2 Teams Who Should Sign Underrated Defenseman Jamie Oleksiak

Jamie Oleksiak is a pending free agent who should be getting more attention. The 6'7" left-handed defenseman has improved significantly over the last two seasons and can play top-four minutes. He not only is a very physical player, but also can contribute offensively fairly well. In 56 games this season, he scored 6 goals and recorded 14 points from the backend. Those are pretty impressive numbers from someone who is primarily known for their reliable defensive play.

All of these factors could make Oleksiak be one of the biggest free agent steals this summer. These two teams should be extra aggressive pursuing him.

Los Angeles Kings: The Los Angeles Kings are clearly trying to speed up their rebuild. Yesterday's Viktor Arvidsson trade shows that they want to push for a playoff spot next season. However, for this to have any chance of occurring, they need a defenseman like Oleksiak. He would be a marvelous upgrade to their left side with his style of play. With over $15 million of cap space and no big RFAs to lock up, the Kings have ability to spend money on Oleksiak. It seems like a worthwhile move.

New York Rangers: The New York Rangers had a good season this year, but missed the playoffs because of a stacked East Division. They could look to add a veteran like Oleksiak to help mentor their younger defensemen. Furthermore, he would be a welcomed addition to their penalty kill, as he is very sound defensively. The Rangers are also expected to be aggressive this off-season because they have a lot of money to work with. Although Oleksiak does not carry the same prestige as a star like Dougie Hamilton, he is still very serviceable and a good hockey player.