{"id":455984,"date":"2026-02-12T19:40:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T19:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/455984\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T19:40:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T19:40:15","slug":"could-oilers-turn-to-the-canucks-for-a-bottom-six-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/455984\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Oilers Turn to the Canucks for a Bottom-Six Center?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If the Edmonton Oilers aren\u2019t willing\u2014or able\u2014to swing big and give up high-end assets for a true impact player<\/a> before the March 6 trade deadline, they\u2019ll almost certainly look to bolster depth instead, targeting a bottom-six forward and also potentially a bottom-pairing defenseman.<\/p>\n

Even if they do land a bigger piece and give up a first-round pick in the process, there\u2019s still a case to make that smaller additions around the edges are necessary on top of it. Those moves rarely grab headlines, but come playoff time can be quite valuable, and one possible idea that\u2019s recently been discussed is targeting Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Blueger could slot nicely into the Oilers\u2019 bottom-six, though Tyler Yaremchuk of Oilers Nation is hesitant to give up anything more than a third-round pick for him.<\/p>\n

Yaremchuk said<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cTeddy Blueger cannot give you second-line minutes. If there\u2019s an injury, if you\u2019re in a pinch, if you\u2019re doing the McDrai thing in a playoff game, you can\u2019t trust Teddy Blueger to play on your second line. He\u2019s a bottom-six player. I don\u2019t spend anything more than a third-rounder on bottom-six guys. Second rounder or higher, they need to have the ability to move around my lineup more than Blueger would.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old Blueger is a pending UFA in the second and final season of the two-year, $3.2 million extension signed with the Canucks in 2024. He\u2019s been very good in limited action in 2025-26, having tallied eight points (five goals, three assists) across 10 games. <\/p>\n

Teddy Blueger Fits the Oilers at the Right Price<\/p>\n

While Yaremchuk is right that Blueger is nothing more than a bottom-six forward, he\u2019s proven to be highly effective in that role, and at the right price, it\u2019s well worth GM Stan Bowman taking a look.<\/p>\n

\"TeddyTeddy Blueger Canucks trade<\/p>\n

Blueger brings plenty of playoff experience from his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas Golden Knights, including winning the Stanley Cup in 2022-23. His combination of defensive responsibility, being hard to play against, and an underrated offensive skill set makes him an ideal fourth-line option. At $1.8 million\u2014potentially less with retention\u2014it\u2019s also a welcome cap-friendly acquisition for Edmonton.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for the Oilers, reports suggest the Canucks are in fact seeking only a third-round pick<\/a> in return, which Bowman is well equipped to offer up (one in 2026, two in 2028). If that price holds or even comes down slightly, then Blueger would be an ideal low-risk addition with the potential to reward more than many would assume in rounding out Edmonton\u2019s depth up front.<\/p>\n

Next: Oilers Linked Again to 20-Plus Goal Man in Latest Insider Predictions<\/a><\/p>\n

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

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