Instead of trying to acquire defenceman Jakob Chychrun, it appears the Edmonton Oilers will look to bolster their backend elsewhere.
The team has been long rumoured to be interested in Chychrun, who is sitting out of Arizona Coyotes games as he awaits a trade, but according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, that has appeared to fizzle out.
In his 32 Thoughts column dropped shortly after midnight mountain time Thursday morning, he was addressing the latest about where Chychrun could be heading. The LA Kings, who have made it clear Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke won’t be traded, partially nixing their interest in a deal.
“Other clubs that make sense, but appear to be out include Edmonton, Florida and Toronto,” Friedman wrote.
“Scariest time of the year to write. So much can change with one phone call, and I come across looking even dumber than usual,” he added before.
Jakob Chychrun is a solid left-shot defenceman who would undoubtedly help the Oilers. He’s on a friendly deal, and would provide tremendous value on Edmonton’s defence. They’re reportedly hot for a puckmover, and Chychrun would’ve fit the bill. In the same breath, the reported asking price has been significant, as it has for Erik Karlsson. The latter is just a different breed of defenceman.
It’s also no surprise that the Oilers are looking to add to their forward group. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli said on Oilersnation Everyday Wednesday that Patrick Kane and the Oilers could be a legitimate fit. Friedman doubled down on that in his column:
Spent a lot of time watching Patrick Kane the last few games. There’s a few things I think here. First and foremost, I think reality setting in has been an enormous shock. No matter what was pitched to him, or what he was told, it sure seems like there was hope/desire to stay at least another season. Barring that, the Rangers were his first choice. Now, we’re not looking at either option, so he’s stunned.
People who know Kane are convinced he’s still got plenty to offer and badly desires to show it somewhere else. Wednesday in Toronto was a perfect opportunity to make a splash on a massive stage, but it was an ugly 5-2 loss. I understand how much losing sucks, and he’s reeling from what’s happening. But he’s got to do two things: let everyone know where he’s willing to go (if anywhere) and put on a show in the meantime. Kane clearly is annoyed about the speculation surrounding his hip, but he’s got to show it’s not an issue.
I think Edmonton’s interested, and has reached out. I think Dallas has considered it. I’ve wondered about Vegas, and my belief is Toronto wants to know whether or not its actually in the mix before considering anything. As one GM said Wednesday, “If Patrick Kane is interested you, you have to think about it.” This is a complicated deal, and I’m not sure how much longer anyone is willing to wait. You don’t want to be the abandoned bride at the altar.
Kane would truly be an interesting addition. There is no denying that his game has taken a step back. He’s not the player he once was, and there’s been some chatter, as Friedman noted, that he’s dealing with a hip issue. If Kane still feels like he has lots to give, I’ll take him at his word. This is a guy who has played at a high level for a long-time.
This season, there’s one glaring thing that stands out about his game: his ability to set up teammates. According to hockeyviz.com, he’s doing that at a 15 percent rate higher than league average this season. So while Kane’s game may not be where it once was, his greatest asset has continued to stay strong.
The concern, of course, is his defensive struggles that have been apparent most of his career. Kane would for sure be a top-six player for the Oilers, and it would signal team’s desire to play a run-and-gun style of hockey. I do worry about the Oilers’ ability to get the puck up the ice and out of their zone, and that’s why adding a puck-mover is so important.
Seravalli’s suggested trade: Jesse Puljujarvi, Xavier Bourgault, a 2023 2nd-round pick for Kane, and a 2025 5th round pick to a third team to eat some of his money.
Would you do that deal?
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