After losing defenseman Andrej Sekera in Edmonton, the Oilers may be looking around the NHL for a replacement blueliner. Some are speculating the organization might be looking to get help from the Boston Bruins.
Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports has speculated the Boston Bruins may be a good trade partner for the Edmonton Oilers. The Bruins currently have eight NHL defensemen under contract for next season and Torey Krug's name has been floated around in trade rumors throughout the summer. While the Bruins are not eager to get rid of Krug, he could fetch a healthy return as an offensively-gifted defender. That is certainly something the Oilers could use.
When news broke that Sekera would be lost for most, if not all of the 2018-19 NHL season, immediate questions began to pop up in Edmonton. What would the Oilers do? Where would they turn? Would they look internally or try to find a replacement player elsewhere? General manager, Peter Chiarelli, suggested the team would wait to see how the prognosis was, but things don't look promising.
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If the Oilers choose not to move Kris Russell to the left side of the ice, they could have room for someone like Krug and with Sekera's contract going on long-term injury reserve, space in the salary cap to add him as well. Haggerty, however, speculates the Bruins might be asking for center/winger, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers would not be quick to move Nugent-Hopkins considering he provides offense where Edmonton also has weaknesses.
Should a trade for Krug not work out, there is also speculation the Oilers might look at right-shot defenders Adam McQuaid and Kevan Miller who could be available via the trade and a better short-term fit.
Either way, the Bruins have too many d-men and the Oilers badly need one. With Chiarelli's history knowing players from Boston (he was once their GM), it would make sense if the two teams started talking.