Rumour Roundup: Oilers scouting Blackhawks, Red Wings don’t plan to trade Tyler Bertuzzi, Bruins closing in on Vladislav Gavrikov
1 year ago
We’re just over one week from the trade deadline for the 2022-23 NHL season. Let’s get caught up with the latest rumours from around the league and in Oil Country…
Scouts here, scouts there, here a scout, there a scout, everywhere a scout:
Are Edmonton’s scouts watching the New Jersey Devils? Yes, but the reasoning is still unclear. What about the lowly Chicago Blackhawks?
This one is a bit more obvious as there are quite a few Blackhawk players Edmonton has been linked to. Let’s look at whom.
Could Patrick Kane be their next big target?
Per Eliott Friedman, the Oilers have “made a pitch” to Patrick Kane…
The 34-year-old right winger has scored 16 goals and added 45 points in 54 games this season. This includes seven goals and 10 points over his last four games, including three multi-goal games. Last season, he scored 26 goals and 92 points in 78 games, so there’s still an elite player in Kane.
The former Stanley Cup winner has all the leverage, as he has a full no-move clause. Kane is in the final year of his deal, and makes $10,500,000, meaning a significant amount of money would need to head the other way, even if Chicago retains 50%.
It’s also worth mentioning that Friedman noted that the chances of the Oilers landing Erik Karlsson is very slim, and they won’t match Chicago’s asking price for Sam Lafferty.
The asking price for Sam Lafferty:
The 27-year-old right-shot centre is having a career year, with 10 goals and 21 points in 51 games.
The asking price appears to be a second-round pick, as he offers both speed and penalty killing, However, this is quite a lot for a player having a career year while playing bottom-six minutes. He may be a small upgrade over Derek Ryan, but a second-round pick is a significant ask.
If the Oilers want to make a significant trade with the Blackhawks, Max Domi and the aforementioned Kane are better fits.
Other notes:
- The Oilers feel comfortable not trading for a defenceman: Friedman speculated that due to the play of Philip Broberg and Vincent Desharnais, the Oilers may not be looking to add a left-handed, puck-moving defenceman. If that’s the case, Edmonton’s defense could be exposed in the playoffs.
- The Boston Bruins are likely to acquire Vladislav Gavrikov: Per David Pagnotta, the Bruins are “nearing the finish line” to acquire the left-shot defenceman from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The only thing holding them back is their cap situation, which they are actively looking for a trade partner for Craig Smith.
- Detroit will likely hold on to unrestricted free agent Tyler Bertuzzi: According to Darren Dreger of TSN, the surging Detroit Red Wings plan to hold on to Tyler Bertuzzi. The Oilers had been linked to him as recently as last week, but Detroit has quickly turned around their season and only sits two points out of a playoff spot (with plenty of games in hand). In the last edition of the rumour roundup, I looked at several players that I’d want off the Detroit roster.
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