Major trade brewing between Leafs and Oilers?

Their playoff elimination has put this rumour on the table!

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Published 3 years ago
Major trade brewing between Leafs and Oilers?
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Both NHL hub cities, Edmonton and Toronto, were eliminated in the qualifying round and now the Oilers and Maple Leafs are left with playoff action in their buildings without being able to take part in it. 

They both know changes will need to be made in order to become a true Stanley Cup contender and that’s what might have prompted NHL insider Elliotte Friedman to hint at a possible trade between the Oilers and Maple Leafs in his latest 31 Thoughts on Sportsnet. 

In his column, Friedman wondered if there might be a fit between Toronto and Edmonton regarding the Leafs’ wingers. He pointed out Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl need help up front - they pretty much do it all on the roster. The two clubs were close to making moves prior in the past, like Connor Brown before he went to the Ottawa Senators. It could be possible that this time around, a trade gets done between the Leafs and Oilers. 

Ever since the Leafs were eliminated from the postseason, there have been talks of forward William Nylander getting pushed on the trade block. However, making the cap space work will be an issue for the Oilers with the salary cap staying put. With over 71,3 million invested in 17 players, they can’t afford to take on a salary like Nylander’s $6.9 million AAV without clearing out some cap room. 

Before the playoff tournament was underway, many pundits believed forward Jesse Puljujarvi would return to Edmonton, but it fell though, which means a trade could remain an option. 

What if the Oilers were to send him in a package deal to Toronto in return for Kasperi Kapanen? We don’t know if general manager Kyle Dubas would be willing to pull the trigger, but we know KK’s name has been heard more than once in trade chatter. 

While Friedman does not seem to know what a possible major trade could look like between both teams, it sounds like it would be a juicy one. Let’s keep an eye on these two Canadian clubs. 

Source: Sportsnet