The Edmonton Oilers are front runners in the Duncan Keith stakes

Article content

The Edmonton Oilers are going to have to proceed in this off-season as though Oscar Klefbom will not be able to play in 2021-22.

Article content

That means having a solid, reliable veteran D-man ready to go in his place, in case the worst-case scenario about Klefbom’s health and future come true. Because they’re just not sure about Oscar.

I believe Edmonton’s #1 target in that regard is Duncan Keith, and that the interest between Keith’s camp and the Oilers is mutual.

This, according to Elliott Friedman of NHL on Rogers:

“Word is Keith and team are working together to get him to a place he wants to go”.

Where night that be?  Well, Keith considers the Okanagan “home”, near where he spent his teens in Penticton, British Columbia. He has family out by me in Vancouver, an easy flight from Edmonton. There are a handful of North and Western-based NHL teams that would be able to accommodate him, geographically including (but not limited to) Edmonton. Fellow Okanagan residents Holland and veteran goaltender Mike Smith (who I fully expect to re-sign) also live “just down the road” during the off-season, figuratively speaking.

Article content

Keith recently changed agents, from Ross Gurney at R.W.G. Sports management to Edmonton’s Gerry Johansson of The Sports Corporation. That in itself? Not evidence enough to point Duncan Keith in Edmonton’s direction. But in an era where players increasingly get to pick their spots Mr. Johansson has never shied away from recommending clients to this marketplace. Not everyone does. Or will.

Keith would slot in right behind Darnell Nurse on the port side, a 37-year old left shot D-man who is still capable of high-level shutdown minutes in this league. He went 4-11-15 in 54GP for Chicago last season but has posted over 40 points 9 times in his career. So, he’s more than capable of moving the puck up to Edmonton’s star forwards like Connor McDavid & Leon Draisaitl.

Article content

No one who tried to fill the Klefbom slot last season “stuck the landing”. Deadline acquisition/UFA Dmitry Kulikov was “just o.k.”. Caleb Jones broke camp with the job and lost it. And at this stage in his career, Kris Russell is more like a good 5-6. At the risk of getting way ahead of ourselves, consider a Top-4 of Darnell Nurse, Adam Larsson, Duncan Keith and either Tyson Barrie or Ethan Bear. Not bad.

The price, in terms of salary, would be reasonable enough: 2 more NHL seasons at $5.538m. The price-tag may be a slightly different story. The Black Hawks are not re-building. They will be trying to bring in a big-name defender. As such, the amount of money that they might be willing to retain is probably on the limited side. I don’t know what Holland is thinking in return and won’t pretend to. Would Chicago take back a salary they could buy out?

Article content

What else would Keith bring an under-achieving Oilers club which has bowed out in the 1^st Round of the playoffs in consecutive seasons? Experience matters. Keith is a battle-tested, 3-time Stanley Cup Champion and Team Canada stalwart. A tremendous leader on the ice and off, that’s a lot of extra “how to play the right way” without needing to have a letter on his chest, as he did in the Windy City.

Should this surprise anyone? If one looks back in Ken Holland’s resume, one of his most common card tricks was to add a solid, top-4 D-men to help get his club over the hump. Matthieu Schneider. Larry Murphy. Brad Stuart. Chris Chelios. Acquiring the likes of Duncan Keith would fit the Holland pattern. Toronto Murphy out of town and then he was great in Detroit.

Article content

The addition of a guy like Keith would also allow Holland and Dave Tippett to slow-play prospect LHD Philip Broberg who to some eyes could use a full year in the AHL.

Now, there are never any guarantees. Chicago will make the best deal possible. No trade is ever done until it’s done. But where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Oh, and one final note, related or not: Gerry Johansson also represents UFA goaltender Chris Drieger of the Florida Panthers. Just sayin’.

Recently, at The Cult…

STAPLES: Does Edmonton make sense in the Duncan Keith stakes

McCURDY: Nugent-Hopkins signs 8-year deal with Oilers

STAPLES: Will the Nugent-Hopkins contract work out?

LEAVINS: Does Ken Holland still have his fastball?