On the Nashville Predators …
Craig Custance of ESPN: Looking at what the offseason focus for Predators GM David Poile should be.
1. Sign Filip Forsberg to a long-term contract extension – A bridge deal now may end up costing the Predators more in the long run like it might for Kings Tyler Toffoli. A long-term extension might come in around Vladimir Tarasenko’s contract – eight years at $7.5 million per season.
2. Try to sign Loui Eriksson – The Predators talked to the Bruins about Eriksson at the deadline. Now that they have a No. 1 center in Ryan Johansen, Eriksson is exactly what they need. Maybe they could try to get him on a four or five year deal.
3. Trade Colin Wilson – If the Predators want to improve in other areas, they may need to move Wilson and his salary. He’s been inconsistent, but had a good playoff run, so they are not trading him with a low value.
On the Edmonton Oilers …
Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot: Bob McKenzie on TSN 1040 on the Edmonton Oilers potentially trading the No. 4 pick.
“I don’t think there’s any question that Peter Chiarelli is all ears on the fourth pick. If they had to use it, they’re going to get a good player there. Whether it’s Tkachuk, or Dubois, or they decided to go for a defenseman, that’s fine. But there’s no question in my mind that they’ll be using that as currency and bait to try and see if they can get themselves a National Hockey League defenseman or an NHL-ready forward now with a lot more size and skill than what they currently have.
“So I think it’s most certainly in play. The question that a lot of teams would ask is, ‘If I’m picking somewhere in the Top 10, how much of a premium do I want to move up. What am I going to get at 4 that is that much better than what I’d get at 7, 8, 9, or 10.’
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“For the Oilers, a lot of it will come down to are they just trading the pick outright, is it packaged with another player, is it flip-flop of picks for somebody who’s only going to be down a few spots more, where it would make more sense to take a defenseman at 7, 8, 9, or 10 than it would at 4.”
