The latest NHL rumors have plenty of movement to monitor, but Saturday night produced two particularly interesting developments from Elliotte Friedman.
Simon Edvinsson reportedly prefers a trade from Detroit, while the Edmonton Oilers are exploring a very different kind of move as they try to address their growing injury problems up front.
There are also questions surrounding Miles Wood in Toronto and growing speculation connecting the Montreal Canadiens to Mark Scheifele.
Simon Edvinsson Prefers a Trade From Detroit
The biggest development came from Friedman on Saturday night.
According to the Sportsnet insider, Simon Edvinsson would prefer that the Detroit Red Wings trade him rather than continue trying to negotiate a new contract. Detroit, however, remains interested in signing the restricted free agent.
The situation has reached the point where Edvinsson remains in Sweden while the standoff continues.
That is significant for Detroit.
Edvinsson is only 23 and is one of the organization’s most important young defensemen. The Red Wings would clearly prefer to resolve the contract situation, but if the player’s preference is genuinely to move on, general manager Steve Yzerman could eventually have to determine whether keeping him is realistic.
For now, though, Friedman indicates that Edvinsson’s frustration has changed the situation considerably.
And the longer he remains in Sweden, the more NHL rumors will grow regarding this issue.
Oilers Exploring a “Lateral” Trade
The Oilers are dealing with a completely different problem.
Edmonton has been hit by a rash of injuries among its forwards, and Friedman reported Saturday that the team is looking at what he described as a “lateral” move.
The basic idea is simple: Edmonton would move a depth defenseman in exchange for a depth forward.
That is important because it suggests the Oilers are not necessarily looking for another major addition.
They need bodies.
Edmonton has enough defensive depth to consider sacrificing some of it to stabilize the forward group. A modest trade could therefore make more sense than waiting for one of the injured forwards to return.
So, it’s worth keeping an eye on NHL rumors because a deal could happen at any time.
NHL Rumors Say Leafs Have Already Looked to Move Miles Wood
Miles Wood’s situation in Toronto is another one worth watching.
Wood arrived as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Knies to Columbus and brought Kirill Marchenko to Toronto. The Maple Leafs subsequently tried to move Wood, according to Friedman, rather than simply accepting him as a long-term part of the roster.
That makes sense from Toronto’s perspective.
The Leafs made the Marchenko deal primarily to add another significant scoring option. Wood is a useful depth player, but his presence creates another roster and salary-cap question.
NHL rumors have been bursting with talk of Wood’s ultimate departure from Toronto. That’s why it seems like it’s just a matter of time before it happens.
Canadiens and Mark Scheifele NHL Rumors Chatter Growing
Then there is Mark Scheifele hitting NHL rumors.
The Montreal Canadiens have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for the Winnipeg Jets center, particularly after Toronto beat Montreal to Marchenko.
This remains considerably more speculative than the Edvinsson and Oilers situations.
Montreal does have a potential need for another center behind Nick Suzuki, and Scheifele would obviously provide considerable offensive experience. But there is no indication that a trade is imminent.
For now, Scheifele-to-Montreal belongs firmly in the NHL rumors category.
There is loose talk regarding this issue. But it’s not surprising considering how the Canadiens have been looking for another top-six forward. If anything, this deal is the kind that could happen closer to the trade deadline.
NHL Rumors: Edvisson, Oilers ‘Lateral Move’ & Others