Nikita Kucherov is suddenly the name to watch in the latest round of NHL trade chatter, and Edmonton keeps coming up in the conversation.
The thread starts with Kucherov’s agent, Dan Milstein, who has long been a vocal admirer of Mike Babcock. Bob Stauffer then suggested Milstein likely already has a destination in mind, while ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that Kucherov wants to play next to another elite superstar.
That’s where the Oilers enter the picture, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard giving Edmonton the kind of star power that would make any pitch compelling. The Rangers also fit the discussion, thanks to their Russian presence and the pull of a major-market stage.
Even with that, the path to Edmonton would be anything but simple. Other teams can put together stronger trade packages because they have better prospects and draft picks, and the cap math would be brutal if the Oilers tried to squeeze Kucherov in alongside McDavid, Draisaitl and Bouchard. A free-agent move may be the cleaner route, even if the idea of that power play is enough to make people stop and stare.
In Calgary, Morgan Frost is starting to look less like a trade chip and more like someone the Flames may want to keep around.
The Flames opened the season with five straight losses, but they’ve steadied themselves, and Frost has been part of that push. Chris Johnston had labeled him a trade candidate, yet Pierre LeBrun has since reported that extension talks have taken place. That doesn’t lock anything in, of course, but it does suggest Calgary sees value there, whether that means keeping him or simply testing the market.
Frost backed up the interest with production on Friday, scoring on the power play and adding an assist in a 6-2 win over Seattle. He now has four goals and five assists in 13 games.
Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but they matter for a team that needs offense. For a rebuilding club, players who can contribute and help younger teammates along the way still carry real weight.
And in Toronto, Sergei Bobrovsky’s recent play has Doug MacLean wondering how long the Maple Leafs can afford to wait.
MacLean said Bobrovsky hasn’t looked sharp for Toronto lately, and he pointed back to Bobrovsky’s difficult start in Florida, which he believes helped lead to Dale Tallon’s eventual departure as GM. He also noted that Bobrovsky has bounced back from that kind of stretch before. Still, at 38, MacLean questioned how much workload he can realistically take on, especially with Toronto allowing too many chances right in front of him.
His main message was simple: the Leafs need to be faster to yank Bobrovsky on a bad night. MacLean’s view is that winning has to come before protecting anyone’s feelings. He stopped short of sounding alarm bells, but he made it clear Toronto can’t keep waiting forever for better goaltending, better defense and better results.
In Other News...
Oilers Goalie Prospect Is Forcing A Bigger Pipeline Conversation
Daniel Salonen is starting to make the Oilers goalie pipeline look a little more interesting than it did on draft day. The 2025 sixth-round pick has settled in as Lukkos starter in Finlands Liiga, and his early work has turned heads for the right reasons. He has been sharp enough to stand out in a league where the average numbers are far less forgiving, and the underlying metrics have backed up what the eye test is seeing.
What makes the development notable for Edmonton is not just the results, but the way he is getting them. Salonen has shown quick feet and a strong ability to read plays, even as his hand movements continue to develop. For a prospect taken late, that kind of progress can change the conversation quickly, especially when he is earning the crease ahead of a more established option and giving the organization a reason to look closer at its long-term goaltending depth. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Turn To Matt Tomkins In A Spot Fans Did Not Expect
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Tomkins is not arriving as a total unknown, either. He has previous NHL experience and only recently signed a two-year, two-way contract with Edmonton, giving the organization a bit of familiarity with him before this opportunity came up. For the Oilers, the immediate question is how the crease holds up in a spot that was not part of the original plan. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Keep Rolling But One New Concern Clouds This Road Surge
The Oilers kept their road surge rolling with a 4-0 win over the Islanders, pushing their perfect away mark to 6-0-0 and continuing a trip that has looked increasingly comfortable from start to finish. Edmonton also handled the special teams battle cleanly, killing off all four New York power plays and getting another composed night in net as the club kept stacking results away from home.
The only uneasy note came when Isaac Howard was forced out early after taking a knee from Emil Heineman, a play that drew a major penalty and game misconduct. For a team already trying to balance momentum with the grind of the schedule, any injury scare stands out, especially on a night when the Oilers otherwise had little to complain about. [Read more 🡒]