Edmonton Oilers pass on former 1st round pick

Recently, the Carolina Hurricanes made the decision to place defenceman Ty Smith on waivers.

The Lloydminster, ALTA native has obvious ties to northern Alberta, and insiders across the league we're hoping the Edmonton Oilers would pounce on him.

Although he's a left hand shot, Ty Smith is one of those players with a unique skill set, particularly his offensive game.

Well regarded for his smooth skating and elite playmaking ability, Ty Smith could have been a nice complimentary depth piece to the Oilers blue line.

According to Liam McCormick of Oilers Daily, Ty Smith was selected 17th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2018 draft, and he quickly made the NHL by the 2020-21 season.

He's played 131 NHL games now with the New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Carolina Hurricanes. Smith is still relatively young, and jumping between 6 professional teams couldn't have helped his development.

Considered an offensive defender, Smith has shown some impressive production including producing almost half a point per game in his rookie year - but there are significant defensive concerns.

At this stage in time, the Edmonton Oilers are exploring the market for a shut-down top 4 defenceman.

While Ty Smith poses a threat offensively, his defensive game needs work, and the last thing the Oilers need right now is a liability on the blue line.

Additionally, the Edmonton Oilers are awaiting the highly anticipated debut of newly acquired defenceman Alec Regula, who is set to return from knee rehab at any given notice.