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Trade Proposals

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Jason Gregor
2 years ago
One of the greatest time honoured traditions in sports is sitting down with your friends and discussing trade proposals. I asked a few co-workers to come up with their trade proposals and present them here as well as today on my radio show on TSN 1260.
No one included Seth Jones, because the sense is he wants to play in the United States. Everyone looked at deals they felt were realistic.
Jason Strudwick: On air TSN 1260 and former NHLer.
Edmonton trades @Kyle Turris to Anaheim for Adam Henrique. Ducks retain 50% of his salary.
Strudwick’s thought process.
“Henrique would be a $2.9m cap hit for three years as the Oilers third line centre. Both players were on waivers last season, and Edmonton will take on salary, but I am confident Henrique will rebound. I’m betting the COVID situation played a part.”
Henrique wasn’t awful this past season, he was just overpaid. He scored 12-9-21 in 45 games.
His previous four seasons:
2020: 26-17-43 in 71 games.
2019: 18-24-42 in 82 games.
2018: 24-26-50 in 81 games.
2017: 20-20-40 in 82 games.
In those seasons he produced 23, 25, 24, 31 and 17 points at 5×5. His GF% in those season starting in 2017 to 2021 was 44.3%, 58.2%, 52.1%, 51.7% and 49%. He kills penalties and he was 51.3% in faceoffs over the five years, but he was 54.1% in the last three. He has become better in the dot.
I hadn’t thought of Henrique as an option, to be honest. I’m hearing rumblings the Ducks want to make a splash in free agency, so shedding some salary in this deal might appeal to them.
Thoughts?
Tom Gazzola: On air TSN 1260
Oilers trade Caleb Jones and their 2021 fourth round pick to Chicago for @Dylan Strome.
Gazzola’s thought process on the deal.
“If the fourth isn’t enough of a sweetener, I’d be willing to move a second in 2022. Edmonton is getting a guy heading into the meat of his career with lots of potential. And rumours suggest the Hawks are looking to make a play for Seth Jones, so adding his brother could help them.
“I do this deal planning to start Strome on left wing, and if he has to play centre at times he can. Gives Edmonton a versatile C/LW option if Nugent-Hopkins leaves for free agency.”
Strome has a $3m AAV for one more season and is then an RFA. Chicago did take on Brett Connolly from Florida last season, so they might be looking to shed some salary as they try to re-tool their lineup and take a run at Seth Jones. But Chicago just added Riley Stillman in that deal and they have Nicolas Beaudin on the left side. Would they want or need Jones?
Thoughts?
Connor Halley: On air TSN 1260
Oilers trade their 2021 first round pick, prospects Michael Kesselring and Tyler Benson and veteran Kyle Turris to San Jose for @Tomas Hertl.
Halley’s reasoning.
“The Sharks have very little cap space and need to shed some salary. I would start Leon Draisaitl with McDavid and Hertl will be the second line centre. I’m not re-signing RNH in this scenario. Hertl is really good on faceoffs (13th in NHL last season) and he can kill penalties. He is also a proven playoff performer.
“Hertl would have to waive his NMC, and the risk is he walks after this season when he is a UFA, but if he waives to come to Edmonton then I believe he would be open to re-signing. I added Turris only for salary cap reasons.”
I wonder what Doug Wilson is thinking in San Jose. He has an aging roster. Does he try to take one more run at it, or is this the year he starts to rebuild for the first time in his 17 seasons with the Sharks?
Hertl is a solid second line centre. Getting a 19th overall pick makes the deal more enticing than getting a first at the trade deadline, because it likely wouldn’t be that high in 2022. Edmonton takes on a risk of losing Hertl after one season, which is why they don’t have to part with one of their top prospects. Intriguing option.
Thoughts?
Ryan Rishaug: TSN TV
Oilers trade @Ethan Bear and a conditional fourth rounder in 2022 to Philadelphia for @Nolan Patrick. It becomes a third if Patrick plays 65 games and scores 15 goals.
Rishaug’s thoughts.
“Patrick is still very young and has tons of upside as a top-six winger or third line centre, or even second line centre if you want to move Draisaitl to wing at times. Patrick wins over 50% of his faceoffs, and is ripe for a change of scenery/bounce back year. A lighter touch from Tippett may help. Philly could use an upgrade on the right side on D. There is some risk/reward for both sides.
“I only do this deal knowing that Larsson has already signed.”
Right now Philadelphia has Phillippe Myers and Justin Braun as right shot defenceman. They have Sean Couturier, Kevin Hayes and recently signed Scott Laughton at centre. Patrick has dealt with migraine disorder in his young career, but he did play 52 of 56 this season after missing the entire 2019/2020 season.
The risk for Edmonton is that Patrick is only a third line player, while the risk for Philly is that Patrick is a late developer and shows the skill that made him the second overall pick in 2017.
This trade would cause a lot of discussion from both fanbases, which is what makes the proposal interesting. Bear is more established right now, but Patrick still has room to improve.
Your thoughts?
My Proposal:
Oilers trade @Caleb Jones, the rights to @Jujhar Khaira and a 6th round pick in 2021 to Minnesota for defenceman Carson Soucy and the rights for Nick Bonino.
Soucy’s contract has two more years at $2.75m cap hit. He turns 27 in December. He has played 108 NHL games and is 6’5″ and 211 pounds. He has been mainly a third pair defender in Minnesota behind Jonas Brodin and Ryan Suter. With Oscar Klefbom’s uncertain future, the Oilers need a few players who can slot in on the left side.
Right now I like him as the third pair left defender.
Edmonton needs a third line centre and Bonino fits the bill. I like him as a third line C for a year until Ryan McLeod is more prepared to take on that role.
Minnesota frees up a bit of cap space to re-sign Hartman while Edmonton adds more experience. Jones could slot in on their third pair, and Khaira would be centre behind Eriksson-Ek, Hartman and Rask.
I’m banking a bit on re-signing Bonino for two years. I added the pick, because Edmonton gets to talk with Bonino before he becomes an unrestricted free agent and because I wanted more than a one-for-one trade. This deal likely comes after the expansion draft and only if all players are still on their respective rosters.
Thoughts?

PARTING SHOT…

None of us went with a Tampa Bay trade scenario because those have been discussed a lot. We wanted to look at other deals, that both teams would consider. There are risks in any trade. It was an interesting process to look at salary cap, player fit, player value and more.
Often we will have different views on players. Some will value a player higher than others, and that’s what makes trade discussions so interesting.
Feel free to disagree with a trade proposal, but don’t just insult the person. Come up with a counter proposal or why you agree/disagree with the trade.
Let’s go.

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