Following their 16-game winning streak, the Edmonton Oilers have experienced more losses than victories, indicating that their team-building efforts are not yet complete.
According to The Fourth Period, the Edmonton Oilers are potentially interested in acquiring Jake Guentzel, who is considered one of the most sought-after trade assets of the 2024 deadline season. Despite being on injured reserve, Guentzel is expected to return around the March 8th deadline, prompting numerous contenders to pursue a significant trade for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ standout player.
Although incorporating Guentzel into their lineup poses challenges due to current salary cap limitations, the Oilers could potentially address this by including Cody Ceci in a deal for Guentzel or in a separate trade, thereby creating sufficient cap space to accommodate him immediately and explore a contract extension after the season.
At 29 years old, Guentzel still has several productive seasons ahead of him. The prospect of having him join Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the ice long-term presents Edmonton with an opportunity to build around three star players for the foreseeable future, making him a compelling target.
Should the Penguins entertain serious offers for Guentzel, the Oilers are likely to face stiff competition in the bidding process. Given Guentzel’s caliber and Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas’s high demands, numerous teams will vie for his services.
While the Oilers possess most of the elements needed to make multiple Western Conference Championship runs, it’s evident that acquiring one more star player could elevate them to the next level. This underscores one of the three key reasons why Guentzel would be a valuable addition to Edmonton for the remainder of 2024 and potentially beyond.