This morning, the Edmonton Oilers announced that they had acquired forward, Pontus Aberg, from the Nashville Predators in exchange for soon to be unrestricted free agent, Mark Letestu. So what did the Oilers acquire in Aberg? At the very least, an option on the right side that can play now be it in Edmonton or in Bakersfield.

The former second-round pick in 2012 (36th overall) has played in 52 career games with the Predators, collecting three goals and seven assists for 10 points. He did, however, produce well in the AHL with 25 and 31 goal seasons under his belt with the Milwaukee Admirals.

From an asset management perspective, the Oilers did well to get a warm body to boost their very shallow talent pool on the wings. Looking at the roster in Bakersfield, Edmonton doesn’t have a whole lot of recall options on the right side and Aberg will certainly find himself near the top of that depth chart. In Aberg, the Oilers have acquired a right-handed prospect on a value contract that has a proven track record of producing in the AHL, something they seriously lack on their depth chart.

While Aberg may not necessarily be a game-changing addition for the Edmonton Oilers, he will certainly create competition amongst the forwards that are shooting for playing time in the bottom six. What we also do not know is whether or not a change of scenery and opportunity will help the player unlock his full potential. From an asset management standpoint, this trade was a clear win for Peter Chiarelli as he looks to rebuild the skilled depth in the organization.

Besides, remember this beautiful goal from last season? Let’s see a 4th round pick do that.