Oilers unlikely to part with Nugent-Hopkins
Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney was in the house on Sunday night to watch the Battle of Alberta, which predictably started connect-the-dots trade rumours because he might need another centre and the Edmonton Oilers could use a puck-moving defenceman and a top-six winger.
Plus, Sweeney used to be Peter Chiarelli’s right-hand man in Boston.
A source says Sweeney was actually looking at the Flames because they’ve made a D-man available.
While the Bruins might want Ryan Nugent-Hopkins because of the uncertainty surrounding Bruins first-line centre Patrice Bergeron, who might need surgery to repair a sternum injury, the same source says trading NugentHopkins would be “a dumb idea” for the Oilers.
The team is on a roll and NugentHopkins is the anchor of the second line.
We all know Bruins puck-moving defenceman Torey Krug is a feature piece in any Boston trade talk. And week after week, Louie DeBrusk’s son Jake’s name has come up because everybody likes the way he plays.
But any Boston-Edmonton deal at this point seems a stretch.
CAGGIULA AND RIEDER MAKE THE TRIP
Wingers Drake Caggiula (injured hand) and Tobias Rieder (damaged shoulder) travelled to Denver for the start of a two-game trip.
When they play is up in the air, but when they return to the lineup, the Oilers will have too many forwards. Both would seem to be third or fourth line possibilities to play with Ryan Spooner, Ty Rattie and waiver claim Valentin Zykov, if Jujhar Khaira and Jesse Puljujarvi remain on the No. 2 line with Nugent-Hopkins.
“Drake and Tobias were full participants in practice (Monday) for 30 minutes,” said head coach Ken Hitchcock. “And they actually skated before that by themselves for an hour. Sometime on the trip, we’ll look at when they can play.”
Rieder was hurt against Montreal on Nov. 13.
“Normal shoulder-to-shoulder hit, happens 15 times in a game. I’ve probably taken a hit like that over 1,000 times (career),” said Rieder, who has seven assists, but no goals, in 18 games.
Caggiula’s hand was damaged in a practice in Dallas on Dec. 3.
“To be hurt on a stupid drill in practice. Live and learn,” said Caggiula.
BENNING LOWERS THE BOOM
Oilers defenceman Matt Benning rocked Flames tough guy Anthony Peluso with a big hit in the neutral zone during Sunday’s 1-0 Oilers’ win over the Flames.
“Some of the guys (bench) said he had the crazy eyes going (to even the score), and rightfully so,” said Benning.
PULJUJARVI HAS UPSIDE
Hitchcock still likes Puljujarvi’s upside.
“When you see him in practice, he scores every time. We’re hoping that leads to the right stuff in the NHL,” he said. “Right now, he’s a trusted player with us and we’re working really hard with him at killing penalties.”
THIS ’N’ THAT
The Oilers are 0-for-17 on the power play over the last five games. Hitchcock thinks his team is at 90 per cent in terms of effort but only at 60 per cent in terms of execution. “The penalty kill has been better than the power play lately,” said Hitchcock. “The power play gets more quality scoring chances than anybody, but we’re not finishing ” ... Only Darnell Nurse, Milan Lucic and Leon Draisaitl have played every game for the Oilers in the calendar year.