Some Quick Hits on the Oiler Rumor Front

Not Moving the #1

There is a lot of buzz going around that there are plans in the works to perhaps move the #1 overall selection at this years draft by the Edmonton Oilers. That there are teams close to making moves, offers to consider and options to weigh.

All of that is not true.

We've learned that Edmonton has in fact had very little talks with anyone about moving the pick and that no official offers of any kind have been made to the Oilers. The exact response we heard "we're open to it if someone wants to knock our socks off, but we anticipate picking at #1 and we've had no talks to the contrary with any teams."

----

Who to Take?

What we've also learned, is that the Edmonton Oilers don't know yet, who they'll take with the #1 pick and that if there were in fact good offers to trade, they would consider it because they are contemplating taking someone that might be available in this years draft at #2, #3 or #4 It sounds as though their thought process is if they knew they could get the player they covet by not picking #1, they would move it should they be able to get an asset that immediately helps their squad.

To do so, is tricky because the Oilers have their eye on three players. Past #4, these players may not be available.

-----

Oilers Have Some Interest In Jagr

The Oilers are getting a little closer to signing Ryan Smyth. While it sounds like the two sides haven't had further discussions beyond the tabled offer from the Oilers, there is a common belief that there will be some coming together.

That said, the Oilers are considering other options and one is Jagr. He wants to play for the money. It's why he hasn't signed in Philly. He likes Hemsky and is a great leader to the young kids. Many of the Flyers have publicly made aware their fondness of the job Jagr did.

I don't see Jagr as a good replacement for Smyth and if Edmonton drafts Yakupov the right side is overloaded so where Jagr would fit is beyond me. Someone would have to play the off side as Jagr would need to be a top six forward on this team to justify the $3 million plus his contract would get him.

----

Oilers Kicking Tires on Bouwmeester?

It would seem like an incredible stretch, but Edmonton and Calgary may be talking a bit about Bouwmeester in Edmonton. We know the Oilers would like a top pairing minutes guy and Bouwmeester is that. The Oilers believe that with the right minutes along side the many minutes Bouwmeester would log, his poor offensive totals would improve.

Even if they didn't, Bouwmeester is a reliable and underrated defensman. Overpaid? Yes. That said,  the Oilers might not care if they can send the right pieces back. Calgary would take on money, but they would need someone who could play minutes on the blue such as a Theo Peckham or Andy Sutton. This goes to show how badly Edmonton thinks it needs to bolster it's defense.


----


Brent Sutter Out


It sounds as though Sutter is no longer in the running for head coach. The strange thing is, unless the Oilers were hiding it well, Sutter was never in the running. Edmonton has interviewed a number of candidates and it appears as though they may look internally.

It appears that while Edmonton was saying that Sutter wasn't contacted because of his contract in Calgary, that was a cover as Feaster has said that he didn't deny permission for the Oilers to speak to Sutter.

Unless Edmonton and Sutter are really trying to hide this hire together -- which would be odd -- Ralph Kreuger seems to be the leading candidate at this point.