NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup: Penguins, Oilers, Hurricanes

Welcome to today’s NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup (February 26). Each morning, we’ll bring you three key NHL stories. The Pittsburgh Penguins learned that Michael Bunting had surgery on Wednesday to remove his appendix. His timeline for return is currently unknown. Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers have put Jeff Skinner back in their top six. Finally, would the Carolina Hurricanes be ridiculous to trade Mikko Rantanen?

---

---

Bunting to Miss Time for the Penguins

Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan announced that Michael Bunting had surgery on Wednesday to remove his appendix. He is expected to “be out here for the next little while.”

Sullivan added, “I don’t know the timeframe at this point,” which means that any talk Bunting could have been moved at the trade deadline is likely off the table. He has this season and next at a $4.5 million cap hit. The Penguins are expected to be sellers, but how involved Bunting might have been in those discussions is unclear.

Jeff Skinner Back in Top Six for Oilers

Oilers Now host and radio color analyst Bob Stauffer tweeted out the Edmonton Oilers’ lines ahead of their game against the Panthers on Thursday. Jeff Skinner is back in the top six after being a healthy scratch against Tampa Bay.

Fans and insiders couldn’t wrap their heads around why Skinner was benched. He’d been playing much better and scored a goal in the game prior versus Washington. Meanwhile, unproductive forwards that deserved to sit were promoted.

Darnell Nurse was not on the ice for practice. He did take a spill in the game against Tampa and seemed in discomfort, even though he finished the game. John Klingberg is back in the lineup.

In trade deadline talk, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said he doesn’t think the Oilers are looking at goaltenders and while Stuart Skinner isn’t playing up to his standard, no one inside that Oilers organization feels there is a guaranteed upgrade available. Skinner has shown he can rebound and play well in the playoffs.

The one thing LeBrun did say was that historically whenever teams are at their worst so close to the trade deadline, GMs tend to get more active than they might normally and make bold, sometimes panicked decisions. He wonders if the Oilers will feel the need to add a higher quality piece on the blue line than they first thought they would need to.

Mikko Rantanen Being Moved or Not?

LeBrun adds that he thinks the Carolina Hurricanes would be ridiculous to trade Mikko Rantanen. Just because Rantanen isn’t playing well or hasn’t signed isn’t a reason to give up and quit on a wide-open Eastern Conference. LeBrun does say that if owner Tom Dundon gets upset that Rantanen won’t sign, all bets are off.

Having said, the Hurricanes will lose the trade and the Hurricanes have to know that. “In what world does it make sense to move him because you’re pouting he won’t sign.” Rantanen needs time and was blindsided by the trade and just needs time. March 7th might not be enough time, creating the troubling situation.

Related: NHL Insider: Panthers Could Be a Landing Spot for Seth Jones