It looks like the Leafs and Oilers are having talks about a trade, and analyst David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period suggests that it might involve Edmonton’s young player Ike Howard.
Oilers want to strengthen their defense
Pagnotta mentioned on his podcast, “The Leafs won’t trade him for Mangiapane and a draft pick. It’s just not going to happen. You’re likely looking at – people are going to be shocked – but maybe someone like Isaac Howard in this deal. It’s going to cost a lot.”
The price is high because of his salary, the length of his contract, and the fact that he’s really skilled.
It’s becoming more apparent that Stan Bowman may have to give up one of his team’s younger players to get some top talent before the deadline. Whether it’s one strong player or a mix of a good forward, a third-line center, or a solid defender the Oilers choose, it’s going to come with a price.
As for Ekman-Larsson, adding an offensive defenseman who shoots left but can also play on the right might be a good choice.
He has filled in on the right side in Toronto since defenseman Chris Tanev got hurt early this season.
Ekman-Larsson is in his second year of a four-year contract where he makes $3.5 million, which is a fair price given his skills on both defense and offense. He has scored 36 points in 57 games, with an average of 20 minutes and 3 seconds of ice time.
With Darnell Nurse not performing at his best and the overall weak defense the Oilers have shown for parts of this season, bringing in someone like OEL is a smart decision that the team really needs to think about.
As the playoffs are coming up fast, Edmonton needs to strengthen its defense. No matter how you look at it, this will mean giving up something valuable that they’d rather keep.
This is part of the price for trying to win a Stanley Cup, and the Oilers need to be aware that their chance is getting smaller every year.
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