The Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers completed a post-trade deadline deal on Friday. The two sides swapped young forwards, making this trade essentially a minor-league deal.
The Canucks sent 22-year-old Josh Bloom to the Oilers in exchange for 23-year-old Jayden Grubbe. Neither player has NHL experience at this time.
The move, while seemingly insignificant on the surface, is one of those moves aimed at giving prospects a fresh start with a different organization.
Bloom was a third-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2021. He joined the Canucks organization in 2023 in a trade with the Sabres. He’s split time between the ECHL and the AHL. In 19 games in the ECHL, Bloom lit it up, scoring 15 goals and 28 points. That earned him a promotion to the AHL, where he managed just one goal in 19 games.
As such, Bloom could be an interesting addition to the Oilers’ organization. He’ll likely land in Bakersfield for the remainder of the season.
As for Grubbe, the 23-year-old was a third-round pick of the New York Rangers in the 2021 NHL Draft. He landed in Edmonton following a 2023 trade in which the Oilers sent a 2023 fifth-round pick to the Rangers.
Grubbe has spent time in the AHL, last scoring two goals and 14 points in 62 games last season. This year, he has played 28 games in the ECHL, scoring seven goals and 19 points. Grubbe could be a solid depth addition for the Canucks’ AHL franchise in Abbotsford.
Oilers Not Afraid to Give Prospects Fresh Start
The Oilers are not afraid to give prospects a fresh start elsewhere. Earlier this season, the club pulled off a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning, swapping seemingly stalled prospects.
The two teams exchanged their top prospects, with the Oilers sending Sam O’Reilly to Tampa. In return, Edmonton got Isaac Howard. Howard has actually been good for the Oilers. He has torn up the AHL, notching 16 goals and 35 points in 33 games.
At the NHL level, Howard has two goals and five points in 28. The numbers are not overwhelming, but the 21-year-old has progressed significantly. Howard should be part of the Oilers’ plans in the years to come.
Canucks Continue on Rebuild Path
As for the Canucks, they continue on the rebuilding path. Friday’s trade with the Oilers was more about racking up as many lottery tickets as possible. Rebuilding teams often look for players who, at one point or another, may have stalled within other organizations.
So, why not take a flyer on such players?
Bloom likely gets a shot at training camp next fall. If he can prove he has something to offer, the Canucks might just give him a long look next season.
In the meantime, both the Oilers and Canucks will be looking to give their AHL teams a boost. It’s often easy to forget that NHL clubs make deals focusing on their farm teams’ long-term sustainability.
This trade, nevertheless, could be one of those deals that end up unexpectedly paying off.
Oilers, Canucks Complete Post-Deadline Trade