from Jim Matheson at the Edmonton Sun,

Third-line centre, preferably a right-shot, or a top six left-winger with speed.

Or does Ken Holland swing for both, well-versed in being an NHL general manager over two-plus decades, who realizes players expect their boss to help them at the trade deadline if they’re in the playoff hunt.

The Edmonton Oilers GM certainly has Jesse Puljujarvi as his No. 1 chip to play, probably in every phone conversation, because he knows the Finnish right-winger who has 44 points in 43 games for Finnish Liiga’s Karpat, won’t be talked into coming back here, no matter who’s coaching or managing....

Detroit’s Andreas Athanasiou, a kid Holland knows very well because of drafting him, is certainly on Holland’s radar too but they would almost surely have to add a draft pick. And Athanasiou is an unrestricted free agent after next season.

Athanasiou, who has explosive speed, has one 30-goal season and Puljujarvi has 17 goals in his 179 Oilers games. But a second-rounder from Edmonton in the equation seems a little rich along with Puljujarvi...

Holland certainly knows Anthanasiou has warts but if the price is right, he’ll jump on it.

“Some nights he just floats around. Some nights he is in engaged and dangerous every shift,” said one NHL executive. “He’s a second-line winger.”

more and other options for the Oilers...