With cap friendly's assumed Oilers roster (11 F / 7 D / 2 G), the Oilers have approximentally 300,000 in cap space whilst having to resign Ryan McLeod. It is evident that there are more moves to be done, and while including a hopeful Kane trade, the rest of these moves are quite realistic & likely to happen.
First off, the Kane trade is likely set to be a 3 way trade so the Oilers can make it work cap wise. I think that 3rd team will be the Anaheim Ducks, who are reportingly quite interested in Jesse Puljujarvi. This is what I'd have the full trade being:
EDM - Patrick Kane ($2,625,000)
ANA - Jesse Puljujarvi & $2,625,000 Retained on Patrick Kane
CHI - Phillip Broberg, Axel Andersson, Devin Shore, ANA 2023 2nd, *Cond. EDM 2024 1st & $5,250,000 retained on Patrick Kane
(Conditions: If EDM makes it to the Conference Finals w/ Kane on the team within the next 2 seasons, 1st transfers, if conditions are not met, a 2024 2nd transfers instead)
Why this works for EDM: It's Patrick Kane. You're losing out on Broberg but for a player like Kane in a win-now window for EDM in McDavid & Draisatil's prime, you do this trade. EDM also parts with Devin Shore here, which opens up a roster spot for Oilers legend Sam Gagner. Puljujarvi is the body out replacement for Kane and that's a hole you'll definitely fit with Kane
Why this works for ANA: Anaheim gets a young player in Puljujarvi looking for a bounce-back season. With a TON of cap space they can certainly hold the cap space to retain on Kane, not to mention it will only cost them $750,000 in real cash. They barely have to part with anything big. And personally, Andersson & the 2nd can be interchanged to anything CHI scouts find fitting (around same value wise, nothing higher than a 1st)
Why this works for CHI: You get value for a pending UFA. Looking at Calgary here, if it's possible your pending FA won't resign its always a good idea to test the market. Dach, Debrincat & Hagel are already gone and CHI is in full firesale mode. Shore comes in as NHL level forward and can play a consistent role in the bottom 6. Broberg can very well play on that D-core and has high upside whereas Andersson will start in the AHL. You get 2 guaranteed 2nds ontop of this deal, and for this trade to be a success for EDM specifically, CHI will be receiving a 1st.
Next trade has not been speculated upon but is needed to happen. Oilers free up 3 mil in cap space while doing so. Barrie for Hakanpaa fills both teams needs. Barrie is your powerplay QB, puck moving, offensive defencemen that was lost with Klingberg. Hakanpaa is a shutdown, bottom pairing defensive defencemen that the Oilers desperately need. Dallas does pick up 3 mil here but are likely still able to sign Robertson & Oettinger regardless.
Onto free agency. Now that the Oilers lost Shore & Broberg, time to replace the two of them with current free agents. Shore is replaced with Gagner. Been speculated Gagner and the Oilers have been talking about a return and it's entirely possible. The London Knights 07 team reunion with Kane as well could help Gagner's case. Broberg is replaced with Ben Harpur. A player talked about frequently on OilersNow, which means that the Oilers are all but interested in Harpur. Not that he'd be my PERSONAL choice, but again seems like the most likely scenario. On the topic of defence, a particular defender who is left without a home is former Oiler Kris Russell. Who last season had to adapt and take on a 7th pairing role with the acquisition of Brett Kulak. In the beginning of the summer he wanted to test the market and sign with a contender, but that has not gone close to anywhere. This move itself has not been rumoured or even suggested. But if we do deal Broberg, we can lighten the load on LD with having all of Russell, Koekkoek, Niemelainen & Harpur vying for a spot (also starting 7 D). Since the 80s Oilers bringing in convicted murderer Craig MacTavish, the Oilers have been dubbed the land of 2nd chances. And one particular hockey player looking for a 2nd chance is none other than Jake Virtanen. The two most recent occurrences of this would be Evander Kane & Zack Kassian. Both players were acquired via free agency and trade, respectively at the lowest points of their careers due to off-ice issues. Not that Virtanen would be my first choice for a bottom 6 scoring option with Kessel & Milano still in free agency, this move is very well in the works as we speak. Not that he'll be given a contract guarenteed, but a PTO is coming and he'll have to earn his place.
Hawks decline. Broberg is a nice prospect but we already have like 14 D prospects. Our entire AHL defense saw NHL time last year. Hawks down need anymore D prospects. Nor do we want 2 2nds. It start with a 1st round pick and high end offensive prospect.
You spent a lot of time on this just to propose three trades that are all declined by the other team. Dallas doesn’t have the cap space for that. Barrie can’t defense. Jani can’t offense. Better to keep the cheaper player. Too much for Pulju. Not enough for Kane
Garak a aimé ceci.
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