Trade Rumours Heat Up as Edmonton Oilers Target Two Defensive Upgrades, According to the Athletic

This season has been a promising one for the Edmonton Oilers, but if the team want to make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals, they certainly need to make a major upgrade on their blue line.

It's no secret that their biggest need is a partner for Darnell Nurse on the second pairing, with several candidates already identified by top insiders throughout the season.

Now, Allan Mitchell of The Athletic has identified two new possible targets, and while they're much younger, both JJ Moser of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Henri Jokiharju of the Buffalo Sabres are now considered genuine candidates.

When Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman recently addressed the need for a blue liner, he noted that it will still take some time before they make a major decision on who they should target, and with that time approaching, we may finally see some movement on the trade market.

In Moser, the Oilers would be getting a 24-year old that has been a consistent performer since his arrival in the NHL, and with 2 goals and 8 points thus far this season, he's on pace for career highs across the board.

In Jokiharji, the Oilers would land a 25-year old that has been solid through his NHL career thus far in Buffalo, and while he hasn't taken a major leap forward, he's the puck moving defenseman that Edmonton need.

Ultimately, there's at least 10 names out there that would be good fits for the Oilers, and given how important the 2024/25 campaign for them is, if they can find the right one, this is a team that could certainly take a leap forward and make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals.