The Edmonton Oilers may have another chance at acquiring a big-name right-hand shot. Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba publicly requested a trade Saturday, and will not be attending their training camp.
According to Trouba’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, the request is due to the fact that the 22-year-old blueliner wants the opportunity to develop and further play in the National Hockey League as a right-handed defenseman. Though he is a righty, the Jets play him on the left side, usually paired with Dustin Byfuglien.
“The situation is not about money; it is solely about our client having the opportunity to release his potential as a right shot NHL defenseman,” Overhardt said in a statement released Saturday.
Edmonton could seriously benefit from the young defenseman’s presence on the roster. Trouba is an up-and-coming defenseman with a load of potential, and he plays a strong two-way game.
The 6-foot-3, 202-pound defenseman has a heavy point shot, and can be an offensive catalyst if given the opportunity. He is coming off a 21 point season, where he scored six goals and 15 assists in 81 games.
Not to mention, Trouba is also an excellent skater and possesses great shutdown ability. He threw 4.8 hits per 60 and had 5.9 blocks per 60 last season, and can be quite the physical presence on the ice.
And the best thing about Trouba is that his career is just getting started; the former first-round pick is a restricted free agent who just finished the last year on his entry-level contract. This is a blessing and a curse, as he could cost a lot, but is only going to get better from this point forward.
Do the Oilers truly have a chance at acquiring him? Yes. Why not? He wants to play in a top-four role on the right side, and that is exactly what the Oilers want. Here, he would get the role he wants, and for the right price, the Oilers can have him.
However, it will likely cost them a variety of pieces. The timing is thankfully perfect if they want him for less than an elite NHL player because the season is right around the corner and Trouba wants to leave as soon as possible.
I’m predicting that it would take either Jordan Eberle, or a combination of Nail Yakupov, a big-name Oilers defender (i.e. Brandon Davidson or Darnell Nurse) and a draft pick. Trouba is worth it, and given the Oilers overload on the left side, they can definitely spare a defender. I would not trade Davidson, but would survive if Edmonton were to deal Nurse or another name like Mark Fayne.
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