The Edmonton Oilers should upgrade their defense by adding towering defender Colton Parayko.
The Edmonton Oilers should upgrade their defense by adding towering defender Colton Parayko.
EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers don't want to mess with what is working - but that hasn't stopped them from adding players to their team. In the midst of a 16 game win streak they managed to sign Corey Perry and subsequently find him a spot on the roster that looks like a good fit.
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While some believe that the Oilers need to improve their top-six forward group, getting an upgrade on the blue line should be a higher priority. The Oilers are getting their chances and also capitalizing on them.
At the All-Star break they are currently ranked third in the league in shots for per game (33.8) and fourth in the league for goals for per game (3.51). The only teams that average more shots are the Los Angeles Kings and Florida Panthers - the teams that score more are the Vancouver Canucks, Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche.
That's why the Oilers should make upgrading their defense as their top priority. That's not saying that their defense isn't good (because it's been great) but when you are fortifying your team for a deep playoff run you need to assess the biggest area of weakness and improve it.
The Oilers Blue Line
Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard are locked in. Brett Kulak and Vincent Desharnais are an excellent third pairing. Darnell Nurse is a fierce competitor who elevates his play in big games.
Cody Ceci is the closest thing to a weak link on the Oilers blue line. While he looked good earlier in the year - credit due to Paul Coffey - there are times when he struggles to make plays.
Colton Parayko
The answer could lie in Colton Parayko. The St. Louis Blues find themselves in the last playoff spot in the Western Conference - with the Arizona Coyotes, Seattle Kraken and Nashville Predators breathing down their necks for the last Wild Card position.
The 30-year old, 6-foot-6 228 lbs right handed defenseman (born in St. Albert, Alberta) has another six years at $6.5-million left on his contract. The contract is less than ideal, but the value he brings with his size, puck skills and tough play make him an appealing option for the Oilers.
On the Blues back end he is ranked first in the following stats (at even strength): goals, time on ice, shots, individual expected goals, rush attempts, takeaways, hits, and blocked shots.
Parayko has 18 points in 49 games, averaging 23:51 in ice time per game and playing the most against the opposition's top players. He's a fixture on the penalty kill spending 2:41 while his team is down a player.
An Upgrade on Ceci
To look at how Ceci and Parayko compare to each other, look at the following graph from Evolving Hockey.
First off - the first three columns on each graph are offense focused while the last two are defense focused. Secondly, the "0" line is league average. Everything above it is better and everything below, is worse.
Ceci has better offensive metrics while Parayko has had better defensive metrics. Despite worse metrics, Parayko has more points this year than Ceci.
The cost for Parayko would probably be Ceci, Philip Broberg (or Xavier Bourgault), a 1st round pick and maybe another prospect or pick to get the Blues to retain 50% of his salary.
In a better environment with the Oilers, Parayko could potentially thrive on a pairing with Nurse. The package of size, skill and defensive prowess are too appetizing to ignore.
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