At this year's NHL draft, one of the busiest general managers could be Edmonton's Peter Chiarelli. The Oilers have acquired all the forwards they need through the previous six entry drafts, finally secured a solid starting goalie in Cam Talbot via free agency last summer, and all that remains is to obtain a legitimate No. 1 defenseman. Is their fourth overall selection just the trade bait required to fill that hole?
Statistically, this high-level question can be broken down into three components: What kind of defenseman do the Oilers need? Is there anyone suitable available through free agency? And who might be available in trade?