Updates on Loui Eriksson and Ryan Johansen, while Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli addresses the trade speculation swirling about his team.
What could the Bruins get for Eriksson?
Could the Bruins package Loui Eriksson for a defenseman?
THE BOSTON GLOBE: If the Bruins decide to trade pending UFA winger Loui Eriksson before the trade deadline, Fluto Shinzawa believes the asking price will be comparable to what the Arizona Coyotes received from the Chicago Blackhawks (first-round pick and a prospect) for center Antoine Vermette last season. If the Bruins were to include one of their two 2016 first-round picks, it might be enough to land a young defenseman to replace Dougie Hamilton. He suggests the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild as trade destinations, citing their deep bluelines and need for offensive depth.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: What the Predators and Wild specifically need is a top-line center. Eriksson won’t address that need for either club. Speaking of the Wild…
Should the Wild pursue Johansen?
STARTRIBUNE.COM: If the Columbus Blue Jackets are listening to offers for center Ryan Johansen, Michael Russo believes he’s the type of player the Wild should pursue, not NY Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic. “The Wild doesn’t need a top-four defenseman. It needs a No. 1 center.” Russo wonders if Wild GM Chuck Fletcher is willing to dangle “Jonas Brodin or Matt Dumba or Gustav Olofsson?”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Fletcher would almost certainly have to include one of them in a package deal (along with a first-round pick and a top prospect) for Johansen. The Wild are bumping up against the salary-cap ceiling, so Brodin ($4.1 million annual cap hit) would be a good fit cap-wise in exchange for Johansen’s $4 million salary. But is he enough as the centerpiece of a package offer to tempt the Blue Jackets? Probably not.
Chiarelli downplays Oilers trade rumors.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples reports Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli downplayed recent trade speculation swirling around his club. Center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was the focus of recent chatter. While Chiarelli is disappointed in his club’s performance, he said now is not the time to make a trade simply for the sake of doing so. “I’m not averse to making moves and I’ve had a lot of conversations in the last two weeks. It doesn’t mean we won’t make a move, but to think, ‘Hey, I’ve got make a move to shake things up,’ I think that’s the wrong way to approach it. I have to take a global perspective on this thing.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I think Chiarelli is taking this season to evaluate his club’s strengths and weaknesses before making his moves, which could start as the trade deadline approaches. I daresay by this summer, we’ll see some changes to the Oilers roster. As for who gets dealt, I think the only true untouchables right now are Connor McDavid, Taylor Hall, Oscar Klefbom and Darnell Nurse. I doubt Nugent-Hopkins gets traded, but it could depend upon what they do with Leon Draisaitl once McDavid returns to action. Same goes for Jordan Eberle. Feel free to weigh in here, Oilers fans, let me know what you think.
I doubt Leon gets traded. The Oilers have long coveted a big strong centerman to compete with the larger teams in the Western Conference. I agree Nuge will likely not get traded any time soon as is leaves the Oilers with too little experience down the middle in a feature role.
I would argue the play is either trade Ebs or the first round pick. Preferably the latter as the pick will likely need years to develop.
I agree. I doubt any of RNH, Draisaitl, McDavid, Hall + Klefbom, Nurse gets traded. They have interesting combos up front with those forwards; size, speed and skill. Unless they could fetch a something similar to a 1st D in a trade (which isn’t possible) they wouldn’t win any trade involving them. Chiarelli won’t give his core away. And their two D-prospects won’t be moved because of weak depth chart on defense. Anything else is probably up for grabs, that goes for the two goalies, Eberle, Yakupov, Fayne and everyone else, maybe even this years’ first round pick.
McDavid 1st offense and offense, Driasital 2nd offense and size, and RNH 3rd good two way play and offense solves the center position for the next decade or so. Two of them can play on the power play at the same time. Add Hall and Eberle and you have all the offense you need now add some size to compete in the west. Let the young guys develop on defense. Use this years 1st round pick and what other picks and prospects to get one more upcoming young dman and trade for a good steady first or second pair dman. Some one like a Markov, Phaneuf, Bieksa, Kronwall, etc. that plays a pretty good all around game. Of they got to be used like a second pair guy with a young guy so the other guys see the mentoring. Babcock shows how to use Phaneuf this year but any of those types of players can do the role. Then decide if you need to get a goaltender. Give Nurse and Klefbom this year and things will fall into place.
Not trading Leon or RNH makes little sense for a team in need of D and G.
RNH for a true top pairing D plus more makes sense. Leon has better size and 2nd line center duty skills
RNH is their best 2way C. Too few is playing a responsible 2way game for Oilers up front. By trading RNH you’re taking steps back. It’s not beneficial for the overall picture to trade away players that perform like that. There’s enough players and picks to trade away without moving out RNH. Their 1st round pick this year will very coveted and also their 2nd rounder will be very high. They also have value in Eberle to trade away.
Chiarelli must make some homeruns now, both from previous drafts, but also trades and signings. He can’t afford to sign players from the ilk of Fayne. During the latter parts of this season he must recognize what his core is and make some moves. If last season was any indicator, teams seems to organize themselves for next season much earlier than in previous eras. By July 2nd, seems like all of the teams are pretty much set for next season already. So Chiarelli has some time to change this for next season, but not that long. This season is lost unfortunately.
Nobody will get Johansen, unless a young center is going back to Columbus in return. I still say he stays with the Blue Jackets, just because true number one centers are so hard to come by especially young ones.
Yes. I highly doubt a Johansen trade for the reasons you mentioned. Especially during the season. IMHO Blue Jackets organization must have a full year of disappointment from Johansens performances, and on top of that probably a bad attitude or breakdown in coming RFA contract negotiations. They won’t trade away their young 1st C for just another scoring winger or top 3 D.
Blue Jackets as a team have been a disappointment for a long time. I was hoping the kid could carry them but the contract negotiations seemed to have changed the relationship between player and team.
Agree completely. I’m sure that Chiarelli will never forget a certain trade with Dallas. If you have a young, true first-line centre, you keep him and give him good guys on the wings. Ryan Johansen will be an All-Star for a lot of years. Columbus needs to keep him.
Edmonton’s best trade chip, imo, is their first round draft pick, not one of their young guns.
I think Johansen is playing his final year in Columbus. The Blue Jackets will deal him next summer. Previous contract talks were bitter and I don’t think he’s forgotten it. This time around, he’ll be in the driver’s seat, so look out! It’ll be bye bye to the Jackets.
Not an Oilers fan at all but it seems to me they lack a lockerroom presence/veteran leadership. A lot of talent but not quite sure what to do with it all. Reminds me of the Washington Caps before they signed Federov. Sergei provided the veteran leadership and helped get a young Ovechkin to the conference finals. Oilers should be looking for one of thise guys imo
Yeah, either some good veterans or some depth players that can contribute and have impact. Oilers club feel like a lesser established Penguins roster right now. I really like the first two line Oilers have. They are a threat every time they’re on the ice. But after that? Nothing. They need a better balanced team throughout regardless of veterans in the lineup or not. ALSO the goalies need to play well. Just look at the records of Winnipeg, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto. It’s all heavily related to goaltending performance. (The only team that is seriously perplexing is Philly, that has some good goaltending but suck anyway).
I just want Edmonton to stop sucking, Let somebody else get a lottery pick for a change, this is getting ridiculous.
Agreed.They always seem content just to sit back and stare at their pretty but useless little jewels. If they ever want to get better they need to trade one of these little ladys for a couple of soldiers. I wouldn’t put it past them to be gunning for Matthews though……seems to be their incessant MO.
Yeah I am sure they are “Sitting Back” for another first overall. Wake up. 9 one goal loses is not sitting back. Sitting back is trading a leading scorer for nothing in hopes that a 50 million dollar coach could do magic.
Hard to trade from a position of weakness so just sit back and lets see if the new contractors brought in can fix the house that Katz wasted.
Lyle, regarding the Oilers I agree 100% with you. Although I would not be surprised if a trade happens earlier than the deadline but sometimes the trade is in place now but takes till the deadline to pull the trigger. As for RNH, he is an excellent player and a tough one to let go but the return I would think would be superb if a deal can be worked out. Is it absurd to move him?
Edmonton needs gritty defensive minded forwards and a top defenseman but I wouldn’t move any of the skilled guys to do it. This can be done through free agency.
Boston is playing pretty good lately and I don’t see them moving Eriksson if in the playoff hunt.
Yes, Byfuglien to Oilers in the offseason? That signing would be huge. 🙂
I don’t think Boston will trade Eriksson either, and I also think Eriksson will resign for decent money and term before he hits free agency. Eriksson fits in pretty well with current version of Boston roster.
I like Eriksson but I feel that if his time in Boston has taught us anything it’s that it takes him a while to adapt to a new team. Maybe it will be better next time but I really feel like anyone who picks him up as a rental (particularly for a first and a prospect) will be extremely disappointed.
Isn’t time running out in Edmonton?
I mean yes they just got mcjesus but the rest of them the best before date is approaching faster then you think. 2 years from now mcjesus will be on a 6+ mill contract and how can you afford to keep all them?
They need to make a move now.
Just spit balling here but wonder if chirelli could talk chara or sideburg to come to Edmonton.
I know chara has a big contrac but for 2 years of showing the young guys the rope and providing some structure.
The last management regime in Edmonton forgot to build a well balanced roster. Chiarelli inherited a team with very weak defense and goaltending. You can’t have success in todays NHL with such a roster.
Chiarelli has been on the job for just 6 months. Trades are hard to come by nowadays. I’m sure he’s really looking around the league what’s available and possible. There’s probably very little opportunity in the current market. I’m sure Chiarelli can change quite a few things close to the trade deadline + before the draft + at July 1st.
He was on the job less then a month when we pulled the stupid move of getting Reinhardt.
I’m sure there are moves he can make but it’s he same old story we don’t want to rush and trade a young guy that could do well elsewhere.
Chances are whoever they trade will do good elsewhere. The point though is to get someone who does well on your team too.
look at petry played like crap in edm now playing a great 2 way game with the habs
I can hardly wait for PC to start wheeling and dealing in Edmonton let’s see how fast it takes him to start dealing talent for a bag of pucks
While he gets those bags of pucks he can bring a Stanley cup home to. Just like good O times.
If anyone would sign Cam Neely away from Bruins management, it would be for a bag of pucks.
Rangers are great but flawed and will need to do something to get to next point a SC. Nash for Marleau plus. Stephan, pick, prospect for Johansen. I know Ranger fans love their team as is but Hank not getting younger and window is closing this group has come close but not quite good enough. Marleau older but less injury prone and without looking would have to say he performs better in playoffs then Nash. Factors maybe Torts loves Stephan and for NASH NMC maybe he wants to play with BFF Thornton and escape scrutiny of his playoff failures. Another unproductive failure and team falls short again he will be vilified.
Did you copy and paste this comment from a few days ago? It still looks / sounds just as bad as then! What has marleau proved in the playoffs that Nash has not? He’s been there more…. Same results?
The Oilers need a top 4 minute muncher d-man, and have to sacrifice one or some of their young talent to do so. Perhaps bad chemistry there, have heard unflattering stories of partying ways by some of the young guns. Maybe too bad there wasn’t bridge deals for many of the high picks, I’d rather see them earn the big dollars in their early 20’s than be entitled to it. Need some serious leadership there. Signing a guy like Milan Lucic next summer may be part of what this team needs.
If RNH is going to be traded, Oilers will be targeting Seth Jones. Perfect deal for both teams. I would think the Oil would have to add something to pull that off.
If by chance the Oil get the first overall puck again, they will dangle that to Pheonix hoping for OEL.
Simple as that. Oilers are going big game hunting and fans need to ley go of their emotional attachment to players. If RNH was the only centre on the team I’d still trade him for Jones. He’s that good.
Agree that if a move is made Jones should be a primary target.
One other item that no seems to pick up on is that with Hall/Eberle/RNH all at $6m cap hits, and with Draisaitl and McDavid coming – there is simply too much $ on forwards. At least one will need to go. McDavid/Draisaitl/Hall are core pieces up front. Nurse/Klefbom are key pieces on the back end.
They need another D – a true top pairing can’t miss player.
Are the oil a better team with +Jones and -RNH…..I think so. The 2016 1st pick can be used to restock the centre depth.
Edmonton is soft and weak on Defence. Montreal wants eberle and would trade maybe Emelin or Tinordi plus Eller. Exactly what they need and what Montreal wants. We must remember Eberle makes 6 million a year……….
good deal for the habs not so great for the oilers I would think the habs would have to move a pick or 2
Eberle and a 3rd round to Montreal for Emelin, Eller and Bournival or another young prospect like Carr, Thomas, Tokarski.
Montrel gets the right wing they need and Oilers get decent defense and forward for now and future
I wouldn’t trade RNH. I am not saying to trade Eberle. But for me, he is the one that makes the most sense. Hall, RNH and Draisaitl where gold together. It’s a combination that works, and makes Eberle the odd man out. You can trade Eberle to improve the roster, and not leave a gaping hole in the lineup at the first line RW position. And I’m sure there is a market for him. With McDavid going down. It sure shown how nice it is to have an abundance of centres on the team.
1. Byfuglien to Boston, Harmonic to the Jets, Eriksson and Seidenberg to NY with picks from both Jets and the Bs going to NY too.
2. Eberle to the Ducks for Andersson.