On the Edmonton Oilers …
Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: The Edmonton Oilers will almost surely trade Nail Yakupov at the draft.
Do the Oilers include Yakupov in a package? Trade him for a draft pick?
Would the Hurricanes trade Elias Lindholm for Yakupov?
Would the Oilers go for prospects in a deal? They’ve liked Arizona Coyotes Henrik Samuelsson. Would they be interested in Boston Bruins goalie Malcolm Subban? Would the Carolina Hurricanes trade Ryan Murphy?
“Yakupov’s value has dropped significantly over the last two years … they may have to take somebody else’s failed prospect. I don’t think the Oilers will get a whole, big return for him,” said one long-time NHL pro scout who has watched the right-winger in person on a lot of nights.
Bob McKenzie: Don’t see the Taylor Hall to the NY Islanders. The Oilers are open to trading anyone but Connor McDavid, but the price would be high.
Bob McKenzie: Expect the Oilers to have significant interest in Milan Lucic and he’ll have interest in them. There are lots of moving parts in negotiations, and it’s too early to handicap the Oilers chances, but the Oilers will be eager to explore the idea.
David Staples of the Edmonton Journal: Darren Dreger was on TSN saying that the Oilers are open to trading anyone but Connor McDavid, they don’t want to trade down in the draft, they like Kevin Shattenkirk and they wouldn’t be open to trading Darnell Nurse for Jacob Trouba.
“Chiarelli is interested in making a hockey deal. He’s not interested in moving a pick to move down, or any of that,” Dreger said. “He needs to bolster his blueline and if the fourth pick overall helps him do that, with a player or without a player, (added to the trade) then that’s what he wants to do.”
