Edmonton Has Other Positions of Need That Include Defense and a Depth Forward
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period was on TSN Radio in Montreal and when asked if the price for a goalie was too high for Edmonton, he stated that goaltending was not the only position the Oilers have called teams about.
NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, and the New Jersey Devils
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Host: “In the last couple of weeks, everybody has been talking about their goaltending situation and where they’re going to deal and what are they going to give up for a goalie to get that position, you know, just to be better off.
But the fact that you’re not, you know, overwhelmed with the news and notes coming out of Edmonton is just because probably other NHL teams know how desperate they are, and the asking price is just too much for anybody. Jake Allen, let’s use him as an example. Is that what it is? Is that why they didn’t make a move? Or do they believe that the answer is somewhere in this organization?”
Dave Pagnotta: “They’re going to tell everybody publicly that the answer is within. But they know and we know that it’s not or else they would have found it already. Like this. They’ve been looking but you know, exactly to your point. Nobody’s throwing them a bone. Nobody’s throwing them a life preserver. You want some help? You got to pay them. And it’s it’s that simple.
So whether it’s goaltending, and guys the problem is not exclusive to goaltending. The depth on this team isn’t good enough. There are third and fourth lines have not contributed and have not been up to snuff this season. So far. As you know, some people anticipated. The D corps has struggled at times. And by at times, I mean almost every every game. So there are deficiencies on this roster that are well beyond the crease.
NHL Rumors: Edmonton Oilers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Does having a more stable goaltender add to that confidence level and doesn’t help the guys in front of them? Absolutely which is why they’re trying to see and have been trying to see how they can stabilize that position. But they’ve been looking for a third-line center, they’ve been looking for a stable kind of two-way physical presence for within their bottom-six. They’ve been looking for another Ekholm type, not necessarily to that caliber, but a shutdown type of physical defenseman to add to this group.
So if they can find something, they would pull the trigger on it, but it’s, it’s the cost of the acquisition that factors in. They’re not only looking for guys on expiring deals, so the prices are a little bit different. And if you’re trying to upgrade your goaltending, are you looking at bringing in somebody short term, or are you thinking more, more long term and if it is more long term, that means it’s a little bit more substantial, which means it’s a more substantial type of trade. And those are complicated. Those don’t usually happen overnight.”
