Speculation persists over possible off-season trade targets for the Edmonton Oilers. Meanwhile, a pair of Buffalo Sabres goaltenders have recently surfaced in the rumor mill.
It’s been almost a month since the Edmonton Oilers were eliminated from the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The ongoing uncertainty about their off-season roster plans remains a hot topic in the rumor mill.
On Tuesday, Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek suggested the Oilers need a speedy winger to skate alongside team captain Connor McDavid. He felt that St. Louis Blues right winger Jordan Kyrou could be an option, noting that the 28-year-old has frequently been mentioned in trade rumors over the past two years.
Kyrou would first have to waive his full no-trade clause. The Oilers would have to scrape up suitable pieces to meet what is expected to be a high asking price from the Blues. They’d also have to ensure they have enough salary-cap space to absorb his $8.125 million average annual value, because the Blues won’t retain any of it.
The Oilers could afford someone like Kyrou if they could find a club seeking blueline depth willing to take on Darnell Nurse and his $9.25 million AAV for the next four seasons. And no, the Blues won’t swap Kyrou for Nurse straight up, given the latter’s declining performance over the past couple of years.
Marek suggested the Oilers shop Nurse to teams with a surplus of young forwards, such as the San Jose Sharks. He wondered if they would part with someone like right winger Collin Graf, who is coming off a 21-goal, 46-point sophomore season.
That depends first on Nurse waiving his full no-movement clause to go to San Jose. With $41.5 million, the Sharks have the cap space to absorb his full AAV next season, but GM Mike Grier could have more affordable trade targets in mind.
The Oilers also need goaltending help, prompting Marek to muse about whether they might pry Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen away from the Buffalo Sabres. That seems unlikely, as it would leave the Sabres searching for a suitable replacement.
Devon Levi might be available. The once-promising netminder has struggled to crack the Sabres lineup. He might benefit from a change of scenery, but he won’t fulfill the Oilers’ need for a reliable, experienced starter.
Speaking of the Sabres, Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic noted that GM Jarmo Kekalainen showed his willingness to attempt major moves at the March trade deadline.
He had a deal in place that would’ve brought Colton Parayko to Buffalo until the Blues defenseman invoked his no-trade clause. Kekalainen also had discussions with the Blues about center Robert Thomas.
Fairburn speculated that Kekalainen could pursue another goaltender if the opportunity arises. However, that could be a difficult acquisition given the limited options via trade and free agency and the high number of clubs seeking depth between the pipes. He could also look at adding another center if Tage Thompson should remain a right winger.
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