Team: 2021-22 Edmonton Oilers

Initial Creation Date: Feb. 10, 2021

Published: Feb. 10, 2021

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I'm assuming that because of the border restrictions, the Oilers don't make any substantial moves at the deadline. They squeak into 3rd in the North division (#3-5 is pretty contested anyways) and finish with about the 18th overall pick.

Broberg, Holloway, and Konovalov at least start the year in the AHL. I'd really like to see them get the full season with premier minutes.

Seattle trade is kind of a given around these parts: Jones is a quality, young top-4 LHD and doesn't need to be paired with a 2nd to move Neal. A 3rd or 4th is more than enough. Neal isn't a complete slouch.

To my dismay, the Bruins haven't fallen off the wagon this year. Maybe next year? Either way, I'd really like to know what it takes to pull Debrusk back home. The 1st Round pick is a given, and I've assumed that next years' is more valuable given that the kids really haven't been playing at all this year. Tullio's a fine prospect from the past draft, was rated much higher than where he went, and has an NHLe of 0.198ppg (this means nothing without context; he's ahead of the Oilers' Ryan McLeod in terms of D+1 developments as a benchmark). I know this isn't enough for Debrusk as is, but I don't particularly know how far off I am. Just a starting point.

Grubauer is, admittedly, a little bit of a gamble. He's handled the starter role in Colorado phenomenally well and Edmonton needs a better goaltender to pair with Koskinen. He's going to be cheaper than Binnington and I doubt Holland has the stones to offer sheet one of the many quality RFA goaltenders potentially hitting the market this summer. Calls for Korpisalo are mislead: he's not that great behind a much stronger blueline and only has the small sample from the bubble where he played out of his mind kinds of good. Edmonton's blueline, albeit improved, is still going to surrender chances. League average won't cut it if you're giving up 40+ shots a night. Hopefully the improvements paired with the stability of another German is enough to make Edmonton a much more formidable team against the likes of Vegas.

Staal and Savard are brought in as over-capable depth veterans. A real #3C and a shutdown defender that can actually perform as advertised does loads for the bottom half of Edmonton's roster. Zajac's here to win the old fart a cup and that veteran "been-there" presence he can bring with Staal. I'm hoping Klefbom comes back capable of handling top-4 minutes and that Nugent-Hopkins takes the reasonable deal and doesn't play chicken with UFA.

If Benson and Marody are still Oilers by next season, there's no telling what they'll be until they see NHL games. Play them.

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