The New York Islanders made the first big move of deadline season this past week when they acquired forward Kyle Palmieri from the New Jersey Devils. Palmieri, an Oilers target, was arguably the biggest name on the market. He wasn’t the only one, however. Wingers like Mike Hoffman and Taylor Hall are both possible movers who could fill big holes in Northern Alberta.
In order to get one of them, Oilers GM Ken Holland will need to get creative. Holland has virtually no cap space to work with, meaning if dollars are coming in, dollars need to go out. That, or the Oilers need to acquire a player that will allow them to expand their LTIR limit, something the Toronto Maple Leafs did on Friday.
Holland is willing to move money off the books to make an addition, and is willing to get creative to make it happen.
“That’s going to be determined between now and Monday,” Holland said when asked if he was willing to do some different things to make a trade happen. “You look around the League, in some deals, the teams retain salary, some deals they don’t retain salary. If a team has got a player and wants to get him moved and there are multiple teams after him and somebody wants to take on the full salary, that’s going to factor into the cost of the assets. So, there’s a bunch of different ways to get deals done.”
As for what Holland expects between now and then? Well, your guess is as good as his. Holland, as a buyer, isn’t in the driver’s seat. He’s chasing after the same players that other contenders are.
“I think that’s ultimately what transpires between now and Monday. It’s hard to handicap until you get on the phone,” Holland continued. “I was a buyer for a lot of years in Detroit, probably 15 years at least as a buyer. The last three years in Detroit when I was there we missed the playoffs and became a seller. It’s different. When I’m the seller, I’m answering phones and I’ve got someone people want. I control it a little bit more. When I’m a buyer, I’m making a call and telling someone I’m interested in his player. It’s poker. You’re playing poker. That’s the art of being a general manager at trade deadline time between now and Monday to get deals done.”
One way to get creative? Move the team’s 2021 first round pick. Edmonton hasn’t moved a first at the deadline in 15 years, when they traded a 2006 first to Minnesota in the Dwayne Roloson deal. Could that change in the next two days?
“I’m not going to trade a first for a rental,” Holland told the Edmonton media. “I guess if the player had some term I would be open to it.”
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