As Oilers, Senators, Others Seek Defensive Help, Insider Lists Available Options

When the Winter Olympics wrap up at the end of the week, the NHL season will soon ramp back up in full force, with the March 6 trade deadline right around the corner. Action is poised to pick up quickly, and it’s becoming clear what teams around the league are looking to add or subtract from their rosters.

Playoff contenders are always looking to bolster their blue lines, and that’s especially true for the Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Detroit Red Wings, among others. Oftentimes, there aren’t enough quality options — specifically right-shot defensemen — to satisfy all potential suitors. However, a recent report from Bruce Garrioch suggests there are quite a few intriguing targets available to be had this year.

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While he notes that the Senators in particular have their eyes on MacKenzie Weegar, he also lists six other names circulating the rumor mill as options for any team in need of help on the right side.

Garrioch wrote:

“We’ve stated in this space that the Senators have shown interest in Calgary blueliner MacKenzie Weegar. The Senators have also likely kicked tires on Calgary defenseman Zach Whitecloud, but we’re told that other teams have also been checking on the Flames’ asking price for Whitecloud.

A league executive told the Citizen that Brandon Carlo of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils, Connor Murphy of the Chicago Blackhawks, and both Justin Faulk and Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues are likely available.”

Connor Murphy is the only one of the group who is a pending UFA; the rest all have varying amounts of term left on their contracts.

The Latest on These Defensemen

Ottawa appears very interested in Weegar, and, as Garrioch reported, wouldn’t be opposed to Zach Whitecloud as a fallback plan in discussions with Calgary.

Dougie Hamilton has, of course, been available for quite some time, and while things have gone quiet lately, reports suggest that San Jose, Utah, and Toronto are the frontrunners, with some insiders believing that the Maple Leafs will ultimately win the sweepstakes.

Brandon Carlo and Murphy have been linked to the Oilers at times, though whether Edmonton is willing to part with what it would take to land either blueliner remains unknown.

Lastly, after missing out on Rasmus Andersson, a recent report from James Murphy of RG Media mentioned that the Bruins have shifted their focus to one of the Blues’ defensemen, Justin Faulk. While there hasn’t been as much chatter around Colton Parayko, it can be assumed that many of the same teams in on the others would also have interest in the Canadian defenseman.

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