Keith or Tarasenko? Who should Oilers prefer?

Duncan Keith is obviously a very divisive player with the Edmonton Oilers' vocal fan base, which is fine.

He is 38 and he's not the player he used to be. But he's healthy and he still would be a second pairing defenceman, not just with the Oilers, but possibly 15 other NHL teams, such as the stronger Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers, who have tried to trade for the durable Keith recently.

The loud dissenters want no part of a Chicago trade for a guy who makes US$5.4 million the next two seasons, yet a good number want the Oilers to investigate St. Louis winger Vladimir Tarasenko, who has had three shoulder surgeries, makes $7.5 million for two more years and whose game has regressed. In good part, because his shoulder won't allow him to shoot like he used to. A shoulder that may never be what it once was.

We know it's all about what Oilers would have to give up to get Keith — not Ethan Bear, not Ryan Mcleod, not an A prospect or a top young player. If it's too much, back off. But is Keith really any different than Zdeno Chara was in Boston when he was 38? Still effective.

HAZY GOALIE PICTURE

If the Oilers are looking for a mid-20s goalie to partner with Mike Smith, rather than Mikko Koskinen, who turns 33 on July 18, free-agent names like Linus Ullmark (Buffalo) and Chris Driedger (Florida) are possibilities. But they could also make a call to Pittsburgh on Tristan Jarry as a trade. Penguins owner Mario Lemieux wants Marc-andre Fleury back from Vegas with Pittsburgh's Cup window closing. At 26, Jarry is the right age for the Oilers, has a friendly contract of $3.5 million for two more years before he hits the open market and has a strong history with Oilers goalie coach Dustin Schwartz.

Schwartz was his instructor with the junior Oil Kings when they won the Memorial Cup in 2014.

GOODBYE BUGSY

Bryan Watson, who coached the Oilers for the first 18 games of the 1980-81 season with Glen Sather stepping aside to handle just his GM duties, died at 78 of a lung ailment.

He was the ultimate antagonist, noted as an NHL checker of Bobby Hull through 817 games and 2,212 penalty minutes.