A measly two points separate the Edmonton Oilers from the NHL's basement.
Going 4-5-1 in their last 10, the team seems well on its way to drafting either Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel next June.
But as the season slips away, trade chatter heats up and rumors continue to swirl ahead of the NHL's trade deadline, the Oilers may be in the market to sell off some pieces for more picks and/or prospects along with an exchange of established NHL talent.
The Oilers and GM Craig MacTavish remain "open for business", according to a report from The Fourth Period.
While it's widely assumed that defenseman Jeff Petry will be dealt by the deadline, the report reveals that other Oilers players are drawing interest and, more importantly, are on the block and available.
"Forwards Jordan Eberle, Nail Yakupov and Teddy Purcell are 'more likely' to be dealt than some of Edmonton's other players, such as Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Boyd Gordon, according to a source close to the organization, but that doesn't necessarily mean those players will be moved by the deadline," The Fourth Period reported.
A deal for Hall would have to "monstrous" to actually pique MacTavish's interest, but such deals have been done before.
As for potential destinations for some of these players, TFP notes that there has been much speculation of Yakupov ending up with another Canadian team.
"It has been widely reported that the Oilers have had discussions with the Montreal Canadiens about Yakupov, though it's unclear if there have been any recent conversations between the two clubs," according to the site.
Eberle's name has been bandied about a fair amount as well, though nothing substantive has been reported in recent weeks.
MacTavish is in the market for two top-six wingers, a top-pairing defenseman and a No. 1 goalie, according to TFP.
It's unclear what he's willing to swap out in order to bring those pieces in, but it sure sounds like a large amount of his young talent is available - for the right price.
