NHL rumblings: Oilers’ next trade target, Sabres in on Thomas, plus latest on Predators, more
The Edmonton Oilers made a move Monday and are poised to make another before Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
Or they hope to.
First, I really like the Connor Murphy fit in Edmonton. It’s exactly what the Oilers needed on the back end to help quiet things down a bit. He’s a defense-first guy, and Edmonton didn’t have enough of those.
According to league sources, seven playoff teams over the past week showed interest in Murphy. The Chicago Blackhawks wanted to do Murphy a solid to show how much they respect the veteran, so they made sure Edmonton was of interest to Murphy — especially since Murphy is still looking for his first taste of a normal playoffs (he played his only playoff games in the Edmonton bubble with no fans in 2020). So good on the Hawks for finding him a good landing spot.
Chicago told teams on Monday that it wanted to act quickly, so whichever team was ready to pay the second-round price and be a good fit for Murphy was going to get him. The Oilers stepped up quickly.
Now the Oilers need to move Andrew Mangiapane (who cleared waivers) and his contract (one more year at $3.6 million next season), and they hope to do that over the next day or two so they can move on to their second objective, finding a third-line center.
Oilers broadcaster Bob Stauffer has mentioned Nic Roy of the Toronto Maple Leafs as a possible fit, which would make sense based on what I think the Oilers have identified as a need: either a third-line center or a top-nine forward in general who has the ruggedness and physical attributes you need for playoff hockey.
Roy, who has one more season left on his contract at a $3 million cap hit, fits that criteria, but so do others. I wonder if Edmonton could get Toronto to take Mangiapane in a potential Roy trade if the Oilers have the necessary sweetener.
Or could a bigger target, like Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues, make sense? He’s got two years left on his contract at a $6.5 million cap hit, so St. Louis would need to retain some salary there. And what’s the cost of doing that? But in terms of Schenn’s physical makeup and Stanley Cup-winning pedigree, it’s an enticing idea.
If the Oilers go the winger route, pending Nashville Predators unrestricted free agent Michael Bunting could also fit the bill, given his physicality and ruggedness.
Sabres in on Thomas
The price remained sky high for Blues center Robert Thomas as of Tuesday, and I mean, it should!
No. 1 centers who are 26 years old and signed to term on a decent contract almost never become available on the trade market. So I don’t blame St. Louis one bit for asking for what sounds like a huge price.
Colleagues Darren Dreger and Chris Johnston reported Tuesday afternoon about the Buffalo Sabres’ keen interest in Thomas. Given Josh Norris’ struggles to stay healthy, this makes sense on a host of levels for the Sabres.
As mentioned before, the Utah Mammoth are also among the teams in conversations with St. Louis on Thomas.
The question is whether the price will soften by Friday at 3 p.m. ET or whether the Blues are happy to just keep Thomas and try out the market again come the offseason. They’ve acquired a lot of market knowledge on the interest in him.
What’s funny is that I got completely opposite reads on the Thomas situations from two team executives on Monday, one predicting Thomas for sure will get dealt by Friday’s deadline and the other predicting the Blues will wait until the summer to revisit that file.
Johnson not available
Teams have called on Columbus Blue Jackets center Kent Johnson after his recent scratch, but the answer from the Blue Jackets has been that they’re not interested in moving him.
Johnson is having a down year, but the fifth pick from the 2021 draft is still only 23, and Columbus very much still believes in the player he can be.
Predators available
The Nashville Predators are open to moving some parts despite staying in the periphery of the playoff race, a league source said Tuesday morning.
The Preds have a number of pending UFAs in Michael Bunting, Erik Haula, Cole Smith and Tyson Jost.
On Friday, they got the ball rolling, sending UFA-to-be to the Minnesota Wild, per The Atheltic’s Michael Russo.
Capitals looking for scoring
After trying hard but not getting Artemi Panarin, who was dealt from the New York Rangers to the Los Angeles Kings before the Olympic break, the Washington Capitals continue to look for a scoring winger. But that also could be an offseason thing.
The viable options for what they’re seeking are not many at the moment. And given that they’re no lock to make the playoffs, it might make more sense to wait until the summer. But I wouldn’t totally rule it out this week.
Carlson shocker?
Sticking with the Caps, I was asked on The Athletic Hockey Show on Monday about a name from left field — someone no one is talking about — to keep an eye on before the deadline. I said John Carlson because that would be a surprising trade.
I think it’s unlikely Carlson gets dealt because Washington wants to remain in the race and doesn’t want to take away from the team. But with Carlson a pending UFA, it won’t stop teams from calling on him, and I believe some have. I think it would have to be a really good offer to get Washington’s attention, though.
Pettersson not a must-trade
Teams continue to check in with the Vancouver Canucks on Elias Pettersson, and the Canucks have told teams that they’re open to moving him — but he isn’t a must-trade from their perspective. Vancouver is more than fine if he stays put through this deadline.
Pettersson has six more years on his deal at an $11.6 million average annual value, so a team would really have to be sure a better version of EP40 is going to show up more often than not with a change of scenery to deal for him.
The Carolina Hurricanes, the Kings and the Detroit Red Wings are suitors I wonder about. But I think it’s more likely than not that Pettersson stays put through this deadline.
Garland on the move?
According to league sources, trade talk picked up Tuesday with multiple teams on Connor Garland.
Garland’s six-year, $36 million extension, signed on July 1, doesn’t kick in until next season, but the Canucks are pretty much listening on all of their veterans. Garland turns 30 next week. That’s the kind of trade you normally see in the summer, but given where Vancouver is in tank mode, it’s not surprising to see the Canucks willing to engage on him.
Myers’ decision
We still await a decision from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers.
I’m told there’s still a deal on the table from Detroit that needs his consent via his no-move clause. His camp, led by veteran agent J.P. Barry, wants to be patient, though, to see if the market will open up to other teams. That’s wise. I think there is still hope that the Dallas Stars will make a pitch.
Either way, I was told Tuesday morning that Myers still wants to be patient. I do think Myers could end up waiving to go to Detroit in the end if the market doesn’t expand. We shall see. But either way, I don’t think Myers stays put. He can control his fate now with his full no-move, which, come July 1, shifts to a 12-team, modified no-trade.
Better to control things now.
Price for Ristolainen
Sticking with right-shot defensemen, the price on Rasmus Ristolainen, according to league sources, is a first-round pick and a prospect, but the Philadelphia Flyers are willing to be flexible depending on the team and what they have that makes more sense for them.
Either way, it’s a high price, as it should be given that he’s not a rental. Ristolainen has one year left at a $5.1 million cap hit.
Kings’ next move?
What now for the Kings after the blockbuster trade for Panarin before the Olympic break and a coaching change this week?
Despite not sitting in a playoff spot, I don’t see the Kings selling. I don’t think they want to do that to captain Anze Kopitar in his final season. I don’t think the Kings will do a whole lot more before Friday’s deadline, but if anything, it could be a soft deal for a rental costing a mid-round pick.
It’s the offseason that intrigues me most for the Kings, with Kopitar’s retirement and ample cap space. I think they will go big-game hunting. There’s no name too big, depending on who’s available this summer.
