Edmonton Oilers: Michael Cammalleri adds much needed scoring depth
Michael Cammalleri is now a member of the Edmonton Oilers, after the Los Angeles Kings traded for Jussi Jokinen
Michael Cammalleri and Jussi Jokinen each joined new teams this summer, hoping for a resurgence in their NHL careers after both got bought out. However, both players find themselves on the road again. The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings have made a trade, swapping the two veteran forwards.
While Cammalleri joins his fifth NHL team, Jokinen is on his seventh. The latter is more of an all-around forward. He is an aging player, but at 34 years old, he has shown no signs of health concerns. Los Angeles Kings General Manager Rob Blake spoke about the deal for Jokinen with NHL.com.
“I think Jokinen is a very versatile player,” Blake said. “Plays both wings, center, takes draws. He’s been a very reliable player over his career and I think that would bring a little stability to our lineup.”
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With one year left on his contract and a $1.1 million price tag, Jokinen could be a great bargain for the Kings. They are trying to reclaim past glory, and a two-way veteran is a nice addition to an already booming squad. Jokinen is likely a better fit in their bottom six than Cammalleri as well.
Blake went on to discuss Cammalleri’s sentiments as a member of the Kings.
“I don’t think [Mike] enjoyed the role that he was in by any means,” Blake said. “I’ve had conversations the last couple days. I won’t tell you a lot about our conversation. What I would tell you is that we came to the conclusion that it wasn’t going the direction he wanted it to.”
Cammalleri is a nice addition to the Edmonton Oilers but needs to stay healthy. Injuries have always been a concern, and father time is not on his side. At the same time, his $1 million price tag may be the best thing about the deal. Low-risk, high-reward would be the best way to describe it. Cammalleri has one year left on his current contract but will be looking to make a splash with a young group.
Edmonton Oilers May Have Already Won This Deal
When you consider the overall difference between Cammalleri and Jokinen, there is a lot more the former can do for the Oilers. The Oilers are fast and need to get pucks on net. Cammalleri is fast and likes to shoot the puck. Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli sees the same thing.
“We made this trade to improve our shooting,” Chiarelli said. “Mike has always been an effective offensive player with his shot and offensive ability. At the end of the day, improving our offense will obviously take a collective effort, but Mike will be given an opportunity to help improve it.”
The Oilers are currently in second last in the Western Conference but are only four points out of a playoff spot. They have scored just 46 goals as a team and need to ramp that number up if they want to win games. The Oilers have improved defensively, but have enough talent to avoid the bottom tier for goals scored. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are in need of some help from the other forward lines, and Cammalleri is a step in the right direction to fix that.
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As mentioned, the injury bug will be something Cammalleri needs to avoid. He will get ample opportunities to prove himself, but staying consistent and healthy will be his biggest concerns. If he hits the ground running, the Oilers top nine may have gotten the boost they needed.