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The Oilers Massive Off-Season Trade Blog |
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30 NHL Teams...
It's a big league when you think about it. Each team can have a maximum of 50 players under contract, and when training camps are held, usually 70 to 80 players per team are invited. There is so much opportunity for teams to make deals, so I find it a little strange in the "new" NHL that 90% of the deals occur at the trade deadline or at the NHL draft.
We all know who the Oilers want to get rid of. There also could be a few surprise names on the block. Well, not so much "surprise" as it is that the player is pretty good, but doesn't fit into the future Edmonton line-up. And then there are players like Dustin Penner and Ales Hemsky, who are valued in Edmonton, but only have two years till they become UFA's. Dealing them now might bring a bigger return than, let's say, 12 months from now.
I thought it would be an interesting exercise to rank the other teams in the league, in respect to those teams becoming trade partners with the Oilers this summer. I look forward to your feedback on this, as I am curious what fans think in terms of potential Oilers moves this summer.
Trade Partners are ranked from most likely to least likely...
1. Columbus Blue Jackets - Jacket's GM Scott Howson is still an Oiler at heart, I think. Columbus is a little further along in their development, and they always seem like a team that is only a player or two away from being firmly in the playoffs each season. Perhaps the Jackets would offer up a star prospect for an Oiler veteran, to help them take the next step. There certainly is pressure in Columbus for the team to improve immediately. Oilers players of interest (POIs): Dustin Penner, Ales Hemsky, Andrew Cogliano, Ethan Moreau, Sheldon Souray, Taylor Chorney. Jackets POIs: Jacob Voracek, Nikita Filatov, Mike Commodore.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs - Yes, I know what you folks are saying to yourself: Leafs GM Brian Burke hates Kevin Lowe, so deals between the teams won’t happen. Burke would be talking to Steve Tambellini now, not Lowe, and the Leafs and Oilers are both in complete rebuild mode. The Leafs have strong defensemen and goaltenders, and the Oilers have good forward prospects and players. In other words, these two teams could help each other out. Oilers POIs: Andrew Cogliano, Dustin Penner, Linus Omark, Riley Nash, Gilbert Brule. Leafs POIs: Luke Schenn, Tomas Kaberle (only if the Oilers can sign him to an extension), Francois Beauchemin, Jussi Rynnas.
3. Florida Panthers - The Nathan Horton to Edmonton rumors are still around. Been there for a few seasons now. It is looking more and more like the Oilers are taking Taylor Hall, and Hall will fit best on the left side, especially if the Oilers find a center via trade. The Oilers also need d-men, and Florida might be willing to part with one for the right price. Oilers POIs: Andrew Cogliano, Dustin Penner, Sam Gagner, Taylor Chorney, Jeff Petry. Florida POIs: Nathan Horton, Keith Ballard, Keaton Ellerby.
4. Ottawa Senators - You folks know what I am going to say here: Jason Spezza. I think it is a possibility, provided the Oilers are willing to cough up one young star prospect. Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin, Magnus Paarjarvi and Jordan Eberle are untouchables. Could Ales Hemsky or Dustin Penner be part of a Spezza deal? Chris Neil could bring toughness to Edmonton, and the Oilers have tried to acquire Chris Phillips a few times. Oilers POIs: Linus Omark, Andrew Cogliano, Sam Gagner, Ales Hemsky, Dustin Penner, Ladislav Smid, Riley Nash, Taylor Chorney. Senators POIs: Jason Spezza, Nick Foligno, Chris Neil, Chris Phillips
5. St. Louis Blues - The Blues took a step back last season after a promising 2008/2009. It is certain that they will want to make some changes. Keith Tkachuk is retiring and Paul Kariya can’t be far behind. The Blues need some forwards, and the Oilers have bodies they can move. St. Louis might even take a chance on cheap-to-acquire players like Robert Nilsson and Patrick O’Sullivan. In respect to a return, the Blues have great young defense, and perhaps with the right bait, the Oilers might be able to pry someone away. The Blues are like the Blue Jackets in the sense that they need to improve immediately, and for that reason, the Oilers could spring a major trade where a star player or two is moved for a key defensive prospect. Oilers PIOs: Linus Omark, Andrew Cogliano, Sam Gagner, Gilbert Brule, Patrick O’Sullivan, Dustin Penner, Ales Hemsky. Blues POIs: Barret Jackman, Alex Pietrangelo, Roman Polak.
6. Philadelphia Flyers - Rumors are running wild that the Flyers are trying to move Jeff Carter. Carter is young (24), has a manageable-enough contract, and has a history of being a big scorer in every league he’s played in. He didn’t exactly look amazing in the playoffs, but at center, he’d automatically be the top line guy in Edmonton if they acquired him. Could the Oilers make a deal to land playoff revelation Ville Leino, with the hopes of signing him to a long term deal before he is a UFA next summer? The Oilers also could be interested in acquiring a winger with size from the Flyers if someone is available. As for the Flyers, they could be a serious contender for Nikolai Khabibulin should the Oilers choose to deal him. They might even be interested too in DesLauriers or Dubnyk, as goaltending is the big issue in Philly. The Oilers and Flyers have dealt with each other often in the past, and there is a real potential for a blockbuster deal to occur between these two teams before the start of next season. Oilers POI’s: Ales Hemsky, Dustin Penner, Andrew Cogliano, Sam Gagner, Jeff Petry, Alex Plante, Ladislav Smid, Taylor Chorney, Gilbert Brule, Nikolai Khabibulin, Jeff DesLauriers, Devan Dubnyk, draft picks. Flyers POIs: Jeff Carter, Ville Leino, Scott Hartnell, James Van Riemsdyk.
7. Boston Bruins - The trade opportunity here is the exact same one as what I mentioned a few weeks ago. The Bruins want to draft Hall, and they are willing to give a decent return to Edmonton for the privilege. As I stated earlier, it looks like the Oilers have made their decision, so the Bruins could be SOL. If the Bruins manage to negotiate a deal, it will be their #2 overall pick and their #15 pick to Edmonton for the #1 selection. If the Oilers make the swap, I believe the player they will be seeking to draft is defenseman Mark Pysyk, who could be the second coming of Paul Coffey. The best skater in the draft, apparently.
8. New York Islanders - A bunch of factors make them a likely trade partner with Edmonton, starting with Isles GM Garth Snow. Snow is the Trader Phil of his generation; he's not afraid to try new things and to take a risk. The Oilers have dealt with the Islanders often in the past, and both teams are in full rebuild mode. The only barrier to potential deals is in respect to team needs: Both the Islanders and Oilers look pretty good in terms of the forwards, and both teams need defensemen, and perhaps a goaltender...names of interest from Edmonton? Riley Nash, Patrick O'Sullivan, Ethan Moreau. Names from the Island? Trent Hunter and Jeff Tambellini.
9. Montreal Canadiens - The Canadiens might be the answer to the question, “which team would trade for Shawn Horcoff?” Apparently Bob Gainey likes him. But seriously, the Habs had a great playoff run, and could be close to being a legitimate contender next season with a few tweaks. The good news is, the Habs have some talent they would be willing to deal. The bad news? The Oilers might not have players they want in return. One possibility is the teams swapping head cases (Sergei Kostitsyn for Robert Nilsson). Throw in Andrei Kostitsyn for Patrick O’Sullivan, and we’ll have the train wreck deal of the year. Oilers POIs: Shawn Horcoff (maybe), Robert Nilsson (lol), and Patrick O’Sullivan (double lol). More seriously Ales Hemsky, Dustin Penner and Ethan Moreau. Habs POI’s: Jaroslav Halak or Carey Price, the Kostitsyn’s (triple lol).
10. New York Rangers - Glen Sather is a little insane. Sorry, I lost respect for the man when he berated the Canadian government for helping countries in Africa but not hockey teams (seriously…this was a while ago, but he did it…look it up). The good thing about a nutter is that you can sometimes take advantage of them in a trade. Forget about people writing that the Oilers would take defensemen Michal Rozsival or Wade Redden. Forget about the Rangers, who are up against the cap, taking Sheldon Souray from Edmonton. If there is a deal to be made here, it will be involving young players. Oilers POIs: Andrew Cogliano, Patrick O’Sullivan, Linus Omark, Gilbert Brule. Rangers POIs: Marc Staal, Brandon Dubinsky.
11. Tampa Bay Lightning - Time for a ridiculous rumor: Sheldon Souray going to the Lightning? Vincent Lecavalier an Edmonton Oiler? Believe it or not, these players could be involved in a deal. Of course, it would take more than Souray to get Vinnie from the Lightning. But there aren’t too many teams who would be willing to take on Lecavalier’s contract, and he has clearly indicated that he’d be happier playing elsewhere. Could Vinnie recapture his form in Edmonton? And what would it take to acquire him? At least it would be fun watching him go against Jarome Iginla. Oilers POI’s: Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano, Patrick O’Sullivan, Nikolai Khabibulin, Jeff Petry, Taylor Chorney, Ales Hemsky, Dustin Penner, Linus Omark, Gilbert Brule. Lightning POIs: Ryan Malone, Vincent Lecavalier, Mattias Ohlund.
12. LA Kings - Ron Hextall is sorta the Garth Snow of the west coast. The Kings are not too far from being a serious cup contender, and they are doing it with several former Oilers in the line-up. If they have a need, it is to add a winger or two. So who is for trade, and who would they want? Oilers POIs: Ales Hemsky, Dustin Penner, Gilbert Brule. Kings POIs: Dustin Brown, Wayne Simmonds, Thomas Hickey. Note: The Kings aren’t going to move Brown or Simmons, but it won’t stop the Oilers from asking.
13. Phoenix Coyotes - I constantly wonder about the Oilers taking a run at Kyle Turris. Don’t forget the year Turris was drafted, the Oilers were trying franticly to move up so they could take him. So far, Turris’s professional career has been slow going; he spent last season playing for San Antonio of the AHL where he scored 24 goals and 63 points in 76 games. Offensively skilled but vertically challenged, Turris is only a season or two away from being considered a reclamation project who might benefit from a change in environment. Phoenix showed this past season that they are close to being an annual Stanley Cup contender. They would love to add an experienced forward or two to go with their young stars. Oilers POIs: Ales Hemsky, Dustin Penner, Gilbert Brule, Patrick O’Sullivan. Coyotes POIs: Kyle Turris, Viktor Tikonov, Keith Yandle.
14. Chicago Blackhawks - Chicago is the cup champion, and that generally means the players on the team will seek more money. The Hawks were up against the cap to begin with, and with the cup salaries have gone crazy. Some players need to go. Here’s a thought: Now that Marian Hossa has finally won a cup, would he be willing to go to Edmonton? Is Patrick Sharp going to be the odd man out with the cap situation in Chicago? Or would the Oilers love to add the heart and soul of Dave Bolland? The Hawks would love to move Brian Campbell, as he is an expensive third defenseman at $7mil+ per season. Star players will be available in Chicago; the question is, what Oiler youngsters would Edmonton be willing to forfeit? Oilers POIs: Sam Gagner, Riley Nash, Jeff Petry, Taylor Chorney, Theo Peckham, Andrew Cogliano, Gilbert Brule, Linus Omark, Anton Lander, Alex Plante. Chicago POIs: Patrick Sharp, Dave Bolland, perhaps Brian Campbell, if the Hawks would take back Sheldon Souray.
15. Minnesota Wild - No team likes dealing within their own division, but Minnie is less disgusting for Oilers management to talk to than Calgary or Vancouver. The Wild are another team in the middle of a rebuild, which is depressing because they’ve never really been good in the first place. They have two things the Oilers would really like: Defensemen and a goalie. The Oilers would pay well in a trade for Josh Harding, who likely would be a better alternative than Jeff DesLauriers or Devan Dubnyk. The Wild need forwards, and the Oilers have some to spare. Oilers POIs: Andrew Cogliano, Sam Gagner, Linus Omark, Riley Nash, Dustin Penner, Ales Hemsky, Gilbert Brule, Ethan Moreau. Wild POIs: Cam Barker, Nick Schultz, Josh Harding.
16. Carolina Hurricanes - Someday, my grand kid will look up at me and say, “gramps, do you remember when the Oilers played the Hurricanes in the 2006 Stanley Cup final?” Aw, those were the days when both teams ruled the land. What happened? The Oilers have wanted to acquire ‘Canes pest Tuomo Ruutu for a while, and they might be willing to give up a pile of young talent and picks to acquire goaltender Cam Ward, who is an Edmontonian. Or what about Eric Staal; could he be available? As for the ‘Canes, they have a stack of old players like Rod Brind’Amour and Ray Whitney, who are soon to retire. They have an endless number of UFA’s too. Simply put, Carolina needs everything. That’s where a deal involving Staal or Ward is possible: The ‘Canes need youth and depth, and the Oilers need star players, especially a goalie if they can dump Khabibulin. Oilers POIs: Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano, Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi, Linus Omark, Jeff Petry, Taylor Chorney, Alex Plante, draft picks including the 2010 #1 overall, Patrick O’Sullivan, Sheldon Souray, etc, etc, etc…’Canes POIs: Eric Staal, Cam Ward, Tuomo Ruutu.
17. Washington Capitals - The Caps are in a similar position to Chicago in respect to the cap. If the Caps cap situation caps out, it could be capital punishment, so they best put a cap on the Caps salary cap situation right away. Players named Ovechkin, Green, Semin, and Backstrom aren’t going anywhere from Washington. The Capitals have two RFA’s that will be seeking pretty decent raises, and that could mean trading with the Oilers. In return, could the ‘Bulin Wall end up with the NHL’s most Russian team? Caps need a #1 goalie in a big way if they want to obtain a cup in the next season or two. Oilers POIs: Nikolai Khabibulin, Andrew Cogliano, Ladislav Smid, Jeff Petry, Taylor Chorney. Washington POIs: Tomas Fleischmann, Eric Fehr.
18. Atlanta Thrashers - You have to feel sorry for the Atlanta Thrashers, as this is an organization that is going no where fast. One look at their roster going into the off-season reveals a good dozen players who are UFA’s, likely to move on. Their defense isn’t bad, but the forwards, with the exception of Evander Kane, is a wasteland. Is there a GM on this team, or do the players run it themselves? Yikes. The Oilers and Thrashers could be dealing for the reason that Atlanta has defense and no forwards, and the Oilers need D. Sheldon Souray could easily end up in Atlanta too, because they’ll have to spend to the lowest level of the cap on someone. Oilers POIs: Any forward the Oilers are willing to move, Sheldon Souray. Atlanta POIs: Ron Hainsey, Tobias Enstrom, Ondrej Pavelec.
19. Pittsburgh Penguins - The Oilers would tear off an arm or two to acquire center Jordan Staal from the Penguins. They could perhaps find an audience if the Penguins decide they need to move Staal for some wingers to play with Crosby and Malkin. And what about the D in Pittsburgh? The Penguins are similar to the Oilers in the sense that they have three solid Dmen (Orpik, Goligoski and Letang), but they could really use three more. Oilers POIs: Ladislav Smid, Sheldon Souray (if the Pens have cap room), Taylor Chorney, Jeff Petry, Alex Plante, Theo Peckham, Ales Hemsky, Dustin Penner, Linus Omark. Penguins POIs: Jordan Staal, draft picks.
20. New Jersey Devils - Hey, why not? The Devils have a great development system, and they seem pretty steady when it comes to the entry draft. Let’s get something right out of the way to begin with though: The Devils will not deal Zach Parise or Travis Zajac. Outside of those two players, just who would the Oilers want to acquire? Patrick Elias, maybe. The Oilers made a run at him a few seasons ago…but Elias is unlikely. What’s more likely is the Oilers moving a forward or two for young defensemen. Oilers POIs: Andrew Cogliano, Riley Nash, Anton Lander, Linus Omark, Gilbert Brule. Devils POIs: Colin White, Mark Fraser, Anssi Salmela, Matthew Corrente.
21. Nashville Predators - Poor Nashville…and I mean that literally. The salary cap depression there makes the 2000’s Predators the Oilers of the 1990’s; in constant fire-sale mode. The interesting thing about Nashville is that they always manage to have a good team. Head Coach Barry Trotz is in my estimation the best coach in the NHL. If there was to be a deal between the Preds and Oilers, it would be the Oilers targeting a goalie. Nashville won’t trade the two defensive studs the Oilers would love (Weber and Suter), and perhaps the only forward the Oilers could consider is Martin Erat, but he plays the left-side and the Oilers have lots of those. Oilers POIs: Think inexpensive forwards like a Linus Omark or Gilbert Brule. Nashville POIs: Pekka Rinne.
22. San Jose Sharks - With the retirement of Rob Blake, I am naming San Jose as being the most likely destination for Sheldon Souray. I also have a gut feeling that the Sharks are going to make a big run at one of the two biggest UFA’s this off-season: Patrrick Marleau or Ilya Kovalchuk. Kovy in particular would look great in San Jose. Other than Souray or perhaps a young defenseman like Taylor Chorey, Jeff Petry or Alex Plante, I can’t see much in the way of potential deals between the Oilers and Sharks. Oilers POIs: Sheldon Souray and/or a young defenseman. Sharks POIs: Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Ryane Clowe, draft picks or a prospect to be named.
23. Anaheim Ducks - If San Jose is the #1 possible destination for Souray, Anaheim is #2, if Scott Niedermayer does not resign. What the Oilers would get from Anaheim is anyone’s guess. The Ducks have Bobby Ryan to resign, and he’s gonna be pricey. Plus there are rumors of a Teemu Selanne/Paul Kariya reunion, and that would use up much of the cap space the Ducks would need for Souray. Oilers POIs: Sheldon Souray. Ducks POIs: Draft picks or young defensemen.
24. Dallas Stars - The Oilers are deep in terms of having young talented forwards, but for some reason, I could still see them attempting to acquire Fabian Brunnstrom. Brunnstrom seems like a bit of a forgotten man in Dallas, and the Oilers would give him a young, fast, offensive-minded team to play with. The player I wish the Oilers could siphon from Dallas is super-pest Steve Ott, but he isn’t going anywhere. If there is a deal between Edmonton and Dallas, it would be one whereas damaged players are swapped. Oilers POIs: Sheldon Souray, Patrick O’Sullivan. Stars POIs: Fabian Brunnstrom, draft picks.
25. Colorado Avalanche - The ‘Lanche are in many ways the Oilers, one year advanced. Matt Duchene was in my estimation the rookie of the year in the NHL, and he’s gonna be a star (if not a franchise player) in a few years time. I loved the deal Colorado made to acquire Peter Mueller late last season, and Craig Anderson looks like the second coming of Patrick Roy. If there is an issue in Colorado it is the age of the defensemen. They have a cap room to add Sheldon Souray, or they could target younger Dmen in Edmonton’s system. Edmonton, unfortunately, doesn’t have many Dmen to give up (outside of Souray). The big question in respect to Colorado is, who would the Oilers want from their roster and/or system? These teams are in too similar of a place for a major deal to occur, unless it is Souray being moved for a draft pick.
26. Detroit Red Wings - Some people got insulted when I said the Wings were on the downward path. I realize why: The Wings, who always seem to have a decent team, could easily be a top contender again with a few adjustments. If I was the GM in Detroit, I am not sure how I would tinker with this roster. I think possible Calder Trophy winner Jimmy Howard is a terrible goalie, but I seem to be in the minority with this opinion. I can see Nicklas Lidstrom and Todd Bertuzzi resigning for the next season…Simply put, I can’t really see where a potential deal could occur between the Wings and Oilers, as they are up against the cap as it is. Perhaps the Wings would exchange someone like Daniel Cleary with Edmonton for Robert Nilsson? Put Nilsson on the NHL’s Team Sweden, and his country mates might turn him into a real player yet.
27. Buffalo Sabers - The Sabers/Lowe feud is almost as bad as the Lowe/Burke feud. The big difference in terms of the potential for a deal occurring is that the Sabers are close to being a cup winner, and Toronto is…The one player I think Buffalo would be willing to move to Edmonton is the player Kevin Lowe tried to buy; Thomas Vanek. Buffalo fans in particular are disappointed in Vanek, who they feel should produce more for his $7mil+ salary. He plays on the left side, which means the Oilers would most likely offer Dustin Penner, a forward like Andrew Cogilano, and maybe a draft pick in return.
28. Calgary Flames - Edmonton trading Steve Staios to the Calgary Flames last March was a one-off. It likely will be 20 years before another deal occurs between the clubs. POIs: None
29. Vancouver Canucks - I think Edmonton-Vancouver is an uglier rivalry than Edmonton-Calgary. The Canucks are a younger, offensively gifted team with depth. The Oilers in a few seasons will be at least as good. There will be no trades for a while between these clubs. POIs: None
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