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Edmonton Oilers Blue Line Trade Target: Luke Schenn

Edmonton Oilers Blue Line Trade Target: Luke Schenn

For months now, there have been plenty of reports that the Edmonton Oilers have expressed interest in defensemen such as Vladislav Gavrikov, Joel Edmundson and Jakob Chychrun, just to name a few. There have been others as well, though not to the same extent, in players such as Matt Dumba, Jake McCabe, Mattias Ekholm and Ivan Provorov. While some of these may seem farfetched, they prove the point that the Oilers are in the market for a blueliner.

Interestingly enough, what all the blueliners listed above, with the exception of Dumba, have in common is that they are left-handed shots. That was an area thought to be in need of an upgrade for the Oilers months ago, as they didn’t have much behind Darnell Nurse and Brett Kulak on the left side. Ryan Murray was originally expected to occupy the third pairing role, but he struggled in the early going and has since been placed on long-term injured reserve with an unknown return date.

Related: Oilers & Panthers Linked as Potential Trading Partners


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But that issue on the left side may no longer be, as several have stepped up. After an injury-riddled start to the season, Philip Broberg has looked more than capable in that spot as of late, while Vincent Desharnais has been solid in his brief NHL showing. As far as additional depth, Markus Niemelainen is currently in the American Hockey League and has proven capable of stepping in for brief periods of time.

While one can certainly still understand fans looking for a more proven option being added to the Oilers’ left side, is it possible general manager Ken Holland looks to add depth on the right side instead? By no means is that an area of strength for this team either, as Cody Ceci has struggled at times this season, while Tyson Barrie and Evan Bouchard are far from defensive savants. But as fate would have it, a very affordable, right-handed defenseman is believed to be on the market for a cheap cost.

Luke Schenn Likely to Be Moved

With the Vancouver Canucks well outside of a playoff position, they have already begun selling off their assets. It began days ago, with their biggest piece in Bo Horvat getting dealt to the New York Islanders. They are far from done, and one player who is almost guaranteed to be on the go is Luke Schenn.

Schenn, 33, signed a two-year, $1.7 million deal with the Canucks during the 2021 offseason that carries a cap hit of just $850,000. Given the cheap price, along with the fact that it is an expiring deal, it has…

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