Oilers Reportedly Eyeing Star Eastern-Conference Defenseman

The Edmonton Oilers undoubtedly need a bit more defensive depth to truly challenge for the Stanley Cup, and according to rumours, that might come from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Infamous hockey insider Eklund reported on his website earlier today that star defenseman Travis Sanheim is being targeted by the Oilers in a trade, going so far as to say there's a «50/50 chance» he'll be dealt, and that Edmonton has long been interested in his services.

There's no doubt Sanheim would add more defensive firepower to this current Oilers squad, but it would create a logjam on the left side of their blue line when Darnell Nurse and Mattias Ekholm are also in the mix. One of those three would likely have to move to the right side for it to work.

Making it fit could be a challenge for Ken Holland and the Oilers' front office, but Sanheim is a steady two-way presence on defense for a Flyers team that will likely be getting worse before they get better. The Oilers are looking to compete as quickly as possible, so Sanheim has to be a serious consideration. If you look on Twitter as far back as March 2022, you'll see fans in Edmonton coveting him, too.