Stan Bowman is not idling his time away. If the Vancouver Canucks fail to sign a star free agent, they will be next on his call list.
This week on Oilers Now, Bob Stauffer said this, and it matches all that Bowman has done since becoming general manager in July 2024.
Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now claims that the Oilers may investigate a trade with the Vancouver Canucks if they are unable to sign a veteran forward in free agency.
Don’t miss the next episode!
Edmonton ended the year with 41-30-11, earning them 93 points and second place in the division.
Then the Oilers played six playoff games against Anaheim this spring, going 2-4.
Proof that the squad still has bite when the lineup is healthy and rolling, they finished the regular season with a 6-2-2 record.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl already have cap charges of $12.5 million and $14 million, respectively. There isn’t much space left for a large free agent swing.
Come into Vancouver. Ryan Johnson will be in sell mode entering the summer since the Canucks finished last in the league at 32nd overall with a record of 25-49-8.
Why Vancouver appears to be a willing trading partner
Elias Pettersson continues to have a $11.6 million cap hit for a club that only managed to score 216 goals for against 316 and ended with a minus-100 goal differential.
Exactly the sort of disparity that causes trade calls to be returned promptly is that gap between name value and outcomes.
Edmonton is aware of what this season’s thrashing of Vancouver looks like. The Oilers had a 3-0-1 record against the Canucks, including a 6-0 win in January and a 6-1 finish in April.
A deal based on desperation and cap relief seldom benefits the selling club, and Vancouver would be selling from a position of severe weakness here.
Bowman has been in charge of the Edmonton front office since July 2024, and this wouldn’t be the first time he’s called to change a lineup.
With 56 points in 72 games and 52 in 58, respectively, Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins continue to contribute to Edmonton’s scoring depth in the top six.
None of that changes the calculations. If the forward Edmonton wants isn’t delivered during free agency in July, Vancouver will call Bowman, who already has their number.
Leave a Reply