Insider reveals the price-tag to acquire top-four defenceman

It's no secret by now that the Edmonton Oilers are aggressively on the hunt for a top-four, right hand shot defender, but GM Stan Bowman is waiting for the right moment to strike.

Jason Gregor recently sat down with the boys over at Daily Faceoff, and he broke down what it would potentially cost the Edmonton Oilers to get their hands on a quality blue-liner.

Q. Colby Cohen: What would you be willing to give up for a top 4 guy? Because they don't come cheap. They're hard to find. Righties are especially hard to find. Who or what would you be willing to part with?

A. Jason Gregor: Well, it all depends on how much term he has left. If you can find someone like Ekholm (not saying Ekholm the player, but Ekholm the term), and you can get him for this run and one or two other runs and you know what his cap hit is, you know what? I'd give up a first all day long, I don't even think twice about doing that.

I'd even look at a guy like Beau Akey who just got named to the world junior team. Edmonton's in win-now mode, and if a guy has term, then I'm definitely willing to do more.

If it's only a rental, then you probably could do a second round pick or something like that. You'll have to send somebody else to make the money work, but if I'm Edmonton and I think their team's quite good, and then the team's quite good, I don't really think they worry about a guy down the road too often.

They're all in here at the next few trade deadlines, so you're giving up first rounders and if that means you're giving up even a Beau Akey, you've got to do that.

Jason Gregor goes on to suggest that Stan Bowman would have to part ways with a prospect like Beau Akey to get a deal done.

The Edmonton Oilers are currently stuck in "win now" mode, therefore Stan Bowman would be forced to sacrifice one of his most prized assets.

On a side note, Edmonton Oilers defenceman Brett Kulak has emerged as a surprise break-out candidate, playing quality minutes on the Oilers second pairing.

If Brett Kulak continues his outstanding level of play, he may alter Stan Bowman's trade deadline plans, potentially preventing the Oilers from sacrificing a promising prospect.