In today’s NHL news and rumors rundown, do the Edmonton Oilers have the sweetener they need to move the Jack Campbell contract in a trade? Meanwhile, are the New Jersey Devils going to have a great deal of money available to go shopping ahead of the trade deadline? The Washington Capitals are rumored to be interested in Andrei Kuzmenko and it might only be a matter of time before the Vancouver Canucks move the forward.
Is Philip Broberg Enough of a Sweetener to Move Jack Campbell?
As per Darren Dreger, Oilers’ defenseman Philip Broberg is gaining recognition across the NHL while playing for Bakersfield in the AHL. As a top-pairing defenseman, he consistently logs impressive ice time, ranging between 25 and 27 minutes per night. It has reportedly caught the eye of several teams. When asked about the possibility of Broberg being a trade candidate this season, Dreger said yes, then shed light on a potential trade scenario.
The Oilers find themselves eager to make a move involving Jack Campbell, who is also part of the Bakersfield roster. However, unlike Broberg, Campbell’s performance has not been outstanding. To facilitate a successful trade of Campbell, who carries a $5 million per season contract for the remaining years, General Manager Ken Holland may need to sweeten the deal. Dreger speculates that Broberg could be the ideal sweetener in this context.
He notes:
“A trade seems the most likely, but here’s an interesting twist. Maybe it’s not just Broberg for an asset coming back to the Edmonton Oilers. Maybe Broberg becomes the sweetener so they can also move Jack Campbell’s contract so they can free up a little cap space.”
Are the Devils Going to Be Big Spenders Thanks to Hamilton’s LTIR Status?
While Dreger discussed the Oilers and Broberg, in the same TSN Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun suggested the Devils could be heavy buyers leading into the trade deadline. The main reason is that it’s probable that Dougie Hamilton will remain out of action until the playoffs.
His absence creates a void and an opportunity for the Devils. With a substantial $9 million cap hit available, LeBrun suggests the team may pursue a defenseman and explore the possibility of acquiring a goaltender. The team might not be in a huge rush considering the emergence of Simon Nemec, but GM Tom Fitzgerald is likely going to look to spend the money now made available by Hamilton’s LTIR status.
Are the Capitals Looking at Kuzmenko?
With Andrei Kuzmenko emerging as a potential trade target for teams, Capitals’ General Manager Brian MacLellan is rumored to be seeking a young scorer to enhance the team’s offense. As reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Washington is among the teams weighing the possibility of acquiring Kuzmenko.
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The forward appears to have fallen out of favor with the Canucks, experiencing reduced ice time and being a healthy scratch in Tuesday night’s game against the Nashville Predators. Friedman threw the Caps name out there but acknowledges that the Capitals may not be the optimal destination for the 27-year-old forward, considering the limited assets they can offer in return.
The Canucks May Keep Kuzmenko Out of the Lineup
While the club has said they’d like to help him find his groove again, numerous analysts, including Rick Dhaliwal and TSN’s Craig Button have expressed apprehensions about Kuzmenko’s situation. Both underscored the need to deploy him in goal-scoring positions rather than restricting him to a grinder or energy role.
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Specifically, Dhaliwal says the concern isn’t that he’s just not scoring, but he’s got no assists either. Jeff Paterson writes, “…so much focus on Kuzmenko’s diminished goal scoring this season (6 goals in 29 games), but how about fact he hasn’t had an assist since November 15th vs NYI — and has seen plenty of PP1 time since then.”
He’s not sure Kuzmenko will get back into the lineup the way the Canucks are currently playing.
