With the NHL Trade Deadline approaching, Last Word on Hockey brings you our daily NHL Trade Rumours segment. Looking at all the talk and analysis from around the league. Today we look at possible rumours of the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Edmonton Oilers
Rumour: The Edmonton Oilers are looking to be buyers at this year’s trade deadline in order to make a push to make the playoffs come April. According to Elliott Friedman when speaking on Sportsnet Hockey Central podcast, Jesse Puljujarvi as well as their first round pick are in play in order to improve their scoring depth.
.@FriedgeHNIC just said on NHL Network that Jesse Puljujarvi is available in Edmonton. They’re all in on making playoffs this year. #Oilers #Sabres #HockeyTwitter
— The Charging Buffalo (@TheChargingBUF) January 14, 2019
Analysis: If the Oilers do in fact trade Puljujarvi and their first round pick, the return should be substantial. Although Puljujarvi hasn’t quite lived up to the hype, he’s still 20 years old. However, Oilers fans have to be worried. Chiarelli has already made a lot of bad trades and signings since his time with the Oilers. Fans are still upset over the return, or lack thereof, for Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle. Now just a couple of years later, the Oilers are looking for help on offence. Go figure. If Chiarelli doesn’t get this right and the Oilers miss the playoffs, he just may be looking for employment elsewhere in the off-season.
Look for teams such as the Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens to step in and try to acquire the young Finn.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Rumour: On TSN’s Insider Trading, Darren Dreger mentions that Pittsburgh Penguins centre Derick Brassard would be in play. Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has been listening to offers on Brassard. The expectation is that he will be traded, and the Penguins want at least a third line centre in return.
Dreger reports on Insider Trading that Derick Brassard is surely to get traded, just has not been a good fit in Pittsburgh. Pens want a 3C back in return. #LetsGoPens
— NHL Prospects Watcher (@Prospects_Watch) January 15, 2019
Analysis: As Dreger mentions, Brassard just hasn’t really fit in for the Penguins since they acquired him before last season’s trade deadline. Brassard is still a solid middle centre and a change of scenery could be exactly what the struggling centre needs to return to form. For the Penguins, they would like to add a more reliable defensive centreman for their third line to play behind stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rumour: On TSN’s Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun mentions that the Leafs are looking to bolster their defence and that their first round pick would be in play.
Analysis: No surprise here. The Leafs right side on defence has been the biggest question mark for the past couple of seasons. Right now, Ron Hainsey is leading the way in ice time on the right side. However, he’s not capable of playing those big minutes. The group of Hainsey, Nikita Zaitsev and Igor Ozhiganov just isn’t what you would consider a championship defence. If the Leafs really want to be a legit contender they will need to acquire someone capable of playing top four minutes. Which unfortunately for the Leafs, will cost a fine penny.
The Carolina Hurricanes are a team to watch here. The Hurricanes have a lot of depth on defence and Justin Faulk has been linked to the Leafs more than once over the past few years.
Stay tuned every for more NHL trade rumours.
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