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Oilers Draft Day 1 Thread - Kassian Traded |
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Edmonton trades pick 29 a future second and future third round pick to the Coyotes in exchange for the 32 overall pick. This keeps Edmonton in the first round and removes Kassian and his two remaining seasons of 3.2 million per season. We don't yet know if the 2nd and 3rd round picks are from next year or the following year. It is a decent price to pay but ultimately it saves the Oilers 3.2 million that they need now
UPDATE
The picks are a third in 2024 and a second in 2025. That give the team flexibility still in the next couple of seasons where they should be dealing their second and third round picks as deadline deals. With this new knowledge I do think it's a better deal for Edmonton
Tonight the first day of the NHL 2022 Entry Draft will commence and with it, potentially some Oilers trades. Here are the facts right now:
The Oilers are currently set to pick 29th overall. Edmonton holds their first round pick, and then do not pick again until the 5th round and also hold their 6th and 7th round picks. Their 3rd round pick went to Chicago in the Keith trade while their 2nd round pick went to Montreal for the Kulak deal. The 4th round pick was actually dealt in 20/21 when Edmonton acquired Dmitri Kulikov.
Holland has gone on record stating he expects the team will select in the first round and not trade the pick but I would not be surprised to see the pick traded if Holland can acquire a high second and maybe a fourth round pick in return. This draft class is not considered overly deep with the late first round picks and second round picks all fairly even in terms of skill. We have seen Holland do this a few times, when the team traded their 76th overall pick for pick 100 and 126, selecting Carter Savoie and Tyler Tulio and again when the team traded down from 19 to 22nd to select Xavier Bourgault. They also picked Luca Muzenberger with the 90th overall pick they earned in that deal.
Trade winds continue to surround young RFA forward Jesse Puljujarvi but once again Holland has stated he will not give away the player and negotiations could continue late into the summer. Unless something wows him I do not see Puljujarvi traded in the next couple of days for only picks. This Oilers team is in their contending window. Trading a useful young player whose rights they hold for picks does not make sense at this time.
We are a few days from Free Agency but a couple of names have been brought up in relation to Edmonton. An hour or two after I posted my blog about potential names and mentioned Giroux, it came out that the Oilers would be very interested in the player and he too would be interested in the Oilers... it's almost as if I knew something there.....
We also know that Jack Campbell is on the Oilers radar as well, and is also of interest to the New Jersey Devils. Another pending UFA netminder, Darcy Kuemper is in negotiations with the Avalanche to resign and that is a deal that most sides believe will get done.
We still don't have official notice on the future of Duncan Keith. Holland has stated he wants an answer from his camp no later than Saturday. For that reason I don't know if we see a Barrie for picks trade at the draft. Barrie may still be traded but I can see Holland holding off if he is worried about suddenly having to replace two veteran defenders on his blueline.
Maybe a Zack Kassian trade occurs if the Oilers can recoup a couple extra picks, dealing say a third rounder and Kassian to a team. No specific rumours on that note, just speculation.
Quick note on Evander Kane. The Oilers and Kane's camp remain in negotiations but things sound pretty far apart as the Kane camp is looking for a six or seven year deal which is something Holland and Edmonton should stay as far away from as possible.
Overall I could see the next two days going by quieter than some Oilers fans might hope but then things could get hot between the draft and the start of Free Agency. I will post updates from today on this blog as the day goes on so be sure to check back regularly!
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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