Will the Edmonton Oilers trade Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
TSN: The Edmonton Oilers are in a serious salary cap crunch. They need to activate defenceman Andrej Sekera from injured reserve but do not have the cap space to allow it. They need $2 million to get Sekera back in the lineup.
The likely scenrio is to place both Brandon Manning and Alex Petrovic on waivers and demote both players to the AHL if they clear.
The Oilers have serious cap issues for next year and an option that has been discussed is to consider trading centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Trading the 25-year-old would clear $6 million in cap space.
Darren Dreger believes the Oilers will keep Nugent-Hopkins and trade smaller contracts in the off-season.
“Can’t imagine. I can’t imagine, unless it’s just a jaw-dropping offer,” Dreger said of trading Nugent-Hopkins. “Because when I look at the Edmonton Oilers, you can count on probably six – maybe seven – fingers how many players are players of substance – with all due respect to those who are earning a living as NHL players. And I’m not trying to be disrespectful.
Will the Nashville Predators target Artemi Panarin?
NBCSN: Bob McKenzie was on NBC and discussing the Nashville Predators. McKenzie reports GM David Poile is looking to make a big trade for another Stanley Cup run.
Nashville has interest in Artemi Panarin, Mark Stone or Matt Duchene. McKenzie states Poile could be willing to part with a first-round pick and perhaps a high-end prospect like Eeli Tolvanen.
Poile could also look at trading Kevin Fiala or Craig Smith along with draft picks to get Wayne Simmonds.
