Edmonton Oilers’ coach Kris Knoblauch really needs a dependable goalie, so trading for experienced player Casey DeSmith has become essential.
The big plan to trade for Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins has turned out to be a disaster. Jarry struggles to play well in the Pacific Division, leaving the goal area open every game.
The team took a big risk by counting on the experienced goalie to strengthen their defense, but the results are not good enough for a team aiming for the Stanley Cup.
Letting in five goals on just 24 shots during a tough loss to the Anaheim Ducks perfectly shows how bad things have been.
Right now, the management has almost no money left to work with because of strict salary cap rules.
This tight situation forces the general manager to think outside the box before the busy trade deadline arrives.
This is where Dallas Stars’ backup goalie Casey DeSmith comes in as a low-cost solution for a team in need. He’s having a great season while being the backup to Jake Oettinger in Texas.
DeSmith could be the answer for Edmonton.
With an impressive average of 2.31 goals allowed and a solid 0.913 save percentage in 22 games, he gives Edmonton the reliable performance they really need.
His current deal is very affordable with a salary cap hit of just $1 million until next season ends. This low cost makes him one of the few options for a team with limited budget space.
Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan counts on him a lot during tough back-to-back games, and the experienced goalie consistently performs well.
Overall, DeSmith brings important playoff experience to the team and usually handles challenging road situations really well.
The Stars probably won’t be eager to assist a team from the Western Conference that kicked them out of the playoffs two years in a row. However, offering a valuable draft pick along with a contract that’s about to end might be enough to get the player and complete the deal.
Knoblauch should not let another great scoring season from his top players go to waste by refusing to deal with the obvious weakness on defense.
Taking this bold step now is the smartest choice to save a locker room that is quickly falling apart before the playoffs start.
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