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Tambellini to Howson: "Let's Do Lunch" |
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Columbs Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson is a friend of the Edmonton Oilers. Trades between the teams can happen. While there are similarities (both teams kinda suck), the Oilers are around three seasons ahead of the Blue Jackets in their rebuild. While the Oilers have most of their long-term core roster acquired, the Jackets still need to clear out clutter.
Are there opportunities to deal? Could Oilers GM Steve Tambellini be spending time during today's game negotiating with Howson instead of watching play? It's possible.
Theo Peckham is conditioning in the minors for now. When he returns to Edmonton, the Oilers most likely will need to move a defenseman. My gut tells me Ryan Whitney is the player who will go. He's in the last year of his deal, his play is terrible, and he obviously doesn't want to be here anymore. He's worth in a deal roughly what the Oilers gave up for Mark Fistric - a 3rd round pick - Which really isn't exciting to anyone. But it's better to move him for something than for nothing. I highly doubt the Jackets have interest in Whitney, as the main problem on the team is at forward, not on D. Is Fedor Tyutin seriously leading the Jackets in scoring? Yikes.
The Jackets would love to dump RJ Umberger's contract, but acquiring him would be like taking on another Shawn Horcoff contract. He has four years left on his deal after this season, at a $4.6mil cap hit. On the season, he has one assist in 11 games. Bleak.
One of Brandon Dubinsky or Artem Anisimov could be of interest to the Oilers, but both were just acquired from the Rangers in the Rick Nash deal. You'd think for Dubinsky, let's say, the Jackets would want someone like Magnus Paajarvi plus a pick. As much as the Oilers need to add a center, I'm not sure I'm dealing Paajarvi for Dubinsky, who has no goals and four assists this season, and is getting paid $4.2mil for it. Anisimov has four goals, but his contract is smaller and he's an RFA this summer...meaning, the Jackets can likely hold on to him longer than Dubinsky.
The problem with a Jackets/Oilers deal is, the Jackets have plenty of "meh" up front. The only real motivation they'd have to make a deal is either to unload a bad contract, or to obtain a prospect with star potential. The Oilers aren't going to deal Yakupov, Hall, Eberle or Nugent-Hopkins, and Sam Gagner wouldn't be enough to pry prospect center Ryan Johansen away. Even though Johansen is in the minors, he is the Jackets future #1 center, so it makes no sense to deal him.
A deal certainly isn't impossible between the clubs, and Dubinsky is the player that makes the most sense from the Jackets roster for the Oilers to pursue. He'd be a quality 3rd line center with size, and he possesses enough offense that he could play in the Top 6 should the Oilers decide to move Gagner. At 6' 2" 210lbs, he'd be bigger physically than any other current Oilers center. He's also better than 50% in the face-off circle, which is a huge consideration if you're the Oilers right now.
So what gets it done? Could the Oilers offer up Ales Hemsky for Dubinsky? Hemsky is clearly the better player, so that doesn't make sense unless the Jackets threw in something else. Considering the direction the Jackets are going, adding Hemsky makes zero sense. Gagner for Dubinsky makes even less sense, and moving a player like Paajarvi or Teemu Hartikainen might hurt more than it would help the Oilers. So what could get this done? Is it even possible?
That's the problem with making deals in the "real" NHL world: The other team always wants something decent in return. It's not like NHL 2013 where you can trade Ryan Getzlaf for a bucket of pucks, just because the computer's brain has fell asleep for a minute. You know the Jackets would be most interested in younger wingers with scoring potential...Outside of Paajarvi and Hartikainen, who could the Oilers deal that would fit? Please don't say Linus Omark, who has no trade value. Tyler Pitlick is out for the season, and was playing terrible before he got hurt. Curtis Hamilton isn't good. I'm not sure how dealing Dubinsky for, let's say, Anton Lander, makes any sense. Tobias Rieder? I'm grasping at straws here. Would Rieder and a 2nd round pick in 2013 be enough?
Just watch: This is the day Steve Tambellini pulls out a blockbuster, moving Sam Gagner and the Oilers 1st round pick in 2013 for Ryan Johansen. Hint. Hint.
Enjoy the game. More bloggage later.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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