In today’s rumor rundown, the Edmonton Oilers are assumed to be trying to move some money around in an effort to add offensive depth and one reporter suggests the team is putting on a full-court press. Meanwhile, the Senators might consider trading defenseman Cody Ceci. The Flyers have shown they might be ready to move on some depth pieces and most insiders believe the Bobrovsky and Blue Jackets marriage is over.
The Oilers Trying to Move Money?
A recent article by Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal suggests the Edmonton Oilers have talked to teams about forward Ryan Spooner and are actively trying to move him. Part of that trade is because Spooner has not provided any of the offense they were hoping he would when the acquired him. The other part is that he makes a sizeable salary and that if the Oilers are to add another forward, they need to shift his money elsewhere.
If the Oilers were to acquire a top-six forward, and even if the other team retained some salary, the Oilers would likely need to move out salary.
There is very little interest in Spooner so that might leave Edmonton in a situation where other moves are necessary to improve the team. Leavins asks if the Oilers would consider trading pending free agent goaltender Cam Talbot? Both Talbot and Mikko Koskinen are free agents and it’s not likely both will return to the team. Koskinen as a no-movement clause, thus Talbot is the easier contract to shed.
Another reporter, TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, reports that the team has put on a “full-court press to find help at forward.” Rishaug goes so far as to say that the Oilers may be willing to part with their first-round pick, a goaltender and a young developing forward, though no specific players are mentioned.
Related: NHL Rumors: Simmonds and the Jets, Leafs Goaltending, More
Senators May Consider Trading Cody Ceci
Bob McKenzie was on TSN 1200 and said that it’s possible that the Ottawa Senators could trade pending restricted free agent defenseman Cody Ceci. He explained that the Senators have a few choices with Ceci so the team won’t give him away.
He notes:
“Contractually, they still own him. They could qualify him, or do another deal, or whatever the case may be – but he’s not unrestricted, he’s not walking out the door. You have some control over the player, but not a ton either. He’s getting on. So on that one I think there’ll likely be conversations.”
Ceci was not one of the main guys to be moved out of Ottawa — that distinction went to Matt Duchene, Mark Stone, and Ryan Dzingel — but it goes to show that the Senators are potentially going to hold a firesale before the trade deadline, moving everything except their best young prospects.
Related: NHL Rumors: William Karlsson, Ducks, Devils, More
The Ball Rolling in Philadelphia
When the Philadelphia Flyers traded Jordan Weal to the Arizona Coyotes it was taken as a sign that the franchise is ready to start dealing some depth pieces. NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jordan Hall suggests that winger Michael Raffl and defenseman Christian Folin could be next.
Hall notes that Raffl has a resume as a fairly consistent 10-15 goal scorer, but this season he’s taken a step back offensively. Folin might garner interest simply because he’s a right-shot defender. Both are pending unrestricted free agents.
Related: NHL Rumors: Edler Trade, Marner Negotiations, More
Bobrovsky Hasn’t Been Happy All Year
Regardless of the fact that the Columbus Blue Jackets and Sergei Bobrovsky have ironed out the issues over the ‘incident’ but that things aren’t close to settled. Most believe the two sides are headed for an inevitable divorce. Elliotte Friedman said on Toronto’s Sportsnet 590, “I don’t think there is a future. I think the future is he’ll play somewhere else next year.”
Friedman continued that there was to be a meeting over the summer with Artemi Panarin, Bobrovsky and GM Jarmo Kekalainen but Bobrovsky never showed. Friedman said, “Bobrovsky apparently has never gotten over some things that were said after the playoff loss last year, and he didn’t show up for the meeting, so everything started off on a bad foot this year. And it has continued.
Jim Parsons is a freelance writer who covers the Edmonton Oilers and news and rumors posts here at The Hockey Writers.
You can also catch him writing at NHLtradetalk.com, The Sportster and hosting weekly video casts, THW News and Rumors Rundown, plus Oilers Overtime.
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