Trading Down with Montreal

As we all know, the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft belongs to the Edmonton Oilers. Every Oiler fan is wondering what the Oilers will do with that pick this Friday. Will they keep the pick? If so, who will they take? Or will they trade the pick? If they trade the pick, will they trade it for a much-needed right shot defenceman, or will they trade down to acquire more assets?

Sportsnet’s Eric Engels recently wrote a piece about what the Montreal Canadiens might do at the draft. One of the possible scenarios that Engels mentions is Montreal trading up with the Oilers. It’s thought that the Canadiens would like to take center Pierre-Luc Dubois, whom Engels mentions was born 45 minutes north of Montreal.

The Canadiens hold the ninth overall selection. What would it take for Canadiens’ GM Marc Bergevin to trade up with the Oilers? Here’s what Engels says:

Whether or not Bergevin has the goods to entice Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli to make the trade is an entirely different story. His package would have to start with budding defenceman Nathan Beaulieu, and it would almost certainly have to include another considerable asset or two.

A few thoughts…

First, Beaulieu, the seventeenth overall pick in the 2011 draft, is an intriguing player, but the problem with trading for Beaulieu is that he’s a left shot defenceman. The Oilers currently have an abundance of young left shot defenders (Brandon Davidson, Darnell Nurse, Griffin Reinhart, and Jordan Oesterle).

Second, what would “another considerable asset or two” be? One of those assets could be the Canadiens’ second round pick (39th overall) or a B-level prospect. Maybe the Oilers could buy low on Noah Juulsen.

Finally, based on the chatter I’ve heard, it appears that if the Oilers do trade down, they would want to take defenceman Mikhail Sergachev. But it’s unlikely that Sergachev will be available with the ninth pick.

I would rate the possibility of the Oilers trading down with the Canadiens as a long shot. But who knows, right?

Until June 24th, we wait.