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Coming from an Edmonton Oilers point of view, BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation from all of the internet’s best sites including Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, The Athletic, TSN and more!

From NHLRumors.com

Matt Larkin of The Hockey News: Though they could hang on to him in hopes of changing Seth Jones’s mind somehow, the Columbus Blue Jackets will more than likely be traded by the NHL draft in July. The 26-year old Jones has a 10-team no-trade list.

A look at some potential landing spots.

The Best Hockey Fits

Chicago Blackhawks – would they include Adam Boqvist?

Philadelphia Flyers – They may not want to give up Cam York. The Blue Jackets may ask for Travis Sanheim or Philippe Myers as part of the package.

Winnipeg Jets – The teams already worked out a big trade this season. Any package would likely have to include Ville Heinola.

The Sleepers

Detroit Red Wings – Problem for the Red Wings is that they can’t send prospects and don’t really have any established NHL players that could get a deal done.

New Jersey Devils – Have the cap space and some nice young defenseman on the way. They have some young forwards and prospects they could offer up – Jesper Boqvist, Michael McLeod or Nolan Foote. P.K. Subban could also be included and used as a trade piece at the deadline next year if they are out of the playoff race.

The Best Personal Fits

Colorado Avalanche – Lived in Denver when his dad was with the Nuggets. They have the organizational depth on the blue line and may not make sense to trade for him. The Seattle Kraken expansion draft could get them thinking a two defenseman for one defenseman trade so they don’t potentially lose Ryan Graves for nothing.

Dallas Stars – Jones spent most of his childhood in Texas. Jones and John Klingberg will be UFAs after next season. Would deal involving Klingberg work?

Edmonton Oilers – Adam Larsson is likely re-signing but fellow right-handed defenseman Tyson Barrie is likely headed to free agency. The Blue Jackets could ask for Evan Bouchard or Philip Broberg.

The Best All-Round Fit

Los Angeles Kings – The Kings are ready to turn the corner and are loaded with young players and prospects. His agent Pat Brisson is based in Los Angeles and Jones would be a good long-term fit for him.

(LINK)

BLH’s Thoughts: Jesus… Another list that has the Edmonton Oilers as being a potential destination for Seth Jones… At least Larkin didn’t use Caleb Jones as one of the reasons his brother could head there… I do agree with him though that LA seems like the best option with all of the prospect depth they have.

From the Cult of Hockey

David Staples recently penned a piece for The Cult of Hockey looking at some potential wingers for Connor McDavid coming from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Here some of the key points made in that post,

“Tampa will be looking to move out salary, trading off a useful veteran winger at a bargain price. Palat, Coleman, Gourde and Killorn are all top line possibilities in Edmonton, with Coleman able to decide his own destination as a UFA.”
“Over the past two seasons at even strength, all four of those players put up more points per 60 than did Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.”
“It is encouraging that Killorn ranked 82nd out of 451 NHL forwards for ES scoring the past two season, with Coleman ranking 116th, Palat 123rd and Gourde 138th. By comparison, RNH ranked 168th and Zach Hyman of Toronto 60th.”
“Palat, 30, has just one year left on a deal that pays him $5.0 million per, Gourde, 29, has four years left $5.17 million per and Killorn has two years left at $4.45 million. Each player would most likely be a cheaper option than re-signing RNH and not one of them has term that is a major concern”
“In the playoffs this year, Killorn is excelling on the attack, while Palat and Gourde are struggling somewhat to put up points. Teams usually like to keep veteran players who do well in the playoffs, so I’d suggest Killorn might be the least likely to be moved.”

(LINK)

BLH’s Thoughts: None of those players aside from Alex Killorn or Ondrej Palat should be in Edmonton’s top-six next season. If Blake Coleman or Yanni Gourde are, something has gone wrong. Ideally, you’d want players like Coleman and Gourde to be in your middle-six, third line to be more precise, because that means your GM has done his job and the skillers are taking up the right spots.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d welcome both Coleman and Gourde to Edmonton because they bring some snarl to the ice but they’d best be utilized down the lineup is my feeling.

I love the idea of Killorn or Palat coming to Edmonton though. Palat is such a good two-way player and Killorn is Pat Maroon but can skate (better). Both of them are good for at least 40pts a year and critically, they’re winners.

Now, something that not a lot of people are talking about is a scenario where the players with NMCs or NTCs refuse to wave them… That would immediately put FIVE very good hockey players on the trade block… Anthony Cirelli, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brayden Point, Mikhail Sergachev, and Eric Cernak.

They’re not moving the goalie, obviously, but Sergachev’s name has surfaced in the rumor mill in the past year… Cirelli would be perfect as Edmonton’s 3C, wouldn’t he? A Sergachev/Nurse pair would be one of the toughest to face in the league and it would still allow the club to bring Evan Bouchard along slowly (properly).

I’d add one more player out of Tampa that would be an excellent addition to the Oilers’ bottom-six, Barclay Goodrow. This guy is as tough as nails and he plays the game in a way that would make a Sutter smile. He’s absolutely fearless too. Type in “Barclay Goodrow” on Youtube and you’ll see a video after video of him taking on the NHL’s most-feared enforcers. I’d take a guy like this on my team anyday of the week.

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