Today, I want to talk about a massive mega-deal Edmonton could make with the Boston Bruins. It’s not the kind of thing that happens often at the deadline, a big trade between Cup contending clubs, but considering the names involved; I wouldn’t put it past either GM.
Now, the Oilers have pundits scrambling to figure out what they’re going to do at the deadline and if I had to guess, their options are limited to shoring up the weaknesses of the roster. Meaning, upgrading on Ceci, bringing in some energy for the 4th line, and getting a better backup goalie.
I don’t feel like they’ve got the assets to make any massive moves like Vegas is setting themselves up to do, but they do have enough to tweak the roster every so slightly that if they do it perfectly, they could come out of the deadline laughing.
I should start prefacing these blogs with the fact that I write them a day in advance and because we’re getting so close to the deadline there’s a good chance I might write about a player or a team and it be old news by the time it gets to your beautiful eyes. If that happens, my apologies!
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The Latest Edmonton Oilers Trade Rumors
Really?
“While the Oilers should be looking to bring in Guentzel to bolster their top-six forward group, there is another player they should look at if they still want to bolster their goaltending depth: Alex Nedeljkovic.
…the asking price for Nedeljkovic shouldn’t be too high. Realistically, a trade between the two looks like the Oilers acquiring him in exchange for Pickard, a 2026 third-round pick, and a 2025 seventh-round pick.” – The Hockey Writers
- Edmonton has Jack Campbell and Ollie Rodrigue playing very well in Bakersfield. I can see the concerns but do they outweigh the potential costs of shoring up the position even more?
- Now, if the club really wants to go through with it, why aim for Nedeljkovic when Tristan Jarry might be available?
- Or what about this scenario, Pittsburgh picking up Jack Campbell’s ticket in a package for Jarry or Nedeljkovic? Kyle Dubas has a history with Soupy that goes all the way back to junior if I’m not mistaken.
- A trade like this, you don’t want to screw this up. My feeling is that if the Oilers were going to trade for some help in net, they’d be going after a bona fide netminder. Your Jake Allens, John Gibsons, goalies with a history and tons of experience and no inconsistency. That’s where Jack Campbell has fallen short.
DeBrusk Rumors Heating Up Again
“Here’s what I do know: If the Bruins don’t sign him – and, I don’t know if they will or won’t, I’m sure they value him – I guarantee an Alberta team will offer him a major contract. I guarantee you, whether it’s Edmonton or Calgary, he’s going to be taken care of in the province of Alberta.” – Pierre McGuire
- This is a top-6 winger that a lot of people have forgotten about but he’s back to fillin’ the net. So, that begs the question, why would Boston want to trade him if he’s playing so well for them?
- The obvious reason is that they don’t want to lose him for nothing, but still, he’s contributing a lot to Boston this year. Are they in the market for an upgrade there? Do they have the assets? I’m skeptical.
A Mega Deal in the Works?
“…according to Nick Kypreos and Justin Bourne on Sportsnet on Sunday morning, it sounded like the Boston Bruins would be willing to part with consistent goaltender Linus Ullmark for the right price. I think that is where they should aim if the need a goaltender. It is an Eastern Conference team so perhaps the value will be less for Ullmark since it is not a rival team.” – The Oil Rig
- Combining the first two parts of today’s post, goaltending and a top-6 winger, is there a chance the Oilers could find a way to bring in both Linus Ullmark AND Jake DeBrusk and what would it cost?
- The Bruins wouldn’t be interested in getting worse, so, either they’d need to move laterally in the short-term with an eye on upgrading in the future or they’d need equal value now.
- If it’s equal value now, a deal like that says Stu Skinner, Evander Kane, and futures.
- If it’s the lateral move, I wonder if Campbell, Foegele, Holloway/Broberg, and futures would be enough. Those futures would have to be high-end too. I’m talking 1st rounders, 2nd rounders, and/or somebody decent off of Bakersfield.
- To me though, these kinds of trades are for the offseason when the salary cap isn’t an issue and when your goaltending isn’t needed, but seeing as DeBrusk is going to be a UFA, I can understand why they might try to get something for him. Perhaps Foegele and picks/prospects for him would work. Ullmark, they need him now.
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