The Edmonton Oilers are eyeing potential defensive reinforcements, with names like Marcus Pettersson being floated round, amongst others. This week, a Montreal Canadiens defenseman made the checklist of potential targets, that being David Savard. He’s rising as a reputation of curiosity and Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period mentioned the Oilers’ ongoing issues with defensive play and goaltending throughout an look on TSN Radio in Montreal.
Regardless of an absence of scoring, Pagnotta reported that the Oilers need to improve their blue line and the group has recognized the necessity to enhance in that space as a precedence.
“Once more, it comes all the way down to defensive play and goaltending for them, and I feel that’ll be the storyline for them the remainder of the season,” Pagnotta famous. His feedback counsel the transfer may not come instantly, however probably nearer to the commerce deadline.
Why David Savard for the Oilers?
Given the Oilers’ struggles—at present second-last within the NHL on the penalty kill—including a participant with Savard’s bodily and defensive skills might present an important increase. One might make the argument he’s not a lot of an improve offensively over what the group already has, however the Oilers are getting offense from their blue line. Actually, exterior of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the highest three scorers on the Oilers are defensemen — Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, and Darnell Nurse. Extra offense is important for the Oilers to win video games, nevertheless it wants to return from their forwards.
The issue is the cash and extra obtainable to them on the deadline because the group accrues cap area, Edmonton must be strategic. Whereas Savard’s $3.5 million cap hit is manageable, the Oilers can’t throw that cash away if he’s not the best match and so they lack the draft property wanted for a blockbuster commerce in the event that they need to goal larger.
Oilers’ GM Stan Bowman is monitoring the commerce market and if the best deal materializes, he’ll pull the set off. Is Savard the best deal? His defensive reliability might be what Edmonton wants.
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