from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,

So, they have to trade for a defenceman, but one that’s considerably older. It’s no secret the Oilers are eyeing the Chicago Blackhawks’ Brent Seabrook, 30, because he has another year on his contract at $5 million before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, and the ’Hawks are once again in a major cap squeeze for next year and beyond.

Maybe there’s some soft interest in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Dion Phaneuf, also 30, but he’s starting a six-year, $41-million deal this upcoming season.

Is he in Seabrook’s league as a Top 2 defenceman? Probably not.

Here’s what the Oilers could be doing to upgrade their defence, even if it’s not landing a legitimate Top 2 guy. They should try to get a very good No. 3, who is young and can play big minutes.

Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher, who needs a young scorer with Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville coming up dry in the playoffs, and Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli, who needs a defenceman who can eat up minutes, should be on the phone to each other.

Chiarelli, who has never had trouble with small defencemen (see Torey Krug and Brad Marchand in Boston), should be making a strong pitch for Tyler Ennis’s best buddy Jared Spurgeon, a solid No. 3 National Hockey League defenceman with strong possession numbers.

And Fletcher should be asking about winger Nail Yakupov because Chiarelli may not be married to the young Oilers as former GM Craig MacTavish was.

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