Oilers offered Flames a first-round pick for Tanev: report
The Edmonton Oilers took a serious run at acquiring Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames.
After months of rumours indicating that the Flames were waiting for a team to pony up a first-round pick for Tanev, it appears the Oilers were willing to pay the price to make a deal with their provincial rival.
In Monday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mentioned that the Oilers offered the Flames a lucrative package for the veteran defenceman that was ultimately squashed by Calgary GM Craig Conroy in favour of a package from the Dallas Stars.
“I think the Oilers offered the Flames a first-round pick with the proviso that [Calgary] had to take a player off Edmonton’s roster,” said Friedman. “Calgary just didn’t want to do that; they were not interested in what that potential was.”
Friedman went on to say that Tanev was open to the possibility of playing in Edmonton and would not get in the way of a potential deal.
“I think Tanev was intrigued with the idea of playing in Edmonton,” said Friedman. “I do think it was something he considered and something he was willing to do.”
The player that the Oilers offered and the first-rounder were not named, but there are a few candidates. Defenceman Cody Ceci is the most obvious choice, as Tanev would have slotted directly into his spot on the Oilers’ second pairing with Darnell Nurse. This also would have made the cap work a lot better for Edmonton as Ceci carries a $3.25 million cap hit through next season compared to Tanev’s expiring $4.5 million.
Another possibility is Warren Foegele, who recently hit a career-high in points and is on an expiring contract with a $2.75 million cap hit. Considering that Foegele should have a positive value around the league, he seems less likely than Ceci.
The Flames didn’t wind up getting a first-rounder for Tanev, which implies that they might have decided to take a lesser package instead of dealing with their rivals. If the price was truly higher for a team like the Oilers, it certainly seems like Edmonton GM Ken Holland was willing to pay it.
Nonetheless, the Flames made their decision, and Tanev is now in the Lone Star State.
Follow Channels and Categories