Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Just A Matter Of Time For A Trade In Edmonton

12/03/2015 at 4:09pm EST

from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,

There is a significant trade coming in Edmonton.

It could be tomorrow (least likely). It could be at the Feb. 29 National Hockey League Trade Deadline (less likely). Most likely it occurs in the lead up to the 2016 Entry Draft in June.

The reason: The original Oilers rebuild has failed (newsflash), and the new general manager — Peter Chiarelli — is assessing which of its parts can best be recycled into a legitimate No. 2, and perhaps also a No. 3 defenceman. Teams don’t trade No. 1 blue-liners, so that’s out of the question.

There is still much talent in Edmonton, but it’s clear to all that the original blueprint is a loser, and the new architect has to swing the wrecking ball — to some extent — in Edmonton. However, significant trades are nearly impossible to do mid-season, when everyone’s cap/budget is locked in. Also, history tells us good defencemen seldom move mid-season, and clearly Chiarelli doesn’t favour the New York Islanders’ ask for Travis Hamonic, or that deal would have been completed a month ago.

continued

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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