Trade speculation: Edmonton Oilers are “in on” Taylor Hall talks, says NHL insider

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Game Day 40: Oilers vs Sens

This in from Doug MacLean, former NHL GM, talking to CHED radio host Reid Wilkins, passing on some speculative trade scuttlebutt about possible Edmonton Oilers interest in Taylor Hall: “I also heard yesterday they’re in on the guy from Buffalo that everybody wants: Taylor Hall. I’m thinking: How is that going to work. How could Taylor Hall go there on a deal? The guy told me they’re looking at a deal that would have them both done for less than $12 million for both of them (Hall and RNH), and it would work next year…It was a reasonable source that said it.”

The Oilers could use another top winger in their Top 6, MacLean said. “We’ll see if there’s anything to it. As they say in P.E.I., I’m not telling you it’s the truth, I’m just telling you what I heard.”

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On Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: “I’ve got to believe there’s a ton of conversation going on to get him redone so he doesn’t walk out the door for nothing… There’s not a chance he’s going to move but this is an unbelievable asset. If he doesn’t move Nugent-Hopkins, he definitely has got to get him on a deal for next year. The groundwork has got to be laid for that deal.:”

On Tyson Barrie: “Ken can’t move him simply because he needs him with a playoff run here. Same with Nugent-Hopkins…This is a situation where both these guys could walk out the door for nothing, but I got to believe Ken is going to do everything he can to get Barrie and Nugent-Hopkins done.”

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My take

1. Oilers GM Ken Holland gave numerous interviews on Tuesday where he played down the notion of the Oilers making a big move at the deadline, in part due to salary cap constraints, which are very real. To make a trade for a super expensive winger like Taylor Hall, the Oilers would have to move out a big contract forward like Zack Kassian or James Neal, or move out goalie Mikko Koskinen, along with Edmonton’s first round pick.

2. There’s an astonishing amount of support for such a trade in Oil Country right now. Fans want this team to win. They see the Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl window is only open so long, and this year the Oil also have a No. 1 d-man in Darnell Nurse and a No. 1 goalie in Mike Smith. The spine of the team is there, it just needs support. Why got give McDavid and Draisaitl that support? That’s the thinking and it makes some sense.

3. I see little chance of the Oilers making a major move without moving out the first round pick this year. Edmonton will likely be drafting somewhere 20th to 31st overall. This draft year isn’t thought to be a bumper crop, but first round picks are said to have a lot of cachet in flat cap world. I’d be open to seeing the team trade that pick to get the right winger to play with McDavid. It also might mean moving out a prospect not named Evan Bouchard, Philip Broberg or Dylan Holloway. I’d also be open to that.

4. As for the Taylor Hall speculation, well, as MacLean makes clear it’s just speculation. But there’s no doubt Hall is on the market and it makes sense Edmonton would look at Hall, especially on a trade-and-sign deal, even as Hall is having a crappy year. Out of 413 regular NHL forwards this year, he ranks 254th in points scoring at 5-on-5, with just 1.34 points per 60. That’s important because I don’t really see where Hall would fit in on the Oilers PP. Who is he replacing, especially as he has just one power play point in 28 games this year?

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5. By comparison, McDavid ranks third in the NHL for forwards in 5-on-5 scoring this year with 3.1 points per 60; Draisaitl ranks 16th, 2.79 per 60; Jujhar Khaira, 63rd, 2.22 per 60; Tyler Ennis, 150th, 1.71 per 60; Kailer Yamamoto, 166th, 1.66 per 60; James Neal, 216th, 1.45 per 60; Domink Kahun, 240th, 1.38 per 60; Devin Shore, 261st, 1.32 per 60; Kyle Turris, 282nd, 1.26 per 60; Nugent-Hopkins, 295th, 1.21 per 60; Jesse Puljujarvi, 300th, 1.2 per 60.

6. RNH and Puljujarvi’s even strength scoring is weak, especially considering how much they’ve both played with Connor McDavid. Both of them are contributing to a good number Grade A chances with McDavid, so bad puck luck and good goaltending is part of the issue with their lack of point scoring, but so is a lack of shooting prowess on the part of both players. Neither is a gunner by NHL standards, thought Puljujarvi shows some promise in that regard.

7. I’m not sure that acquiring Hall and playing him with Draisaitl solves the Edmonton’s chemistry issue. The key is to find the right player to go with McDavid. RNH is a great fit with Draisaitl but not a great fit with McDavid. But let’s imagine — just for fun — that the Oilers did trade for Hall. Could the top two lines be:

Puljujarvi McDavid Yamamoto

RNH Draisaitl Hall

Would that work? Puljujarvi would be on his off-wing, but he’s a smart player. I suspect he could make the shift.

8. I’m not fully sold on Hall myself. His game is based on speed on the attack more than anything else. Does he still have that speed? Or have age and injuries taken some of it away? It could be the Oilers would be better off going in a different direction if Holland were open to trading his first round pick.

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9. As for this afternoon’s game, which airs at 3:00 p.m. on TV, Edmonton will go with Mikko Koskinen in net. Kyle Turris will reportedly go in for Gaetan Haas, which could be a major issue if Turris’ slot defence hasn’t picked up considerably. He leaked goals and Grade A chances agains there earlier this year, a major issue for the Oilers at the time. He’s since been played on the wing.

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