Dreger: Canadiens, Oilers not connected in trade talks

Darren Dreger was on Montreal’s TSN 690 on Tuesday morning.

On what he’s hearing on the Oilers trade mix, and if there is any connection to the Montreal Canadiens:

“I don’t believe so Shaun, but yeah, I can tell you that Craig MacTavish has virtually scoured the league and will continue to do so. He’s got his feelers out there, and the message I’m told from other general managers is just about everyone is available. So if there’s a player of interest to you, let’s hear about it. And maybe that sparks the trade dialog and negotiation, if not on that player, then on someone else.

Related: The Frustration Tracker: NHL Insiders on the Edmonton Oilers

“I think though we need to be pretty transparent in acknowledging they’re not going to move Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. They’re not moving their No. 1 centre. Obviously. Even though Taylor Hall’s name isn’t on the untouchable list, virtually he has to be untouchable. How do you replace that guy? If you trade Taylor Hall, what are you getting in return? It’s going to have to be a package that absolutely changes the outlook moving forward for the Edmonton Oilers, and I don’t see that happening.

“So now you move down another rung, and you come up with the likes of Jordan Eberle, Justin Schultz potentially, Nail Yakupov another rung down. There are assets that the Edmonton Oilers can move and are willing to move.  But it’s still a little bit early yet and I think that there’s enough teams that think they’re at least in the playoff hunt that they don’t want to cut bait just yet. But MacTavish is feeling the heat. He knows he needs a centre. He needs a No. 2. He needs a No. 3. And he might have to improve his goaltending as well, and a goalie coach switch isn’t going to do that, at least not immediately.”

Source: TSN 690/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey