As we near the middle of January, the trade chatter is going to pick up for the Edmonton Oilers. Just yesterday The Athletic’s Craig Custance released his latest list of names on their NHL Trade Big Board and there are two Oilers on said list, Zack Kassian and Jesse Puljujarvi.
Custance’s list of buyers and sellers included the following:
Buyers: Colorado, Vegas, Dallas, Boston, and possibly Calgary
Sellers: Detroit, LA, Ottawa, Chicago, San Jose, New Jersey, and possibly Minnesota
Here are a couple of snippets on what he had to say about the Oilers players,
Jesse Puljujarvi (#9)
The Oilers had seven or eight offers from August to November on Puljujarvi. Holland scouted him personally at the Channel One Cup in December. Edmonton likely believes he’s, at worst, a third-line NHL forward right now with potential for more. He’s 6-foot-4, still only 21 years old and the challenge is making a deal that lives up to his lofty draft status. “Kenny is in tough there,” said an executive. “You’re never going to get that pick. Maybe you want somebody else’s problem and you both swing for the fence.”
Holland sure picked the right tournament to watch Puljujarvi. He was Finland’s best player at the Channel One this year.
Tell ya what, if the Oilers are solidly in a position to make the playoffs, I hope they use this asset to shore up the depth on forward. I don’t mean using it on a rental either. if they’re trading Pulju, they need to get back a young(-ish) player who the Oilers would still have under control contract-wise. A lot easier done in the summer in my opinion but if they can use Jesse to bring in Andreas Athanasiou, Artturi Lehkonen, or Ondrej Kase, that’s probably an avenue worth exploring. Josh Anderson is someone who also finds himself on Custance’s list and I think the Oilers would have a lot of interest in this player but would Jarmo Kekalainen be interested in Puljujarvi now?
Zack Kassian (#24),
Here’s where things stand with Kassian. The Oilers would like to re-sign him. They expect to get serious on that front over the next couple of weeks. But they’ll want to know one way or another by mid-February if they can get it done.
I have a hard time coming to the conclusion that the Oilers won’t be able to re-sign Zack Kassian. He wants to stay in Edmonton and as we all know, it’s not easy to attract players to that market without overpaying them heftily. I’ve been told that he’s acutely aware of the reason to his personal success since joining Connor McDavid, but in his defense, he is not just another Pat Maroon. All due respect to Patty, but he can’t skate, handle the puck, or think the game on Kassian’s level. I’d argue his shot probably isn’t as good as Zack’s either. Both players are tough as nails and will take on all comers, but Kass is a much better player and the great thing about that is the Oilers could sign him to a three to four-year contract and as the years passed on, he could be moved down the lineup without compromising the team or the player because we know he can play different roles.
But let’s say for the sake of argument that nothing gets agreed to and the decision to move Kassian is made. Could the Oilers get a 2nd and a 4th rounder for him like New Jersey got for Marcus Johansson? Would Holland consider sending packaging Kassian to the Maple Leafs for one of Kyle Dubas’ talented bottom-sixers?
For what it’s worth, I’d stay away from Jeremy Bracco. Some questions about his work ethic have arisen and he’s only scored three goals this year after ripping up the AHL with 22 goals and 79pts last year.
The San Jose Sharks’ season seems to be heading straight downhill. Not only are they massively underachieving but now they’re getting smacked in the face with injuries. Could the Oilers target someone like Kevin Labanc or Melker Karlsson? How bold could Ken Holland go? Is MA Vlasic out of the question?
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