After last season's 103-point performance, the Edmonton Oilers entered the 2017-18 campaign as one of the heavy favorites to compete for the Stanley Cup come June. But, after 10 games, the Oil look like a shell of its former self.
While there's still plenty of time to turn the season around, Edmonton sits dead last in the NHL in goal scoring with an embarrassing 22, and would own sole possession of last place in the Western Conference if it weren't for the winless Arizona Coyotes.
The Oilers boast two of the game's most dynamic scorers in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but they need help.
Here are three moves Edmonton can make to help its forward group put the puck in the net with more frequency:
Sign UFA Jarome Iginla
This may not be the most popular option with Oilers fans, and Iginla has undergone a recent cleanup procedure on his hip, but he's one of the best pure scoring right wingers of this generation and Edmonton is looking for help on the right side.
Iginla hasn't suited up for an NHL contest since last season, but he's proven he still has a nose for the net, notching 65 goals and 68 assists over the last three years while playing 244 of a possible 246 games.
Factor in that Iginla's price tag should be similar to that of the $1-million incentive-laden contract Jaromir Jagr recently received from the Calgary Flames, and signing the 40-year-old doesn't seem like that bad of an idea.
McJesus and Iggy? Could be a nice combination.
Swing a deal for a winger
Trades are obviously easier said than done, and there's been no indication from Edmonton general manager Peter Chiarelli that the club is looking to make a move.
But with offseason additions Ryan Strome and Jussi Jokinen struggling mightily, and the rest of the supporting cast firing blanks, Chiarelli would be wise to bring in some reinforcements up front.
A team like the Toronto Maple Leafs have a plethora of talented forwards and could be a willing trade partner if a player like defenseman Darnell Nurse were to go the other way, as the Leafs look to fix some issues of their own.
Toronto forward James van Riemsdyk's name has been heavily involved in trade rumors and would slot nicely into Edmonton's top-six forward group.
Promote from within
Kailer Yamamoto may have beaten Jesse Puljujarvi to earn a roster spot coming out of training camp, but Yamamoto has seemingly worn out his welcome, notching only three assists in seven games.
It's hardly fair to place any blame on a 19-year-old rookie who's played seven NHL games, but maybe it's time to give Puljujarvi - a former fourth overall pick - another kick at the can.
Puljujarvi has only three points through seven games this season for Edmonton's AHL affiliate and might still need some developing before he becomes the scoring answer for which the Oilers are looking.
However, his hulking frame (6-foot-4, 211 lbs) and offensive upside could provide the team with the shot in the arm it so desperately needs, and would be the cheapest option of the three.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)
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