The trade deadline might have officially passed, but the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers are still making moves. On Friday, the two teams announced a trade that sent center Jayden Grubbe to the Canucks in exchange for winger Josh Bloom.
While trades after the deadline mean players can't participate in the Stanley Cup playoffs, this isn't a concern for Grubbe or Bloom, who have spent their careers in the minors so far.
Josh Bloom came to the Canucks from the Buffalo Sabres in 2022, traded for defenseman Riley Stillman. At the time, Bloom was an 18-year-old winger with potential, known for his speed and physicality. Despite his promise, Bloom has struggled at the AHL level, scoring just one goal in 19 games this season and posting a minus-12 rating.
However, Bloom's ECHL stats tell a different story. He has notched 28 points in 19 games, suggesting he might be a more promising depth player than Grubbe, who has 19 points in 28 ECHL games. Grubbe, also born in 2003, has spent this season with the Fort Wayne Comets in the ECHL, having missed significant time due to injury.
Bloom is seen as a speedy, physical winger, while Grubbe is a defensive-minded, right-shot center. The trade likely reflects that neither player was expected to receive a new contract from their current teams, as both are in the final year of their entry-level deals.
The Oilers might be interested in Bloom's higher potential upside, while the Canucks are addressing their need for center depth-something evident in their Abbotsford affiliate's recent lineup, which featured only three centers.
Both Bloom and Grubbe were third-round picks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, with Grubbe selected 65th overall by the New York Rangers and Bloom 95th overall by the Sabres. This trade offers each player a fresh start and a chance to prove themselves in a new organization.