Good morning, everyone, and a happy Monday to you all. As per tradition, I’ve got a brand new mailbag set to go after taking your questions and sending them to the crew for their takes. This week, we’re discussing the Oilers‘ moves at the trade deadline, spending on rentals, another round of goalie talk, and more. If you’ve got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk, and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.

Most of the Oilers’ improvement has to come internally. Dickinson and Murphy fill obvious holes, but they won’t magically send the Oilers soaring up the standings. The big minute eaters need to be better defensively, as does the entire team, and goalies need to play better.

I don’t think so. Colorado specifically added a few really nice pieces and got the best player available on deadline day in Nazem Kadri. The Oilers added two players who address specific areas of need and should make them harder to beat in a playoff series, but it wasn’t enough for me to look at their roster and view it as on par with either Dallas or Colorado.

First off, Dallas is not in the same category as Colorado and Tampa. I don’t care what their record says, but until their top players show up in the playoffs, they’re not a threat. Secondly, probably not, but they would’ve had to add tons of new players to reach that level.

I think Stan Bowman targeted glaring holes in the roster, and I appreciate that approach. That said, I also think he paid handsomely for the players he brought in. I also include the Skinner/Jarry trade as part of the collective, and it’s a pretty massive loss on Bowman to this point.

You just need to get in the playoffs. This core has proven they can elevate when it matters. To sell while in a playoff position would have been the ultimate “quitter” mentality. No chance to do it.

It’s not crazy. They added to this year’s team, which they have to do because of the two players you mentioned, and they maintained their financial flexibility for this summer, which I viewed as very important. They got better, and it cost them quite a bit, to be fair, but they didn’t do anything that will prevent them from going big-game hunting this summer.

No, because sitting on your hands and doing nothing shows that the GM doesn’t believe. You know what the outcome of that is? Connor McDavid leaves.

I get it, but it is true that you have to spend when you have McDavid and Draisaitl in their primes.

Great question. I have no sane answer. They were so focused on thinking Skinner wasn’t the answer that they didn’t focus on acquiring someone who was. I don’t think Jarry is as bad as he’s shown, but he doesn’t have Skinner’s track record of bouncing back after bad performances. No one can deny Skinner could get pulled, sit for a game or two and come back and play very well at the most important time of the season.

I mean, you outlined it perfectly. He made a trade from a position of weakness, acquiring a player in Tristan Jarry who was at the height of his value. It felt like a mistake from the jump, but the GM trusted his gut and must have felt like the move would spark his room. Well, it didn’t, and now we’re here.

The Oilers have had one good defensive month this season: December. Any guesses on when their best goaltending month was? Also, it’s no coincidence Tristan Jarry went from a 0.909 SV% to a 0.888. Jarry takes some blame, but the Oilers ‘ refusal to play defence is why the goaltending sucks.

There are so many people that need to play better in this lineup, and that certainly includes the goaltending. The crazy thing is that the expected save percentage is basically in line with how porous the defending has been. A lot of cooks in this kitchen that are bringing stinky recipes to the table.

No GM change during the season. If the Oilers go 0-4 on the road trip, they might have no choice but to fire the coach, but I’m not sold that the coach is the main issue. He has a role in the disappointing season thus far, but he isn’t the only culprit.

If they do not win a playoff round, then yes, there will be a new Head Coach next season. If they miss the playoffs, then maybe Stan Bowman will be in trouble, but I’m not sure. I think they’ll give him a chance to get out of this mess, although that feels risky.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Knoblauch is gone if the season continues to trend in the wrong direction.

If they get bounced early or, heaven forbid, miss the playoffs, then Knoblauch would be gone, I think. We’ll see.

Colorado and Minnesota in the West and Buffalo, Detroit and the New York Islanders in the East were winners.

Carolina is the clear loser for me. They needed a bigger 2C, and instead, their divisional rival, NYI, landed Brayden Schenn. Carolina is still good, but I don’t see them being good enough to win more than 1 or 2 rounds.

I really felt like there were more losers than winners. Teams like Montreal and Carolina should have done more, considering how wide open the Eastern Conference is. I liked that the Avalanche got Kadri, but it makes the trade they made for Nic Roy feel a bit redundant, especially given the cost. The Oilers did fine. I wouldn’t call them losers. Dallas did well, too. I’m stunned that Minnesota didn’t add a centreman. Put them in the loser category.

Winners – Anaheim

Losers – Washington. Not sure why they’ve given up on the season, which could be Ovechkin’s last.

Winners are Colorado and Anaheim. Losers, the Canucks. They didn’t move a few guys they would have wanted to.

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