The Oilers need to add speed and skill on offence. To do this I added skinner, Neal, and grabner. All three can score and skate fast, and could be potential options on Mcdavids wing. Skinner can keep up and finish and is available, Neal has chemistry with Mcdavid and can score, making him a great add and grabner is one of the fastest players in the league and has 27 Goals this year. The center depth is good, with Mcdavid- Draisaitl- Strome- Khaira all capable to play in the role they are in and now the wingers are far better and faster with skinner, Neal, grabner, cagguila, aberg, puljujarvi and slepyshev. I would have bought Lucic out but his contract is set up so buying him out hardly saves any money at all.
On defense, it is clear the Oilers need a offensive right shot power play guy. Faulk is just that and he is coming off of down seasons where his role has been taken over by other players in Carolina, making him expendable and cheap. Klefbom and nurse are solid pieces on the left side of the top 4 and Larson, although he is not very good, can round it out nicely without being forced into being the top right defenseman. I signed cole to help out with the pk (he was great at it pittsburgh) and to add depth. Pateryn was a depth signing.
The goaltending should be better with a better defense in front of them and less pressure on Talbot with a competent backup in Montoya.
For the Canes trade, skinner is available because of the rift between him and Peters, the fact that dundon wants change and him being one of the longest tenured hurricanes. Faulk is also available as he is losing his job to Slavin, pesce, and hanifin. Although nuge was very good late in the season, skinner is faster and a better shooter and Carolina wants centers. There is no need for sekera and his massive contract, and Carolina may want another defense men with the loss of Faulk. The first evens out the value, giving the canes likely a hayton/dobson/Hughes type prospect.
I bought out Russell because he sucks very badly and has an albatross contract.
If Cole is willing to sign for that little, the Jackets just might retain him instead of letting him walk. He's been really good with Savard, after all.