Edmonton Oilers

For Raphael Lavoie, it's been a season of highs and lows. No surprise, really, for a 22-year-old still trying to find his way in the American Hockey League.

“Being reliable defensively, getting those rims,” said Lavoie, when asked what he’s been working most on. and is learning more and more how to play a power-forward game. Ad Advertisement “I wasn’t feeling so great about my knee and all those things, but now, everything’s perfect.” No surprise, really, for a 22-year-old still trying to find his way in the American Hockey League.

With the National Hockey League's trade deadline just weeks away, cap space will dictate what kind of moves the Edmonton Oilers will make by March 3.

“The market has to show itself,” said Holland. According to CapFriendly, Edmonton currently has $1.125 million in cap space with forward Kailer Yamamoto ($3.1 million AAV) eligible to come off the long term injured reserve on Saturday. “Once Yamamoto comes off LTI and no one else goes on, I’ve got some real difficult decisions to make,” explained Holland.

Can Holland find the right piece or two to give the Oilers a bump down the stretch and into the playoffs?

You look at the long-term contracts to [Ryan Nugent-Hopkins](https://theathletic.com/nhl/player/ryan-nugent-hopkins-jF91xJ66C7OFNw92/) and [Zach Hyman](https://theathletic.com/nhl/player/zach-hyman-vPjnoIiOp9UXO7eZ/), and four years to Evander Kane. We’re in it to be the very best that we can be. The seven-man rotation appears to be something that our team is successful with. We’re going to be dollar in, dollar out. Would I like to do a deal? I want to do what’s right for the team. Would I like to make a deal? I like the team. It’s nice to get the points, but it’s really not a sustainable model. I like the way we’re playing. We’re going to have to move two players — two forwards — probably on waivers. On the surface, it’s the perfect opportunity for GM Ken Holland to enhance the roster with the [NHL](https://theathletic.com/nhl/) trade deadline set for March 3 — a little more than three weeks away.

News flash: the Edmonton Oilers are tight to the salary cap. It's the world worst kept secret, and GM Ken Holland knows it.

The belief was it would be a test-drive of sorts for both the team and Klingberg, and he could be a flippable asset at the trade deadline. The Ducks will undoubtedly be asking for a second-round pick, but any team paying that price will likely be basing their decision on name and reputation.…Partnered with the right player and used to quarterback a team’s top power play with stars, Klingberg could add an offensive boost at the deadline. Instead, he waited until late July to sign a deal eventually landing with the Anaheim Ducks on a one-year, $7-million contract. We’ll see what comes in the following days. (Regardless) of names, we’re dollar in, dollar out, so (if) we start bringing in people with big cap numbers, we’re going to have to do some real gymnastics here to move people out. All of our bottom-of-the-roster players are going to be involved in that decision to decide.

Oilers fans and Oilers pundits are clamouring for a trade.

This isn’t to say that Holland can’t make sharp moves at the trade deadline. Through a series of clever and generally quiet moves, he’s brought in some superior players, all the while staying under the NHL’s salary cap. And given his youth, size, ferocity, and Russell’s slightly decline player, I’m going to call this an upgrade for the Oilers as well. Frankly, it was a total gong show without Russell (or Adam Larsson) on the PK, at least until Vincent Desharnais was called up from Bakersfield. He was a defensive slot monster, a little one but with sharp fangs and a quick mind. You might think there’s not much significance in replacing one 7th d-man with another 7th d-man. I see Janmark as a major upgrade on Archibald. That is up to the Hockey Gords. The fact that this Edmonton team is relatively healthy just now is a big reason it’s won eight out of its last ten games. Draisaitl’s defensive game needs much work, as does Nurse’s consistency, but they appear physically capable of bringing their “A” games, and have done so on many nights this 2022-23 season. But I’m going to suggest to you that Holland has already performed a magic trick. Article content

The Edmonton Oilers are in a position to be a buyer ahead of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. Their cap situation says otherwise, however.

“Once Yamamoto comes off LTI and if nobody else goes on, I’ve got some real difficult decisions to make,” Holland admitted. “Would I like to do something? “I’ve looked at our team. Yes, I would like to do something. Forward Kailer Yamamoto, who has a $3.1 million cap hit, is eligible to come off long-term injured reserve on Saturday. When you’re in a LTI situation like we are, it’s much more difficult at the trade deadline.

Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland said the salary cap is the biggest hurdle to making moves prior to the March 3 trade deadline.

It's unclear which direction Holland will go this time around, but Edmonton has recently been [linked](https://www.thescore.com/news/2564984) to Chicago Blackhawks blue-liners [Jake McCabe](https://www.thescore.com/nhl/players/3876) and [Connor Murphy](https://www.thescore.com/nhl/players/2548). The Oilers positioned themselves to be buyers at the deadline with an 8-1-1 run ahead of the All-Star break. [Derick Brassard](https://www.thescore.com/nhl/players/309) and [Brett Kulak](https://www.thescore.com/nhl/players/3142). They all can't stay." Am I convinced I will do something? "All of our bottom-of-the-roster players are going to be involved in that decision to decide.