NHL Trade Rumors: Latest on Tyson Barrie, David Krejci and More

The Edmonton Oilers are not finished making moves to improve their team for the the 2016-17 season. When they traded former No. 1 pick Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for defenseman Adam Larsson, it was a move that made a bold statement.

Larsson is a solid defenseman with a bright future, but he simply does not appear to be the impact player Hall can be when he turns on the jets and takes a direct line to the net.

The statement was that the Oilers needed to improve on defense, and while Larsson helps in that area, it seems unlikely that general manager Peter Chiarelli believes that enough moves have been made to turn the Oilers into a good defensive team.

A better team? Yes. A good team? No.

That's why the talk of the Oilers acquiring defenseman Tyson Barrie from the Colorado Avalanche is still alive. Those rumors have been out there for a while, and they will remain in the forefront until Avs coach Patrick Roy and general manager Joe Sakic say that Barrie is not available.

That has not happened, and David Staples of the Edmonton Journal expects Chiarelli to make a move for Barrie if the Colorado asking price is not too high.

If the asking price does not fit the Oilers' budget, Staples believes that Chiarelli could turn to the Anaheim Ducks, who appear to have enough strength on the blue line that they could afford to make a trade.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins are also in need of help on the blue line. Boston—Chiarelli's former team—did not sign any of the restricted free agents to an offer sheet, but CSNNE Bruins reporter Joe Haggerty reported that the Bruins are interested in free agent Kris Russell.

Even if Russell signs with Boston, the Bruins may be interested in trading for a defenseman. Haggerty pointed out that the Bruins would be willing to offer No. 2 center David Krejci or No. 3 center Ryan Spooner for help on the blue line.

Moving Krejci would certainly net the Bruins more than trading Spooner. Krejci is one of the most creative playmakers in the league, and he is a proven playoff stud. He was the league's leading postseason scorer in 2011, when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup, and he repeated that feat in 2013, when Boston got to the Stanley Cup Final and lost to Chicago.

General manager Jim Benning of the Vancouver Canucks is not done making moves to improve his team for the 2016-17 season, either. His big move was signing Loui Eriksson in free agency, but Jason Botchford of the Province said the Canucks want to make a move for another impact player. That player would almost certainly be a forward, since the Canucks need scoring help.

Benning basically admitted that he had more moves to make. 

“If I had a crystal ball, I would say we’d try to add a winger who had some grit and size to him, who can score,” Benning told Botchford.