Trade chatter linking the Edmonton Oilers to top-line wingers like Buffalo’s Alex Tuch and Los Angeles’ Adrian Kempe has picked up recently.
The team’s currently averaging 2.57 goals-for per game, the seventh-fewest in the NHL, and former 50-goal scorer Zach Hyman is still recovering from wrist surgery and out of the lineup. So the thought of adding a high-scoring two-way winger to help these Oilers get to the Cup final again and win it all is intriguing.
But the reality of such deals may be more complicated than some insiders suggest.
Alex Tuch has been at the center of speculation, with NHL insider David Pagnotta and Jeff Marek saying on Sekeres and Price that Tuch would be a good fit on the Oilers if he were to shake loose from the Sabres.
Tuch and his agent, Brian Bartlett, have reportedly pressed pause on contract negotiations with the Sabres. Pagnotta suggested that Buffalo’s slow start to the season may have prompted Tuch to reconsider his options, thinking a strong run or a July 1 payday could maximize his value. But the narrative may already be shifting – the Sabres have since won two of their last three games, and Tuch has given no indication he wants to leave.
While Tuch would seemingly fit the Oilers’ need for a physical, high-scoring winger alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, several factors make such a move difficult.
First, Pagnotta believes Tuch’s next contract is expected to exceed $11 million per year, a number far above what Edmonton can realistically commit under the salary cap. Even with Connor McDavid keeping the same $12.5-million cap hit on his two-year contract extension, Edmonton still has about $17.8 million in space for next season with 10 pending UFAs, including both goalies.
Even if the Oilers just wanted him for the rest of this season, they currently have about $325,000 in cap space with Zach Hyman on long-term injured reserve. It would be a money-in, money-out scenario.
Second, the Oilers have shown little appetite for mortgaging future assets for a short-term rental. The organization tends to prioritize players it can retain long-term. Adam Henrique, Trent Frederic and Mattias Ekholm are some examples.
Finally, adding a player of Tuch’s caliber would represent a big swing at the deadline, potentially leaving the Oilers with few resources to address other needs, such as goaltending depth.
Reasonable Expectation For Savoie and Howard Moving Forward
Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie are generating buzz in Edmonton, and with good reason. The Oilers need them to contribute this season. But let’s be realistic about what “contribute” actually means for two 21-year-olds making the jump to full-time NHL duty.
Los Angeles’ Adrian Kempe presents a similar story.
Kempe is reportedly seeking a substantial raise amid stalled extension talks with the Kings, reportedly putting him on Edmonton’s radar. Pagnotta said while doing a spot on NHL Network that the Oilers are “quasi lurking in the weeds.”
While Kempe’s two-way game and scoring touch would immediately bolster the Oilers’ top six, he, too, would come at a steep price, potentially approaching $12 million annually. The Kings are also well aware of how imperative it is that they get a deal done with Kempe.
The Oilers lack the trade assets needed to acquire either player, since both teams want to at least make the playoffs and, in L.A’s case, beat the Oilers and win some rounds. Edmonton also lacks the money to pay either as a rental unless the Sabres or Kings retain salary.
Both players have modified no-trade clauses and are looking to cash in big when it comes time to sign extensions, making them more of a rental than an extension option for the Oilers.
In short, while the Oilers’ rumored interest in Tuch and Kempe is understandable – given their need for top-six scoring depth – actually landing either player would be challenging and not very feasible.
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