Kris Knoblauch's influence: how the Oilers found a hidden gem in Ty Emberson

The trade that sent defenseman Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks may have appeared like a simple cap dump, but there's more to it than meets the eye.

Along with clearing some cap space, the Oilers also picked up a promising young defenseman, Ty Emberson, and there's plenty of reason to be excited about what he could bring to the blue and orange.

Recently, GM Stan Bowman shared that the decision to was a collaborative effort. Coach Kris Knoblauch, who knows Emberson well from his time coaching him with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL, New York Rangers affiliate, played a role in convincing the Oilers to pull the trigger.

Bowman explained that he was already familiar with Emberson from his scouting days with the USA hockey program, but Knoblauch's insight was crucial.

He loves Ty's style, and the fact he's coachable. Given Emberson's solid skill set and the fact that he's only 24 and likely hasn't reached his peak yet, there's a lot of potential here.

Back in the 2022-23 season, Knoblauch coached Emberson to great success in Hartford, where he was named the best defensive defenseman in the Eastern conference. That performance earned Emberson his first shot in the NHL with the Sharks last season.

Although injuries limited him to just 30 games, he excelled in heavy, shutdown minutes, even on a struggling team.

It's been a while since Edmonton had a young defender who they could trust, so the hope is that Emberson can fill that role.

Both Knoblauch and Bowman believe in his potential, and he's expected to get some significant ice time in the top four when the season starts. If things go well, he could be the underrated addition that the Oilers have been looking for.

Source: Oilers DailyOilers coach Knoblauch helped convince Stan Bowman to acquire young player in trade

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