In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Elliotte Friedman went into detail on two possible trades for the Edmonton Oilers. One is with a player on the main roster, and another is for one who was just placed on waivers. Meanwhile, is there any chance that Auston Matthews winds up being traded to the San Jose Sharks? Finally, Linus Ullmark has taken a leave from the Ottawa Senators for personal reasons.
Could the Oilers Trade Philp and Mangiapane?
During the most recent 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman explained that a healthy roster for the Edmonton Oilers may squeeze out a couple of forwards. Specifically, with Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson getting hot in the AHL, Friedman noted that a struggling Andrew Mangiapane might be on the outside looking in.
Friedman explains:
“I understand that one of the names that could be affected is Andrew Mangiapane. He started the year in a bigger role, and lately he’s struggled to find both ice time and consistency. In his last 10 games, three of them were under 10 minutes. In fact, he’s only had three games over 11 minutes…”
Friedman adds that Mangiapane might be open to a better opportunity elsewhere. He has a no-trade clause this year, but there’s an understanding that if he can be traded to a team where he’d have a bigger role, he’d be willing to waive. “This isn’t a hard trade demand or anything like that. It’s more a realization, like Marchment, that it just isn’t working in that spot,” said Friedman.
Related: Pros and Cons of David Tomasek’s Exit From the Oilers
Friedman also notes that Noah Philp going on waivers might not be the end of his story. He noted, “I’ve had people tell me that if he clears waivers — and he might, he might not — this story might not be over. I think there are teams interested in him, but some may want the flexibility to send him down. If you claim a player on waivers, you can’t send him down for a month. If he clears waivers and is traded instead, that flexibility exists.” He adds, “He’s a big, right-shot center, and teams are killing themselves for those kinds of players. I have to think there’s interest out there. That’s definitely something to keep an eye on.”
Auston Matthews to the Sharks?
After nine seasons built around a star-studded core that consistently delivered in the regular season but failed in the playoffs, some analysts believe the Toronto Maple Leafs are at a crossroads. Trade speculation has surrounded the team this season, with some starting to talk about the idea of an Auston Matthews move.
Nick Kypreos recently floated a potential deal with the Los Angeles Kings, while Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon went further this week, predicting Toronto could trade Matthews to the San Jose Sharks. Dixon wrote:
“After missing the playoffs by two points, the Leafs will have a cards-on-the-table talk with captain Auston Matthews that results in him being dealt to the Sharks for a package built around Michael Misa.”
Ultimately, whether the Matthews speculation slows down hinges on whether Toronto can salvage its season.
Ullmark Takes Leave from the Senators
The Ottawa Senators announced Sunday that goaltender Linus Ullmark is taking a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. General manager Steve Staios released a statement that the organization fully supports Ullmark and will not provide further details out of respect for his privacy.
Ottawa will likely designate Ullmark as a non-roster player.
