NHL Insider Links Oilers To Unexpected Defenseman

One area where the team could stand to improve is on defense. This is a recurring problem for the team as they have consistently been a team that outscores their defensive problems rather than actually improving defensively. However, Ken Holland could be taking a more measured approach to the trade deadline this year as he is reportedly looking to add a two-way defender to the team's blueline.

Carrier has proven himself to be a steady defensive defenseman. Furthermore, he shoots right, which is a highly coveted trait around the NHL. At the very least, he would be an upgrade on Cody Ceci and he is more affordable as well, with just a 2.5 million dollar cap hit.

The 27-year-old has quietly developed into a steady, two-way defender with the Predators since he first earned a regular role with the team in the 19-20 season. This year he has 14 points in 46 games including a career high four goals. One of which came as a clutch game-winner in the dying seconds of the game against the Islanders last month.

He is on pace for 25 points, which would be just shy of his career high of 30, but he is also on pace for 7 goals, blowing away his career high of 3. While these numbers don't jump off the page, they are quite good for a bottom pair defenseman that gets very little powerplay time. If he were to play with the loaded Oilers offense, he could see his offensive production tick up even higher.

As seen on Friedman Suggests Oilers Interested in Alexandre Carrier