Oilers GM Holland hints at blockbuster trade in press conference

The GM opened up after what he’s after when facing media at season’s halfway point...

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Published 3 years ago
Oilers GM Holland hints at blockbuster trade in press conference
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We all know how competition is fierce in the All-Canadian North division and the Edmonton Oilers know it all too well. 

When he faced media for a season’s halfway point press conference, Oilers general manager Ken Holland couldn’t deny it either. He believes his team, who currently sits third in the division, has a chance to make it into the postseason for a long run, but also hinted at the need for help to make it far. 

When asked about his plan ahead of the trade deadline on April 12, Holland hinted at the possibility of making a big move to upgrade his team. 

“When you get into the playoffs you need size and depth. You either wear somebody down or they’re going to wear you down,” he said, per Sportsnet. “You’re always looking at the trade deadline for some size, or experience. Guys who have been there before.”

Size and grit is definitely something needed in Edmonton, and Holland will have to scour the market to find the best fit. However, he was adamant that he isn’t looking for depth players. The Oilers have lots of that, which is where that potential big trade talk comes in: 

“If there is a player out there who we think can go into our lineup and have an impact more than (just) depth, probably that is something I would look at.”

It’s great news for the fanbase in Edmonton to see that Holland could be going after a huge piece to make his team better. But as every general manager in the league is aware, money will be tight and a constant struggle. 

“We are dollar in, dollar out from the first day of the season until the last day of the season.”

Earlier this week, Elliotte Friedman suggested that Holland has targeted the goalie he would love to trade for in the coming months and shared it in his latest 31 Thoughts column on Sportsnet. With captain Connor McDavid and star forward Leon Draisaitl in tow, the team could be deadly with a strong netminder in between the pipes. It seems clear that aging Mike Smith or Mikko Koskinen aren’t doing the trick to allow the Oilers to push into the postseason and compete for a Stanley Cup, and that’s why Edmonton could go after Columbus Blue Jackets’ Elvis Merzlikins. 

The goalie returned from injury on Thursday night and was solid before his absence. Prior to this injury, Merzlikins was solid with a .917 save percentage and a 3-3-1 record. He however lost 5-4 in overtime at the hands of the Florida Panthers upon returning to action. 

It’s fun to see that Holland could make a splash on April 12. We will have to wait and see. 

Source: Sportsnet