We may be in the tail end of August, but life has been spicy around these parts for the last week. After the Blues threw a pair of offer sheet grenades Edmonton’s way, the Oilers were forced into action whether they wanted to be or not, and so far, the results have been fascinating. In this latest edition of Random Thoughts, I’m offering my takes on Cody Ceci finally being traded, being cautiously optimistic about Vasily Podkolzin, and having fun figuring out what the Oilers got in Ty Emberson.

FAREWELL CODY CECI

It’s wild to think of how many times the fanbase has wanted to trade Cody Ceci over the three years and 237 regular season games he played with the Oilers. Despite being a fine player and coming up with some clutch moments in his time with us, there were always times/shifts/mistakes that popped up at the most inconvenient times, and it soured many people on anything Ceci did well. But that’s pro sports, you know? Sports is a cruel mistress at the best of times, and unfortunately, Ceci was the latest to get flushed in a trade rooted in the need for cap space.
As one of the many people that wanted the team to move on from Ceci, I also want to acknowledge how much it must suck for him to be traded off a contending team with all of his friends to one that could struggle to win 30 games this year. That’s a tough pill to swallow professionally when you’re less than two months removed from Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. At the end of the day, Ceci signed a four-year deal in Edmonton and gave us everything he could while missing only nine games in the three years he was here, and I think he deserves a salute for being a fine (albeit imperfect) Oiler during his time here.

HOW GOOD IS THE NEW GUY?

I always love the post-trade period when we’re all trying to figure out who the hell the Oilers got from their half of the deal. That’s exactly where a lot of us are at with Ty Emberson after he comes to town as the Oilers return in the Cody Ceci trade. By all accounts, Emberson’s defensive metrics are pretty strong and that has me drinking the Kool-Aid that he’ll be able to help the Oilers keep the puck out of the net.
I’ll admit that I like seeing numbers suggesting Emberson is a cheaper, grittier Ceci, even though I’m not a big ‘chart guy.’ I tend to listen when guys like Bruce Curlock say that Emberson is an effective shutdown d-man who can wheel and play with grit, which has me liking him already and even more so with the $1 million price tag. That said, I have been known to fall in love with new shiny toys more often than not, so maybe I should wait for more people smarter than me to tell me what to think about our new Ty-guy.

I’M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT VASILY PODKOLZIN

For what it’s worth, trading a fourth round pick for a flyer on a 23-year-old 10 overall pick is a pretty solid bet, and I’m looking forward to seeing how eager Vasily Podkolzin is to earn a spot on his new team. I know the 18 goals and 37 points he registered in 137 games played leaves plenty to be desired, but I still like the idea that he may be able to produce more after a change of scenery. We’ve all seen those players who need to change gears before they can take a step forward and for the low-risk cost of a 4th round pick. I really like the Oilers’ bet on this one.
There’s also the valuation angle. The Canucks spent a 10th overall selection on Podkolzin just five years ago. That pick came in an Entry Draft that saw Matt Boldy, Cole Caufield, and Thomas Harley all go in the next couple of choices. To swap out a 10th overall pick for a pick that starts somewhere in the late ’90s at best is never fun, even with the space of time in between.
And, of course, there’s the unfortunate truth that should Podkolzin ever reach the potential that once had him drafted so high, he’d now be doing it for the hated Edmonton Oilers. That’s just one extra kick in the teeth.
In the immediate aftermath, this trade has a bitter taste, and that was an almost inevitable action. In the new light of the morning after, the deal can start to make a bit more sense, but even that sense-making can only do so much to mitigate the unsavoriness.
All I know for sure is that I keep reading takes from Canucks fans who are salty about the weak return Vancouver got for Podkolzin, and even if he never plays a minute of Oilers hockey, I might still claim this trade as a win. But if Podkolzin can come into town, compete for a spot, and chip in some offence — something he was able to do in his rookie season — then you have to consider a move like this to be a slam dunk by Oilers management. At worst, Podkolzin will bolster the skill level on the organizational depth chart for the next couple of years. At best, he’s torching the Canucks and making them look foolish for bailing on a skilled prospect this early.

ARE THE OILERS GOING TO MATCH BOTH PLAYERS?

Before the Oilers started wheeling and dealing yesterday, I was sure that the Oilers were going to walk about one or both of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, but now I’m not so sure. When you look at Edmonton’s salary cap math from PuckPedia, the team’s ability to keep them increased significantly after sending Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks, and that is a spot I did not expect them to be in when all of the shenanigans went down a week ago.
Now, with just under 24 hours left until the decision deadline, I’m almost expecting that we see the Oilers match on both Broberg and Holloway, which I thought could never happen given Edmonton’s current cap constraints. Yet, in just under a week, Edmonton looks like they were able to clear the space needed to retain their players if they want. But even though matching looks like the course of action at this point this morning, I won’t be writing anything in stone until we get the annoucement.

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY SPRING FINANCIAL

Need quick access to funds? Spring Financial offers personal loans from $500 to $35,000, sent through e-Transfer as soon as today. Skip the hassle of branch visits and apply straight from your phone. Whether it’s for unexpected expenses or a big purchase, Spring Financial has your back. Fast, easy, and convenient—get the funds you need without leaving home. Ready to start? Click here to apply!