The Edmonton Oilers don’t seem to be a role in making a trade to shake things as they hope to run further in the playoffs. As the 2025 trade deadline approaches, they will have a lot of options to position their plans to chase their first Stanley Cup since 1990. John Klingberg has been added recently, but some changes can still be made.
One thing they can improve is their depth of progress and can provide them with a player based on the success of another team. Utah Hockey Club is working hard to play the playoffs, but if they look outside at the trade deadline, they could be sellers. One player they could look for was forward Matias MacCelli, who the Oiler should aim at him if it could be used.
Related: Oilers should target Utah Karel Vejmelka
Maccelli, 24, scored eight goals in 52 games this season and added 10 points to 18 points. He scored 37 goals throughout his career and added 93 assists in 221 games, scoring 130 points and an average of 0.59 points. He has established himself as a strong offensive player with a reasonable defensive game and seems to be just struggling with his confidence in hockey this season, which could lead to him being swapped for a new start. He has been a healthy scratch multiple times in recent games, with insider Elliotte Friedman mentioning that he was a player to watch during the deadline.
The oilers may have to settle in during the upcoming trade deadline because they may not have cap space or assets to splash on a massive scale, and Maccelli falls into that category. His cap is $3.425 million and has been extended in the 2025-26 season, and if they are more interested in bringing players with the remaining contracts in their term rather than rent, he will be any competitive team tempting goal. If he is really in trouble with Utah, it would be reasonable for Maccelli to be traded, and the Oiler should be all over him.
What will the trade look like?
The Oilers may have to move something to McLeans past this season, but that’s the job they should consider. He is a very skilled striker, perfect for his plan, and is a depth player in the hexagon. Utah will be a strong team, but for now, they don’t have a strong enough roster to be seen as a contender. Maccelli’s joining the Oilers with a stronger lap length might be the scenery he needs to change his career.
In fact, a deal looks like the Oilers bought McKelly in exchange for their third-round pick in 2025 and a fourth-round pick in 2026. I wouldn’t expect Utah to provide much more capital for a collapsed player, especially with some cap space for them while providing them with future assets.
There is no guarantee that he will be moved, but if he does, the oil should be everywhere. It won’t be the only move they need to make to give themselves the best chance to win the Stanley Cup, but it will be a strong start. They only have 10 days to decide what to plan for the final period of the season, so do each team and we will see what will happen.
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