It’s Sunday and that means another edition of NHL rumours. Some teams are out of the Stanley Cup Playoff race while others need a jolt in their lineup. The Arizona Coyotes are in the mix to land Connor Bedard and will likely sell at the March 3 trade deadline. Something like a Nick Bjugstad trade could be something the Edmonton Oilers could swing. Today’s NHL rumours looks at Edmonton’s interest in the veteran forward.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Edmonton Oilers Show Interest in Nick Bjugstad Trade
Rumour: Jeff Marek on Saturday’s Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada said the Oilers are interested in the 30-year-old forward. Marek added that there are other teams besides the Oilers that want the Blaine, Minn. native. He’s been having a solid season with 11 goals through 49 games.
32 HNIC: NHLPA leadership search/Who's doing what in All-Star Skills/EDM interest in Bjugstad/Soucy/Khudobin — https://t.co/TRHo5x01uO
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 29, 2023
Bjugstad is having his best offensive season since the 2017-18 season when he scored 19 goals with the Florida Panthers. He’s 6-foot, 6-inches and could provide some size down the middle. The centre hasn’t gotten a lot of power play time, but he could be put in the middle to help provide some muscle.
What a Nick Bjugstad Trade Means
Most Coyotes trade talk focuses on Jakob Chychrun, but there are plenty of other pieces that will be moved by general manager Bill Armstrong. The Arizona GM has some desirable trade chips that he could move at the deadline.
Bjugstad’s contract is at a very friendly $900,000, which helps out teams like Edmonton. Many of the contenders are up against the $82.5 million cap number and a low-cost addition like Bjugstad could work.
The Oilers top six with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are solid. However, there are plenty of questions on the bottom-part of Edmonton’s lineup. A player like Bjugstad may not be the cure-all, but he could provide some help for an Oilers team with sights on a deep playoff run.
