The Edmonton Oilers have been tied to a plethora of players leading up to the NHL trade deadline, many of which are listed on Frank Seravalli’s latest Trade Targets list over at DailyFaceoff.com.
While the list is an ever-changing one Seravalli is constantly adjusting based on conversations he’s had with folks around the league behind the scenes.
In his most recent list, there are a handful of players that the Oilers have been linked to and this article will recap what Frank has said about each of them.
3. Jakob Chychrun
Left Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 24
Stats: 34 GP, 5 G, 20 A, 25 Pts
Contract: 2 more seasons, $4.6 million AAV
Scoop: Give him credit: After this saga has dragged on for more than a calendar year, Chychrun has held up his end of the bargain since returning on Nov. 21. His point production has been outstanding, on track for a 60-point season over a full 82 games and his mobility has been impressive. Arizona’s asking price has remained high in two first-round picks (or equivalents) plus a prospect. Will a team step up before March 3 to make a deal? Or will this drag into the summer? For more on Chychrun and his game, including a full scouting report, read Chychrun’s Trade Deadline player profile.
Appearing at number three on Seravalli’s list, Jakob Chychrun has been a target for Oilers fans for months. Whether or not there is interest from an Oilers perspective remains to be seen, but if you’re a regular Oilers Now listener, you’ll know that Bob Stauffer has warmed to the idea in recent weeks. And when Stauffer speaks about any specific player, there is usually some kind of smoke there.
5. Jonathan Toews
Center, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 34
Stats: 46 GP, 14 G, 14 A, 28 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $10.5 million AAV
Scoop: Like Kane, Toews will determine his future with an identical contract and clauses. They also share the same agent, who will be working very closely with Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson as the process heats up. The difference is Kane has always been a sought after commodity, a player who makes teams drool. Toews used to be there – as a stingy, difficult to play against center and unshakeable leader. He looked like he had gotten back closer to the level that we last saw from him in 2019-20 before the pandemic, but he’s slowed down a bit of late. There will still be interest, for sure, given his pedigree, track record and the odds that a new environment will provide him a shot in the arm. For a deeper dive on his game, read Toews’ Trade Deadline player profile.
On the most recent episode of Better Lait Than Never, Baggedmilk recapped a conversation he had with Frank Seravalli at the Jasper Pond Hockey Tournament about the Oilers’ interest in Jonathan Toews. While there’s little doubt that a move like this would require some creative cap shuffling, Toews is a player that would certainly solidify what is already an impressive offering down the middle.
6. Jake McCabe
Left Defense, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 29
Stats: 45 GP, 2 G, 12 A, 14 Pts
Contract: 2 more seasons, $4 million AAV
Scoop: The Blackhawks have received a number of calls on McCabe and teammate Connor Murphy in recent weeks. Why? They’re two cost-controlled defensemen with reasonable cap hits. Edmonton, Los Angeles and Toronto are believed to be among the interested teams. Complicating factors include 1) McCabe has a seven-team ‘no-trade’ list that word is includes all seven Canadian teams with the exception of the Maple Leafs; and 2) McCabe does have a questionable injury history, but he’s been healthy this season. Where it gets really interesting on McCabe is if a team is willing to pay Chicago to leverage their cap space and retain half on him. All of a sudden, McCabe for two more seasons at a bargain $2 million cap hit will warrant a juicier return. For more, read McCabe’s Trade Deadline player profile.
Elliotte Friedman was first to report the Oilers’ interest in Jake McCabe a few weeks back on Hockey Night in Canada, but with recent reports coming out that McCabe’s no-trade list features all but one Canadian team, it seems unlikely that this move will come to fruition.
7. Vladislav Gavrikov
Left Defense, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 27
Stats: 50 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $2.8 million AAV
Scoop: Everything has gone so wrong in Columbus that the Blue Jackets have reached the proverbial “Our pets’ heads are falling off” stage. For a team that spent $80 million this offseason, they’re suddenly leading the Bedard Watch. Injuries have mounted. Structure has been lacking. And Gavrikov is sitting there as a nice potential trade chip. Gavrikov is a strong defender, a true defense-first defenseman, and nearly every team can maneuver his cap hit. What does the package look like? The Blue Jackets received first and third-round picks for David Savard in 2021. Gavrikov is probably a better player and definitely younger. A haul for Gavrikov would be the one bright spot in a sad season for the CBJ. For a breakdown of Gavrikov’s game, read his Trade Deadline player profile.
At this stage, doesn’t it feel like Gavrikov is going to be an Oiler? It’s been widely reported that the Oilers are interested in the shutdown defenceman, but whether or not they’re willing to pay the cost of acquisition remains to be seen.
12. Sam Lafferty
Center/Left Wing, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 27
Stats: 42 GP, 8 G, 9 A, 17 Pts
Contract: 1 more season, $1.15 million AAV
Scoop: Given the way Lafferty departed his hometown Pittsburgh Penguins, traded for AHL contract burden Alex Nylander, few could’ve seen his resurgence into a hot trade commodity. But his elite speed has turned heads – particularly on the penalty kill, where Lafferty has scored three shorthanded goals. That’s one off the league-lead, second only to Vegas’ Reilly Smith. Here’s the rub: the Blackhawks don’t have to move Lafferty. Teams would have to make it worth Chicago’s while to move on – and the return is going to surprise someone, because it has the potential to surprise.
Riding the heat of a bounce-back season, Sam Lafferty is drawing attention from more than just the Oilers and that could increase the cost of acquiring the 27-year-old winger. Lafferty’s speed and ability to kill penalties are two aspects of his game that would surely intrigue Ken Holland, but whether or not those skills are enough for Ken Holland to pull the trigger remains to be seen.
14. Luke Schenn
Right Defense, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 33
Stats: 49 GP, 2 G, 14 A, 16 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $850,000 AAV
Scoop: GM Patrik Allvin didn’t rule out the possibility that the Canucks re-sign Schenn. But the much more likely move is Vancouver seeks to maximize the return on Schenn. They like what he’s brought to the lineup in his two seasons back in Vancouver. Word is the Canucks actually turned down a second-round pick for Schenn in last year’s deadline period. He’s a proven winner with Stanley Cup pedigree on an expiring, inexpensive deal. Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Boston are just a few of the teams Schenn has been linked to, but others have also expressed interest. They say you can never have too many defensemen on a playoff run and Schenn is a fit for just about every team, particularly as a right-shot who can also play the left if needed. For more, peruse Schenn’s Trade Deadline player profile.
If the Oilers are looking for defensive depth and players that have won before then Luke Schenn should absolutely be on Edmonton’s radar. While not a flashy player, Schenn’s defensive style is something that is sorely lacking on Edmonton’s blue line, and the fact that he also brings Stanley Cup-winning experience makes picking him up an interesting idea.
17. Noel Acciari
Center, St. Louis Blues
Age: 31
Stats: 51 GP, 10 G, 8 A, 18 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $1.25 million AAV
Scoop: Acciari is one Blues player who has played up to his expectation this season. The one-time 20-goal scorer is enjoying the second-best season of his career, making it the perfect time for the Blues to cash in. He isn’t a big, flashy name but his hockey intelligence and awareness, coupled with his sneaky production, means that he almost always provides surplus value above his cap hit. He makes sense in Vegas, where he could be reunited with coach Bruce Cassidy. Acciari plays an important role and he plays it well, also appearing in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.
A pending UFA that’s riding a strong season in St. Louis, Acciari’s name has come up more recently around here after Elliotte Friedman mentioned him in his latest 32 Thoughts article at Sportsnet.
21. Shayne Gostisbehere
Left Defense, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 29
Stats: 45 GP, 9 G, 19 A, 28 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $4.5 million AAV
Scoop: Argh, tough break for Gostisbehere and the Coyotes. Arizona announced that Gostisbehere will be out four-to-six weeks with an “upper-body” injury. He was trending toward being a solid deadline addition and this injury will hurt his value. Gostisbehere found his confidence again in the desert after it crumbled under coach Dave Hakstol in Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, the former 65-point defenseman can still play. He’s rejuvenated his game and was on track to hit 50 points again before the injury. He’s very efficient moving the puck and a solid addition to any power play. And this isn’t a recent phenomenon: Ghost’s underlying metrics were damn good last season. For more detail, see Gostisbehere’s trade deadline player profile.
Given the style that Gostisbehere plays, it’s hard to see a fit in Edmonton given that they already have plenty of puck movers on the back end, but that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a fit provided that someone else is moving out. However, any trade to bring Gostisbehere into Edmonton would require Arizona to hold onto salary or to have a bigger contract going back the other way.
29. Nick Bjugstad
Center, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 30
Stats: 50 GP, 11 G, 10 A, 21 Pts
Contract: Pending UFA, $900,000 AAV
Scoop: Arizona has been the land of opportunity for Bjugstad, who has cashed in on more ice time with his best offensive season since 2018-19 in Florida. His ice time is up more than six minutes from last year. By now, we probably have a pretty complete picture of what Bjugstad is at the NHL level – a big body with skill but lacking the consistent competitiveness to be a difference maker. The Wild made him a healthy scratch for all six of their first-round games last year against St. Louis. Still, at that contract and relatively low acquisition cost, a GM will always be willing to take a flier on a 6-foot-6 center.
The 30-year-old Bjugstad currently plays for the Arizona Coyotes and has 11 goals and 21 points in 50 games, the most he’s registered since the 2017-18 season. Over and above the points he’s putting up, Bjugstad has a 55.8 goal share, and an expected goal share of 51.4%, pretty impressive considering the team he plays for and how bad they’ve been all season.
You can read the full Trade Targets list here as you get set for the March 3rd Trade Deadline.