Oilers limited with cap space and tradeable assets
Allan Mitchell of The Athletic: Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland may want to add some pieces before the March 21st trade deadline, but they have limited salary cap space.
The Oilers have five players currently on the LTIR – Oscar Klefbom, Josh Archibald, Alex Stalock, Mike Smith and Kris Russell – and haven’t been able to bank salary cap space. Any move would have to be money-in, and money-out.
The Oilers don’t have 2022 second-, third- and fourth-round picks. Philip Broberg is their best trade asset, along with their first-round pick. Those assets would be brought up in any Jakob Chychrun or Marc-Andre Fleury trade talks.
Other potential trade candidates could include Mikko Koskinen, Zack Kassian and Kyle Turris.
Has Dmitri Samorukov and Markus Niemelainen’s progress made Broberg expendable?
Bruins and Rask talking, but not about a contract yet
Eric Russo of BostonBruins.com: Bruins president Cam Neely on unrestricted free agent goaltender Tuukka Rask, who has been practicing with the Bruins for the past few weeks. The sides continue to talk but their contract discussions haven’t started.
“I know Don and Tuukka’s agent had some discussions,” said Neely. “I don’t think they’ve talked contract just yet. Certainly wanted to see Tuukka ramp up in practice and whatnot. Unfortunately, what’s gone on with the pause here, he’s not getting NHL shots on him right now. I think that’s what he was looking forward to was to get ramped up a little bit more these last few weeks of December and early January.”
Will Tarasenko still want to be traded?
Mike McKenna of Daily Faceoff: Given the way things have gone this season, wonders if St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko still wants to be traded.
It would be easy for fans to turn on him, but during the game on December 17th where he scored two goals, they were chanting his name. He’s leading the team in scoring with 29 points in 31 games on a line with Pavel Buchnevich and Ivan Barbashev.