Marchand Trade Talks Resurface: Oilers Need Winger for Draisaitl

On January 24th, Fluto Shinzawa mentioned that Brad Marchand could be a trade candidate out of Boston. A few days later, Allan Mitchell offered his take in a column that started with, “This is an article about the Bruins dealing Brad Marchand at the deadline to the Oilers. Outrageous to even suggest such a thing, but The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa addressed the possibility earlier this week.”

Now, Elliotte Friedman is wondering if there’s something to the idea that Marchand could be traded. Originally, he didn’t think so. Now, he’s not so sure.

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Following Shinzawa’s look at why the Bruins might trade Marchand, Mitchell mentioned the Bruins and Oilers were going in opposite directions. The Oilers have struggled a little of late and could use some help in certain areas, but the Bruins are out of the playoff mix altogether now and could be sellers. Suggesting Edmonton is light on physical wingers, Marchand could be an ideal fit.

During Friday’s 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman explained, “They’re [Boston] out of the playoffs and the thing is, like their math isn’t great either. They have played more games than anybody else in the race. Now, there’s still lots of time. They still have 29 games left in the season. But, if Boston takes on water, I’m really going to be curious to see where this goes.” He added, “…it’s just that one I just had me thinking.”

Oilers Need an Upgrade on the Wing: Is a Marchand Trade the Answer?

Oilers color analyst Louie DeBrusk recently talked about the situation in Edmonton’s top six. He noted about Leon Draisaitl’s lack of proven wingers to play with. “That’s a travesty to me that he doesn’t have a running mate, a winger, aside from [Connor] McDavid when he runs with him, that can put the puck in the net.”

Vasily Podkolzin has been doing an admirable job, but it’s becoming clear that he’s not the solution. More a third-line forechecker, Edmonton needs someone with more finish. Viktor Arvidsson is struggling, and Jeff Skinner seems to play well but isn’t a stylistic fit and might be in the doghouse of the coach.

Meanwhile, Marchand plays on the edge, is a proven leader, and can score. “He’s a nightmare for opponents,” writes Mitchell. He’s a pending UFA and it’s not clear what his future in Boston is. The Oilers could grab him ahead of the deadline and use him in certain situations, mainly focused on five-on-five and penalty-killing assignments.

The downside for the Oilers is that they would have to give to get. Adding Marchand means either trading a first-round pick or a higher-end prospect like Matt Savoie, Sam O’Reilly, Beau Akey, and Maxim Berezkin. Friedman didn’t say what he thought it would cost to pluck Marchand from the Bruins, but Mitchell writes, “It’s unlikely Boston management would view draft picks as a worthwhile centerpiece for Marchand. A plug-and-play option would seem more likely.”

Next: Oilers Quick Hits: Klingberg Debut, Bouchard Snub, Skinner Return