BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring David Savard (CBJ), Patrik Laine (CBJ), Tanner Pearson (VAN), Scott Laughton (PHI), and more!
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.
*NEW* What’s the plan for Edmonton’s defense after this season? Check that out here!
*NEW* Are the Edmonton Oilers poised to make a tough trade before next year? Maybe…
NHL Rumors and Speculation
Bob Stauffer (630CHED) has been hinting that the Edmonton Oilers could bring in a left wing this off-season on a one-year deal who is looking to rebound from a tough year. Similar to the deal Tyson Barrie signed this year.
BLH’s Thoughts: Stauffer (amongst many Oilers pundits) has often hinted at Taylor Hall coming home in the past. Hall’s having a nightmare of a season in Buffalo and it only makes sense that he’s the player Stauffer is talking about. Another name that is coming up more and more, Tomas Tatar. “Remember the name!” is the famous phrase the Oilers NOW host has been quoted saying…
Envision a scenario where Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is re-signed at a deal worth $6M for three to five years, Taylor Hall is brought in on a one year “show me” deal worth around $4M per year, and Tomas Tatar also signs a friendly short-term contract around $3.5M. The Oilers would have their filled their holes on left wing in addition to giving prospect Dylan Holloway a proper start to his career by letting him marinate in Bakersfield (AHL).
Does it work?
The other thing they could do is let RNH walk and use that $6M to address goaltending and a third line center in addition to bringing in Hall and Tatar.
Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet) has called the Lightning the “stealth team” that he believes is in on blueliner David Savard from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Elliotte Friedman and Chris Johnston (Sportsnet) say the Carolina Hurricanes are a team to watch as we approach the NHL’s trade deadline. They see the Hurricanes as an club with forward-thinking management and an owner who is trying to complete a blockbuster deal to make their team better for a run at the Stanley Cup this year.
Chris Johnston (Sportsnet): Expects to see Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin try to add to his forward group. Names to consider here include rentals Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac of the New Jersey Devils, Taylor Hall of the Buffalo Sabres, and Sam Bennett of the Calgary Flames.
NHLTradeRumors.me: There’s been some rumblings about Patrik Laine of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Carolina was one of the many teams who made offers for Laine out of Winnipeg, and given Laine hasn’t enjoyed his time as a Blue Jacket to this point, there’s certainly some potential a deal could get completed.
Frank Seravalli (TSN) wonders if the Maple Leafs have, in fact, already made their splash this year and suggested their trade deadline deals are effectively done. He suggested that the acquisition of Alex Galchenyuk could be their “deadline deal”.
- Suggests the Oilers is interested in Detroit’s Luke Glendening, but what might be the deal breaker in a trade is that the Oilers would like to know if Glendening is willing to extend his contract on a two or three-year term. If Edmonton is going to give up assets to land the faceoff specialist, they’d like to get more out of him than just a handful of regular season games and some playoff appearances.
BLH’s Thoughts: There was some talk a couple weeks ago that the Oilers couldn’t trade Caleb Jones for a rental. Well, what if the player they traded him for re-signed with the team? He wouldn’t be a rental then, would he?
Darren Dreger (TSN) noted that the Leafs might be keeping an eye on a couple of situations like the Tanner Pearson talks in Vancouver or the Kyle Palmieri contract issues in New Jersey. That said, he says, if the asks are too rich, then he looks at some secondary pieces on the blue line or potential in goal.
- Dreger doesn’t see the Edmonton Oilers as a team that will be all that active at this year’s trade deadline. Although he believes that general manager Ken Holland has a plan heading into the April 12th date and he could pull off a last-minute deal.
BLH’s Thoughts: I was told weeks ago not to expect anything bold. Maybe some tinkering with the bottom-six but it’s becoming more clear by the game that Edmonton needs help on the left wing on its second line as well as on the left-side defense for its second pair.
Personally, if I was GM and I could find a couple of pieces using Caleb Jones, Tyler Benson, or Dmitri Samorukov and future picks, I’d try to address those needs. Maybe Sam Bennett is a guy Edmonton could get on the cheap? What about Ryan Murray?
That said, I think we can take Ken Holland at his word that he’s not looking for depth and if the right deal is there and it makes sense for the Oilers now and the future, he’ll make it. But my feeling is that maybe he brings in an elite faceoff-taking right-shot center.
Pierre LeBrun (TSN) believes the Toronto Maple Leafs will try to add some sandpaper before the deadline based on the history of how things have gone against teams that have grit in the playoffs.
- LeBrun suggested players like Scott Laughton out of Philadelphia and Seravalli added that’s why Toronto liked Mikael Granlund out Nashville.
Sources: nhltraderumors.me, nhltradetalk.com, nhlrumors.com, Instagram, and Twitter
Give us a follow on the socials!
- Youtube: Beer League Heroes Channel
- Twitter: @beerleagueheroe
- Instagram: @beerleagueheroes
- Facebook: Beer League Heroes
