The Edmonton Oilers’ Trade Deadline Maneuvers: Examining Potential Deals for Adam Henrique

The Edmonton Oilers made a trade with the Anaheim Ducks during the NHL Trade Deadline, adding Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick to their team. General Manager Ken Holland agreed to give up a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, along with a fourth-round pick that went to Tampa Bay. This was done so that 75% of Henrique’s salary would be retained and 50% of Carrick’s salary would be covered.

Catching up on Oilers deadline news, all the stuff pre and during, and Edm had Henrique for a 2nd and 3rs but upgraded to a 1st for a half-retained Sam Carrick:) also, as per Oilers Now, they were interested in Josh Brown. Archie Henderson was not the only pro scouting issue

— Dennis King (@DKingBH) March 10, 2024

Before finalizing this trade, there was another potential deal involving Henrique. Dennis King, although not confirmed, mentioned that the Oilers were discussing a smaller trade where they could have acquired Henrique for a second-round pick and a third-round pick, allowing them to keep their first-round pick. However, to include Carrick in the trade and retain 50% of his salary, the deal was upgraded to include the first-round pick.

Additionally, King reported that the Oilers were also interested in Josh Brown, a right-shot defenseman from the Arizona Coyotes, but it’s unclear if these two potential trades were connected.

Losing the first-round pick to add Carrick, who was a healthy scratch in the recent game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, may not have been seen as a significant gain by some. There’s speculation that if the Oilers had kept the first-round pick, they could have pursued other options like Tyler Toffoli or different pieces to strengthen their team. However, without verified information from reputable sources, it’s uncertain how these different trade scenarios would have impacted the Oilers’ deadline decisions.