NHL Trade Talk: 10 Trades That Would Shake Up the Season
The Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres have the chance to shake up the NHL this season—not through their performance on the ice but rather on the trade market.
Both clubs hold valuable trading chips that could decide the playoff fates of many contenders in both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference.
An intriguing aspect of the two franchises is the age of the players who are said to be available. These aren't grizzled veterans in the twilight of their careers but young players barely into their primes.
The potential suitors will be plentiful and the potential returns monumental.
As the rumor mill heats up, we'll evaluate some of the news coming out of Buffalo and Edmonton, as well as other potential moves that could shake the foundation of the league.
With a focus of probability in mind, here are the latest trade whispers in NHL circles.
David Perron for Brayden Schenn
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Edmonton Oilers forward David Perron is one of the big prizes available this season. The 26-year-old winger has been linked to the Philadelphia Flyers, according to speculation in the media.
As Jim Matheson of The Edmonton Journal points out, the Oilers need a second-line center and would likely ask for Brayden Schenn in a possible exchange.
Perron has tons of offensive creativity and the ability to create scoring opportunities on his own, as his 28 goals last year indicate. Though he just has three goals and eight assists in 24 games this season, matching him with a top-line center would surely boost his slumping stat line.
Perron would bulk up the Flyers' middling offense. His nonstop effort would be a huge asset that could propel the Flyers back into playoff contention.
Probability of Trade: Medium
The Oilers are in a position where they want to move a top-six forward. The question is, which one? Perron seems like the best candidate based on his age, position and possible return. The Flyers are a favorable trade partner, and this move makes sense.
If Not, How About the Flyers "Nailing" Down a Trade with the Oilers
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The Flyers and Oilers seem like a match made in heaven in this scenario. Edmonton also needs a defenseman, and Braydon Coburn and Luke Schenn could be available. Philadelphia likely would want Jordan Eberle in return, but 2012's first overall pick Nail Yakupov also might be available and of interest to the Flyers.
Any deal with the Oilers would likely involve either a defenseman or second-line center, but the fact that Yakupov, who carries seven points through 24 games, is involved is a revelation; he was seen as untouchable earlier this year.
If this trade goes down, the Flyers would add a formidable winger to their lukewarm 15th-ranked offense, while Edmonton would partially satisfy one of its big needs on defense.
What makes this trade interesting on a national scale more than anything else is the possibility that Yakupov is involved.
Probability of Trade: Low/Medium
Though Yakupov might not be the target, the likelihood of Schenn or Coburn getting traded to the Oilers seems a very real possibility.
Columbus Another Possible Destination for Perron
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Talks of Columbus landing Perron have some heat, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie (h/t Jim Matheson of The Edmonton Journal).
Matheson points out the familiarity of Perron with current Blue Jackets' general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who helped scout the winger for the St. Louis Blues in 2007.
Anisimov would give Edmonton a veteran center and 20-goal scorer, while Columbus would receive a talented winger to place in its top six.
If Perron performs for the Blue Jackets, it may snap them out of their current injury-riddled funk. Columbus is coming off a playoff season and was figured to be a strong contender this year. Shaking up the squad with a player of Perron's caliber might put the Blue Jackets back on the playoff radar.
Probability of Trade: High
This seems like another good trade idea and one that would benefit both teams. The added familiarity of Kekalainen with Perron bodes well for any trade talks between the two sides.
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Jordan Eberle for Craig Anderson
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Here's an interesting one...
The Ottawa Senators would send goaltender Craig Anderson to the Edmonton Oilers for winger Jordan Eberle.
The Oilers are in dire need of a starting goaltender (don't the Oilers need everything?), and Anderson certainly fits the bill. As Shawn Simpson of TSN conjectured on his Twitter account, any deal the Oilers would be involved in would likely require Anderson.
Eberle, 24, is a very hot commodity in the trade market, being linked to many of the teams listed in the previous trades. A prominent goal scorer for Edmonton, he scored 28 in 80 games last season.
The Senators likely would need to add more to this trade to get it to work. Defenseman Marc Methot could be a possible addition. The Oilers still would probably ask for more.
Ottawa would then hand the starting goaltending position to backup Robin Lehner, who was contending for the job in training camp.
This trade would be more significant for the Senators, who would add Eberle to a rebuilt forward roster that's seen mainstays Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza move on to other teams the past two seasons. It would likely boost the club into a legitimate playoff contender.
Edmonton would have a legitimate goalie and a possible reinforcement on the back end in Methot.
Probability of Trade: Low
Despite the need at goaltender, the Oilers can do better and younger than a 33-year-old Anderson.
Eberle to St. Louis Is Also an Option
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Jim Matheson of The Edmonton Journal is a busy man these days. It seems like every minute a player on the team he covers is getting mentioned in another trade rumor.
Another potential—and perhaps more realistic—destination for Eberle is St. Louis. The Blues likely would offer Patrik Berglund as the centerpiece in a package deal in return.
Berglund has been playing wing for St. Louis with the glut of pivots on the team but is a more natural center. That would be preferable for the Oilers, who are looking for a veteran presence down the middle.
St. Louis undoubtedly is a top-notch contender in the Western Conference, but it has struggled with a 16th-ranked offense. Eberle would make the Blues a much scarier offensive team and might make the team the one to beat out west.
Probability of Trade: Medium
This trade is a more realistic return for Eberle, assuming the package with Berglund would include a significant prospect or two. Berglund is a veteran at just 26 and would add much-needed grit to a soft Edmonton lineup.
Chris Stewart to a Contender
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Very similarly to Perron, Buffalo Sabres forward Chris Stewart is one of the top wingers on the trade block at the moment. According to The Fourth Period, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston, Dallas and Philadelphia have shown interest in the 27-year-old.
Stewart is a winger with an extreme amount of talent, but he's lacked consistency offensively throughout his career. After back-to-back 28-goal seasons, Stewart has failed to reach 20 in the past four campaigns. Through 23 games with the disastrous Sabres, he's notched just three points.
Despite this, being put on a formidable top-six unit would likely rid him of the sour taste of playing in Buffalo and reignite his career.
What would Stewart mean to the NHL world if he went to a contender? Whatever squad acquires him would be filling a hole with a dangerous scorer in its top six. If Stewart goes on a hot streak—as he did when he scored 15 goals in 26 games after being traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2010-11—it could mean home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
Probability of Trade: High
There's no denying the Sabres are looking to shop any and all players of value on the current roster for potential assets in the future. Stewart is going to go; the biggest question is to which team.
Don't Forget About Drew Stafford
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Lost in all the talk of Stewart moving is fellow teammate Drew Stafford. It would make all the sense in the world for the Sabres to rid themselves of arguably their best player. The longtime Sabres star has the offensive dynamism and track record of bringing tough corner play. A consistent double-digit scorer, at 29 years old and in his prime, Stewart has wasted away on a poor Buffalo team all season.
With the value a 30-goal scorer brings on the trade market, the Sabres could elect to trade both Stewart and Stafford, further bolstering their No. 1-ranked farm system (according to HockeysFuture.com) and chances at acquiring the oft-hyped Connor McDavid.
Though trade rumblings haven't been as loud for Stafford lately, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Boston have been speculated as possible destinations in the past.
Probability of Trade: Low
It may depend on the return, but Buffalo is likely to keep its home-grown talent for the foreseeable future.
Tyler Myers: Another Buffalo Player on the Move
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The 2010 Calder Trophy winner is another Buffalo player who finds himself on the block. The 24-year-old has struggled since his Calder year but could warrant a strong return based on his potential.
Chad DeDominicis of The Fourth Period notes a return would likely include one or two prospects, a roster player and a first-round pick.
In what would be a fitting pull, the Oilers would make a great candidate as trade partners with the Sabres, given the need for Edmonton to acquire a premier defenseman. Buffalo would likely ask for Eberle in return.
Like a potential Yakupov trade, the impact on the entire league would be the newsworthiness of a Myers trade—not necessarily the impact he would have on his new club.
Probability of Trade: High
Similar to the prospect Flyers-Oilers trade, a Myers' trade seems imminent with Edmonton being an excellent landing zone.
Mike Richards to Toronto
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The Los Angeles Kings could be looking to deal Mike Richards given his struggles over the past couple of seasons.
Richards' production has dipped since leaving the Flyers, but he still provided a boost to the Los Angeles Kings in their two Stanley Cup wins.
At just 29 years old, Richards would be a nice add to the Maple Leafs' top lines, potentially even centering the first line with James van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel.
The return would likely be in the way of prospects.
This would be a significant move for the Maple Leafs, who find their playoff prospects dipping in the Atlantic Division. Richards has the capability of being a solid two-way defender, which could help Toronto's 24th-ranked scoring defense.
Probability of Trade: Low
This one seems unlikely, as Richards has struggled the past two seasons. The former Philadelphia Flyers captain isn't the same player who scored nearly 70 points per season during his time in eastern Pennsylvania.
While Toronto may make a trade for a top-six forward, it's likely Richards wouldn't fit its needs systematically or from a production standpoint.
Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire a Top-Six Forward
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One of the prominent teams in the Eastern Conference, the Penguins are in need of a top-six forward or two to replace the injured Pascal Dupuis.
Among names that could make sense for the Penguins are those already stated—Perron, Eberle, Stafford and Stewart.
Pittsburgh has a pool of defensive prospects to deal from, and general manager Jim Rutherford has been aggressive in pursuing needs in the past.
If the Penguins are able to acquire a prominent winger in the mold of an Eberle, they would instantly become the unquestioned team to beat in the Eastern Conference.
Probability of Trade: High
As noted earlier, Rutherford has been diligent in getting players that his team needs. Regardless of this season, Pittsburgh needs another mainstay to pair on the top lines with either Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby.
All statistics courtesy of NHL.com.
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