Stan Bowman must find a solution fast, with only 48 hours left before the players could join the Blues. According to a recent article by Patrick Johnston from *The Province*, the Vancouver Canucks might offer the Oilers a lifeline.
Johnston suggests that the Canucks could help Edmonton clear cap space by taking on Tucker Poolman's contract, a player who hasn't played since January 2023 due to migraines and is expected to retire after the upcoming season. Instead of asking for draft picks, the Canucks might ask for either Brett Kulak or Cody Ceci in return.
Poolman, drafted 127th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2013, has had a challenging career, with only 23 points in 163 NHL games. This move helps both the Oilers and the Canucks, as the Oilers could put him on LTIR and the Canucks would get a much needed and long overdue boost to their defense.
Among the two defensemen the Oilers might trade, Brett Kulak seems to be the more appealing option for Vancouver.
Kulak's stats are far from incredible, but it's clear he is steadily improving with time. In the 2023-24 season, Kulak scored 16 points in 82 regular season games and added eight more during the Oilers' playoff run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
His improvement since being drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2012, along with his time spent with the Montreal Canadiens and Oilers, make him a more than viable option for Vancouver, especially considering their current situation with them severely lacking on their defense, something they're gonna want to improve if they ever want the chance at winning the cup next season.
On the other hand, Cody Ceci, though valuable, may not offer the same level of impact that Kulak could bring to Vancouver's defense. The Canucks currently rely on Derek Forbort and Noah Juulsen as their third-pair defensemen, but Kulak could significantly bolster that pairing, making the Canucks a more formidable team.