The Edmonton Oilers came within a single win of the Stanley Cup. In fact, they came within two goals of winning it all in 2024. Unfortunately, they lost to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. The heartbreaking loss didn't deter them, though, as they entered NHL Free Agency looking to build upon the success they had.
Their activity in NHL Free Agency under interim GM Jeff Jackson gave fans a lot to be excited about. However, some of the excitement was zapped by the controversial hiring of Stan Bowman. Bowman, formerly with the Chicago Blackhawks, had been suspended indefinitely by the NHL and reinstated on July 1. Bowman was suspended due to his part in mishandling allegations of sexual assault made by Kyle Beach during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The move garnered backlash, but in any event, Bowman is the Oilers GM for the foreseeable future. He is tasked with getting Edmonton back to the Final and playing for a chance to avenge their loss this season. With this in mind, here are two Oilers trade candidates for fans to keep in mind as the 2024-25 season draws closer.
Cody Ceci could leave Edmonton
The Oilers did not have an easy road to the Stanley Cup Final this year. One reason for this could be due to the juggling of their lineups. Veteran defenseman Cody Ceci is one name that drew the ire of fans during the postseason. To an extent, it's easy to see why fans were displeased.
During the regular season, Ceci was primarily paired with Darnell Nurse. They played nearly 1000 minutes together, according to MoneyPuck. And this pairing had the highest goals against per 60 minutes of any of Edmonton's three pairings.
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, this pairing was used in 22 games. Their goals against per 60 minutes ballooned to 4.24, according to MoneyPuck. For context, the next highest goals against per 60 on the team was the pairing of Brett Kulak and Vincent Desharnais at 2.74. Additionally, Ceci had the third-highest goals against per 60 on the Oilers in the playoffs, according to Evolving Hockey.
To be fair, Ceci performed better than Nurse did in an analytical sense. However, Nurse's contract is an absolute albatross. He is signed for a touch over $9 million through the 2029-30. Ceci, meanwhile, is on an expiring contract. As a result, Ceci is a prime Oilers trade candidate, especially if they overhaul their defense this upcoming season.
Philip Broberg is a name to watch
The Oilers have waited for Philip Broberg to come along for a few years. He was a top-10 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft by Edmonton during Ken Holland's first year in charge. At the time, Broberg had the makings of a top-four defenseman. To this point, though, it hasn't worked out.
In saying that, Broberg did show some promise in 2023-24. His name was included in trade rumors for much of the season. But he improved in the AHL during the second half of the year. And he had an incredible showing when he did play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Broberg had the lowest goals against per 60 among Oilers defenders in the postseason, according to Evolving Hockey. Additionally, he had the highest on-ice save percentage of any Edmonton blueliner. It's worth keeping in mind that he played 10 games. But those 10 games came in the Western Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final.
Broberg is a restricted free agent this summer. As of now, the Oilers have a negative amount of cap space. If they can't clear cap space, trading Broberg may be the move they need to make. Additionally, they could trade Broberg if they don't want to be locked into another long-term defensive contract. In any event, the Swedish Oilers defenseman may hear his name in trade rumors once again in 2024-25.
Follow Us
Subscribe
