The Edmonton Oilers acquired three new defencemen on Sunday while swapping out two blue-liners and a forward over a pair of trades.
The Oilers first picked up Edmonton-native Alexander Petrovic from the Florida Panthers, then added Brandon Manning and Robin Norell from the Chicago Blackhawks hours later.
Florida received blue-liner Chris Wideman and a conditional third-round pick in the 2019 NHL draft while the Blackhawks took forward Drake Caggiula and defenceman Jason Garrison in their trade.
Petrovic, 26 has one assists in 26 games with Florida this season. He has appeared in 254 NHL games over his five-year career, posting 49 points (five goals, 44 assists). He was originally selected by Florida in the second round, 36th overall, at the 2010 NHL draft.
“He’s a big body, good stick, physical guy,” said Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who played with Petrovic with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels from 2009-2011.
“He can shoot the puck really hard and knows how to move the puck.”
Manning, in his fourth season in the NHL but first with Chicago, has a goal and two assists in 27 games this year. The 28-year-old began his NHL career in Philadelphia and has played in 234 total games with 12 goals and 34 assists.
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The move to acquire Manning is raising eyebrows for some Edmonton fans, as the defenceman was involved in a play that cracked McDavid’s clavicle and disjointed his rookie season.
The 2015 injury sparked heated debate among hockey fans and analysts over whether the Flyer defenders grabbed McDavid on the way down or gave him an extra shove into the boards. McDavid missed 37 games due to the injury.
WATCH BELOW: Connor McDavid suffered a broken clavicle during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015.
The following season in December 2016, McDavid and Manning jostled all night long in an eventual 6-5 Oilers loss, with the Edmonton captain angrily denouncing the tactics of his opponent after the game.
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Norell plays in the Swedish Hockey League, where the 23-year-old has three assists in 27 games. He was drafted by Chicago in the fourth round in 2013.
Wideman is leaving Edmonton after a brief stint. The 28-year-old had two assists through five games since he was dealt to the Oilers by the Ottawa Senators last month.
Wideman has 16 goals and 27 assists in 175 career NHL games, mostly with Ottawa. He was drafted by the Senators in the fourth round in 2009.
Caggiula, 24, has seven goals and four assists in 29 games with the Oilers this season. He set career highs in points (20), goals (13) and games played (67) last year with Edmonton.
At practice on Sunday, coach Ken Hitchcock had Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid, and Leon Draisaitl all at centre.
“You have to be strong down the middle of the ice. Now we play another team that’s arguably the best or one of the top two teams in the conference. They’re strong as heck down the middle,” said Hitchcock.
“For us to continue to grow with the young guys we have playing, we have to drag people along. Those are our best players. They have to pull people along.”
The Oilers are sixth in the Pacific Division with an 18-17-3 record. The Oilers, who have lost five in a row, will host the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night.
— With files from Reid Wilkins, 630 CHED
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