I apologize for breaking the "at least 10 hours between blogs" rule. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't important.

Rumors all over Twitter tonight about the Oilers moving Nail Yakupov to Montreal for a package including PK Subban. This rumor is pure fiction.

I spoke with someone connected to the Oilers organization three days ago, and he told me the Oilers are drooling over Yakupov, considering what he's accomplished in the KHL so far this season. Perhaps at one time (around the draft), the Oilers were open to moving Yakupov, or at least the pick they had that allowed them to take Yakupov. Their willingness to move him now is all but gone.

You can never say, "it could never happen." Hello, this is Edmonton talking. The team that dealt Gretzky and Messier. We all know Yakupov is just a player, and the Oilers need to upgrade the defense. But if you were a GM, and you had a 19 year-old kid who is potentially a 50g or 60g per season NHL player, would you deal him? Maybe if it's Subban AND Carey Price coming back the other way. But not otherwise. And there's no way the Habs would cough up Subban and Price.

At least I'll give the person who invented this rumor credit for keeping me entertained for a few minutes. Talking lockout all day is snoring boring.

I'll offer some advice for future rumors: The following players are untouchables in Edmonton - Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Justin Schultz, Nail Yakupov and Oscar Klefbom. From what I hear, the Oilers are close to adding Teemu Hartikainen to the list of untouchables, they believe in him that much. You can put Jeff Petry on this list too, and Ladislav Smid if he decides to sign a big contract extension once the lockout ends.

If the Oilers are trying to move anyone, it's Shawn Horcoff, Ales Hemsky, Sam Gagner, Ryan Whitney or Ben Eager. They also might be trying to unload Alex Plante, Anton Lander and Colten Teubert. I think the Oilers see big potential in Magnus Paajarvi, but he's the type of prospect they would part with for a Subban. If the rumor was Paajarvi, the Oilers 1st in 2013, and perhaps a 3rd asset (Lander) for Subban, I could believe it.

The rumor said Montreal approached Edmonton. I could believe that. It doesn't mean Yakupov is available though.

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