BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Jonathan Bernier (DET), Ryan Murray (NJ), Viktor Arvidsson (NSH), and more!
Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.
A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.
Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.
Here’s a bit of potentially bad news for Oilers fans.
NHL Rumors and Speculation
Murat Ates (The Athletic) recently listed out a group of defencemen he thought would be potential trade targets for the Winnipeg Jets this year. Here are five of them,
- Mattias Ekholm (NSH) – “If the Jets are all-in on maximizing their opportunity in all four seasons of Scheifele and Hellebuyck’s current contracts, Ekholm could be a big help.”
- David Savard (CBJ) – “If the Blue Jackets continue to drift out of the playoff picture, Columbus could move him for a package built around futures — exactly what Winnipeg is most equipped to give.”
- Ryan Murray (NJ) – “He hasn’t fit in particularly well, looking uncomfortable and posting unimpressive numbers in a pairing with P.K. Subban… He’s not the bruiser that Savard is or Ekholm can be, but he has made plays and moved pucks, helping keep a clean defensive zone while contributing on offence.”
- Alex Goligoski (ARI) – “Goligoski has a good relationship with Jets captain Blake Wheeler. The two were teammates for two seasons at the University of Minnesota and have shared a round of golf or two in recent years.”
- Brandon Montour (BUF) – “If Winnipeg feels like it can extricate Montour from a difficult situation with the Sabres, perhaps there is a productive future ahead of him.”
David Pagnotta (The Fourth Period) says there’s one player from the Nashville Predators who’s not having the greatest season but will get a lot of teams calling on him.
- “One scorer generating interest out of Nashville, outside of Filip Forsberg – I believe the astronomical and well-earned asking price will drive away some potential suitors – is Viktor Arvidsson.”
- “He gets the benefit of the doubt this season because almost everybody on Nashville is struggling and his $4.25 million cap hit is manageable. I expect several teams to go after him and given the Preds’ willingness to listen, a trade before the deadline could be in the cards.”
Jim Parsons (NHL Trade Talk) is of the belief that the Edmonton Oilers could target a top-six winger, a bottom-six center, and a no.1 goalie leading to the trade deadline in April. These are the candidates he’s talking about,
- Darcy Kuemper (ARI) – “He’s going to be expensive, so the Oilers will have to give to get but he would be a big step up and offer the Oilers a more proven option in net. I think the Dwayne Roloson addition in 2006 when I think of a player like Kuemper being added to this lineup.”
- Luke Glendening (DET) – “Glendening could be to the Oilers this season what Riley Sheahan was to the Oilers last season. A depth center who is older but has a ton of useful tools, he wouldn’t cost a lot of acquire but he could help on faceoffs and on the penalty kill.”
- Rickard Rakell (ANA) – “He won’t be a cheap get and the Ducks will want something good in return, but the Oilers have assets. They could move their 2021 first-round selection or a player like Caleb Jones, William Lagesson.”
Allan Mitchel aka Lowetide (The Athletic) suggests that the Edmonton Oilers and the Detroit Red Wings could get together and make a trade that would see a goalie to share the net with Mike Smith and a right-handed faceoff ace head to Edmonton in return for a package that includes shaky Finnish giant Mikko Koskinen.
- “Max Bultman wrote a thoughtful trade deadline piece on the Red Wings for The Athletic, and there’s a fit for Edmonton.If we are guessing along with Ken Holland, and a goalie upgrade plus a checking centre are the targets, the Red Wings could be a big part of Edmonton’s deadline for the second season in a row. Detroit’s top goalie is Jonathan Bernier, who has a .926 five-on-five save percentage this year. That’s close to Smith’s total (.932) in Edmonton this year.
Luke Glendening is having a strong season in a two-way role and can win faceoffs (he is the league’s best this year). He’s less than ideal offensively as a No. 3 centre, but the other elements required for the job are there.
Bernier’s cap hit (he’s a free agent this summer) is $3 million. Glendening (also an upcoming free agent) is $1.8 million.
Could Holland package Koskinen, a depth centre and a worthwhile prospect to the Red Wings for that package?”
Jake DeBrusk is a healthy scratch.
Bruce Cassidy: "We feel we're not getting the effort required."
— Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) March 9, 2021
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