We are officially in the middle of the NHL Summer Lull. With little news to write about and require a lot of patience before training camps and the regular season start, trade proposals are part of the standard at this time of the year. The writers of the hockey writers Jesse Courville-Lynch stated such a pitch when he wrote: “If the oilers are really willing to spend great, they can fit a trading partner in the Detroit Red Wings … A player who stands out as a potential trade goal for the Oilers is Superstar Alex Debrincat.”
Interesting idea. Unfortunately, trade checks few or no logical boxes for the Detroit Red Wings or the Edmonton Oilers.
Why this trade is simply not logical for both teams
The entire trading field included the following: Debrincat in exchange for Mattias Ekholm, Beau Akey, their 2027 first round pick and their pick from 2028 Second round.
In his position, Courville-Lynch claims that the oilers bring in a superstar for their top-six forward group, and with a deep defensive depth they can afford to continue from Ekholm. That is not entirely true.
Firstly, you could claim that the oilers do not need a superstar wing player. It would be nice to have a sidekick for Leon Draisaitl, but this season Edmonton looks much less expensive options in Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie. The money here is a big factor, even if the idea is to convince the red wings to retain the salary, which they will probably not do.
Secondly, the oilers cannot afford to move Ekholm because they have defensive depth. There is a difference between depth and a solid group of blueliners. Ekholm is a large part of that core and moving him creates a huge gap with no one to fill it effectively.
Finally, the Red Wings want to be competitive this season. Of course, if they struggle and look like they are not on their way to the play -offs, they may sell a few pieces. Debrincat is not one of them. He is not in an expiring deal and he would not be rent. And although Ekholm is a nice advertisement, Beau Akey and two choices do not help Detroit better today.
We also leave some obvious factors in this trade proposal
Something else to consider here is that Debrincat has a no-trade list with 16 teams. Although Ekholm does not have trade protection, he is overwhelmingly positive and quite an audience about his love for the city of Edmonton and the Oilers. Assuming both players have the desire to leave their respective situation is at best a long shot.
Furthermore, it has already been talked to that the oilers look at offering Ekholm a contract extension. There is no indication at all that the team is thinking about acting on him. Of course, there may be something back and forth over the best deal to offer at his age, but that does not mean that they are thinking about continuing. It also does not mean that he would have the desire to sign in Detroit, assuming that the oilers strangely exchanged him there.
Why would the Red Wings Debrincat give up for Ekholm, knowing that he can run away and sign where he wants at the end of the season, including back in Edmonton?
For the oils, the idea of acting on the deadline is ridiculous. Only if they have a line on an upgrade on the defense, and the movement of Ekholm is needed to land that player would Edmonton consider send him everywhere. Even more than Detroit, the oilers are not only in Win-Now mode. They are in Stanley Cup Contention mode. GM Stan Bowman will not be concerned with the actions of one position for the other, especially if the new problems he must manage.
And the problem made on the blue line of the oilers would not only be a problem today. The Oilers have not a clear follow -up plan if Ekholm has disappeared, but moving Akey in the deal makes a hole on their blue line for the future. It also moves a lot of the design capital of the oilers.
#Debrincat #Trade #check #logical #boxes #Oilers #Red #Wings #Hockey #Writers #Edmonton #Oilers #Latest #News #Analysis