The Edmonton Oilers are still sorting out their opening-night roster, but the trade chatter around them is already heating up.
On Sunday, the club trimmed two more players and still needs at least one more move to get under the NHL’s roster limits before Tuesday’s home opener against the Vancouver Canucks. That business on the margins could be just the start, though. A new report suggests GM Stan Bowman is also exploring a much bigger swing.
According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, Edmonton has serious interest in Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach.
“The interest in Edmonton borders on drooling; the Oilers are intent on acquiring Dach at some point, whether that’s before the season starts, at the March 1 trade deadline, or next summer as a free agent,” Seravalli wrote on Friday.
“Dach was GM Stan Bowman’s bet at No. 3 overall in 2019 in Chicago, and Bowman feels only a poor run of injury luck has kept Dach from reaching that potential.”
Bowman has already been active this summer. He dealt Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks and brought in goaltender Devon Levi from the Buffalo Sabres. Now, if Seravalli’s reporting is accurate, he may be looking at another player with a familiar connection.
The Oilers added Kirby’s younger brother, Colton Dach, in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks ahead of last year’s deadline. The 23-year-old fit in quickly, bringing a hard-nosed, physical style that won over fans and carved out a place in Edmonton’s lineup.
Kirby Dach’s situation has been much different. Drafted third overall by Chicago in 2019, he has yet to match that billing in Montreal. Injuries have slowed him down, and last season he was used in a bottom-six role, producing eight goals and 15 points in 37 games.
His summer also brought a wrinkle when the Canadiens turned his $4 million qualifying offer into a two-way deal before later settling on a one-year contract with a $3.6 million cap hit.
Seravalli added that the Calgary Flames are also in on Dach, while Montreal is believed to be holding out for a significant return that includes an NHL roster player.
For Edmonton, it would be a gamble. The Oilers already have plenty of bottom-six options, so this would not be a simple depth add. But if Bowman still believes Dach can become the player he envisioned in Chicago, health may be the missing piece.
There’s no sign a deal is imminent, but Dach is clearly a name worth watching as the Oilers open the season.
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