Check out the ongoing Edmonton Oilers trade speculation.
Could Oilers defenseman Justin Schultz be dealt at the trade deadline?
SPORTSNET: Mark Spector believes it’s only a matter of time until the Edmonton Oilers swing a major trade, most likely during the 2016 NHL Draft. He believes GM Peter Chiarelli will pursue a N0. 2 or 3 defenseman (Spector doesn’t expect he’ll find a No.1 blueliner), pointing out he was unafraid to make a big trade when he was GM of the Bruins.
Consensus among some GMs and coaches Spector spoke with indicates left wing Taylor Hall would fetch the biggest return, though Hall is the Oilers’ most productive player and is improving his defenseman game. A more likely trade candidate is center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, as he would fetch more than winger Jordan Eberle. Neither defenseman Justin Schultz or winger Nail Yakupov would fetch returns that would significantly improve the Oilers, as they’re best seen as complimentary pieces.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson believes Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (a childhood friend of Oscar Klefbom) would be an obvious trade target if the Oilers want to improve their defense. He feels the Wild need a center instead of a winger in return.
Jonathan Willis believes the Oilers should seriously consider dealing Justin Schultz at the trade deadline in hopes of getting the best possible return. A restricted free agent next summer, Willis feels Schultz could be considered a playoff rental player, allowing the team that acquires him to simply not bother re-upping him if they’re unhappy with the blueliner’s performance.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I also believe Chiarelli will make a major move during next June’s draft to boost his defense. I also wouldn’t rule out his pursuit of a goaltender as well.
Hall would certainly fetch the best return but I don’t believe Chiarelli wants to move the guy who will likely become the Oilers’ captain next season. If he’s comfortable with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as his top-two centers, Nugent-Hopkins becomes the obvious trade candidate. If they shop him to the Wild, however, they might have to pick up part of RNH’s $6 million annual cap hit to make the dollars work for the Wild, or the latter will have to shed salary in a separate deal.
Schultz and Yakupov don’t have much value now. Rather than ship out either guy on their own, perhaps packaging one of them with RNH is an option.
First the Oilers need to shed MacTavish and Lowe from ALL connection to the team because having these architects of their mess still whispering in the owner’s ear can do nothing to help Chiarelli. Quite frankly, I’m surprised he took on the job in the first place without first demanding that these two be jettisoned.
Good point, but the rot goes higher than that: all the way up to Daryl Katz. He was a fan of the Oilers when McT and Lowe during the glory years and so he can see no ill. Until Katz can remove himself from the process, the failure will continue. Will his ego allow that?
Fist Kevin Lowe has nothing to do the the hockey side of the Oilers and reports to Bob Nicholson not Katz.
Second MacT did do some good things when he was the GM. It seemed he was better at making trades then signing FA’s and is the assistant GM and reports to PC.
Katz has removed himself from the process and Bob Nicholson is running everything connected to the Oilers.
Kev, it sounds like you’re too much of a fan to see the forest from the trees here. George made a very strong point that many would agree with: until McTavish and Lowe are removed from the situation, it’s dysfunctional.
The whole downward slide started to happen when Lowe was promoted to GM. The only common denominator to this whole situation is Lowe and he HAS been removed from the hockey side of the Oilers.
MacT was the unfortunate bystander to Lowe’s depocal. He took an 8th place team to the Stanley Cup finals in 2006 just to see Lowe forcing some players back to early from injury and causing infighting amongst the players in the locker room.
Also besides some questionable FA signings, which even the best GM’s do, Mact did some good moves as GM but still the common denominator was Lowe.
So I don’t know how many times Oilers fans can say this, but Lowe does not have anything to do with the hockey operation side of the Oilers. The only people that don’t see this either have their Oiler hate glasses on and don’t want to see it or they haven’t followed anything what is going on in Edmonton and making misinformed comments.
Hate the Oilers? It’s pretty obvious, by their moves the over last decade that they really hate themselves. Four #1 overall picks in a row and they still are in last place.
Bringing in Chiarelli is the first step towards shedding the past and moving forward if he is up the task. Get all the old Oiler blood out of the building.
4th Hanson, Where was Malkin (1st), Crosby(1st), Fluery(1st) all drafted? throw in Jordan Staal (2nd) …. P Kane(1st), Toews (3rd), Cam Barker (3rd) throw in a 7th overall too for Chicago. Point being 1 draft pick doesnt change your, teams that are good now normal draft near the top for a few years granted the Oilers 4 1st + a 3rd + a 7th seem extreme but lets keep it in perspective.
Sorry Malkin was a 2nd overall behind Ovie I believe …
Dino – the Oilers’ issues have been in management, longing for the past by keeping the guys from the 80’s around to run the club. These are the guys responsible for this team being so bad. That said, it is astounding to me that you can draft so high for so long and still be deal last in the league. Connor will help a lot when he returns, but this team has still a ways to go to respectability. Sabres have already moved from 30th last year to 23rd this year with better management, none of which are tied to the Sabres’ past.
So what George & Dan 49 are suggesting is that Chiarelli is such a weak GM he doesn’t have a mind of his own and relies strictly on the suggestions of MacT and KLowe. I personally like Chiarelli and am sure he is quite capable of getting input if he feels it is necessary and making his own decisions. You people need to get over your obvious dislike for previous management.
You guys do realize these first round picks are 18 years old and take 4 years or more to develope and only maybe 2 have reached there.Having 4 different coaches did’nt help especialy the worst in dallas watch may hair eakins as he sold his guys out in public in montreal and set this team back 2 years.With coaching stability and making the right support moves at the proper time they are going to be fine!
Where did I even HINT at that? All I said was that I was surprised he took the job in the first place without first demanding that those two be sacked, and that they still probably have the ear of the guy who signs the cheques. And you yourself put it in perspective with the reference to “previous management.” They are “previous” and for that they should be “gone.”
KevJam, took the words right out of my mouth, nicely worded. Steve
The Only issue I had with MacT was when he moved out his 2nd line Centre before last season and didn’t find a replacement. It left the Roster incomplete. Other than that MacT didn’t do anything terrible as a GM. All GM’s have bad moves and all have some good moves. But that was pretty bad.
The Oiler management thought like many did, they were not alone so you really can’t fault them as horrible GM, most other GM’s likely thought the same thing. That eventually with all the 1rst round picks things would turn around. Why else do other GM’s want to put a rule in preventing a team from getting the 1rst round pick conscequtively? If the Oilers draft so poorly in the top spot and keep going to the bottom let them have it. They don’t want them to have it as they want the same players the oilers draft in that spot each year.
There isn’t any dysfunctionality here. All there is, is a plan that many outside the organisation as well thought would work. It didn’t. So people have been moved, new people brought in and a new plan is being implemented.
MacT didn’t have the gonads to stick around after hitting someone with his car because he’d been drinking – then didn’t have the gonads to fire a coach face-to-face – did it via Skype. His character has always been in question, nor did he show much sense when drafting Hall over Seguin who were rated 1/2 2/1 all that year – except Seguin is a C and there’s hardly a team that isn’t looking for one. It should have been a no-brainer.
At least get your facts straight it wasn’t MacT who drafted Hall, I believe it was Tambellini, and the shot about sticking around after an accident is as low as one can go and shows your lack of class.
So your idea of class involves drunk drivers fleeing the scene of a crime? Some might disagree.
It’s a simple fact. I didn’t make it up. It happened – and was despicable. Should I simply forget it now?
Well you clearly haven’t kept up with the Oilers off-season because Lowe no longer has any role in the hockey operations for the Oilers. As for MacTavish no one has seen him in months so its unlikely he’s whispering in the owner’s earn unless he’s been in Vancouver in Daryl Katz bed this whole time. As for Katz removing himself from the process that was reason he brought in Bob Nicholson this year as the team president. Before saying something ignorant maybe do a 30 second fact check.
They are still connected to the team – and given their past history it’s hard to imagine they are not sticking in their two cents worth somewhere. Just like we are here. Ignorance has nothing to do with it and that trait is all on you for even bringing it up. Take off the frikken blinders. Your team stinks and has for the past 7 years. And gets rewarded for it.
If they dont end up winning the lottery once againk that first along with either Eberle or RNH could go along way to helping the Oil.
I don’t think the Oilers will be in last place by season’s end. McDavid coming back will improve them. They are better than 5 other teams in this league. Are they not? lol
Then they should be shopping their first before McDavid gets back, if any team can afford to not draft in the first round this year its Edmonton.
Also, don’t forget Oilers 2nd rounder. If they prefer to keep their 1st rounder (maybe there’s a D-man they like?), Oilers might trade their 2nd rounder that might just be the 31st pick. It will be very inviting to trade for it as many GMs have identified talent being very similar through positions 15-40.
It’s funny that the oil are going to be in contention of another first overall, at what point do other teams and the league step in and say enough is enough? It’s embarrassing and it has to change. No other team in any other sport has been handed top picks year after year and still been terrible. The league should make a rule that if you get first overall, the highest you can get the next year is 15th or something like that.
Have you seen the Clevland Browns?
The NFL is a little different, the talent pool is deeper and comparing NFL to NHL is not relevant. The problem is that there may be only the 1st or 2nd pick make relevant contributions immediately, The rest of the picks are a crapshoot. If Edmonton ends up with Austin Mathews, they will just ruin another top forward. They should look into trading picks/players for defense and goaltending, if they are serious about getting better.
Please name one of their top picks who they have ruined? Hall? Near the top in scoring. RNH? The top center men in his draft year. Yak? came from a really weak draft year and the only other player is injury prone, Ryan Murray.
Can pretty much guarantee, IF the Oilers do win the draft lottery that pick will be traded, but with the new lottery system in place this year I highly doubt the Oilers will win it.
He just answered the question and he’s right. There’s plenty of examples of teams that have floundered with top picks year over year. Its really not that surprising either. The problem with picking #1 is the player is too talented not to be on the team finishing last but at the end of the day he’s still an 18 year old playing in a mans league. Add the pressure of a fan base looking for a savior to pull them from the wreck just adds to the pressure that comes with being a #1 pick. The majority of the Oilers core is 21-24. The same age the average player actually makes it into the league for the first time. Detroit has had the advantage of drafting late in the 1st and parking the guys in the AHL for 4-5 years before they call them up permanently. Wait till they pick top 5 and see what they do with that player.
Detroit has had the advantage of drafting late in the first round lmao. Thanks for the laugh by the way, that’s one of the funniest thing I have read on this site. Drafting late is not an advantage at all. Scouting team have a harder job to do just to find an NHL player let alone a star or super star player.
Drafting later means there are more flaws and more work for the player to do to get to the NHL so they need more development time before they are ready to get a sniff at the NHL in any role let alone a top role. Larkin is the highest pick they have made since the 90’s and they only reason he is playing with them is because they felt he was ready to play a top 9 role or else he would be in the AHL with Mantha.
Look at Tampa with Drouin…they sent him back to juniors because they felt he wasn’t ready for the NHL and then he did spend some time in the AHL last season. Rushing kids to the NHL is not always good development even when they are high draft picks. I don’t put all of the blame on NHL teams though, some of the blame is on the CHL and their rule that a player can’t play in the AHL and has to be in the NHL or CHL. That is a problem for high drafted players who are not ready for the NHL but too good for another year of juniors. NHL should push for an option to send top 10 drafted players to AHL if they want.
That being said, point is the Wings have to let their players develop for years in the AHL because they don’t draft early enough to have players that can jump in within a year or two of being drafted.
Easy man, I’m from Cleveland.
Or the Detroit Lions
If you look at the standings you will see that the Oilers are tied with 3 other teams at the bottom. I would expect the Oilers to climb out of the basement and finish around 10th or 11th in the conference and around 20th in the NHL when McDavid comes back. Which if you look at the standings that is not to far fetched as those spots are currently being held by the Canucks who are only 6 points up on the Oilers and the equal amount of wins.
Also if you think the fans are enjoying this you are sorely mistaken, but at the same time you also have to understand it will take a season or 2 for PC to fix the problem that he inherited.
I don’t understand why other teams care. Why they are so concerned that Edmonton gets the 1rst pick often. Edmonton still sucks, obviously they draft the wrong guy. So let Edmonton have the top pick and the 2nd guy can take the correct guy haha.
It’s like we want that guy cause year after year you suck and you get that guy. So we want him so we can suck to. weird?
With the first pick also follows a lot of spotlight and fueled hopes for the particular fan base. By winning the lottery year after year, Oilers are basically robbing other needing franchises of this media boost. I think people have had it with watching Oilers squander their privileged chances year after year. Just what I think is happening.
One rumour out there has NJ interested in Eberle. Other than Clowe, NJ does not have a RW signed beyond this season. An elite scoring winger like Eberle would fit in nicely beside Henrique or Zajac for the next few years. EDM would no doubt be interested in Larsson to fill in on the top pairing with Nurse or Klefbom. Perhaps Lee Stempniak and Justin Schultz are thrown in the deal as well?
Boston could really use a top line Left or Right wing.
Hall or Eberle would be great but they don’t really have any defenseman Edmonton would want. Maybe Subban as a goalie and someone like Siedenberg or Chara.
Will Boston deal with Edmonton and vice versa?
the Oilers are looking for a #1 D-Man….neither of them is one
I want to talk about Crosby for a minute. He looks like he’s scared to get hit guys. I remember the playoffs against Boston where he would get lots of touches but the puck would never be on his stick longer than a half a second and he would fire it in towards the middle. His play now kind of reminds me of that. He may be healthy but I think he’s scared. A guy like Chris Neil on his wing would be a good way to loosen him up I think. There aren’t many tough guys that can play anymore. They should have went after Lucic. I know, I know, he’s slow, but hey, Kessel is fast. Any thoughts?
If that is the case some meat on his line might be what the doctor ordered. Maybe even a fighter just some guy who can lay the body out from time to time.
Interesting you state this – I looked at the Pens’ roster and I don’t see enough toughness to protect skill players. Pittsburgh needs a thug.
I totally agree and have thought this for years – Crosby needs guys who can open the ice up and create space for him either through intimidation or physical play…BUT they need to be smart players as well. Neil in his prime might be interesting for 5 on 5 play, but he’s too old and too well established here in Ottawa (his new venture is moving along good in Kanata and he completely has set himself up to retire locally like Phillips did with Big Rig).
I like Kunitz and Dupuis as they’ve got the balance of physical play while being smart, but are also getting older too.
If anything, I would look at a guy like Antoine Roussel in Dallas who is younger, likely fairly cheap to acquire, decent hands, smarts and a good physical presence. Lucic would be interesting but would cost too much, Nash would be really fun to watch but is expensive and on a division rival.
Pens need someone that other players are afraid of. No real fear factor with their current lineup. Crosby needs a big body to pave the way.
This will likely never happen for several reasons, but what about Cal Clutterbuck?
How about John Scott, he is going to the All Star Game LOL
Lowe is out of Hockey ops. Zero input into player issues.
Chiarelli will right the ship. Give him time, he’said only been in place for 1/2 a year. He inherited part of the long term solution in klefbom & Nurse.
With the new lottery weightings kicking in last season no way any team will ever get as many 1st overall selections as Edmonton has had. The new weightings played to Edmonton’s advantage last season. The odds may give the last place team the best chance but I believe it’should only around 16% now?
maybe, maybe not. I don’t expect Edmonton to be in last place in the standings come season’s end. I think McDavid once back will be on the team long enough to move them up a few spots. Edmonton one the lottery last year being the 2nd worst team did they not. Buffalo was the worst werent’ they. Sot his new lotto system may work in Edmonton’s favour as they improve in the standings from worst to 2nd or third worse.
Would it not be hilarious if Edmonton finishes as the 5th worse team and wins the lottery. haha. I will laugh for a week.
3rd worst last season.
1 thing about odds of probability. Over time math wins.
They finished in 28th last season. The Sabres and Coyotes finished 30th and 29th.
I expect the Oilers to finish around 10th in West and around 20th in the NHL this season. Which isn’t too far fetched considering the Canucks are in those positions right now and are only 6 points ahead with the same amount of wins as the Oilers. Especially when McDavid gets back, teams will not have to just focus on Hall like they have been since McDavid went out, and have been since Hall was drafted.
Eberle/Schultz/solid prospect to NYI for Hamonic/Okposo (FA)
Get rid of the solid prospect (Dont think the Oilers have alot that isnt playing now) and replace it with their 2nd and that is crazy enough to work.
Snow wants Nurse from Edmonton, and nothing else. So until he lowers his asking price, or PC finds a third team to bring in on the deal nothing is going to get done a Hamonic deal to the Oilers.
How do you know this do you work for the Islanders front office team? This is a huge assumption,
All one has to do is listen to TSN and you can hear what the experts like Dreger, McKenzie, and Ryan Rishaug to name a few to find this out. Not to mention Lyle himself noted as well. No assumption needed.
What I have heard (From those Same Experts minus Lyle not sure what he said) is that Snow wants a comparable defense man which Nurse is not with a comparable contract. I have heard Jacob Truba, that Brodin kid from Minny .. guys of that nature. I have heard countless times that Snow does not want future assets like Prospects (Which Nurse IS) or Draft picks. Thats why the trade above makes some kind of sense
@ KevJam,
I replied not sure what happened to my comment, happened a couple times to me yesterday.
Basically what I wrote was I heard from the same experts you mentioned above that Snow wants a comparable defense man like Trouba (RFA so No) that Brodin kid out of Minny guys like that, I have also heard those same experts say Snow does not want future assets like prospects (Which Nurse is realistically he would want Klefbom similar contract and age) and draft picks thats why the trade mentioned makes sense.
I have copied this from yesterday: TSN insider Bob McKenzie reports New York Islanders GM Garth Snow doesn’t want draft picks or prospects for defenseman Travis Hamonic, but rather a comparable defenseman. He also doesn’t want solely an offensive blueliner like Colorado’ Tyson Barrie or Edmonton’s Oscar Klefbom.
Schultz is also a strictly offensive defence men. Every day Ryan Rishaug is on Nielson and Frazer in the Morning on TSN 1260 out of Edmonton. He has said plenty of times that Snow only want Nurse if he is making a deal with Edmonton. Also a few times McKenzie and Dreger have mentioned it on Thats Hockey. It was also some time when the story first came out that Hamonic requested a trade that Lyle mentioned that Snow wanted Nurse as well.
i’m not a Oilers fan but it seems to me that the problem is a little more complex than who they do or don’t draft. one of the few trades that actually did work for the Oilers was for Chris Pronger they only gave up Eric Brewer,Doug Lynch, Jeff Woywitka for him and less than a year later they received Joffrey Lupul, Ladislav Smid, and picks that would turn into Jordan Eberle and Travis Hamonic for him from Anaheim. this trade illustrates one of the problems Edmonton faces in that they have problems attracting and keeping the veterans they desperately need to compliment their young talent. getting Chiarelli and McLellan will help but they have to start showing some progress before they can get anyone of note to buy in when there are lots of more attractive places to sign.
People are so impatient with Oilers. Chiarelli has not been on the job for more than a half year.
It was much much easier to change the complexion of a team in past eras. Mainly because of salary space and teams clearly defined as “buyers” or “sellers”. This has totally changed. Around 22-23 teams are capped at max (external/internal limit), so a trade has to be dollar for dollar or including one of the 7 teams that do have more salary space available. Also, the parity and 3-point system has squeezed the divisions together and optically most teams looks to have an outside shot for the playoffs. This leads to no clear “buyers” and “sellers” so GMs cannot find suitable partners to trade with any longer until some emerge very close to the trade deadline.
Chiarelli will have to wait until trade deadline (end of Feb 2016) to move some pieces and bring in others. He can’t really do much now. The draft will also be very interesting for Oilers; drafting high or swinging trades…
If the Oil could convince the Ducks to facilitate they could land Harmonic or Andersen.
Ducks get: Eberle
Oil get: Harmoic
Ilse get: Fowler
OR
Ducks get: Eberle, Byfuglien
Jets get: Harmoic, Maroon
Ilse get: Fowler, Schultz, Comrie
Oil get: Andersen, Cogliano, pick from Ducks