Edmonton Oilers An Early Favorite For Patrick Kane
David Staples of the Edmonton Journal: The Chicago Blackhawks know at some juncture Patrick Kane will likely be traded. It becomes a question of when and to whom. Early odds seem to favor the Edmonton Oilers. Again, this is very early in any process.
According to Sports Betting AG, Edmonton stands at early +300 odds to land the talented three-time Stanley Cup winning forward. NHL insider John Shannon tosses a few ounces of truth into the theory of why Edmonton is favored over teams like the Rangers, Avalanche, Kings, and Sabres.
Emotional betting is a very real concept. Betting sites understand that fans bet emotionally and that the Edmonton fanbase is very passionate. Edmonton has numerous cap concerns. This is where teams like the Rangers, Kings, and Sabres make more sense.
Thanks to Puckpedia, here is a bit more on the math side of the equation. Even with a third team in scenario, retention would still cause a $2.625 million cap hit. Edmonton would still have to make some moves.
To Trade Or Not To Trade Jesse Puljujarvi?
David Staples of the Edmonton Journal: Jesse Puljujarvi remains a polarizing figure in Edmonton. Will he or will he not get traded this time? He forechecks like few forwards but unfortunately cannot finish or set things up well. It would be different if Puljujarvi did two out of the three things. On second thought…
However, Puljujarvi was better than most Edmonton forwards at setting up plays. He certainly was not the worst even if it looked like it. The winger has moments of greatness but took a step back in the playoffs. That is where the problem lies.
Perhaps the player was banged up a bit. That notion makes some sense. Trading Puljujarvi feels foolhardy as the forward was one of the better players on Edmonton last year. If only he could finish a little more often, but maybe that is something which comes with time. After all, Puljujarvi’s career has been far from easy as an Oiler.
