The Edmonton Oilers have added a pair of depth forwards as they make a push for the Stanley Cup.
The Oilers acquired centres Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick on Wednesday in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks. In exchange, the Ducks receive a 2024 first-round pick and a conditional 2025 fifth-round pick.
The deal sees Anaheim retain 50 per cent of both Henrique’s and Carrick’s contracts.
Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning are also included in the deal to absorb 25 per cent of Henrique’s $5.825 million cap hit. The team receives a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick as a result.
Additionally, the Oilers receive a 2024 seventh-round pick and the rights to reserve goaltender Ty Taylor.
Henrique, 34, has 18 goals and 42 points in 60 games this season. He is on pace for his highest-scoring season since 2017-18 when he had 50 points split between the Ducks and Devils.
The 32-year-old Carrick is on an expiring contract with a cap hit of $850,000. He has 11 points in 63 games this season.
“We wish the best of luck to Adam and Sam down the stretch and into the playoff race,” said Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek in the team’s statement. “Both are quality individuals and character players that spent more than seven years with us, and they will serve the Oilers well.
“For us, this was a situation driven by contract status, and it was our desire to add another high draft pick to our core going forward.”
The Oilers opened the season in a big rut but have surged back into a playoff spot after making a coaching change in early November. Edmonton enters play Wednesday second in the Pacific Division with 78 points.
Henrique and Carrick will slot into the bottom-six forward lines in Edmonton, with Henrique filling a hole at third-line centre that Ryan McLeod has been holding down in recent weeks.