We are officially less than a month away from the NHL Trade Deadline and the buzz is slowly starting to pick up. The next month will be filled with rumours, hot takes, and mock trade proposals. This is one of my favourite times of the year.
I’m in the middle of a long travel day which started at 5 AM mountain time back in Fort Lauderdale and won’t end until I land back home in Edmonton at 10 PM. So while I sit in the Pearson International Airport, I figured I would do a little Q &amp; A on my twitter and share some of the best questions in a little article here.
Let’s go!

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Is it odd that McDavid/Drai/Stu all travelled back to Edmonton to skate today only to head back east to Detroit tomorrow? McDavid/Drai have been on EST for a week, why head back west for one day? For Lenny?
&mdash; OriginalPouzar (@coopsie39) <a href="https://twitter.com/coopsie39/status/1622348264438902784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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I kind of thought this was weird at first too, but I had a chance to chat with the Oilers All-Stars immediately after they lost on Sunday afternoon and when they came to do their post-game presser, they already had their bags packed and ready to go. They chartered a plane and got to sleep in their own beds on Saturday and Sunday night before they head out to Detroit on Monday.
It’s also a four-game road trip coming up, as Original Pouzar later pointed out, and if they would have met the team right in Detroit, it would have been a long time from home. It makes sense IMO.
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Assuming both Campbell &amp; Skinner&#39;s recent decent play continues the rest of the way, how do the Oilers handle the playoffs? Platoon there too, or do they pick one and stick with him.
&mdash; Marcel Schoenhardt (@mschoenhardt) <a href="https://twitter.com/mschoenhardt/status/1622344916721627136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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It’s really hard to answer this question right now. It will be totally dependant on which guy is playing the best in the final few weeks of the regular season. Personally, I’m more confident in Stuart Skinner but there is lots of time for that to change. Campbell does have some playoff experience.
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Will an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oilers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oilers</a> goalie record a shutout this season? Has the team ever had a season without a shutout?
&mdash; Brad Langdale (@b_langdale) <a href="https://twitter.com/b_langdale/status/1622344661930213376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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I loved this question and allowed our intern, Gavin Turinek, to answer this one because it’s kind of become his thing.
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26 of 32 teams have a shutout this season
The last time the Oilers didn’t have a shutout in the regular season was in the 1986-87 season
I’m remaining optimistic that we will get one within the last 32 games this season! Especially with Skinner and Campbell playing well
&mdash; Gavin Turinek (@GavinTurinek47) <a href="https://twitter.com/GavinTurinek47/status/1622348465866162176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Alright, let’s get into some trade talk.
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Why isn’t Chychrun an Oiler
&mdash; Stony (@StonyOil) <a href="https://twitter.com/StonyOil/status/1622347974453129216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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I still think the Coyotes are asking too much. Chychrun has been on the block for a while and the Coyotes still haven’t budged.
Listen, I think Chychrun is really good but his game can be chaotic at times. He can lose his man in the defensive zone and sometimes is too aggressive when he pinches in the offensive zone.
If the cost is Broberg, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick then I’m not doing it.
If it’s two picks and Puljujarvi, then I’d be more inclined but that would then mean the Oilers have four left-shot defensemen under contract next season with Nurse, Kulak, and Broberg all still in the organization. 
Maybe they like Broberg as an option on his off side and could run him there next year after an off-season trade, but I still don’t think they need to get someone with term.
If they’re all in this season then does it make more sense to go get one player that costs three good assets? Or spread those pieces up and make two deals?
With a first and second-round pick, you could potentially get Jonathan Toews and a rental defenseman like Radko Gudas or Niko Mikkola. Chychrun has long-term value, but if the Oilers are set with their three left-handed defensemen for next year, maybe they’re better off just adding a few rentals instead of just going all out for one player. They don’t have unlimited assets after all.
I wouldn’t hate a Chychrun deal and there’s no doubt it would make them better, I just think there might be a better path for Holland to take.
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Which Oilers player do you think takes the biggest step forward in terms of team expectations / role between now and the playoffs? (Can be player you think the team will trade for to play a big role too)
&mdash; Noah Marples (@MarpsN) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarpsN/status/1622357702025560064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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This question ties in nicely to the previous one because my answer is Darnell Nurse.
He was great down the stretch last season before he got hurt and if the Oilers can get that version of Darnell Nurse back then their blueline will suddenly look a lot better. They need him to be a workhorse and while I do think that some of the hate he’s gotten this season is undeserved, there’s no denying that he’s struggled at points.
If he can return to the form we saw at points last season and can competently handle 22+ minutes a night against tough competition, it will go a long ways in how people view the Oilers.
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O/U 2.5 trades for the Oilers at the deadline?
&mdash; Shaedon (@Shae_Nuge93) <a href="https://twitter.com/Shae_Nuge93/status/1622348201645993984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Give me the over. I think we’ll see:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">A trade for a centre</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">A trade for a defenseman</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Another depth forward added</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">A trade that’s a pure cap dump</li>
</ul>
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What was your personal highlight for Allstar weekend? What was your favourite thing you got to do?
&mdash; Ian Pollard (@pollard_27) <a href="https://twitter.com/pollard_27/status/1622361209843646464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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I had a blast and getting to see media people from around the league is really cool. The NHL did a great job with their beach festival in the days leading up to the event as well. I really enjoyed going down and just checking that out as a fan. I also loved the 27-degree weather every day.
My favourite moment though might be Leon Draisaitl revealing that the mullets that he and McDavid are growing out are a result of a wager between the team’s Captain and rookie forward Dylan Holloway. It shows how much this team is gelling right now and that’s very important as they head down the stretch.
<h2 style="text-align: left;">NATION VACATION TO TORONTO</h2>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-124783" src="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-09-at-10.58.07-AM-1021x1024.png" alt="" width="715" height="717" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-09-at-10.58.07-AM-1021x1024.png 1021w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-09-at-10.58.07-AM-300x300.png 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-09-at-10.58.07-AM-150x150.png 150w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-09-at-10.58.07-AM-768x770.png 768w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-09-at-10.58.07-AM.png 1342w" sizes="(max-width: 715px) 100vw, 715px" />
Do you want to come with us to Toronto in March for an HNIC matchup that we&#8217;ll be watching in a suite? Of course you do. That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m telling you to sign up for the #NationVacation to T.O. and join us for a weekend that no one will soon forget. <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/travel/products/toronto-1-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Check out the details you need right here. </a>

We are officially less than a month away from the NHL Trade Deadline and the buzz is slowly starting to pick up. The next month will be filled with rumours, hot takes, and mock trade proposals. This is one of my favourite times of the year.

I’m in the middle of a long travel day which started at 5 AM mountain time back in Fort Lauderdale and won’t end until I land back home in Edmonton at 10 PM. So while I sit in the Pearson International Airport, I figured I would do a little Q &amp; A on my twitter and share some of the best questions in a little article here.

Let’s go!



https://twitter.com/coopsie39/status/1622348264438902784

I kind of thought this was weird at first too, but I had a chance to chat with the Oilers All-Stars immediately after they lost on Sunday afternoon and when they came to do their post-game presser, they already had their bags packed and ready to go. They chartered a plane and got to sleep in their own beds on Saturday and Sunday night before they head out to Detroit on Monday.

It’s also a four-game road trip coming up, as Original Pouzar later pointed out, and if they would have met the team right in Detroit, it would have been a long time from home. It makes sense IMO.

https://twitter.com/mschoenhardt/status/1622344916721627136

It’s really hard to answer this question right now. It will be totally dependant on which guy is playing the best in the final few weeks of the regular season. Personally, I’m more confident in Stuart Skinner but there is lots of time for that to change. Campbell does have some playoff experience.

https://twitter.com/b_langdale/status/1622344661930213376

I loved this question and allowed our intern, Gavin Turinek, to answer this one because it’s kind of become his thing.

https://twitter.com/GavinTurinek47/status/1622348465866162176

Alright, let’s get into some trade talk.

https://twitter.com/StonyOil/status/1622347974453129216

I still think the Coyotes are asking too much. Chychrun has been on the block for a while and the Coyotes still haven’t budged.

Listen, I think Chychrun is really good but his game can be chaotic at times. He can lose his man in the defensive zone and sometimes is too aggressive when he pinches in the offensive zone.

If the cost is Broberg, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick then I’m not doing it.

If it’s two picks and Puljujarvi, then I’d be more inclined but that would then mean the Oilers have four left-shot defensemen under contract next season with Nurse, Kulak, and Broberg all still in the organization. 

Maybe they like Broberg as an option on his off side and could run him there next year after an off-season trade, but I still don’t think they need to get someone with term.

If they’re all in this season then does it make more sense to go get one player that costs three good assets? Or spread those pieces up and make two deals?

With a first and second-round pick, you could potentially get Jonathan Toews and a rental defenseman like Radko Gudas or Niko Mikkola. Chychrun has long-term value, but if the Oilers are set with their three left-handed defensemen for next year, maybe they’re better off just adding a few rentals instead of just going all out for one player. They don’t have unlimited assets after all.

I wouldn’t hate a Chychrun deal and there’s no doubt it would make them better, I just think there might be a better path for Holland to take.

https://twitter.com/MarpsN/status/1622357702025560064

This question ties in nicely to the previous one because my answer is Darnell Nurse.

He was great down the stretch last season before he got hurt and if the Oilers can get that version of Darnell Nurse back then their blueline will suddenly look a lot better. They need him to be a workhorse and while I do think that some of the hate he’s gotten this season is undeserved, there’s no denying that he’s struggled at points.

If he can return to the form we saw at points last season and can competently handle 22+ minutes a night against tough competition, it will go a long ways in how people view the Oilers.

https://twitter.com/Shae_Nuge93/status/1622348201645993984

Give me the over. I think we’ll see:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">A trade for a centre</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">A trade for a defenseman</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Another depth forward added</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">A trade that’s a pure cap dump</li>
</ul>
https://twitter.com/pollard_27/status/1622361209843646464

I had a blast and getting to see media people from around the league is really cool. The NHL did a great job with their beach festival in the days leading up to the event as well. I really enjoyed going down and just checking that out as a fan. I also loved the 27-degree weather every day.

My favourite moment though might be Leon Draisaitl revealing that the mullets that he and McDavid are growing out are a result of a wager between the team’s Captain and rookie forward Dylan Holloway. It shows how much this team is gelling right now and that’s very important as they head down the stretch.
<h2 style="text-align: left;">NATION VACATION TO TORONTO</h2>
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-124783" src="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Screen-Shot-2022-12-09-at-10.58.07-AM-1021x1024.png" alt="" width="715" height="717" />

Do you want to come with us to Toronto in March for an HNIC matchup that we'll be watching in a suite? Of course you do. That's why I'm telling you to sign up for the #NationVacation to T.O. and join us for a weekend that no one will soon forget. <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/travel/products/toronto-1-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Check out the details you need right here. </a>

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