The Minnesota Wild and the Edmonton Oilers have a long history of trades helping out both sides. Could they be interested in making another deal this fall?
Whether it’s Dwayne Roloson to Edmonton, or Kyle Brodziak to the Minnesota Wild, Tom Gilbert and Nick Schultz being swapped, or Ilya Bryzgalov coming to Minnesota, it is hard to look at either team without seeing more potential for trades to the benefit of both sides.
The Edmonton Oilers are currently in need of a Right shot defensemen, due to the potentially season ending injury to Andrej Sekera. Coincidentally, the Minnesota Wild happen to be loaded with a cupboard full of high end right-shot defense.
Obviously, Matt Dumba is someone who is not an option and not even worth discussing at this point. Edmonton are way too close to the cap and Dumba’s $6 Million per year would make him the highest paid defender on their team.
Jared Spurgeon could be an interesting option, as he is originally from the Edmonton area and could be willing to waive his no-movement clause for a chance to play for his hometown team.
Minnesota Wild
Spurgeon is also making over $5 Million per year and would require a huge trade return (perhaps Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?), and more than a 1-for-1 from Edmonton to try to make the cap numbers work, so highly unlikely as well.
If we go to the other end of the spectrum, Minnesota’s prospect cupboard has some options as well. Louie Belpedio immediately jumps to mind as a right shot D that could draw some interest, or possibly Brennan Menell who just finished an impressive trip to the prospect tournament and a positive training camp.
Edmonton is likely looking for players proven to be NHL ready though, as they would want someone to play on their second pairing with LD Darnell Nurse. So prospects with no NHL experience would be a tough sell and warrant little in return.
So, now that I’ve hit on the unlikely options, who else is left that could draw their interest in making a deal similar to the Gilbert/Schultz trade, which benefits both teams without making a huge cap impact?
Two players jump to mind, Nate Prosser and Ryan Murphy.
Murphy is a little tough to validate, as he was a former 1st round pick who has struggled to translate his junior success to the NHL level. He played only 21 NHL games with the Minnesota Wild last year, but finished with a positive plus/minus.
His prospect bio (on eliteprospects.com) suggests he reads plays well, has great vision, and good be an asset on the man advantage. It may not be exactly what they are looking for, but he could provide a potent powerplay option for their team.
Prosser has been a steady NHL soldier for the Wild for the better part of the last 7 seasons, always on the cusp of a permanent position, bouncing between 6th and 7th D. He is a proven NHL quality player, he plays a defensive game but is capable of the 2-way play that makes him great in transition going both directions, and could be worth a team looking at him as something more than a bottom pairing option.
When injuries have struck in recent years, Prosser is always the first man up to take on the added minutes. He’s capable of jumping up to the first or second pairing when called upon, and never looks like a liability on the ice. The exact type of player who could be a great fit for the Edmonton Oilers.
Both Prosser and Murphy carry only a $650,000 cap hit, which is currently the NHL minimum allowable contract. I think Prosser looks like the better fit for Edmonton, which allows Murphy to slot in as the 7th D in Minnesota after a solid camp performance from him.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, who on Edmonton is worth looking at in return? Is there anyone that the Oilers could offer which would appear to be a mutually beneficial deal for both sides?
The Minnesota Wild do not actually appear to need anything to help with the roster this year. The 18-man roster already has a lot of players vying for not enough positions, so the way to look at a deal like this would be in stocking the cupboard for the future.
The Oilers prospect cupboard has a few options that really stand out, but may be unattainable. Former 1st round picks Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto have both been having stellar training camps this month, but are fighting for NHL jobs in Edmonton which would make them expensive pieces, too expensive for Prosser or Murphy alone.
The realistic option for the Minnesota Wild if they are willing to pull the trigger on a deal for Murphy or Prosser would be looking at a mid-level AHL prospect to boost the Iowa Wild roster this year, and a mid-to-late-round draft pick in next year’s draft.
Colin Larkin is the younger brother of Detroit Red Wing’s star forward Dylan Larkin. At 25 years old, he’s only just finished NCAA and turned pro, but family pedigree could be on his side. The same could be said about Nolan Vesey, younger brother of New York Ranger’s Jimmy Vesey.
Tyler Benson is a 19 year old currently expected to be among the top forwards for Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, possibly on a line with Vesey, and could be a very reasonable ask in return for an NHL ready defender.
Benson or Vesey may be too valued to get a late round pick as well, but would be worth settling on a one-for-one deal. Either could be a great fit for the top 2 lines in Iowa.
The Minnesota Wild forward prospect cupboard in Iowa is starting to get a little depleted, with everyone NHL ready and not many players developing beneath them. Edmonton is looking for a right shot defender, and Minnesota has plenty to offer. So it would make sense for Paul Fenton to get Peter Chiarelli on the phone and try to find a deal that benefits both sides
Do you think there is a deal to be had here? Is there anyone on Edmonton you feel is better value in a trade? Let us know in the comments