The Edmonton Oilers are looking at every solution to get a boost up front for the upcoming season and Allan Mitchell of The Athletic believes GM Ken Holland will be shopping on the waiver wire.
Mitchell examined some potential waiver options for the Oilers to add a forward before the start of the season and he believes the Canadian team should target Columbus Blue Jackets’ Sonny Milano, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Carter Verhaeghe, Toronto Maple Leafs’ Nick Shore or the New York Islanders’ Joshua Ho-Sang and Michael Dal Colle.
Here is what he had to say about the four potential targets:
"One waiver eligible minor leaguer is Carter Verhaeghe, who posted 82 points a year ago in the AHL. He scored 34 goals, 27 at even strength, will be 24 on August 14. Whatever his shortcomings, his boxcars with the Syracuse Crunch are too good to ignore."
"Toronto also made a nifty little signing in free agency, bringing Nick Shore back from the KHL. He’s a right shot centre who can win faceoffs and kill penalties, and might be an upgrade on Colby Cave and Kyle Brodziak."
"Sonny Milano has been percolating in the system since fall 2015 and can’t seem to gain the traction necessary to emerge as a full-time NHL player. Milano’s shooting rates are attractive (71 shots in 21 games, with 11 goals in 27 games a year ago in the AHL) and he has been associated with Edmonton previously (his name was on the draft floor in 2016 connected to the Oilers)."
"Michael Dal Colle and Joshua Ho-Sang are both RFAs at the moment and both men may have a hard time sticking with the New York Islanders this fall. Dal Colle was the No. 4 overall selection in the 2014 draft, but hasn’t shown enough offence to play in the NHL as a regular. His most recent season was the most promising and he may be on the verge of a breakthrough. Ho-Sang’s five-on-five per 60 scoring rate (1.71) in the NHL is encouraging and he has all kinds of skill. Both men might merit a waiver claim."
While all five player sound interesting, you have to admit, as Mitchell himself does, that Verhaeghe remains the most intriguing option.
Let's see what the Oilers decide to do and to a bit of help up front.
