According to Rick Dhaliwal, there are rumors linking the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks in a trade involving Jake DeBrusk. The analyst and podcast host said he heard the name in trade speculation this week, but he doesn’t see it as a match.
“There are rumors about DeBrusk and the Oilers, but Donnie, I was told, the Oilers and DeBrusk maybe in the summer. His hometown. I was told maybe in the summer, but it’s hard to get… he doesn’t have a no-move either.” He added, “I don’t get the feeling DeBrusk wants out.”
Oilers punt on DeBrusk?
It’s an interesting update that seems to indicate the Oilers have kicked some tires here. While not yet confirmed, it would certainly make sense for Edmonton to look at an Edmonton-born winger with a history of solid production locked in for the long term at a reasonable rate. DeBrusk isn’t a cut, but his $5.5 million cap hit isn’t an albatross deal.
The question worth asking is: doesn’t DeBrusk want to leave the Canucks because he loves Vancouver and wants to stay? Or is he not interested in Edmonton and playing in his hometown? The latter does not always work for players who feel pressure in the presence of family and friends.
You’d think the idea of playing for a contender and being offered a spot on the line with Leon Draisaitl in the coming seasons would be appealing. He’s the kind of player the Oilers have been reluctant to spend money on because they’ve been too busy investing less in wingers who once had production but seem to have waned. DeBrusk is 29, has scored more than 25 goals in three of his last four seasons and almost reached 20 on a down year.
Related: Leon Draisaitl on 10 Years of Oilers’ Line Chaos – “I’m Good at It”
The Oilers could use his play, and if the Canucks are willing to take on someone like Andrew Mangiapane and other players to make that deal, it would be worth it for the Oilers.
Come the summer, however, it would be intriguing to see what a trade like this would look like, as Mangiapane and some of the other assets currently in the Oilers system won’t be there as they approach the trade deadline and make their push for the postseason.
Next: So much for the tired McDavid ‘Shoot the Puck’ story
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