The Edmonton Oilers have had a hectic 2024 offseason, filled with offer sheets, trades, free agent signings, and more. Following a Stanley Cup Final loss, change was expected, but for the most part, the roster has remained intact. The forward core has improved, even with the departures of Warren Foegele, Ryan McLeod, and Dylan Holloway, and the goaltending tandem has remained the same. However, the defense has lost a few pieces, and barring any additional offseason moves, it could be a major weakness this season.
Defenseman Departures
The Oilers lost three defensemen this offseason. The first is Cody Ceci, who was traded to the San Jose Sharks. Ceci spent the last three seasons in Edmonton, contributing 11 goals and 68 points in 237 regular season games with an average ice time of 20:21. Despite being heavily criticized for the defense’s struggles last season, Ceci was a valuable part of the team’s bottom four and will be missed.
The second subtraction was Philip Broberg, who signed an offer sheet with the St. Louis Blues. The 23-year-old, drafted eighth overall by the Oilers in 2019, struggled to secure a regular spot in the NHL lineup. He was expected to make a full-time leap into the team’s bottom four this season, though with some risk given his limited experience. While losing his youth and potential is unfortunate, choosing not to match the offer sheet at a $4,580,917 annual average value (AAV) was a smart move.
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Lastly, Vincent Desharnais signed a 2-year, $2 million AAV deal with the Vancouver Canucks. He played in 78 games for the Oilers last season, recording one goal and 10 assists. Though he was a solid contributor in the regular season, he struggled during the playoffs and eventually lost his spot in the lineup.
Defenseman Additions
When the Oilers sent Ceci and a third-round pick to San Jose, 24-year-old Ty Emberson was the return. The right-handed defenseman has previously played for head coach Kris Knoblauch with the Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL, and scored a goal and nine assists in 30 NHL games with the Sharks last season. He is a defensive defenseman who should fit in well in the bottom four, but given his lack of experience, he should not be expected to develop into a true top-four defenseman anytime soon.
Josh Brown and Connor Carrick were also brought in this offseason. Both defensemen will be vying for roster…
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