{"id":455128,"date":"2026-02-12T02:24:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T02:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/455128\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T02:24:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T02:24:21","slug":"early-long-term-bet-on-blueliner-has-insider-doubting-oilers-ahead-of-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/455128\/","title":{"rendered":"Early Long-Term Bet on Blueliner Has Insider Doubting Oilers Ahead of Deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the trade deadline looming, where the Edmonton Oilers will focus their attention needs to be addressed over the Olympic break. With limited salary cap space and some tricky contract obligations, one insider believes Edmonton may have jumped the gun on a couple of players.<\/p>\n

Some believe the Oilers should prioritize a defenseman at the deadline. Seravalli doesn\u2019t believe the organization can or that it\u2019s what they are doing. \u201cHonestly, I don\u2019t see it. And I believe, just in the conversations that I\u2019ve had, that the Oilers haven\u2019t really spent a ton of time looking at defence, that their thought process has been, \u2018We will improve organically when the time is right.’\u201d He added, \u201cIt\u2019s also not just an asset thing, like it becomes a true salary cap juggle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the question marks is Walman, who has struggled to replicate his 2025 playoff performance. He\u2019s also had issues staying healthy. Frank Seravalli was a guest on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer<\/a> and argued that when GM Stan Bowman handed Jake Walman<\/a> a long-term deal last summer, he may have handcuffed himself.<\/p>\n

Was It a Mistake to Sign Walman So Quickly?<\/p>\n

Seravalli criticized the Oilers\u2019 aggressive contract strategy, calling the rush to lock up Walman premature. \u201cI mean, what was the rush to sign Walman to the extension last summer? Sometimes aggression needs to be commended, but in this case, it seems their evaluation process has been a little bit off,\u201d Seravalli said, suggesting the Walman deal and other long-term deals like\u00a0Trent Frederic<\/a>\u2019s eight-year contract were a mistake.<\/p>\n

\"JakeJake Walman\u2019s Oilers contract was signed well before it had to be<\/p>\n

There\u2019s not much Bowman can do about it now, except get those guys going. With that in mind, it will be intriguing to see whether the Oilers address Walman\u2019s issues by making changes. Walman is a good player, so he could find his way coming out of the break and before March 6. If he does, the Oilers can breathe a bit easier. If he doesn\u2019t, there\u2019s a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option.<\/p>\n

Rumors that the Oilers might be considering asking Paul Coffey<\/a>\u2014whose career combined offensive skill with defensive savvy\u2014 to return could help a player like Walman find his game. It may not turn the defenseman into the impactful player he was in the playoffs last season, but that combination has worked before.<\/p>\n

h\/t to David Staples of the Edmonton Journal<\/a> for the transcript<\/p>\n

Next: Insider Reveals the Cost for Oilers to Acquire Oliver Ekman-Larsson<\/a><\/p>\n

\tDiscover more from NHL Trade Talk<\/p>\n

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