Edmonton Oilers: Tom Gilbert Not Worth Waiver Pickup
Former Edmonton Oilers defenceman Tom Gilbert found a home in multiple places following his time with the team. However, his tenure with the Los Angeles Kings doesn’t seem to be as long as he had hoped.
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The Kings placed Gilbert on waivers Wednesday, as per Sportsnet’s Mark Spector. The 6-foot-2, 218-pound blueliner only played 18 games with the Kings this season. He has barely been able to crack the lineup and has dressed once in his last 18 games.
Many are curious as to if the Oilers want to pick up Gilbert for perhaps another crack at it with Edmonton. He could provide insurance as the Oilers seventh defender, replacing Eric Gryba as they race for the postseason. However, as should be obvious, the Oilers should steer clear of Gilbert.
First off, the 34-year-old doesn’t have too much left in the tank. Despite his perfect frame, he lacks physicality, and his ability on the backend has declined over time. Additionally, Gilbert struggles when it comes to maintaining possession; he often turns over the puck, which puts his team in trouble. Overall, they usually spend more time in their own zone when Gilbert’s on the ice.
Edmonton also needs to move forward and be confident in what they have. If something isn’t broken, there’s no reason to fix it. While the Oilers need more depth on the right-hand side of their defence, Gilbert is not the answer. Gryba puts up better stats than him and has proven to be a more physical presence.
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