Oilers Looking to Clear Cap Space with Trade During Free Agency

Oilers Looking to Clear Cap Space with Trade During Free Agency NHL Trade Talk.

According to Jason Gregor of Sports 1440, the Oilers have gotten some business taken care of on the first day of free agency, but to do more of the things they have on their to-do list, additional moves might be coming. Specifically, it sounds like the team is thinking about making a trade to take someone off of their current roster.

Gregor writes:

By signing [Viktor] Arvidsson, C. Brown and J. Brown. Oilers sit at $81,066,667 with nine forwards, six D and two goalies. Holloway and Broberg have been qualified and have no arb, so likely will be around $2M combined. So that leaves them $4.933M to sign three forwards. Janmark at $1M would be $3.933M to sign two.”

Gregor then adds, “Look for Oilers to try and trade a roster player with some salary to free up more space.”

Who Are the Oilers Are Thinking About Trading?

After buying out Jack Campbell and losing Warren Foegele to the Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers only have a few players on the roster that might fit the type of trade Gregor describes. The first thing that comes to mind is trading Cody Ceci for an upgrade on the blue line. His name has come up in trade talks before.

Brett Kulak is another player who could attract interest if the Oilers were to make him available.

Finally, there is Evander Kane. Mark Spector on Sportsnet says that the Oilers tried to move Evander Kane and perhaps Cody Ceci at the draft. The 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast tweeted the following on Monday morning:

The @EdmontonOilers are taking calls on LW Evander Kane this morning, the #LetsGoOilers are looking at moving on from Kane but he has a NMC & he also just built a new house in the city so it sounds like Kane wants to stay but the organization feels different. Interesting story to follow today & throughout the summer if no trade can be had today.”

It’s not known how reliable this report is, but Elliotte Friedman reported earlier in the week that a rumor made its way around the NHL Draft that the Oilers had asked Kane to waive his no-move clause. Friedman also suggested that rumor was inaccurate but it was a developing story to watch.

Red Wings Sign Jack Campbell and Cam Talbot in Free Agency

Oilers Looking to Clear Cap Space with Trade During Free Agency NHL Trade Talk.