BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Conor Garland (ARI), Anthony Mantha (DET), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (ARI), and more!
Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.
A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.
Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.
This is not the kind of news Edmonton Oilers fans will like.
NHL Rumors and Speculation
The Hockey News recently released their top-30 players to watch for the upcoming NHL trade deadline on April 12th. Here are a few of the lesser talked about candidates they have posted,
- Conor Garland, RW, Coyotes – They’re reportedly receiving bites and could move him if the return is significant. The team linked to him most frequently at the moment is his hometown club, the Boston Bruins.
- P.K. Subban, D, Devils – Subban has quietly played better in his second season as a Devil, especially in the last month or so. If a team is willing to inherit half his cap hit at $4.5 million, with New Jersey retaining the other half, he could be a bargain acquisition.
- Chris Driedger, G, Panthers – Long-term, he’s not a fit for Florida’s plans, as Bobrovsky isn’t going anywhere with his contract and elite prospect Spencer Knight looms.
- Other realistic candidates to get traded: Devan Dubnyk (SJ), Sami Vatanen (NJ), Erik Gudbranson (OTT), Marcus Sorensen (SJ), Andrew Cogliano (DAL), Blake Comeau (COL)
Would You Make These Trades?
- Devils trade Kyle Palmieri to Islanders for Kieffer Bellows and a second-round pick
- Predators trade Mattias Ekholm to Jets for Mathieu Perreault, a 2021 first-round pick and Ville Heinola
- Jets trade Adam Lowry and Dylan Samberg to Hurricanes for Jake Bean and Morgan Geekie
- Predators trade Ekholm to Bruins for Jack Studnicka and a first-round pick with Nashville retaining 25 percent of Ekholm’s salary
- Predators trade Mikael Granlund to Maple Leafs for Alexander Kerfoot, a 2021 second-round pick and prospect Filip Hållander
- Red Wings trade Luke Glendening to Panthers for a second-round pick
TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports the Oilers have their eye on a very specific piece at a very specific price. That’s a right shot centre who can take faceoffs, and win them on the penalty kill where they’ve struggled this year. Sources suggest that player is Detroit’s Luke Glendening.
Toronto Star’s Mark Zwolinski reports with the NHL trade deadline less than a month away and Frederik Andersen’s contract that runs out at season’s end, there’s talk that the Toronto Maple Leafs should trade Andersen despite his history of regular-season success.
The Fourth Period reports the Wings are entertaining offers for Anthony Mantha and would trade him for the right package. Mantha would bring in top prospects and a 1st round draft pick for the rebuilding Red Wings. Teams interested in acquiring Mantha are the LA Kings, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers.
Brian Burke (Pittsburgh Penguins POHO) on the recent talk of this year’s trade deadline being a quiet one,
- “I heard a guy on NHL radio today — and it’s a guy I respect — saying that he doesn’t think there will be much activity. I respect him, but I disagree. There will be lots of movement. I really believe that. I’ve been there. When you think you’re close, you’re going to make a move. I told Hexy the other day that things have changed so much since I was a rookie general manager. Back then, only five or six teams would make moves if they thought they could win the Cup. Now, teams make moves just to get into the playoffs. So, there will be moves.”
Sara Civian of The Athletic: Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell said they don’t have much salary cap space to work with. Goaltender Petr Mrazek could return soon from a broken thumb, leaving them a little crowded in the crease.
The Vancouver Canucks have yet to offer Tanner Pearson a contract for next season, according to Rick Dhaliwal of TSN 1040 Vancouver, meaning the forward could hit the open market this off-season as an unrestricted free agent.
Pierre LeBrun (TSN): “Hearing that the initial asking price for Taylor Hall involves a first-round pick… Probably going to be tough to get that in this buyer’s market but it’s the right place to start two weeks out if you’re Buffalo.”
Sportsnet: Eric Engels believes Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin isn’t done dealing after parting with two draft picks for Eric Staal yesterday. Bergevin didn’t meet with the press following the announcement of Staal’s acquisition, sparking speculation he could be trying to free up more salary-cap space.
Philadelphia Hockey Now: Ryan Gilbert reports Flyers assistant GM Brent Flahr was among a number of scouts at the Arizona Coyotes game against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. He speculates Flahr could’ve been checking Coyotes defenseman Alex Goligoski or Jason Demers. The Flyers kicked tires on Coyotes captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson during the offseason but he has a no-movement clause.
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