Remember me? An Oilers-Hawks game is always a good time to again analyze the seven-player trade the teams hooked up on last March that sent Chad Kilger, Ethan Moreau, Christian Laflamme and Dan Cleary to Edmonton.
Moreau by far has been the most consistent performer for the Oilers. He scored his 12th goal Wednesday and has added a physical presence and solid defensive play.
Laflamme, a healthy scratch Wednesday, has slipped to the No. 7 defenseman. Cleary is tied for fourth in the AHL in scoring with 52 points in 46 games but can’t crack the Oilers’ lineup, and Kilger played Wednesday after sitting as a healthy scratch 13 of the last 14 games. He has just three goals and four points in 28 games.
Besides Dean McAmmond (11 goals, 22 points) and Boris Mironov (two goals, 15 points), the Hawks acquired defenseman Jonas Elofsson, a prospect currently playing in Sweden.
The future: If the Hawks continue to struggle and get eliminated from the playoff race, don’t expect to see prospects in the lineup to get seasoning and experience for next season. “I’m not big on that,” said manager of hockey operations Mike Smith. “That’s what training camp is for. And you have to do justice for the fans. You can’t put less than your best lineup on the ice.”
