The Move: Trade for Juuse Saros
The headline might have given it away.
But in case it didn’t, here’s the conclusion to be drawn:
Juuse Saros is the goalie the Oilers need to get and the deal Holland needs to make.
Why? It’s simple.
He’s 28 years old. He makes the same annual money as Campbell, though with one less year on his current contract. And not only has he been, but still is, an elite goaltender.
Saros has played at least 21 games in each of the last seven seasons and has never—read: never—posted a goals-against average higher than 2.70 or a save percentage lower than .914. And both of those numbers, incidentally, are still better than Campbell’s career numbers.
A 4-6 start this season doesn’t provide great optics, but the other numbers are still within range of typical levels. And if he were in Edmonton’s goal crease rather than Campbell or Stuart Skinner, it’s no stretch to think at least some of the pucks that reached the net would have been caught or steered away, which would change optics on the Oilers’ dreadful start.
With his team already sitting eight points out of the final Western playoff spot, Holland needs a home run to save the season and his job. Packaging Campbell and a duffel bag full of draft picks, including a 2024 first-rounder if need be, might be enough to convince Barry Trotz to go all-in on a rebuild and make Saros available for a “Cup or bust” run in northern Alberta.
If nothing else, it’s a call Holland at least has to make.
