Former Leafs defenseman on the trade block again
Less than 24 hours after the Oilers were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in a 4 game sweep, Tyson Barrie is on the trade block. According to TSN 1260's Jason Gregor, the Oilers are already actively shopping the former Av and Leaf. The 30 year old Barrie recorded 41 points in 73 games this season, nowhere near his career high of 59. He only managed 5 points in 16 playoff games in the playoffs.
The fact that the Oilers managed to make it as far in the playoffs with the D core they had is a massive testament to just how good their top forwards were. Ken Holland's bold strategy of signing 2 of the Leafs famously bad 2019-20 right side defenders finally ran out of steam against a truly superior team in the Colorado Avalanche. The Oilers just didn't have an answer for the Avalanche firepower, even after Nazem Kadri was knocked out of the series by a cheap shot from Evander Kane.
Barrie has 2 years left at $4.5 million against the cap, his powerplay production should garner some interest from teams looking for scoring from their back end. His lack of defensive ability will hurt his trade value though, possibly to the point where the Oilers may need to add a pick or prospect in order ti move him. By the sounds of it, Holland is wasting no time. Their priority for next season has to be stable goaltending and a defensive group that can actually play some defence. After their trip to the Conference finals, the Oilers are likely to go all in for next season. Look for them to be extremely active in the free agent market, especially if they can shed Barrie's salary.
