In today’s NHL rumors rundown, the Edmonton Oilers are looking for defense and penalty-killing help. Who have they potentially identified as a fit? Are the Calgary Flames ready to go out and acquire a scoring winger? Would the Arizona Coyotes trade Karel Vejmelka?
Finally, are the Buffalo Sabres going to be active at the deadline, even if they aren’t necessarily buyers?
Oilers Trying to Identify the Right Type of Defenseman
According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the Oilers most need help on their blue line and he writes, “Based on the defensemen currently available, there are a few possibilities: Vladislav Gavrikov, Joel Edmundson, Jake McCabe or Mattias Ekholm.”
He also suggests the Oilers could use a penalty killer and notes that Teddy Blueger of the Pittsburgh Penguins might be an option. Seravalli writes, “The Pens are going to need to clear up salary cap space if they want to make any moves and Blueger has decent value, definitely not someone you’d have to pay to move. They might not be able to re-sign him, either.” Other names on the Oilers’ radar could include Sam Lafferty of Chicago and Philadelphia’s Zach MacEwen.
He also wonders if Jonathan Toews would be a good fit as he provides secondary scoring, a penalty-killing presence, and faceoff skills. Ryan O’Reilly would do the same, he notes. He even wonders if GM Ken Holland might swap Jesse Puljujarvi for Anthony Duclair.
Flames Want a Top-Six Winger
Eric Duhatschek of The Athletic writes that the Calgary Flames might be a team to watch when it comes to a scoring winger being traded ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. The two names he specifically mentions are Florida Panthers’ forward Anthony Duclair and St. Louis Blues veteran Vladimir Tarasenko.
Related: Oilers & Maple Leafs Competing Over Same Trade Deadline Deal
Duclair is a bit of a question mark heading into this deadline because he’s been out all year with an Achilles tear. He’s close to coming back and the Panthers likely need to do something about their salary cap. He played on a line with Jonathan Huberdeau last year and the two had chemistry.
As for Tarasenko, Duhatschek writes:
There is a part of me that wonders how Tarasenko might adapt to Calgary coach Darryl Sutter’s system and tough-love approach. But then you think back to 2014, when Sutter was coaching the Los Angeles Kings and…
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