Two Edmonton Oilers defenders have risen to the top of trade rumors again.
Two Edmonton Oilers defenders have risen to the top of trade rumors again.
EDMONTON -- Silly season is in full swing.
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For the Edmonton Oilers and the rest of the NHL, the offseason is fully up and running. The draft and free agency are now in the rearview mirror, but that hasn't stopped Jeff Jackson from continuing to tinker with the roster.
On Friday, Ryan McLeod and Ty Tullio were sent to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for blue chip prospect Matt Savoie. The Oilers were able to shed over $2-million in cap space from the trade.
The Oilers just signed Raphael Lavoie and were over the cap before that signing. The team still needs to re-sign both Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg before the beginning of training camp. Clearly, another shoe needs to drop before the 2024-25 season kicks off.
That's where recent whispers of another move coming down the pipe are not surprising. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period recently made an appearance on the Hello Hockey Show to discuss what the team is up to.
Pagnotta says, "if they (Oilers) can get a player capable of being a second pair guy, like a 4 or 5 defenseman, I think that's what they'd like to do. We're hearing Kulak's name out there again, Ceci's name out there as well. I think it's due diligence on management's part to see what else is out there and what the options that may be available to them."
This makes sense to a degree. Cody Ceci was surpassed on the depth chart by Broberg during the playoffs. That being said, he still has value across the league. It's all about what kind of sweetener the team would need to add to make a deal worthwhile.
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Whether it's Ceci or Brett Kulak, it sounds like there is a chance that the team begins next season without one of those two players. There is plenty of time left in the offseason to improve the team before the opening game in October.
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