurse has helped, but taking him out of the lineup is the next option. Ceci has been on the ice for four goals-for and 10 against at 5-on-5, with an expected goals percentage of 33.52 percent.

Stecher played well in his seven regular-season games for the Oilers, and it would be tough for him to do worse. The Oilers wasted an asset if they are not even going to use him when he's needed.

It's not over yet for the Oilers, but they must win two straight games to move on to the Western Conference final, and an improved performance from their mid-season additions would go a long way to doing that.