Goaltending sits atop MacTavish’s shopping list
Dangling draft picks still possible, but Pens’ slide changes equation
It’s been assumed for months that Edmonton Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish would dangle that firstround pick he acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for David Perron to get a goaltender, but that was when it figured to be a late one.
Now that the Penguins barely squeaked into the playoffs, it might be the 17th pick. Does he trade it? Does MacTavish trade for or sign an older goalie or take a leap of faith on a player who is a backup somewhere and is maybe ready to break out and be a 60-game starter?
“Both strategies are possible,” MacTavish said Monday in his season-ending address to media.
“There are a certain number of unrestricted free-agent goalies who could have some attractiveness to us. There are a number of situations around the league where teams have good goalie depth (for trade).
We’ve got assets in terms of draft picks we’d be willing to move.”
The Penguins selection looked as if it might be No. 24 or 25 when the Oilers acquired it Jan. 2.
Now, in a deep draft, do they even consider dealing a far better pick?
“Might get us a much better goalie,” said MacTavish.
“It’s turned out to be a much more valuable piece than when we got it. Those discussions will largely be done at the draft.”
The Los Angeles Kings looked to be in need of a firstrounder after giving it up for Carolina’s Andrej Sekera at the trade deadline, but by missing the playoffs, the Kings are giving up their 2016 pick, not the 2015 one.
The Rangers need one, though.
The Oilers like Martin Jones, Jonathan Quick’s little-used caddy in L.A. They also like Rangers’ six-footthree backup goalie Cam Talbot, who got into 36 games this season and did very well (21-9-4, 2.21 average, .926 save percentage) with Henrik Lundqvist injuring his neck.
Talbot is an unrestricted free agent in July 2016. Jones is 25, Talbot turns 28 this summer. jmatheson@ edmontonjournal.com Twitter: @ NHLbyMatty