<p><center></p>
<p><img src="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/Image/Team-2.png" width="500" height="238" alt="" /></p>
<p></center></p>
<p>According to the guy who is arguably the most plugged-in member of the Edmonton media, the Edmonton Oilers very well might do nothing on the trade front tomorrow.</p>
<p></p>
<h1>Stauffer&rsquo;s Take</h1>
<p>630 CHED&rsquo;s Bob Stauffer made the comments on Twitter this morning.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>As of right now I don&#8217;t see Ryan Whitney going anywhere. Oilers could move a depth UFA FWD like jones or a depth D like Peckham&#8230;</p>
<p>&mdash; Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bob_Stauffer/status/319155070128234497">April 2, 2013</a></p></blockquote>
<p> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>&#8230;But the team could just stand pat and let things play out and then look to improve areas of long term weakness in the off-season</p>
<p>&mdash; Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bob_Stauffer/status/319155461876219904">April 2, 2013</a></p></blockquote>
<p> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h1>What it means</h1>
<p><img src="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/Image/28-Jones-3.png" width="450" height="273" alt="" /></p>
<p>The Oilers are in a difficult position: in the playoff hunt, but on the outside looking in right now. Not long ago, the speculation was that the team would be wise to move its pending unrestricted free agents; Stauffer&rsquo;s comments suggest that the only players likely to be moved are ones the Oilers have decided they can replace internally.</p>
<p>Ryan Jones fits the bill because the Oilers have Teemu Hartikainen waiting in the minors. With a logjam on the wings, the only forwards the Oilers could demote without risking waivers were Hartikainen or Magnus Paajarvi, and Paajarvi&rsquo;s strong play eliminated him from consideration. Hartikainen and Jones fill similar niches, and it&rsquo;s probably fair to wonder whether the Oilers plans for next season include Jones.</p>
<p>Theo Peckham fits the bill because he hasn&rsquo;t played much at all. With Mark Fistric on the roster, and Peckham&rsquo;s difficulties out of training camp getting ice-time has been a real challenge &ndash; when Peckham&rsquo;s played he has actually been pretty good, but there&rsquo;s little reason to believe he&rsquo;s a superior player to Fistric (who also hasn&rsquo;t played all that much lately, thanks to Ryan Whitney). Peckham&rsquo;s the team&rsquo;s fifth-best left-side defenceman, so the question is less whether the Oilers are interested in moving him and more whether there&rsquo;s another team out there interested in acquiring him.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s a cautious approach for the team, one that avoids sacrificing long-term assets for the sake of a playoff push that still has less than a 50% chance of working out. It also avoids gaining long-term assets at the price of pending free agents &ndash; like Whitney and goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin &ndash; who are seen as useful in the here-and-now.</p>
<h1>Update: A minor trade</h1>
<p>The Oilers have made a small deal, according to TSN&#8217;s Darren Dreger.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Hearing the Oilers have made a small deal. Edmtn trades Dane Byers to Wash for Garrett Stafford. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23tradecentre">#tradecentre</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/319163798667792384">April 2, 2013</a></p></blockquote>
<p> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Dane Byers was originally signed in the summer to a two-way deal, but has been disappointing in Oklahoma &#8211; he plays physical hockey but his scoring touch has completely evaporated. Stafford is also on a two-way deal that expires this year, but adds a competent right-side defenceman with some offence to the system (something the Barons have missed since the loss of Brett Clark).</p>
<p>The NHL ramifications of the deal are pretty much non-existent, but this should make the Barons a better team.</p>
<h1>Recently around the Nation Network</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://canucksarmy.com/2013/4/2/canucks-acquire-derek-roy-for-a-2nd-round-pick-and-kevin-connauton">Canucks Army: Vancouver acquires Derek Roy for pick, prospect</a></li>
<li><a href="http://mapleleafsnation.com/2013/4/1/reports-leafs-talking-with-kiprusoffs-agents">Leafs Nation: Maple Leafs reportedly talking to Kiprusoff&#8217;s representatives</a></li>
<li><a href="http://flamesnation.ca/2013/4/1/jay-bouwmeester-traded-to-st-louis">Flames Nation: Jay Bouwmeester dealt to St. Louis</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nhlnumbers.com/2013/4/1/pdo-numbers-by-nhl-team-april-1">NHL Numbers: PDO Numbers by NHL team, April 1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/will-the-edmonton-oilers-make-a-pitch-for-mark-streit">Willis: Will the Oilers make a pitch for Mark Streit?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/mike-babcock-if-you-coach-be-prepared">Gregor: Mike Babcock &#8211; If you coach, be prepared</a></li>
<li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/last-day-for-nationgear">Nation HQ: Last day for Nation Gear</a></li>
<li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/wanye-on-the-road-ajax-game">Wanye: On the road &#8211; Ajax game</a></li>
<li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/off-the-top-of-my-head-2">Brownlee: Off the top of my head</a></li>
<li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/1/the-minor-league-system">Lowetide: Trade assets &amp; the minor-league system</a></li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/JonathanWillis"><strong>Follow Jonathan Willis on Twitter!</strong></a></li>
</ul>

<center>
<p><img src="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/Image/Team-2.png" width="500" height="238" alt="" /></p>
</center>
<p>According to the guy who is arguably the most plugged-in member of the Edmonton media, the Edmonton Oilers very well might do nothing on the trade front tomorrow.</p>

<h1>Stauffer&rsquo;s Take</h1>
<p>630 CHED&rsquo;s Bob Stauffer made the comments on Twitter this morning.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>As of right now I don't see Ryan Whitney going anywhere. Oilers could move a depth UFA FWD like jones or a depth D like Peckham...</p>
&mdash; Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bob_Stauffer/status/319155070128234497">April 2, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>...But the team could just stand pat and let things play out and then look to improve areas of long term weakness in the off-season</p>
&mdash; Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bob_Stauffer/status/319155461876219904">April 2, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<h1>What it means</h1>
<p><img src="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/Image/28-Jones-3.png" width="450" height="273" alt="" /></p>
<p>The Oilers are in a difficult position: in the playoff hunt, but on the outside looking in right now. Not long ago, the speculation was that the team would be wise to move its pending unrestricted free agents; Stauffer&rsquo;s comments suggest that the only players likely to be moved are ones the Oilers have decided they can replace internally.</p>
<p>Ryan Jones fits the bill because the Oilers have Teemu Hartikainen waiting in the minors. With a logjam on the wings, the only forwards the Oilers could demote without risking waivers were Hartikainen or Magnus Paajarvi, and Paajarvi&rsquo;s strong play eliminated him from consideration. Hartikainen and Jones fill similar niches, and it&rsquo;s probably fair to wonder whether the Oilers plans for next season include Jones.</p>
<p>Theo Peckham fits the bill because he hasn&rsquo;t played much at all. With Mark Fistric on the roster, and Peckham&rsquo;s difficulties out of training camp getting ice-time has been a real challenge &ndash; when Peckham&rsquo;s played he has actually been pretty good, but there&rsquo;s little reason to believe he&rsquo;s a superior player to Fistric (who also hasn&rsquo;t played all that much lately, thanks to Ryan Whitney). Peckham&rsquo;s the team&rsquo;s fifth-best left-side defenceman, so the question is less whether the Oilers are interested in moving him and more whether there&rsquo;s another team out there interested in acquiring him.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s a cautious approach for the team, one that avoids sacrificing long-term assets for the sake of a playoff push that still has less than a 50% chance of working out. It also avoids gaining long-term assets at the price of pending free agents &ndash; like Whitney and goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin &ndash; who are seen as useful in the here-and-now.</p>
<h1>Update: A minor trade</h1>
<p>The Oilers have made a small deal, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Hearing the Oilers have made a small deal. Edmtn trades Dane Byers to Wash for Garrett Stafford. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23tradecentre">#tradecentre</a></p>
&mdash; Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/319163798667792384">April 2, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p>Dane Byers was originally signed in the summer to a two-way deal, but has been disappointing in Oklahoma - he plays physical hockey but his scoring touch has completely evaporated. Stafford is also on a two-way deal that expires this year, but adds a competent right-side defenceman with some offence to the system (something the Barons have missed since the loss of Brett Clark).</p>
<p>The NHL ramifications of the deal are pretty much non-existent, but this should make the Barons a better team.</p>
<h1>Recently around the Nation Network</h1>
<ul>
    <li><a href="http://canucksarmy.com/2013/4/2/canucks-acquire-derek-roy-for-a-2nd-round-pick-and-kevin-connauton">Canucks Army: Vancouver acquires Derek Roy for pick, prospect</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://mapleleafsnation.com/2013/4/1/reports-leafs-talking-with-kiprusoffs-agents">Leafs Nation: Maple Leafs reportedly talking to Kiprusoff's representatives</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://flamesnation.ca/2013/4/1/jay-bouwmeester-traded-to-st-louis">Flames Nation: Jay Bouwmeester dealt to St. Louis</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://nhlnumbers.com/2013/4/1/pdo-numbers-by-nhl-team-april-1">NHL Numbers: PDO Numbers by NHL team, April 1</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/will-the-edmonton-oilers-make-a-pitch-for-mark-streit">Willis: Will the Oilers make a pitch for Mark Streit?</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/mike-babcock-if-you-coach-be-prepared">Gregor: Mike Babcock - If you coach, be prepared</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/last-day-for-nationgear">Nation HQ: Last day for Nation Gear</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/wanye-on-the-road-ajax-game">Wanye: On the road - Ajax game</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/2/off-the-top-of-my-head-2">Brownlee: Off the top of my head</a></li>
    <li><a href="http://publish.oilersnation.com/2013/4/1/the-minor-league-system">Lowetide: Trade assets &amp; the minor-league system</a></li>
    <li><a href="https://twitter.com/JonathanWillis"><strong>Follow Jonathan Willis on Twitter!</strong></a></li>
</ul>

A quiet trade deadline for the Oilers? (Update: Oilers make a small trade)

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