The Edmonton Oilers are gunning for a Stanley Cup in 2024. Connor McDavid and company have turned around a poor start to the year and have momentum on their side. At the NHL Trade Deadline, they made a move to bolster their depth. They acquired Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-team trade. Now, it's time to hand out NHL trade grades for this deal.
Full trade
The Edmonton Oilers acquired forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick, goalie Ty Taylor, and a 2024 seventh-round pick from the Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim acquired a 2024 first-round pick and a conditional 2025 fifth-round pick from Edmonton. Finally, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired a 2024 fourth-round pick from the Oilers.
Anaheim retained 50% of Henrique and Carrick's cap hits. The Lightning retained 25% of the remaining cap hits on Henrique and Carrick. For the conditional pick, the Ducks would receive a 2025 fourth-rounder if Edmonton wins the Stanley Cup this season.
For the Lightning, there isn't much to say about their role in this, so we'll just briefly go over it here. Tampa Bay has traded a ton of draft capital in recent seasons. They had cap space to play with at the NHL Trade Deadline, so they used some of it to recoup at least one draft asset. All in all, fine business for the Bolts.
Oilers trade for Adam Henrique
The Oilers had Adam Henrique as their top trade target this season. So to actually land him is nice work, for sure. Especially with 75% salary retention here. They also do well to add a solid bottom six forward option in Sam Carrick. However, the sticking point is going to be the cost.
Edmonton parted with a 2024 first-round pick in this trade. And to be fair, that was the going price for centers. Both Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan went for first-round picks when they were dealt earlier this season. That said, both the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets paid steep prices for those players. The Oilers are doing the same here.
Henrique and Carrick should certainly help Edmonton moving forward. If they win the Stanley Cup, they certainly won't care about the cost of this trade. For now, though, it's a steep cost to pay for two pending unrestricted free agents who seem unlikely to sign an extension with the team.
Ducks trade Adam Henrique
The Ducks were always going to trade Adam Henrique at the NHL Trade Deadline. He was a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. And while he provided veteran leadership, it felt unlikely that he would return to Anaheim. So, they receive a first-round pick for him and Carrick.
The Ducks use two salary retention slots in this trade. As a result, all three of their salary retention slots have been used. That said, all three salaries come off the books on July 1. Anaheim can use all three again starting next season, so this trade doesn't handcuff them in that regard.
All in all, this is excellent business for general manager Pat Verbeek. A first-round pick for Henrique is a great return for the Ducks. They now have two first-rounders for the 2024 NHL Draft, allowing them to deepen one of the strongest prospect pools in the league.
Grades and final thoughts
The Oilers receive a fine grade for their work in the Adam Henrique trade. They added two players who should provide a big boost for their Stanley Cup chase, though the cost brings their grade down. The Ducks, meanwhile, earn a high grade for receiving the return they did. Finally, the Lightning earn a decent grade for maximizing their available cap space to recoup draft capital.
Edmonton Oilers grade: B
Anaheim Ducks grade: A-
Tampa Bay Lightning grade: B
Follow Us
Subscribe