NHL Rumors: Canadiens and Oilers Could Pull Off Blockbuster Deal

The Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens are two teams headed in opposite directions. One is in a playoff spot hopeful to add some talent in before this season's trade deadline, meanwhile the other has lost their season and is expected to be sellers. The Oilers and Canadiens could become perfect trade partners.

According to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, he thinks the Oilers need to take a run at Canadiens forward Josh Anderson. The scribe adds while Anderson is currently sidelined, perhaps a deal can be worked out regardless:

He isn’t cheap, and he has an eight-team no-trade list, but if the Oilers aren’t on Anderson’s no-fly list, and we’re permitted to spit-ball here, would the Habs at least listen to an offer of a first-round pick in 2022, forward Xavier Bourgault and something else?

After a debut season in Montreal where he put up 17 goals in 52 games, Anderson has been banged up this season and has only appeared in 25 games recording 13 points. He's signed through the 2026-27 season, making $5.5 million on the cap. While Matheson's trade proposal is certainly intriguing, the Oilers would need to send back a bad contract or else the money isn't going to work for adding Anderson under the hard salary cap.

The Oilers have also reportedly been interested in Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot. Edmonton has also been linked to Carey Price over the course of these last few weeks so who knows, maybe there's an absolute blockbuster in the works between these two hockey clubs. While it may not go down at the trade deadline in March, keep an eye on these two teams come summer time when it gets a little bit easier to make huge deals.

Photo credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports