Post by Edmonton Oilers on May 6, 2022 15:25:51 GMT -6
Edmonton, Alberta -- With the PFHL Trade deadline 24 hours away, there could be a flurry of activity as the General Managers of the PFHL sure like to make trades. There have been a total of 139 trades executed to date in the inaugural season of the PFHL. The Edmonton Oilers have been involved in one minor deal with the New York Islanders sending veteran defenceman Eric Knodel to Long Island for young defenceman Dennis Gilbert and prospect Alex Jefferies. Will the Edmonton Oilers find a dance partner in the deadline dance? History says no, but you never do know.
General Manager Travis Chorostkowski has been pretty quiet over the past few months, as he has slowly watched his Edmonton Oilers slowly climb into the playoff race, surprising a few along the way. The Oilers currently sit 2nd in the Pacific, in an ultra competitive Western Conference. “We knew this conference was going to be tough, but how close all these teams are, has really been surprising”. Many of the teams in the West have made major changes to their post draft rosters, some with great success, while others have been left to keep tinkering.
“ When we drafted our team, our goal was to get a combination of youth and experience, but the key was to draft players with term. Why we did that was because of the uncertainty of the market, how fellow GMs and teams would react with trading, etc. We played it a bit safe, but we also don’t risk losing anyone from our core too early in the process”.
As expected the 3 core pieces of the team Bo Horvat, Patrick Laine, and Thatcher Demko have been, and continue to be the pulse of this Oilers club. “We sat down with our leadership group, and do our best to support our guys anyway we can. This includes having them involved in key personnel additions”. There had been rumours throughout the season that LW sniper Patrick Laine had been involved in trade discussions, but nothing has been confirmed to date.
Will the Oilers make any moves prior to the deadline to try and keep pace with all the other movers and shakers of the Pacific? Will a trade shake up the current chemistry the Oilers seem to have? There weren’t many members of the media that had them pegged to be a competitive team this season, but the blue collar work ethic that the Oilers have become synonymous with, has got the team rolling. The clock is ticking, and I’m sure there are a few GMs willing to swing a deal. I’m sure GM Chorostkowski and his team will have their phones on as they watch the team take on the New Jersey Devils tonight.
-- Peter Parker
Edmonton Journal
