Edmonton Oilers Rumor: Edmonton Linked to Montreal's Defenseman

As per TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger, the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens are involved in trade talks regarding Montreal's blue liner Joel Edmundson.

And, among the other options, I’m told the Oilers and Canadiens continue to discuss a trade involving Joel Edmundson. https://t.co/rfvBGKeYo4
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 27, 2023

Dreger also reported that the Oilers are in discussions with the Nashville Predators for Mattias Ekholm. All signs point to the Oilers adding help on the backend, to strengthen their main weakness as they prepare for a lengthy playoff run.

Edmundson, 29, is signed for the remainder of this season and next year's with a cap hit of $3.5 million. A contract with a cap hit such as Edmundson's is easier to work into the club's salary cap. There were rumors that the Oilers were targeting San Jose Sharks' blue liner Erik Karlsson, but his cap hit is much too large for the team to afford, so they have been working the phones to find other available defensemen that come with cheaper price tags.

If Edmonton can pull Edmundson from the Canadiens, the cost would be attainable, and there could also be a chance that Jesse Puljujärvi could be sent back the other way as part of the deal. Montreal is in a full-on rebuild, so, if they could acquire Puljujärvi as part of the deal, he could be a reclamation project to get him back to the level that he was once scouted to be at. This also makes sense for the Oilers because of the numerous reports that he has run his course with the club, so being able to turn him into a defenseman that can help you win now, seems like a win-win.