Good morning everyone! It’s the 2017 NHL trade deadline and the Edmonton Oilers, for the first time in eleven years, are serious buyers. Last night, the Oilers dealt Brandon Davidson to Montreal in exchange for David Desharnais. Meg Fowler discussed that deal last night, and you can read it here.
Personally, I like the trade by the Oilers. While Davidson is a solid young defender, the club was likely to lose him in the expansion draft this summer and he had been passed by a few defenders on the Edmonton depth chart. Desharnais, while having a down year, has produced offense at the NHL level before and is solid in the faceoff circle.
As a third line center, Desharnais is a pretty good bounce back candidate for the Oilers. I think he’s an upgrade on Drake Caggiula and am willing to take a risk on a player who scored over 40 points two seasons ago. Something tells me that with a new team, Desharnais will be a solid addition for the Oilers.
As for this blog, it will be updated throughout the day with the latest Oiler happenings. I’ll be posting individual blogs for each deal made (if any), but all rumors and Oiler trades will be added to the timeline here. Check back early and often!
Here’s our first few Oiler rumors:
EDM trying to move remaining cap hit for Andrew Ference ($3.25M), up at the end of this season. Would create flexibility.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Ference is likely to never play in the NHL again, so the only reason for this would be to free up cap space to make another addition. I think this move may be connected to adding a winger like Radim Vrbata (who has bonus issues), Thomas Vanek or Jarome Iginla. This seems like the first domino that would fall for Edmonton today.
As for landing spots for this contract, Arizona is the obvious one, but Carolina and New Jersey also could make sense to eat the final six weeks of this deal.
My guess is Oilers shift their sights towards a rental winger, 3rd or 4th line. Money will be an issue, Draisaitl bonuses could be costly.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Iginla, Vanek, Vrbata, PA Parenteau and Teuvo Teravainen all could make sense for Edmonton in this spot. As mentioned above, I think anything else Edmonton does will be connected to what happens with Ference’s contract.
More as it happens…..
11:52 am est: Thomas Vanek is off the board for the Oilers. The talented winger has been traded by the Detroit Red Wings to Florida in exchange for a 3rd round draft choice. Not exactly a high price for a very good even strength goal scorer. Defender Dylan McIlrath is also headed to the Wings, who will eat 50% of Vanek’s salary.
12:04 pm est: The Vancouver Canucks have claimed forward Joseph Cramarossa off waivers from the Anahiem Ducks. Everyone else, including defender Mike Weber and forward Eric Fehr, cleared waivers. Last year, the Oilers claimed Adam Pardy and Adam Cracknell off waivers on deadline day, but nothing this year.
12:31 pm est: The Oilers were reportedly interested in Tampa’s Val Filppula, but that deal is reportedly now dead according to Joe McDonald.
The Oilers had interest in Tampa’s Valtteri Filppula but the deal is dead, according to a league source.
— Joe McDonald (@ESPNJoeyMac) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
I assume with David Desharnais now in the fold, Edmonton won’t be pursuing Filppula any further.
12:43 pm est: There are conflicting reports about Edmonton’s situation moving forward. Joe McDonald of ESPN reported on Twitter that the club was likely done for the day, but TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that Edmonton has yet to shut it down and the club still has irons in the fire.
Oilers aren’t shutting it down just yet, still have a few irons in the fire, we’ll see what if anything develops.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
I’d imagine that Edmonton is in the market for a veteran winger and a backup goalie.
12:49 pm est: Jarome Iginla, one player connected to the Edmonton Oilers, is off the board. The LA Kings have acquired the veteran pending a trade call. With Vanek and Iginla off the board now, where will Edmonton turn for wing help, if anywhere?
Still pending a trade call, so nothing official, but am told LA Kings and Colorado Avalanche finalizing a Jarome Iginla trade
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
12:57 pm est: The Oilers, who are looking for a backup goalie, were reportedly interested in Michal Neuvirth of the Flyers but that is no longer an option for the club. The Flyers have re-signed the veteran to a two-year deal worth $2.5 million per season.
Neuvy gets 2 years at $2.5M per.
— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Would Steve Mason, another pending UFA and Flyer goalie, be of interest to the Oilers at this point?
1:34 pm est: Bob Stauffer, team insider and color commentator for the Oilers, said on 630 CHED’s deadline coverage that he believes the Oilers are not done at this time.
Meanwhile, Hockeybuzz has the Edmonton Oilers interested in Philadelphia netminder Steve Mason. His stats are here.
1:48 pm est: The Oilers have traded veteran AHL forward Taylor Beck to New York Rangers for AHL forward Justin Fontaine. Beck has dominated the AHL this season, posting 13-37-50 in 40 games. Fontaine, meanwhile, has posted 9-21-30 in 50 AHL games with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Fontaine played in 60 NHL games a season ago, posting 5-11-16 in 60 games with the Minnesota Wild. He has not played in the NHL this season.
To Oilers: Justin Fontaine
To Rangers: Taylor Beck
— NHLNumbers (@NHLnumbers) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
2:33 pm est: The Oilers were interested in Val Filppula, as reported earlier, and now he is on the move. Filppula is off to Philly in exchange for defender Mark Streit, who also would have been a nice fit for the Oilers. Appears that draft picks will change hands in this deal as well.
2:51 pm est: Another potential target for the Oilers, forward PA Parenteau, has been traded to the Nashville Predators for a 6th round draft pick.
NJ trades Parenteau to NSH for 6th round pick, pending trade call.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Radim Vrbata, possibly the last scoring winger that makes sense, is likely to be dealt in the next few minutes. John Shannon of Sportsnet has Calgary, not Edmonton, making the push for him however.
Hearing the Flames in on Vrbata….talking.#NHLTrade
— John Shannon (@JSportsnet) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
2:55 pm est: Ottawa has traded Curtis Lazar to Calgary. The former Oil King was a rumored target of the Oilers.
The #Sens got a second and Jyrki Jokipakka for Curtis Lazar.
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) March 1, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
3:04 pm est: Radim Vrbata was not traded by the Arizona Coyotes today.
3:26 pm est: According to TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, the Edmonton Oilers are done. The team did not make an NHL trade today at the deadline. Bob Stauffer has echoed those sentiments over on 630 CHED.
3:45 pm est: The Oilers have signed OHL defender Ryan Mantha to a three-year entry level contract. Mantha was a 4th round pick by the Rangers in the 2014 NHL draft, and the 20 year old defender will turn pro next fall.
In 58 OHL games this season, Mantha has posted 14-37-51. Last season, in 65 games, Mantha posted 25 points. This year has certainly been his breakout season, and as a right-shot defender he’ll be a prospect of note in an area of need for the Oiler organization.
The IceDogs are currently 8th place in the Eastern Conference of the OHL and a deep playoff run would be a surprise. It’s likely that Mantha will join the Bakersfield Condors within the next month before his first full pro season next year.
He won’t impact the NHL roster this year or likely next, but Mantha gives the Oilers a decent prospect at an important spot moving froward.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
