In today’s NHL rumors rundown, are the Edmonton Oilers done after adding Connor Murphy via trade from the Chicago Blackhawks? As part of the conversation about the Oilers getting better, one trusted insider dropped a cryptic hint that Connor McDavid might not stick out his extension. Meanwhile, are the Carolina Hurricanes looking at Elias Pettersson, and are there possible changes coming to management and coaching in Toronto? Finally, could Auston Matthews and/or Brady Tkachuk ask for trades from their respective teams?
Was the Murphy trade the first of what could be several trades over the next 24-48 hours? The Oilers seemingly got ahead of the market, but they might not be done. This deal might also trigger other moves.
The Edmonton Oilers traded for Connor Murphy on Monday, strengthening their blue line with a defense-first style blueliner. It was a solid deal for the Oilers, who got half of Murphy’s salary retained, and did a bit of cap gymnastics to make the trade work. But, they might not be done.
Speculation is that they will pivot towards targeting a right-shot center and Nicolas Roy of the Toronto Maple Leafs could be on their radar.
Related: Oilers’ Chances of Winning the Cup Being Held Back by Nurse & His Contract
Meanwhile, Pierre LeBrun dropped a cryptic comment on a recent show, suggesting that if whatever moves the Oilers don’t work and if they fade away early in the playoffs, it could impact McDavid’s future.
LeBrun said:
“That team is very interesting to me right now, let’s just put it that way. Because let’s not forget that even though Connor McDavid signed a two-year extension in September, and that seemed to quiet the waters, he did so in a way that gave me the impression from talking to people he kind of put the Oilers on notice, like we need to keep knocking at the door here. So just because he signed a two-year extension doesn’t mean he has to play that extension out in Edmonton if you want to read between the lines. So there’s a lot of pressure there in Edmonton right now to get this roster in the best possible position they can be in to go for another deep run here.”
Never shy to throw out a hot take or two, former NHL player and OverDrive co-host Jeff O’Neill implied on Monday that he wouldn’t be surprised if one or both of Auston Matthews and Brady Tkachuk request trades from their respective teams. Noting that there seems to be a never-ending run of drama with both franchises, Matthews might look to leave Toronto and Tkachuk Ottawa as early as this offseason.
O’Neill said:
“It would not shock me if, at the end of this season, Brady Tkachuk and Auston Matthews said that’s probably enough for me. I’m not kidding you. Like it would not shock me if both of them said thanks but no thanks. Maybe it’s time to move on. And by the way, their tenures with their teams — that’s an eternity in sports. It’s not like they’ve been there for a couple of years. They’ve been there a long time, man. Auston Matthews has been here for 10 years. What’s Brady Tkachuk, seven or eight years in Ottawa? Yeah, it wouldn’t shock me if both of them said, ” Check please. “
LeBrun also noted, “Carolina is a team that, at different times over the last year and a half, has had conversations with the Canucks.” He wondered whether Elias Pettersson was back on their radar and how much the Carolina Hurricanes were willing to trade for him.
There are questions about the future of the coach and management in Toronto, given how badly this season has gone. Many will point to how the team was constructed and coached, which could mean a stressful summer for both GM Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube.
LeBrun noted, “I don’t think anyone can answer for sure whether the GM or coach is back next year.”
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