Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Could Puljujarvi be the Key to Acquiring Patrick Kane?

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Oilersnation

Beginning of the End?

According to PuckPedia, Holland has about $5.7 million in cap space at his disposal with which to sign Ryan McLeod, who does not have arb rights, Yamamoto and Puljujarvi. Even if Holland gets McLeod done for, say, $1.25 million, that doesn’t leave much room for negotiating with Puljujarvi and Yamamoto. And, if one or both of them went to a hearing and got something in the $2.5-$3 million range, the Oilers don’t have walk-away rights.
For a player who still hasn’t accomplished much or established himself in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, Jesse Puljujarvi draws a lot of attention and gets a lot of ink.
Does he[Holland] even want to send away another player to keep Puljujarvi and Yamamoto?
I wouldn’t be eager to turn my roster upside down for a guy who has already shown he’ll ask out if he doesn’t get his way.
Captain Obvious would also add all the above is a moot point if both sides can agree, or have already agreed, that it’s time to move on. That makes a sign-and-trade the most likely outcome.

BLH’s Thoughts: I guess Gregor’s been talking to Brownlee here or they’re talking to the same source (Stauffer?) maybe because that’s the second local person to suggest a sign-and-trade scenario with Puljujarvi when none of the big pundits like Seravalli, Dreger, Weekes, or Friedman have brought that option up. Even Bob Stauffer hasn’t mentioned such an outcome as of yet.

Speaking of Seravalli, he was on Oilers Now yesterday talking about how Edmonton is a desired destination for free agents now that the team is a Cup contender but what he said following that was interesting.

“…Players who don’t want to be there and pout like Jesse Puljujarvi seems to have done privately whatever it may be. You’re going to find yourself somewhere else and use those cap dollars to find someone else. You’ve got to want it and be in the fight.”

Geez Frank. Tell us how you really feel about Puljujarvi.

Actually, I don’t really think that Seravalli knows what he’s talking about here. Who tosses in a “whatever it may be” if they know what the situation actually is? He’s commenting on hearsay and that’s all it is right now. You might hear/read that Jess feels he can play in Edmonton’s top six but what player isn’t going to say that considering who is up there? As if one of Edmonton’s wingers is going to come out and say he doesn’t deserve a chance to play there or he thinks he’d be a better fit in the bottom six.

The fact of the matter is, Pulju CAN play in Edmonton’s top six and he CAN contribute on the PP. There are numbers to support this that far outweigh any narratives that are coming to light.

Cult of Hockey

Edmonton Oilers favoured to land Patrick Kane in a trade, gambling oddsmakers say

Sportsbetting.ag has the Oilers edging out Colorado and the New York Rangers in bringing in the future Hall of Fame winger from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Betonline reports the same… Oilers +300 (3/1)
[John] Shannon noted that as of last Friday Kane had not decided if he was willing to waive his No Movement Clause and accept a trade… Shannon felt the New York Rangers made the most sense for Kane.
Kane has one year left on a deal that pays him $10.5 million, with the real dollars pay-out at $6.9 million, with just $2.9 million of that left to be paid for the year as his $4 million signing bonus has already been paid.
If Chicago retained 50 per cent of his cap hit, they would have to pay $1.45 million in cash and a $5.25 million cap hit. If a third team were to be involved, that team could retain $725,000 million in cash and a $2.625 million cap hit.
This would leave a team having to pick up a cap hit of $2.625 million this year for Kane. Stauffer suggested it would take two first round picks to get Kane.

BLH’s Thoughts: Tell ya what. THIS is the trade you save Puljujarvi for because the Hawks are tearing it down to the studs and rebuilding hard. A deal to get Patrick Kane is going to cost some major futures considering that three teams are going to have to get involved just so Edmonton can fit Kane under the cap. If you’ve got Puljujarvi, two first rounders, Samorukov, Lavoie, etc. on the table, maybe you won’t have to give up Bourgault or Schaefer.

Now, a few times in the past week or so since Duncan Keith’s retirement I’ve heard callers/texters to Oilers Now suggest to Stauffer that maybe Keith puts in a good word to Kane about coming to the Oilers and every time Bob’s done his “Hmmmmm. That’s very interesting…” thing and that tells me there’s a modicum or realism to the suggestion.

So that has to make you wonder if Holland is holding out for a first rounder for Puljujarvi in order to make this deal with Chicago? I mean Jesse is basically developing into a Brandon Hagel, Barclay Goodrow type and we’ve seen what they’ve garnered on the trade market.

So as much as “it might be time” for the Oilers and JP to go their separate ways, the smart thing to do might be to hold onto the big Finn, pump the shit out of his numbers and get the most they can for him next season. Surely McDavid would agree to that if it meant Patrick Kane was coming to town.

That said, the Rangers sure have a lot of assets they could send Chicago’s way to make a deal for the future HHOFer.

Trade Rumors

The Daily Goal Horn

JT Miller: Vancouver was believed to be seeking three to four pieces in return that would need to include at least one top prospect and a first-round pick.
- There are a few teams that have some cap space to accommodate a Miller trade. The New York Islanders were reportedly interested and may have been close to a deal that supposedly fell apart on the draft floor. Another could be the new Jersey Devils, who were spurned by Johnny Gaudreau in free agency.
Nazem Kadri: The Fourth Period also said the Avs could still be an option and the New York Islanders. They added the Seattle Kraken, Ottawa Senators, and Anaheim Ducks as other potential suitors.
- “He’s waiting, because I think there’s some teams that want to sign him and they need to clear room,” Friedman said. “I think Colorado is a possibility and I think the Islanders would be someone else. But I wouldn’t assume them to be the only two.”
Phil Kessel: One team that had interest in trading for him at last year’s trade deadline were the Nashville Predators.
- Hey! You know who is really into signing aging veterans? The Pittsburgh Penguins, that’s who. Maybe a reunion is in the works.
Matthew Tkachuk: The St. Louis Blues are one of the teams possibly interested in a trade for Tkachuk. Packages being bandied about would include Torey Krug, Jordan Kyrou, a top prospect and a first-round pick. That isn’t an exact offer but it gives you a good idea of what it would take to get a Matthew Tkachuk from the Flames.
- …it’s also being reported that Tkachuk has already given the Flames a list of teams with whom he would sign a long-term contract. Per the report, that includes the likes of St. Louis, Vegas, Florida, Nashville and Dallas. Also noted are New Jersey and the New York Rangers as having past interest in acquiring him.