BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Jack Eichel (BUF), Anze Kopitar (LA), Bobby Ryan (TOR), Ryan Getzlaf (ANH), and more!
The Oilers have a bit of a mind-bender brewing on the right side of their defense and a couple of big contracts set to expire there with some high-end prospects almost ready to take over. What is Ken Holland set to do?
TSN’s Frank Seravalli says that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins might not be in the Oilers’ plans going forward. Read all about it right here.
Craig Button absolutely tore the Oilers a new a$$hole on TSN 1260 recently. Click this link and read what he said!
TSN1260’s Jason Gregor is pissed! Check out this rant on the Oilers here!
BLH has some ideas for the Oilers lineup card. Check those out here!
NHL Rumors and Speculation
- Jonathan Davis (NHL Radio Network): Recently suggested the Los Angeles Kings could move star center Anze Kopitar but they’d need to find a team to that would take him and his big salary on.
BLH’s Thoughts: Word is that the Rangers are big game hunting for a center. Jack Eichel has been the latest name to be linked there, but if they struck out on him, would they see what GM Rob Blake would be asking for Kopitar? Personally, I reckon Kopitar will stay in LA. His contract is extremely obese and he’s hitting his mid-30s now, plus I am not convinced the Kings would eat 50% of his deal in order to move him. They look like a team who might want to speed up the rebuild here a tad with all the prospects they’ve accrued over the last few seasons.
- Sean Gentile (The Athletic): Wonders if Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin could end up jumping ship and taking over the Pittsburgh Penguins where he’d work for best-friend Mario Lemieux.
- “He’s one of Lemieux’s best friends. Don’t underestimate that, despite the fact that he has one year left on his deal with the Canadiens.”
BLH’s Thoughts: Bergevin could be a wanted man very soon if this season turns out to be a massive success for the Habs. After so many so-so years with him in charge and a lot of speculation with regards to the safety of his position with the Canadiens, it appears things are turning around. I believe I read that he has one year left on his contract, so this could be an executive to keep an eye on. Could he be someone Hockey Canada is looking at with the Winter Olympics on the horizon?
- James Mirtle (The Athletic): Suggests if the Toronto Maple Leafs were to make a trade that it might come close to the trade deadline and there are a few candidates emerging early on.
- “Someone like Bobby Ryan, who doesn’t make a lot and is off to a strong start in Detroit, will probably be one of the players available at that point, as the Red Wings fall out of the playoff race.”
- “Some other depth options could include players such as Cedric Paquette, Derrick Brassard and Matt Nieto, if we’re looking at teams that are likely to be sellers.”
BLH’s Thoughts: As I said yesterday, I’d support a Bobby Ryan-to-Edmonton trade deadline move, but after a day of thinking about it, I do wonder if Ken Holland would want to deal with Steve Yzerman again. He kinda got burnt in the Athanasiou and Green deals.
- Dan Kingerski (Pittsburgh Hockey Now): Says that the Pittsburgh Penguins mega-stars are off-limits.
- “Crosby is off limits unless he says otherwise. Malkin has been placed all but off-limits unless he says otherwise. And Letang is mostly off-limits, for now.”
BLH’s Thoughts: I’d have to agree here, but of course there’s a part of me that would be curious to see Crosby in a Habs uniform or Malkin playing alongside Kaprizov in Minnesota or Panarin in New York. As an Oilers fan, I’ve always liked Kris Letang…
- Eric Stephens (The Athletic): In a mailbag post was asked if the Anaheim Ducks would move some of their bigger name players. This is what he said,
- “I’ve written before that the option should be considered, especially if they head toward another losing season. At some point, he has to make the call of whether he feels he can win with those players.”
BLH’s Thoughts: If the Ducks aren’t going to be contending for a playoff spot anytime soon and they’re not moving these assets, they’re wasting some prime opportunities in my opinion. Talk around Edmonton is to keep an eye on Ryan Getzlaf… If the Oilers and Ducks could get creative, you have to wonder if Edmonton could bring Getzlaf back to Alberta for a run. I suppose that would be predicated upon the Oilers ability to actually win some games though…
- Craig Morgan (Arizona Coyotes Insider): Reports that the Coyotes could have interest in St. Louis Blues defender Vince Dunn given Arizona’s new GM was the AGM of the Blues before getting the job in the desert. There’s one problem though, the Coyotes have a glut of left-handed d-men and are in need of a righty and would need to move out a defender in order to fit Dunn in.
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