In today’s NHL rumors rundown, one insider believes the Calgary Flames were also considering offer sheets for players from the Edmonton Oilers. Meanwhile, the Oilers continue to look for a defenseman. The Montreal Canadiens are open to making trades on just about anyone. Finally, is another insider linking Nazem Kadri back to the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Did Flames Plan to Offer Sheet Holloway and Broberg?
Jeff Marek of The Sheet has reported during the first episode of his podcast that the Calgary Flames were one of three teams that considered an offer sheet to former Edmonton Oilers players Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg. Marek wasn’t sure who the third team was, only that the Blues were actually less likely than the Flames for a minute because St. Louis needed to make a trade to get their pick back from the Penguins.
Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Marner, Stolarz, Minten, Nylander & Matthews
Marek also believes there is legitimate interest by the Toronto Maple Leafs to look at trading for Flames’ forward Nazem Kadri. “I have a hard time believing that somewhere down the road that the Maple Leafs don’t make a pitch for, or have a conversation about Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames,” he noted.
Marek is not the first insider to talk about a Kadri and Toronto reunion. Doug McLean mentioned it a couple of weeks ago and Sportsnet’s Eric Francis still isn’t sure if Kadri is fully committed to a rebuild if the Flames start to falter this season. The belief is that the Maple Leafs need depth and grit at center and Kadri fills that need. The salary situation is the one thing that makes him returning a long shot.
Oilers Top-4 Defenseman Trade Targets
The Oilers are reportedly still active in their search for a top-four defenseman. Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer recently highlighted the team’s interest in adding a puck-moving blueliner, ideally someone with term remaining on their contract.
Early speculation has the team linked to names like Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers, Ben Chiarot of the Detroit Red Wings, and Nick Jensen of the Ottawa Senators. Allan Mitchell of The Athletic mentioned a few names as well but added that a conversation needs to be had between the cost of rentals versus non-rentals.
He writes:
For Bowman, there must be a clear line between rental price (second-round picks or lower, mid-level prospects and unsigned European draft picks) and names that have a real chance to play a feature role in Edmonton over the next several seasons.
source – ‘Which defencemen should the Edmonton Oilers target in a trade?’ – Allan Mitchell – The Athletic – 12/01/2024
David Savard and Mike Matheson of the Montreal Canadiens are also targets the Oilers might consider.
Canadiens GM Kent Hughes Open to Trade Deadline Offers
Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is keeping his options open ahead of the NHL trade deadline, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. Speaking on TSN Radio, Dreger noted that Hughes is listening to offers on a wide range of players. “Kent Hughes is listening to just about anything that would help the Canadiens,” Dreger said.
He added:
“It’s more about the future. You look at the players you mentioned—Jake Evans, Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, David Savard, and Mike Matheson—and you think, ‘How would they fit in long-term?’ Then you balance that with what the market is presenting and what might be offered for one of those players.”
Dreger added that the Canadiens might prefer to keep Evans, who has been a solid contributor in their bottom six.
In other Canadiens news, they are getting Patrik Laine back in their lineup.