After getting bought out by the New York Rangers just two years into a four-year, $26 million contract, Kevin Shattenkirk inked a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning seeking to both rebuild his value and chase a Stanley Cup.

Shattenkirk achieved both of those things last season. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup and Shattenkirk played a key role in Tampa’s top-four. He averaged 18:54 per game during the regular season and racked up eight goals and 34 points. He also chipped in with 13 points in 25 playoff games for the Lightning.

After a mediocre couple of years in New York, Shattenkirk has re-established himself as a quality NHL defenceman who can produce offence. When Shattenkirk was on the ice at even strength, the Lightning outscored opponents 60-to-37. Obviously, some of that has to do with the very good team he played on, but Shattenkirk’s showing with the Lightning scrubbed off any bad taste he had from his time with the Rangers.

Should the Oilers be interested? Maybe. Edmonton’s biggest need on the blueline is finding somebody to replace Oscar Klefbom, who might be out long-term due to a shoulder injury. Adding Shattenkirk would give Edmonton a quality offensive defenceman, but they already have Ethan Bear and the emerging Evan Bouchard on the right side, so they’re better off spending their money on a quality two-way, left-handed defender.

The Maple Leafs pulled off a big trade last summer, sending Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche in order to acquire Tyson Barrie. The goal for the Leafs was adding an elite offensive producer to their blueline, which was always a bit strange given the team lacked quality defensive defencemen.

Barrie was a bit of a flop in Toronto. He produced five goals and 39 points, which seems solid, but was a huge drop from the 59 and 57 points he had produced the two previous seasons. The Leafs also got outscored 59-to-61 at even-strength with Barrie on the ice.

One thing to consider with Barrie, though, is that he did much better after the team fired Mike Babcock. Sheldon Keefe got Barrie more involved in the team’s offence and he produced 32 points in 47 games while playing 22 minutes a night.

Barrie won’t be back in Toronto next year and there’s reason to believe he can rebound from that ho-hum season.

Should the Oilers be interested? Maybe. It’s the same situation as Shattenkirk. I feel like Barrie would be a good buy-low option after his ugly year in Toronto, but Edmonton’s needs a two-way, left-handed defender right now more so than an offensive right-handed defenceman. The only way signing Barrie, or Shattenkirk for that matter, would make sense is if Bouchard was moved to acquire a Klefbom replacement.