Today’s NHL news, rumors, and speculation feature the likes of Jamie Drysdale, Taylor Hall, Darcy Kuemper, Rick Bowness, Brent Burns, and much more!

How about those two Western Conference game sevens last night? A couple of doozies those were, eh?

I really disliked all of the teams left in West but as these four teams competed I found myself getting to enjoy what the Dallas Stars had going for them as well as what the Vancouver Canucks were doing.

Miro Heiskanen is the closest thing I’ve seen to Paul Coffey in decades. I love how he plays the game! Soon the Stars are going to have to turn that team over to him and as much as I hate that team for what they used to do to the Oilers back in the 90s, this player has got my full support.

Thatcher Demko, come on down! You’ve won the starting netminder’s job in Vancouver for the next ten years!

That guy was absolutely fantastic for the Canucks. He was dialed in from the get-go and I was so so impressed with his Curtis Joseph-like performances. Vancouver could have a good one on their hands here.

So I’m left cheering for Dallas in the West because of Heiskanen, former Oilers coach Todd Nelson, and one of my favorite Oilers defenders from the past, Reggie Sekera! Seks in the bubble, baby!!!

As for the East, I’m a massive fan of Pat Maroon, so I’ll be cheering for Tampa there.

The News and Rumors

• JD Burke (eliteprospects.com) says he’s heard some talk that the LA Kings could overlook both Quinton Byfield AND Tim Stutzle with their 2nd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and go with Erie Otters defender Jamie Drysdale.

BLH’s Thoughts: BOLD MOVE, COTTON! There are some teams out there that value Jake Sanderson more than Drysdale but I wouldn’t take either at 2nd overall. If I wanted a defender, I’d be trading down. But to each his own. I’ve talked about the “best player available” myth and how it rarely applies to teams outside the 1st overall pick. 

• Bruce Garrioch (Ottawa Sun) reckons the Coyotes could move ONE of their goalies (Antti Raana or Darcy Kuemper) this offseason. In addition to that, he thinks that the New York Rangers wouldn’t mind dealing legacy goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Lastly, Garrioch says that the Carolina Hurricanes have been dangling their netminders (Petr Mrazek/James Reimer).
• With Dallas reaching the Western Conference Final, there’s some talk on the Twittersphere that Rick Bowness has all but solidified his places as the Stars’ head coach next season and that could pave the way for assistant coach John Stevens to get a shot with the Washington Capitals.
• San Jose Sharks beat writer Kevin Kurz believes the Sharks asked about the availability of Jake Allen before he was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens. Money was most likely the reason why a deal wasn’t consummated.
• Kurz is also saying that if the Sharks want to compete next season, they’ll have to move out at least one big salary. Be that of Marc-Eduoard Vlasic or Brent Burns.

BLH’s Thoughts: If Brent Burns was available and the Oilers and Sharks could get together to make a creative trade, I’d love to see him running the defense in Edmonton. Yes, he’s got a massive contract and there’s a lot of term left on it, but I really feel like he’s an impact defender and will be for another four years at least.

• TSN’s Darren Dreger says that Taylor Hall will get the most money by staying in Arizona, but Hall would be very interested in joining the Montreal Canadiens if they made a pitch to him.

BLH’s Thoughts: Hall to the Habs would be kind of cool. I wonder what number he’d wear though? I believe #4 and #9 are spoken for. Maybe #91?

• Dreger also said that Torey Krug is going to get a big deal, but it won’t be in Boston.
• Dan Kingerski (Pittsburgh Hockey NOW) is expecting a Matt Murray trade to come down shortly now that the Colorado Avalanche have been eliminated.

Elliotte Friedman on Oilers Now

• Steven Stamkos might’ve re-aggravated an injury he was rehabbing right before the return to play.
• Vancouver’s decision in net for next season “is all but made” and the Canucks can’t go away from Thatcher Demko now.
• “If they trot him (Lehner) out there tonight (game seven vs. VAN), that tells me that (Marc-Andre) Fleury is gone.”
• “I think Hall is going UFA.”
• Coyotes interim GM Steve Sullivan has the authority to make moves and that Oliver Ekman-Larsson and one of Darcy Kuemper or Antti Raanta are on the block.
• “I could see them throwing a lot of names out there and just discovering what their market is and then figuring out what they’re going to do.” Including that of Aaron Ekblad.

The Edmonton Oilers Speculation

It sounds like Oilers prospects Tyler Benson and Ryan McLeod could be heading over to Europe to get a start on their season. They’ll join the likes of Rafa Lavoie, Dmitri Samorukov, Kirill Maksimov, and Philip Broberg. No news as to what league or teams they’ll sign with.

That bit about Ekblad above is interesting. If you remember, in yesterday’s post, I said that I had a friend bring his name up and it made me laugh out loud, right? Could you imagine a world where the Oilers traded for Aaron Ekblad? What kind of return would he demand and why would the Panthers even consider trading him?

Surely, that’s the kind of trade that sees one of your top prospects going the other way, right? I mean, unless Florida’s ownership group is looking to cut payroll… In that scenario, perhaps the unthinkable could actually go down.