Will the Oilers Make a Trade this Week?
By Lowetide
6 years agoIf we can agree the Edmonton Oilers have a reasonable expansion draft protected list, the need to do something exists with other teams, and that could mean some movement this week for Edmonton. Peter Chiarelli may have a chance to improve the team by playing vulture to a team having a more difficult time getting their list finalized. Can he grab Travis Hamonic? Matt Dumba? Alex Killorn?
LIKELY PROTECTED LIST
- Goal: Cam Talbot
- Defense: Andrej Sekera, Adam Larsson, Oscar Klefbom
- Forwards: Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Milan Lucic, Jordan Eberle, Patrick Maroon, Zack Kassian, Mark Letestu.
This isn’t my list (I would make one change) but the likely consensus list based on the people who have disagreed with me (large group, they meet every Saturday at Commonwealth). If the Oilers added a defenseman worth protecting, the club would be forced to go 4-4-1. So, if Peter Chiarelli dealt Jordan Eberle for (say) Travis Hamonic, the protected list would look like this:
- Goal: Cam Talbot
- Defense: Andrej Sekera, Adam Larsson, Oscar Klefbom, Travis Hamonic
- Forwards: Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Milan Lucic, Patrick Maroon
Meaning Zack Kassian and Mark Letestu would be exposed. Is losing Eberle via trade and then losing Kassian (instead of Griffin Reinhart, as an example) worth Travis Hamonic? Does that work for you?
Grabbing a different forward is perhaps an easier task and less disruptive to the roster. Let’s say Edmonton can acquire Alex Killorn for some combination of picks and prospects who don’t have to be protected. The protected list might look like this:
- Goal: Cam Talbot
- Defense: Andrej Sekera, Adam Larsson, Oscar Klefbom
- Forwards: Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Milan Lucic, Jordan Eberle, Patrick Maroon, Zack Kassian, Alex Killorn.
That would mean Edmonton has a reduced prospect pool and are likely to lose one of Mark Letestu, Griffin Reinhart, Jujhar Khaira or Laurent Brossoit. Any preferences?
THE MINNESOTA WILD
The Minnesota Wild are in a world of hurt when it comes to the expansion draft. The club has four (maybe five) defensemen worth protecting, and three forwards with NMC’s. It means we could see several names (Matt Dumba, Jonas Brodin, Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle, Jason Zucker) available depending on how the Wild protect their roster.
TSN did a mock expansion draft not long ago and came up with this protected list (followed by available list):
- Goal: Devan Dubnyk
- Defense: Ryan Suter (NMC), Jonas Brodin, Matt Dumba
- Forwards: Zach Parise (NMC), Mikko Koivu (NMC), Jason Pominville (NMC), Charlie Coyle, Nino Niederreiter, Mikael Granlund, Eric Staal
- Source
If the Wild use this list, Jared Spurgeon (76gp, 10-28-38) will be available to the Golden Knights, meaning Minnesota might be willing to deal Spurgeon in front of the expansion draft. Jason Zucker would also be available.
Question: What would you trade for Spurgeon (or Zucker)? If the ask involved one of the ineligible players (Darnell Nurse, Matt Benning, Jesse Puljujarvi, Anton Slepyshev, Drake Caggiula) and a draft pick, would you do it? And if it was Spurgeon and his addition meant leaving Zack Kassian and Mark Letestu exposed, would it be worth it?
Note: As of this afternoon, no word on whether or not Minnesota asked Jason Pominville to waive his no move. Via Michael Russo, Star Tribune.
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