The Edmonton Oilers have acquired defenceman Alex Petrovic in exchange for a 2019 third round draft pick and Chris Wideman pending a trade call, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie.
It comes a day after the Oilers were handed a brutal 7-4 loss to the San Jose Sharks — a game where the Oilers defensive lapses were clear.
Petrovic, 26, is an Edmonton-native with has one assist in 26 games this season. He’s averaged 17:23 TOI per game this year — up nearly a minute from his career average.
At even-strength, Petrovic has been an average possession player notching a 49.5 per cent Corsi rating this season. A low PDO of 96.7 suggests there is room for improvement for the 6’4, 216 lb defender known for his prowess in his own zone.
He is making $1.95-million this year, and is a UFA at season’s end.
With the Oilers holding two third round draft picks in 2019, McKenzie has indicated Florida will receive the better of the two.
Edmonton brought in Chris Wideman last month in a deal that saw them flip a 2020 sixth-round pick to Ottawa for his services. He struggled in his small showings with the Oilers and it was clear there wasn’t much trust for him from the organization.
While the cost of Petrovic isn’t major essentially being two draft picks — it will still likely be a top-100 pick for a player that the Oilers could just let walk at seasons end.
The Oilers are in dire need of back end help — a narrative as old as time itself. The problem has only been exacerbated with the losses of Oscar Klefbom and Kris Russell, the latter of which set to return soon.
The hope is that Petrovic can rebound and provide some stability on Edmonton’s defence.
Postmedia’s Jim Matheson, on Twitter, said the Oilers “might not be finished trading” after this morning’s move.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, who wrote he has heard from multiple sources Peter Chiarelli “still has some balls in the air.”
Stay tuned to OilersNation, where I will be bringing the latest on any potential news.
On Twitter: @zjlaing
I’ve wanted Petrovic on the Oilers roster for a few years. Solid 3rd pair D that can make a pass out of his own end. Not sure on the price to get him, but it is definitely an upgrade on what went the other way.
I don’t like that he had to give up a third in this too.
You would have complained even if he got him for free.
Actually, my real problem is that Chiarelli is still allowed to make trades at all.
That’s not your problem.
You chose to make it your problem for whatever reason.
Chiarelli is a better GM than you could ever be, or have ever been. I doubt you have any NHL experience at all.
You, just like the rest of these knowitalls, live in a fantasy world where you judge and criticize other to feel better about the problems you imagine you have.
just because someone is employed or has experience in their job does not make them good at it. if you think Chia is good, than you have not moved on from 1990’s hockey and are definitely living in a fantasy world.
The point is not that he is a better GM than a sports writer. That is a straw man argument. Look that up bc clearly you are very low information. He is saying the PC is among the worst GMs QUANTATATIVELY in his profession. Sports are entertainment driven by revenue extracted from the fans in an open market exchange for said entertainment. PC has vastly diminished the entertainment value in the Oilers product thus the drivers of the Oilers revenue need to be as vocal as possible as the first step to halt financial support of the team so that ownership begins to feel a financial need to improve the on ice product. I only watch the games to see McDavid play hockey. Once he is gone, and he will be much sooner than you think, there will be no fans left.
Chia is that you?
Obviously you do not have season tickets, try shelling out 10K for them and let us know how you feel. Here’s another cup of Kool-Aid, drink up!
Mrs.Chiarelli go bake some cookies
chia is that you?
10-4
Are You Chia’s mom? Too bad the NHL doesn’t hand out participation medals.
Burner account
10-3
Why so serious?
Pete’s a Harvard Man, you know
If you don’t have anything constructive to say,don’t say anything at all,don’t say anything at all. The verbal diharia is not needed.
Well be glad, I am suprised Chia didnt throw Nuge in too,
“McKenzie has indicated Florida will receive the better of the two.” That makes this deal even worse. Plus this is another deep draft.
I thought it was regarded as a weak draft this year?
it is. complaining about trading a 3rd is so Oiler fans. even the better of the two may not be much more that 5 or so spots so i see no big deal here ! fans need to ask themselves if they want to still have a chance at the playoffs this year or do they want to conceed the playoffs already? Wideman and a 3rd is nothing to give up for Petrovic even if he should walk at the end of the season. when Klef and Russel and Sekera come back, we’ll have Larsson, Nurse, Benning , Jones, Gravel and Petrovic and we’ll actually have some decent depth on the back end ! and after the first 2 rounds, it isn’t the deepest draft i have ever seen.
I don’t mind this, Proactive move. Won’t solve everything but atleast he’s an nhl defenceman
For half a season and then bye bye.
Oh
You got an inside track on that fact that he is gonna walk after this season?
Wouldn’t you with current situation here?