Edmonton Oilers considering trading Leon Draisaitl to offload Campbell's deal?
As all Oilers fans know, this season has been an unmitigated disaster and one of the worst starts in their franchise history. Week in and week out, it seems that the Oilers cannot get their game going, and it stems from one primary reason.
The goaltending for this team has been dreadful, to say the least. General manager Ken Holland had high hopes when he signed beleaguered goaltender Jack Campbell to a five-year, $25 million deal. He, along with Stuart Skinner, was thought to be the tandem to take the Oilers to the next level.
It's been quite the opposite. Campbell now sits with the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL as he attempts to find his game. That move has proven to be a mess as well, as Campbell has lost all three of his starts and has a .819 save percentage and a 4.36 goals-against.
With an albatross for a contract and the team holding a $3.84 million penalty cap hit, the Oilers are in a quagmire. The question remains: what will it take to move Jack Campbell off the roster?
One wild rumour hit the Internet from hockey influencer Gio Palermo when he was on TSN 1050's OverDrive and suggested the idea that Leon Draisaitl would need to be added to the trade to move a contract as bad as Campbell's deal is.
Draisaitl has one year remaining with the Oilers and can begin negotiations for an extension after this season is done. To move this player, the return would have to be enormous. This is a bona fide superstar centerman who would give any NHL team a franchise center that's one of the most pivotal components of any NHL roster.
He will also have to command a major salary increase as his numbers over the past several years have been outstanding. That kind of salary will also limit teams on who can afford him since his salary cap will be north of $12 million per season.
That being said, with the Oilers mired in an awful slump, would it be prudent for the Oilers to look at trading Draisaitl to get the maximum amount of value they can?
It remains to be seen what the plans are, but rumours are plentiful.
| POLL | ||
Should the Oilers consider offering Leon Draisaitl in a trade? | ||
| Yes | 70 | 33 % |
| No | 142 | 67 % |
| List of polls | ||
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