#2: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Edmonton Oilers
If any team is willing to move a first overall pick it’s the Edmonton Oilers. One, because they have them all and two, because they dealt two of them already in the past six months.
In all seriousness, the Oilers have a lot of depth down the middle of their lineup. There isn’t a player in the world better than Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl has blossomed into an excellent center as well.
This leaves Nugent-Hopkins as the third best center on the team. It’s not an ideal role for the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, and his $6.0 million salary isn’t ideal for the team to pay it’s third line center.
Nugent-Hopkins most frequent linemates this season have been Benoit Pouliot and Zack Kassian. That’s two former Habs castaways who aren’t exactly Alex Ovechkin and Brett Hull when it comes to goal scoring. This puts “Nuge” at a serious disadvantage as a pass-first center.
Pouliot and Kassian each have five points in 23 games this season. Nuge has put up 12 in 26 which is the lowest production of his career. He scored 52 points in 62 games as an 18 year old rookie that weighed less than one of Zdeno Chara’s arms.
His production has decreased since McDavid arrived, but there is no doubt Nuge is an excellent two-way player who is capable of scoring between 50 and 60 points with the potential to go far above 60. Playing with excellent possession players and goal scorers like Pacioretty and Gallagher would bring out the best in the playmaking pivot.
Why would the Oilers make the deal?
The Oilers are one of the few teams in the league with too many great centers. McDavid-Draisaitl-Nuge is incredible depth that most general managers would give up their first born to have. So why would the Oilers want to break that up?
Well, they have other holes to fill, and like I said, other general managers will line up to have any of the three centers. Moving Nuge would open up a hole at third line center, but the Oilers could fill that internally with Tyler Pitlick or even Drake Caggiula.
Even with Nuge taken off the roster, the Oilers boast a deep crop of forwards. They have improved their defence over the past few years, but could still use some work on the back end. That’s where they would be looking to upgrade if they were to agree to move Nuge.
What would it cost?
The Oilers are in a playoff chase at the moment, but will have a hard time holding off the three California teams. Their vision is still long-term, though not as long term as it has been in the past.
They would want a young defenceman who can help now and in the future. They would also want some futures to sweeten the pot as they really are not in a rush to move their first overall pick from 2011.
It’s not going to be an easy trade for the Canadiens to make. They are going to have to part with several pieces of what they currently believe to be their future. Nuge is a 23 year old center with five years left on his contract $6.0 million. He’s not exactly a bargain, but he’s worth every penny he’s earning.