Adding Corey Perry 'changes the outlook' of Oilers’ trade deadline, could 'open the door' for Jack Campbell move

The Edmonton Oilers have made a couple of changes to their bottom-six forward group over the past few days.

Ahead of Saturday’s Battle of Alberta, Dylan Holloway was called up from the Bakersfield Condors, where he spent four games working as a centre. James Hamblin, who had been playing in the fourth-line centre role, was assigned to the American Hockey League in his place.

On Monday, the Oilers inked veteran winger Corey Perry to a one-year contract with a league minimum salary and added performance bonuses based on games played and how far the Oilers go into the playoffs. Edmonton placed forward Adam Erne on waivers in order to open room for Perry.

What’s next for the Oilers? Frank Seravalli and Jason Gregor talked on Monday’s episode of the DFO Rundown about some possibilities for the team with just over six weeks left until the 2023-24 NHL trade deadline.

Frank Seravalli: “My big question about this Corey Perry addition — how much does it change how they’re thinking about the trade deadline?”

Jason Gregor: “They’ve just added two pieces for nothing in Dylan Holloway and Corey Perry. They might look for one more forward, but I don’t think they have to make a massive splash, I’m not sure there’s one to be made out there.

Would they like to make a Mattias Ekholm-style trade to upgrade on Cody Ceci? Maybe. But I’ve gone through all the right-handed defencemen in the league who are realistic to acquire and I don’t see one that’s so blatantly an upgrade that it’s worth it to give up a lot to do it.

Frank Seravalli: “When I did my article about top objectives for each team heading into the trade deadline at Daily Faceoff, for the Oilers, it was third-line centre or second-line right winger.

Getting those two pieces for free, signing Perry, Holloway coming back from injury, it changes the outlook of their trade deadline. They have so much added flexibility. Plus, with less assets out the door, I think it opens up the door for them to move Jack Campbell.

You could say, ‘why do they have to do that now?’ But if you were ever to go after someone that has term on their contract, you have to have cap space beyond this year and into the future.

If you were to say, ‘look, the Campbell signing, obviously a mistake, whether it’s now or later, we’re going to have to pay a price to get out of his contract.’ Maybe this is the year you move a 2025 first-round pick plus whatever else you need to get rid of Campbell, and then you’ve got your 2024 pick on the table to add a big defenceman or an elite winger.”