Oilers linked to blockbuster trade offer to acquire Bruins captain Brad Marchand
The Edmonton Oilers have every reason to go all-in at the trade deadline, and one option on the table may be Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand.
The Oilers have been connected to Bruins forward Trent Frederic in trade as well, but new reports from NHL insiders suggest a bigger offer could be in the works.
Edmonton Oilers connected to blockbuster trade for Brad Marchand
According to Oilers analyst Allan Mitchell of the Athletic, reports from Boston suggest they really could look to deal Marchand in the final year of his contract if the Bruins continue to fall out of the playoffs.
Acquiring Marchand at the deadline would be something close to a perfect fit for the Oilers. If he does become available, Bowman and Edmonton should be aggressive in pursuing Marchand.
- Allan Mitchell
Mitchell evaluated the Oilers potential trade assets to acquire a player like Marchand, and they very well may not be enough.
Mitchell believes the Oilers could perhaps structure a deal around prospects Sam O'Reilly and Maxim Berezkin as best fits for the Bruins organization, but also that the Oilers could trade a prospect for an NHL ready player, and flip them for Marchand.
It's unlikely Boston management would view draft picks as a worthwhile centrepiece for Marchand. If Boston requires a young NHL player it's possible Edmonton could acquire that player from a club that's at the beginning of a rebuild process.
The San Jose Sharks are an example of a team that has recently been hospitable to such a trade, and any of Savoie, O'Reilly, Akey, Berezkin and or the picks might be enough to pry a substantial young NHL player loose from another team.
Any trade the Oilers would have to make for Brad Marchand would be extremely complex, not only to meet the trade assets necessary to acquire him but also to accommodate his salary. He's owed $6.125M until the end of this season.
Marchand is an elite two way player and one of the best pests in the NHL. He'd likely become the Oilers best winger, and alongside Draisaitl or McDavid, could put up great scoring numbers. This season, Marchand has 18 goals and 39 points in 52 games.
Trading for Marchand would be a major rental for the Oilers, and easily an all-in option for a rental addition. It's hard to imagine the Bruins trading their captain at the trade deadline, but if they do, the Oilers should be all in.
POLL |
JANVIER 29 | 219 ANSWERS Oilers linked to blockbuster trade offer to acquire Bruins captain Brad Marchand Will the Bruins really trade Brad Marchand if they fall out of the playoffs? |
Yes, they're a mess now | 129 | 58.9 % |
No | 90 | 41.1 % |
List of polls |
|
4 hours ago | By Ryan Hall Edmonton Oilers fan favourite prospect given league award in the AHL |
|
13 hours ago | By Ryan Hall NHL insider reveals trades are imminent through 4 Nations Faceoff break |
|
14 hours ago | By Liam McCormick The Edmonton Oilers should not trade for 20 goal forward on Chicago Blackhawks |
|
15 hours ago | By Liam McCormick Top six Oilers forward called out for having one of worst years of his career |
|
17 hours ago | By Ryan Hall Top NHL analyst adds smoke to John Gibson and Edmonton Oilers trade talks |
|
18 hours ago | By Ryan Hall GM Stan Bowman reveals unpopular trade deadline plans for Oilers fans |
|
19 hours ago | By Liam McCormick Former Oiler Jesse Puljujarvi signs tryout deal after contract termination |
|
21 hours ago | By Liam McCormick Oilers GM directly answers possibility of trading Jeff Skinner as cap dump |
Previously on Oilers Daily