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FINDING BLUE
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Lowetide
May 8, 2016, 13:19 EDTUpdated:
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This is a depiction (via War-on-Ice) of the Edmonton Oilers defense in 2015-16. Oscar Klefbom faced the toughest opposition and won the possession battle, but could not stay healthy. Andrej Sekera and Mark Fayne battled well facing tough opps too, and then after that we have a plethora of good with bad (and one brilliant—Brandon Davidson) options. What do the Oilers need? Where can Peter Chiarelli look?
The graph above from War-on-Ice is missing two things:
  1. A tough minutes partner for Oscar Klefbom (to play those minutes and do as well in possession)
  2. An offensive defender who can serve as puck mover and effective outlet passer. That player would occupy a spot in the upper right quadrant and have a nice blue bubble—proving he is successful in 5×5 possession. Kind of ‘if Brad Hunt had a bigger bubble and was at the top not bottom’ of the graph.
Where can we find these players?

NEW YORK ISLANDERS BLUE

We don’t have to look far in order to find the match for Klefbom—Travis Hamonic’s bubble is pulsing with success and is in the upper left quadrant. You will find people who are not convinced of Klefbom—and his injuries are a worry—but if healthy, he and Hamonic would be a solid top pairing in my opinion.

MINNESOTA BLUE

Jared Spurgeon is in a great spot here (and Matt Dumba too) and that is the kind of player Peter Chiarelli would do well to shop for this summer. Of course, identifying the player is the easy part, but there has to be a match.
When we discuss the Oilers defense, I think most of us can agree there is a need for two righties, one a puck mover and the other a more complete, two-way type. If Peter Chiarelli can find a way to procure Hamonic and someone like Spurgeon, we could see the Oilers in the playoffs next season.
  • Klefbom—Hamonic
  • Sekera—Spurgeon
  • Davidson—Fayne

WHAT WILL IT COST?

A lot. Here is my trade list:
  1. No. 4 overall selection
  2. Benoit Pouliot
  3. Jordan Eberle
  4. 2017 1st round selection
  5. Young LHD (Darnell Nurse, Brandon Davidson, Griffin Reinhart)
  6. Nail Yakupov
  7. Cap space (Edmonton might be able to get a player like Bozak on the cheap because of it)
Does that match your list? Do you like Hamonic and Spurgeon as options? Who is better? Let me know.
All graphs via War On ice. Source
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