Oilers to go without 1st round pick for 1st time in 13 years?!

In the past few days, multiple NHL insiders reported that Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli is set to make some big moves on the trade front and this new report from TSN's Darren Dreger could make the fanbase more nervous than it already is. 

It seems more and more likely that the Oilers will be putting their 2019 first-round pick in play in order to acquire the necessary help on their roster. Dreger believes it might be needed for Edmonton to acquire a top-four defenseman ahead of the trade deadline and to ensure a long playoff run, as he explained on Thursday morning on the air of Edmonton's TSN 1260. 

“It’s just an acknowledgment of the needs of the Edmonton Oilers. It’s been well-documented they’d like to add a Top-4 defenseman if they can, and they’re so bold that they’d like to add a top-six forward as well.

“Well, you don’t acquire those pieces - in fact, it’s next to impossible to do in the regular season anyway, regardless of the trade deadline - but you do not acquire those pieces unless you’re willing to include something like a first-round pick. That seems to be the currency, and has been for the last five-plus years. Even for the rental market, you go up to the trade deadline and everybody is asking for the first-round pick, plus, plus.

“When you’re talking about the pieces that I’ve outlined - either an impact forward or a top D-man, then it is going to be a first-round pick, plus a prospect, plus maybe a younger roster player.

“So I don’t think the Oilers are sending emails out saying, ‘Yes, we’ve got a first-round pick that we’re willing to give up.’ I think that’s just an acknowledgment that they’re open for business and they recognize that to get quality they’re going to have to give up quality, including that pick.”

In his latest article for NBC Sports, analyst James O’Brien dug through Chiarelli’s trade history and fears that a panic trade could be coming, which isn't great news for the Oilers, who have counted on a first-round pick to build up their roster for the past 13 years. The last time Edmonton went without a first round pick at the draft was back in 2006, when the Oilers selected defenseman Jeff Petry in the second round. 

We will need to see in the coming weeks if a major trade could see Edmonton make a huge sacrifice and be left without a first round pick at the Entry draft in June.