Oilers’ MacTavish won’t trade his big guns–Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Jordan Eberle–but the door might be slightly ajar for Yakupov who is having a miserable offensive second NHL season after a fine 17-goal rookie year. But Hemsky is almost surely being shopped by the 3-10-2 Oilers who need to get bigger and better defensively, and certainly Rangers’ coach Alain Vigneault, formerly running the Vancouver Canucks’ bench, would have seen lots of Hemsky over the past seven or eight years. And, it’s no secret the Rangers can’t score (26 goals in 14 games) and they sorely miss the concussed Rick Nash on the wing, and Hemsky can put up points, as long as he stays healthy.
His $5 million salary is definitely an impediment to any team taking him on but the Oilers would have to take salary back, or maybe they could pick up some of the right-winger’s wage. When Thomas Vanek was dealt to the New York Rangers, the Sabres agreed to pay close to 20 percent of his $7.1 million cap hit..
Who would the Oilers be looking at in New York. Leftwinger /centre Chris Kreider’s name immediately comes to mind, although since being recalled from the minors six games ago, he may be their best forward. They may have absolutely no interest in dealing a player with his size and skill but I’m sure the Oilers have asked about him. He fell out of favour there after a fine playoff in 2012 when he left Boston College, and only had two goals and three points in 28 NHL games last year. But he’s 6’3″ and 230 pounds and he can really skate. He played 19 minutes in the Rangers loss to the Ducks Monday.
He’s what the Oilers need–a winger with size and the speed to keep up, and he’s only 22. He’s in the last year of his entry-level contract at an $800,000 cap hit. The Oilers have long liked defenceman Michael Del Zotto, too. He had his best game of the season against the Ducks. He makes $2.55 million and is a restricted free-agent after this season.
