Lowetide: What do the Edmonton Oilers still need to be a Stanley Cup contender?

Now that the Edmonton Oilers have found true north and are matriculating toward a playoff spot, fans can return to one of their favourite pastimes: Fixing the team.

The push we’ll see between now and the trade deadline will involve procurement.

Three players, as a matter of fact.

In order to give Connor McDavid and the Oilers their best chance to win, management must add a starting goaltender, a substantial right-handed defenceman and a two-way winger.

It would be impossible to acquire three veteran NHL regulars, the cap hit would be so dear as to make it impossible to shoehorn on to the current roster.

Also true: Edmonton doesn’t have the assets to bring in three substantial additions from outside the organization.

If the Oilers would be complete by adding, say, Elvis Merzļikins, Chris Tanev and Ivan Barbashev, the three areas of need listed would be satisfied with reasonable bets.

The cost in cap terms? Just shy of $15 million all-in.

That isn’t going to happen.

So what can the Oilers do?

Identify internal options

The organization is nursing $5 million goalie Jack Campbell back to higher ground via AHL starts with the Bakersfield Condors. Campbell may or may not be the solution to Edmonton’s problem, but it’s worth a try and the organization no doubt has keen interest in getting return on investment for Campbell.

A storyline receiving no attention yet is the performance of young goaltender Olivier Rodrigue. He has the best save percentage in the AHL, although his lack of playing time (Campbell is getting almost all of the starts) means he hasn’t played enough to qualify as the league leader.

No matter. By number (Rodrigue owns a .936 save percentage this season in Bakersfield, after finishing in the league’s top 10 a year ago) and by eye (he is calm, owns a quick glove and is playing a confident game), this player has earned a look.

It would be brazen. There is a long history, especially during the post-expansion era (going back to Rogie Vachon and Ken Dryden with the Montreal Canadiens over 60 years ago) of NHL teams calling up unproven rookies and catching lightning in a bottle.

Cam Ward did it to the Oilers in 2006. It can be done.

On defence, the clear option internally is Philip Broberg. Whatever his shortcomings, Broberg’s size (6-foot-4, 212 pounds) and speed (he’s fast and can recover quickly) combination is a fantastic foundation. The organization still has time to play him a lot during the regular season, and the new staff can coach him up in the specifics of how to play the game.

A short trip to the minors during December, to hone those skills and play major minutes, would not go amiss.

There is a strong chance that simply giving Broberg regular minutes will make the defence stronger with more options come playoff time. It’s the right thing to do and trading him is the wrong thing to do.

Up front, the Oilers should see a spike on the third line now that Ryan McLeod is going well. However, a two-way presence like Barbashev (but less expensive) would be a good idea.

Xavier Bourgault fits the bill, although he needs to dominate offensively before a recall and that hasn’t happened yet.

So, in summary, the internal options are Rodrigue, Broberg and Bourgault. Edmonton already has Broberg on the roster and the other two can be recalled at any time. The cap constraints would require James Hamblin, who has played well, to be sent to Bakersfield.

External, cost-effective solutions

The goaltenders have to come in at a reasonable cap number. It’s unlikely the team will get a difference maker (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for Linus Ullmark rumours aside), so the best options remain Dan Vladar and James Reimer.

Defensively, the best option is Chris Tanev. He is going to be an expensive acquisition. His five-on-five goal share over the last four seasons is 171-128, 57 percent. Puck IQ has him playing a significant amount of time versus elite competition over those years.

The cost would be significant, and there’s every chance another NHL team will offer more simply because Edmonton has limited trade assets. Oilers general manager Ken Holland has shown an ability to land the big prize, often overpaying. If the 2024 first-round selection and some young talent gets it done, the Oilers may well pay the price.

Any wonder about trading in the division should be set aside. The Flames will want optimal value in the deal, that’s the nut for Holland and management.

Up front, Klim Kostin of the Detroit Red Wings appears to be on the fringes of the roster at this time. His goal share, expected goal share and relative rates at five-on-five are all good, plus he’s a known entity in the organization.

If management acquired Vladar and Tanev from the Flames, and Kostin from Detroit, it would need to involve Campbell going the other way along with a pile of draft picks and young talent.

There’s no way all three needs can be addressed via trade. However, the Oilers could add Kostin and Vladar, or trade for Tanev if the Flames retain.

All are reasonable options.

Tanev would have the greatest impact. Broberg is the best internal bet.

It’s a sticky wicket.

Bottom line

Campbell isn’t dominating the AHL, and Rodrigue is showing superior numbers.

Broberg needs playing time and the Oilers have 60 games left in the season to make it happen.

Bourgault is matriculating. He might get to NHL-ready by the deadline.

The easiest external move is Kostin and the most difficult is Tanev.

It shouldn’t come down to goaltending, but that could be the big addition at the deadline.

The Campbell contract is an albatross. Rodrigue appears to be a better bet to save the day.