Elliotte Friedman, the NHL’s most trusted insider, has connected the Edmonton Oilers to yet another player. This time, it’s Arizona Coyotes Forward Nick Bjugstad.
"“I think the Oilers like Bjugstad and after I said that on Saturday night, someone called me on Sunday and they said to me, they think it’s more than interest. They think there have been some pretty detailed conversations between the two teams” – Elliotte Friedman"
Bjugstad is a 30-year-old, 6-foot-6 centre from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Through 50 games with the Coyotes this season, he has scored 11 goals and added 10 assists for 21 points. With close to 600 games played, Bjugstad brings a veteran presence which always seems to be an attractive part to anyone’s game for Oilers GM Ken Holland.
Bjugstad is a pending UFA, making $900k this season after signing a one-year contract inn the desert with Arizona. A cheap acquisition that adds depth scoring can be beneficial for any team, and if the Oilers are looking for upgrades for a third line center, Bjugstad could be their guy.
I can’t see the Coyotes asking for much, and this could look like a trade that the Oilers come out on top winning big. Moving out Jesse Puljujarvi who has become an outsider looking in for the team would clear up over $2M in cap space, and the Oilers would likely be able to bring in a later draft pick from the Coyotes as well.
While the team continues to struggle in their own end, this trade helps them minimally. While Bjugstad is a solid defensive minded player, he still doesn’t solve the overall problem the Oilers have had for months. I truly wouldn’t mind bringing Bjugstad in, as long as it doesn’t cost too many assets. The likelihood of him being a rental that doesn’t re-sign is high, so Holland can”t lose a trade by overpaying.