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Oilers lose potential trade chip Gryba (knee) for one month

Anders Nilsson, Eric Gryba, Matt Hendricks

Anders Nilsson, Eric Gryba, Matt Hendricks

AP

The knee injury suffered by physical blueliner Eric Gryba in Edmonton’s loss to Anaheim last night will keep him sidelined for at least a month, the club announced on Thursday.

It could be a costly ailment with regards to GM Peter Chiarelli’s trade deadline strategy. More, from the Edmonton Journal:

[Gryba’s] an unrestricted free agent this summer, though, which makes him a prime candidate to be moved at the Feb. 29 trade deadline. He’s also a strong, experienced reliable defenceman, which also makes him very attractive to any team looking for blue-line depth in the post-season.

On the basis of those points alone he should be advised against buying any green bananas between now and the end of the month, but Gryba has no plans to change his routine based on probabilities.

“I have no idea what will happen, I try not to think about it,” he said. “Obviously you have to think about it a little, but you try not to let the mind wander too much because the possibilities are endless, anything can happen.”

Gryba, 27, is a big body at 6-foot-4, 228 pounds and has been a consistent presence in the Oilers lineup this year, averaging just under 18 minutes in 53 games played, with a goal and six points.

He’s also got a handful of postseason experience, appearing in 10 games for Ottawa from 2012-15.