Boy the Toronto Maple Leafs are making waves today! Dion Phaneuf becomes a Senator (Are they paving the way for Steven Stamkos to come home?) and now there are rumblings that they could be involved in a three-way trade with the Oilers and the Sabres! Add to that the fact that Griffin Reinhart (Not Darnell Nurse…) was sent down to Bakersfield, Justin Schultz is a healthy scratch for the Oilers’ game versus the New Jersey Devils on Martin Brodeur’s jersey retirement night AND Cody Franson is a healthy scratch for the Sabres…
My source told me WEEKS AGO here that the Sabres and Oilers were talking Schultz, so this isn’t breaking news to those that follow the site. But maybe the Sabres were waiting on the Phaneuf deal’s shoe to drop in order to make this move closer to happening.
To add to the Sabres rumour, Tampa Bay was also a team I was told were looking at Schultz and they just lost Jason Garrison…
On today’s episode of Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer dove in right off the bat with news that Schultz’s healthy scratch could be trade related. Later on in the segment, he noted that he was sure that something could happen before the trade deadline but was skeptical that anything would happen in the duration of his show.
In addition, Renaud Lavoie was the gentleman that broke the news.
Hearing that #oilers Justin Schultz being scratch tonight vs #devils might be trade related. #tvasports
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) February 9, 2016
As for the three-way deal, it’s just rumoured at the moment, but essentially Schultz would go to Buffalo, Franson would head back to Toronto where he enjoyed some success before being dealt to Nashville last year and then signing with the Sabres this year, and prospects would head back to Edmonton.
No word on any prospects has leaked out yet. Paul Almeida of Saturday Sports Extra indicated that he likes a guy in the Sabres system named Will Borgen, a 6’2″ 190lb two-way defenceman. He’s playing for St.Cloud in the NCAA right now and is a former 4th round pick in 2015. Hockey’s Future had this to say about him:
Borgen is an athletic, two-way skating defenseman. He is not the biggest player on the ice, but is willing to engage physically and competes every shift. He has proven he can score at the high school level, but lacks dynamic offensive ability to really translate to the pros.
He IS right-handed but I’d sure like it if the Oilers were to aim little higher. That being said, this player is just one that Almeida said he liked and premised on a one-for-one deal, not a three-way.
So i read Franson #Sabres and Schultz #Oilers healthy scratches. I'd prefer prospect Will Borgen from the Sabres. Saw him at WJ with USA
— Paul Almeida (@AzorcanGlobal) February 9, 2016
The Sabres prospects do not impress me at all, I’m not sure I’d listen to any deals if Tim Murray was offering them. But the Maple Leafs’ have a plethora of good-looking prospects that would help the Oilers depth. Andrew Neilsen, Viktor Loov, and Scott Harrington are large bodied stay-at-home dmen with a physical edge. Connor Brown and Zach Hyman are skilled left-wingers and Brendan Leipsic and Dmytro Timashov are compact but crafty right-wingers with big compete levels and an ability to put points on the board.
As for Bob Stauffer, he’s certain that the Oilers can get more than the 4th round pick that Mark Spector was speculating on.
What do you think about this Oilers trade rumor? Could the Oilers get more or less than a 4th rounder for Justin Schultz? Let me know in the comments below!
The Oilers don’t need more prospects, they need help in the NHL. I dont see how this deal helps them today. I’d much rather see Schultz for Franson.
I’d also much rather see that deal but relieving the team of Schultz’s salary could open up options closer to the trade deadline. It could also provide more opportunity for a prospect to come up and at this point in the season with the playoffs being a distance call, it might be a better option.
A 4th or better, eh? Maybe 2 years ago when overpaying at the deadline was the thing to do. Not so sure now that GM’s have smartened up and learned not to do so
Nah, you guys can keep Shultz. Sabres need to upgrade their D and remove under performing players, not add more.
It really sounds like you lack some knowledge on Sabres prospects. Personally I’d rather keep and develop Borgen rather than trade him for Schultz. We have a lot of quality depth in our ranks, but we’re certainly missing high end talent with Reinhart and Eichel both on the Sabres. But to summarize, we have plenty of quality prospects that are worth Justin Schultz.
Your best prospects are on the team. Same problem in Edmonton. I don’t see many turning pro and becoming impact NHLers. Do you?