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| Image by Derek Leung/Getty Images |
The Edmonton Oilers have acquired defenseman Chris Wideman from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2020 6th round pick.
For the Oilers, like this trade a lot. Wideman was fourth in defensive shots with 123 in 2016-17, when the Senators were a goal away from the Stanley Cup finals. A puck moving, right handed shot defenseman, Wideman showed that he can be a top-4 defensive on a good team. The Senators were an above average defensive team that year, finishing 11th in the league in goals against (214). He will most likely slide in above either Jason Garrison or Matt Benning in the depth chart.
Wideman, 28, has scored two goals and three assists for five points in 19 games this year. His best career season was 2016-17, when he played in a career high 76 games, scoring 17 points and putting up 123 shots. In his NHL career, all in Ottawa, Wideman has scored 16 goals and 27 assists for 43 points in 175 games.
For the Senators, I don\’t understand this trade. While they clear up a spot for prospect Christian Wolanin to play, he is still in the AHL. They get a low return for a quality defenseman. Most people are thinking the trade has to do with the Senators\’ Uber scandal that went viral no more than a month ago. Wideman was the most visible player in the clip, was talking the most, and was arguably the most vulnerable, as the other six players included top prospects Thomas Chabot, Colin White and Alex Formenton (since sent to Juniors), new acquisitions Dylan DeMelo and Chris Tierney, and star Matt Duchene. Him being more expandable than the other could have helped send the message for Ottawa. That\’s one way that might have impacted the decision to trade Wideman.
CarterHud 