Edmonton Oilers Talk: Phil the Thrill to the Oilers?

Coming from an Edmonton Oilers point of view, BLH provides you with excerpts from the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation from all of the internet’s best sites including Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, The Athletic, TSN and more!

From The Hockey Writers

3 Reasons Oilers Should Consider Trading For Coyotes’ Phil Kessel

If either Kailer Yamamoto or Jesse Puljujarvi don’t take a big step forward in their progression, the Oilers aren’t nearly as deep at this position as we’d like to believe. It’s easy to be confident both will improve as there’s a lot to like, but if there’s a chance to add a proven 20-30 goal right-wing option for a low cost on a one-year rental, why not? Good teams add proven production. Kessel qualifies.
Arizona might be willing to trade Kessel for younger assets that will eventually grow with the franchise. If Edmonton can move a player that they can live with losing, while getting the Coyotes to retain close to 50% of the deal, it’s an attractive option.
This gives their top nine on the right side a lot of flexibility. It adds a pure shooter in the top six and it removes a bit of the pressure from two young, improving players to carry the load of being the right fit for a couple of elite centers. Kessel can assume that role and would probably relish it.

BLH’s Thoughts: Doesn’t Kessel have some no-trade protection? Reckon he’ll waive that to go from Arizona to Edmonton just to play with Draisaitl and McDavid. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of bloke who gives two shits about stats or who’s on his line as long as he’s doing what he loves and getting paid for it.

From Spector’s Hockey

LATEST ON SETH JONES

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now cited a league source claiming the Toronto Maple Leafs were among the clubs interested in Jones from the beginning. He also believes Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman could be up to something.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Kevin Allen speculates the Red Wings could use their plentiful cap space this summer to acquire good contracts or players that have to be moved by cap-strapped teams. He thinks Yzerman will call the St. Louis Blues about Vince Dunn. The Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild could also shop a defenseman to cut costs or because they can’t protect them in the expansion draft.

BLH’s Thoughts: Detroit is a massive wildcard. They’ve got only a handful of players signed for next season and a lovely stable of prospects ready to come in and contribute including Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. With all of that cap room ($48M), the Red Wings could make a splash this summer that would send shockwaves throughout the league.

From The Daily Goal Horn

Seattle Kraken busy taking trade calls

Ron Francis has been taking a number of calls from teams as we are just weeks away from the Seattle Expansion draft.

It’s been widely reported that the cost of doing business with Seattle is very high. Especially if you want to work out a deal to protect an exposed player; say Matt Dumba of the Minnesota Wild as an example. According to published reports it starts with a first round pick or no deal. That’s probably what Francis told Poile which led to trading a top six forward for two draft picks.

BLH’s Thoughts: Everybody is a little bit wiser now thanks to the Vegas expansion draft, but I feel like there are going to be some teams who will still be forced into making a deal or losing a player they don’t want to.

Now, if you’re a GM and you’ve got a player you think can still help your team for another four or five years, wouldn’t you rather give up the pick? There’s no guarantee that draft selection ever turns out and you get to keep your guy.

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