The chatter around Kirby Dach is getting louder, and Edmonton keeps showing up in the middle of it.
Sportsnet insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Oilers and Calgary Flames have both been tracking the Montreal centre closely, with Edmonton described as especially aggressive in its interest. Seravalli wrote for Casino.org NHL News: “The truth is Dach’s future in Montréal has been tenuous for months now,” and added, “Sources indicate two teams in particular - the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames - have kept close tabs on Dach’s status this month to see if they could wait out the Habs, who have held firm on a high asking price.”
Montreal, according to the report, already turned down a second round pick for Dach last June.
Seravalli also made it clear just how strong the Oilers’ push is. “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,” he said.
He noted that the move is not necessarily about bringing the Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, native home to play with his younger brother, Colton. Instead, he pointed to Stan Bowman’s history with Dach, saying Bowman picked him No. 3 overall in 2019 in Chicago and believes injury luck has been the main thing keeping him from that ceiling.
Dach is entering the final season of a deal that pays him $3.6 million, and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer. That makes the whole situation a moving target. Montreal could still decide to keep him if he has a strong year, so nothing about an Edmonton move is locked in despite the obvious appetite from the Oilers’ side.
There’s also the roster picture in Montreal. The Canadiens already have Nick Suzuki, Phillip Danault on an expiring deal, Jake Evans, Florian Xhekaj and Oliver Kapanen at centre, along with Dach. If Xhekaj, the big, rugged 22-year-old centre, takes a real step forward, Dach could become the odd man out.
Seravalli’s move to Sportsnet also drew attention, with speculation that it could give the network another proven insider in the mix. He’s built a reputation as a connected voice who doesn’t shy away from saying what he thinks, even when it ruffles feathers.
The McDavid talk surfaced again, too, this time from TSN OverDrive commentator Jeff “O-Dog” O’Neill. The former Leafs player said he sees no chance Connor McDavid signs a new deal in Edmonton.
Asked to put a percentage on it, O’Neill said, “Yeah, I think zero. I think he told them, ‘I’ve got two years here, and if we don’t win a Cup, I’m gonna go do it somewhere else.”
O’Neill went further, saying that even a Cup might not change the ending. “He gave them the Cup that they want… When your assistant captain says, ‘you know, look around here.
We’ve got two years to make this thing happen.’ I think that means something.
And I’m not trying to cause a controversy. I just think he he told them I’m going to sign a two-year extension.
I’m going to chop that off the cap for you guys to try to do some work.”
That view was dismissed as uninformed opinion, though the Draisaitl comment about the Oilers having a two-year window was cited as at least some tangible basis for the take. The broader point was that Edmonton gets plenty of outside noise, especially from Eastern media types weighing in on what the Oilers should do and what their stars will decide.
For now, the Dach story is the one to watch. Edmonton wants him, Montreal has held firm, and Seravalli says the Oilers’ interest is very real - whether the move comes now, at the March 1 trade deadline, or next summer.
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