Edmonton Oilers NHL Trade Deadline Early Projections 2024: Will the team move for a new goalie?

The Edmonton Oilers have turned their season around and are once again a Stanley Cup contender. Edmonton started the season 5-11-1 which was good for 30th place, but since then the Oilers have been phenomenal. Edmonton is now 22-15-1 and in a playoff spot, while only being three points back of the Kings for third in the Pacific division.

With the Oilers turning their season around their season, Edmonton should be active on the trade front before the deadline (March 8).

What will the Edmonton Oilers do at the trade deadline?

#1, Acquire a goalie

The biggest priority for the Edmonton Oilers is to acquire a goaltender at the trade deadline. Jack Campbell is still struggling in the AHL, and although Stuart Skinner has started to play better, Edmonton would be wise to bring in another netminder.

Calvin Pickard has been a fine backup, but getting someone like Jake Allen or Marc-Andre Fleury to back up Skinner makes sense. Edmonton needs someone with a better track record should something happen to Skinner.

#2, Add to the defense

Edmonton went out and traded for Mattia Ekholm last season who has been excellent with them. However, the Oilers, like any playoff team will be looking to add a defenseman at the trade deadline.

Chris Tanev is someone Edmonton could look to trade for as he's a pending free agent and would add a shutdown defender who can add some physicality to the back end.

Replacing one of Brett Kulak or Vincent Desharnais on the third pair would be a perfect spot for Tanev who can immediately come in and give Edmonton another solid defender.

#3, Trade for a bottom-six center

The Edmonton Oilers don't have much cap space to work with, so, at the NHL trade deadline, it will likely be depth moves. One spot the Oilers should look to target is adding a center who can play on the third or fourth line.

Currently, Edmonton's third and fourth-line centers are Derek Ryan and James Hamblin, but if the Oilers can get a center it would allow Ryan to become the fourth-line center and make them that much deeper.

Being deep down the middle is key for the playoffs and Edmonton will likely put a focus on adding a center.