Is Lamoriello eyeing Patrick Kane?
Stefen Rosner of NYI Hockey Now: At the NHL trade deadline, the New York Islanders will have $10.895 million in available cap space, enough to fit in Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane. The Islanders could also get the Blackhawks to retain some salary.
The asking price for Kane may not be as high as many think. It may cost a first, second and a top prospect. Last year Claude Giroux went for a first, third and a top prospect Owen Tippett.
Kane is better than Giroux, so that is why it may cost a second and not a third. The Islanders top prospect is Aatu Raty, but he should be included.
Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello may not want to move his draft picks as they’ve traded their first-round picks in the past three drafts.
Tab Bamford: Patrick Kane has “been on Lou Lamoriello’s radar” since Lou was the GM of the New Jersey Devils. He has wanted to acquire Kane for years and he has asked the Blackhawks about Kane while he has been with the Islanders.
Will the Edmonton Oilers take a run at Erik Karlsson?
TSN: Darren Dreger notes that the Edmonton Oilers blue line was a concern heading into this season and it continues to be the case.
“The Oilers need a top defenceman. Now, do they get wild and crazy and try to swing for the fences and try to get in on Erik Karlsson of the San Jose Sharks? It seems impossible that they could do that but there’s some around the organization with interest.
The problem is that their key veteran defencemen in Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci are playing too much and their younger guys like Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg aren’t quite ready yet. As we saw, Bouchard was benched in a 3-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday.”
Upgrading the Oilers’ blue line will be a priority for GM Ken Holland.
Lowetide: “I don’t know that the Oilers will target Erik Karlsson, but if you look at Ken Holland’s history that’s a good match for his preferred procurement path. Older, big name, available.”
