NHL Rumors: Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers

Welcome to the Wednesday edition of Full Press Hockey’s NHL Rumors. This time we will visit with the latest for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, and Florida Panthers.

Columbus Blue Jackets – Patrik Laine

Rumor: Per Luke Fox – Sportsnet.ca. The electric (if inconsistent) winger Patrik Laine has been the source of a captivating 44-goal campaign, a blockbuster trade, and more bursts of on-ice highlights and off-ice drama than we can count. Is he on the move again?

Analysis: Fox thinks Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen won’t run the risk of Laine inking another one-year deal and departing in 2023 as an unrestricted free agent. His current contract is for $7.5 million and he will be a restricted free agent with salary arbitration rights at the end of the season.

If the Columbus club decides to trade Laine that may not happen until the offseason, probably around the NHL draft weekend. The Finnish sniper has had a couple of difficult seasons largely due to injuries, yet he remains a legitimate scoring threat who should return to his high-scoring ways when healthy.

If Kekalainen decides to trade Laine, he will still get a decent return. Teams will line up to grab him even with his large contract. Don’t forget he is still only 23-years-old. The Jackets may not convince Laine to sign a long-term deal with them. After all, the team has been shedding assets for draft picks and prospects and are still a long way from contention.

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Edmonton Oilers – Time to Make a Move?

Rumor: Per Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek – sportsnet.ca. The Edmonton Oilers have gone 2-8-2 of late and rumblings about changes are rampant. GM Ken Holland told Friedman and Marek, “We gotta win some games. Certainly, I want to be a buyer at the deadline, but we have to win some hockey games,” Holland said. “We’ll see where we’re at. The standings will sort of dictate my thinking.”

Analysis: It is certainly not an option for the Oilers to miss the playoffs, or be eliminated early again in the postseason. The team desperately needs left-side blueline help and acquiring Jakob Chychrun would bolster that, but it seems the Oilers aren’t going after Chychrun. The price may be too high.

The other area of need is goaltending. Mike Smith‘s five appearances thus far this season is not ideal, and he is currently day-to-day with another injury.

Friedman’s take: “You’ve gotta be smart,” Friedman continued. “You’re not trading Evan Bouchard. I don’t think you’re trading first-rounders for rentals right now. But there’s going to be teams out there that are going to say ‘we need to make moves, we want to lighten our load, we don’t think we’re that good.’ I gotta think there’s sensible moves for the Oilers to make that it’s not just a first-rounder for a rental.

“I think you have to be looking around. Maybe is there another defenceman with a bit more term you can go out and get?”

Even replacing head coach Dave Tippett has been rumored about. Unless the team falls off a cliff (and that’s doubtful), there won’t be a coaching change, and there really shouldn’t be. Edmonton needs some fine-tuning, not an engine change.

Florida Panthers – Interest in Ben Chiarot

Rumor: Per Lyle Richardson – Bleacher Report. Richardson feels five teams could be after the shutdown defenceman, Ben Chiarot. One of those teams also mentioned by Pierre LeBrun is the Florida Panthers. While they can score, they still need a blueliner like Chiarot to stop the opposing team.

Analysis: The Panthers could offer their 2023 first-rounder or perhaps a prospect and next year’s second-rounder. The Panthers’ limited cap space could also mean convincing the Canadiens to retain part of Chiarot’s cap hit.

The Panthers are right up there contending with the likes of the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Adding Chiarot could be the icing on the cake for the Florida club. But like most trades, the salary cap could put the Panthers behind the eight-ball. Chiarot holds a $3.5 million deal that places him as an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. Will the Panthers be able to pull off a much-needed trade? You’ll need to follow NHL rumors right here on Full Press Hockey to find out.

That concludes another edition of NHL rumors. Be sure to catch our popular Sunday article.