NHL Rumors: Edmonton Oilers Looking To Upgrade At 3 Positions

During his most recent 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Edmonton Oilers are looking to make multiple upgrades to their roster. He noted that they want to add a goaltender, left-handed defenseman and third-line center.

There's no secret that the Oilers have been in the rumor mill when it comes to goaltending. Starter Mike Smith has been out since October and Mikko Koskinen does not appear to be a long-term option for them. The 33-year-old has cooled off a bit after a hot start to the season, as he now sports a 12-5-0 record and .907 SV%. Perhaps we could see them go after Marc-Andre Fleury or Joonas Korpisalo in an attempt to add more stability. Anton Khudobin has also been placed on waivers, so he could be Edmonton bound if no team below them in the standings put a claim on him, too.

When it comes to defense, the Oilers have Duncan Keith, Kris Russell and Slater Koekkoek out. That's a significant chunk of their left side, so we could see them maybe look to add to this position as soon as possible. Whether it's a top-four or bottom-pair defenseman, it would be beneficial for them to simply add to their depth.

The third-line center position has been an ongoing issue for the Oilers for multiple seasons now. Derek Ryan, Ryan McLeod and Kyle Turris each haven't worked in the role this campaign, so this should be another notable priority for them. As we inch closer to the deadline, Edmonton should have plenty of rentals to pick from.

We'll have to see what the Oilers do from here, but it's apparent that changes will be made to Edmonton's lineup soon.