Oilers remain in on Gavrikov trade talks, appear out on Chychrun: report

Jamie Sabau/Gaelen Morse-USA TODAY Sports

The Edmonton Oilers are circling on defencemen.

But Jakob Chychrun is no longer one of them, according to Elliotte Friedman.

The Oilers, who have been long linked as a suitor for the Arizona Coyotes blueliner, instead are turning their attention elsewhere.

“Other clubs that make sense, but appear to be out, include Edmonton, Florida and Toronto. I’ve wondered about Winnipeg. But, as you may have seen on Twitter, Columbus makes a lot of sense,” Friedman wrote in his 32 Thoughts blog Thursday.

Chychrun, Friedman notes, is 11th among defencemen in points-per-game and registers a +10 rating for a Coyotes’ club that has a goals for/against differential of -25. The 24-year-old has two additional seasons remaining on a six-year contract worth $4.6 million annually.

Edmonton instead remains linked to Vlasislav Gavrikov of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Friedman said.

“Gavrikov doesn’t fit the (Los Angeles) Kings unless he agrees to an extension. But he’s gotten interest from Boston, Edmonton and Toronto to some degree,” he wrote.

The 27-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent in the final season of a three-year contract worth $2.8 million. He has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 52 games this season and, like Chychrun, is being held out of the lineup as a means of asset protection.

Gavrikov joins some pretty big names recently linked to the Oilers.

Edmonton re-engaged with the San Jose Sharks about rearguard Erik Karlsson earlier this week, according to TSN’s Chris Johnston.

“Word is the Sharks and Oilers have re-engaged on Erik Karlsson trade discussions. There are considerable financial hurdles on both ends, but it’s at least the second time this season they’ve explored a potential fit,” Johnston tweeted last Saturday.

Karlsson leads all defencemen and is sixth in NHL, scoring 73 points (18 goals, 55 assists), but he carries a cap hit of $11.5 million and a no-movement clause through the 2026-27 season.

Edmonton had previously been linked to Karlsson in early December.

They’ve more recently been linked to another future Hall-of-Famer, Patrick Kane.

“I think Edmonton’s interested and has reached out. I think Dallas has considered it. I’ve wondered about Vegas, and my belief is Toronto wants to know whether or not it’s actually in the mix before considering anything. As one GM said Wednesday, ‘If Patrick Kane is interested in you, you have to think about it,’” Friedman wrote.

The Oilers have $1.975 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.

They hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with 66 points and a .600 points percentage. They hold a five-point edge over the Calgary Flames for the position.

The NHL Trade Deadline is March 3.

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