Edmonton Oilers Overpay For Andrej Sekera

The Edmonton Oilers made the playoffs in 17 of their first 21 seasons in existence. From 1980 to 2001, they were in the postseason every year outside of a four-year stretch from 1993-1996. They were once a dynasty led by Wayne Gretzky. This was a franchise that could have been an all-time great in North American sports.

The Oilers have now missed the playoffs in nine straight seasons. Despite having one of the most talented teams in the league, they are not able to put wins together. Goaltending and defense are the main reasons why the Oilers cannot put a winning team on the ice. Desperate for a player who can contribute from the blue line, GM Peter Chiarelli gave former Los Angeles Kings defender Andrej Sekera a deal worth $33 million over the next six seasons.

That is a pretty penny for a guy who wasn’t expected to be paid like some of the other top defensemen on the market. The Oilers know about their recent shortcomings, and they are willing to pay to fix them.

The Oilers are one of the most intriguing teams this offseason. They picked Connor McDavid first overall in the draft, and he has been lauded as the best prospect since Sidney Crosby. They also acquire Cam Talbot from the New York Rangers to play in net. They traded for Griffin Reinhart to put some talented youth on the blue line. The Oilers aren’t expecting their talent from within to carry them anymore. They showed they are looking to get better, and it starts this season.

Sekera will be expected to do something he never really did before: lead a team from the back. He was always thought of as a good defenseman with an offensive upside. Now, he has to be the man at the back end of Edmonton. With so much hype surrounding the forward talent of Edmonton, it is likely that a slow start will be blamed on the back end.

Sekera will be the first target thanks to his $5.5 million AAV. Can he handle that kind of pressure? It seems like Edmonton overpaid for a player who may not be a game-changer.