Shawn Horcoff spent the weekend canvassing the league on Simon Edvinsson, and the Red Wings sound far more flexible on him than they ever were on Dylan Larkin.
Elliotte Friedman broke the news on Saturday Night Hockey that Edvinsson would prefer a trade. One insider admitted his first thought was that it might be a negotiating ploy.
Instead, Horcoff was reportedly busy making calls to see what the market looks like. That's hardly the behaviour of a team bluffing.
The bigger shift is what Detroit will take back. The Red Wings seem open to futures, prospects, draft picks or even roster players in the right Edvinsson deal.
With Larkin, the ask boiled down to getting another Dylan Larkin in return. That gap makes an Edvinsson trade far more realistic than a Larkin one.
Ownership is feeling it too. Chris Ilitch has been more visible lately, and tickets for Tuesday's game against Ottawa are going for as little as $14.
The Oilers have the motive and a familiar face in Shawn Horcoff
Here's where Edmonton comes in. Horcoff is a former Oilers captain, and he knows that organization better than most people in the league.
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Nobody has reported Edmonton calling about Edvinsson. But the fit is easy to see for a team chasing a Cup with a blue line that gave up 13 goals in its first two games.
The Oilers have already explored a lateral trade, moving a depth defenceman for a forward. Shakir Mukhamadullin, 24, on a $1,750,000 cap hit, is the kind of young piece Detroit now says it would consider.
Money is the hurdle. David Pagnotta pegged Edvinsson's next deal between $9 million and $11 million annually, and Edmonton's cap is already stretched by its stars.
Edmonton should make the call anyway. A 23-year-old, 6-foot-6 left shot beside Evan Bouchard would give Connor McDavid's window the defensive anchor it has been missing.
It's like spotting your dream house listed below asking because the sellers can't agree on anything. You make the offer before somebody else does.
The Red Wings are 0-2-0 after a 3-2 loss to Winnipeg. The Oilers are 2-0-1 and visit Anaheim on Wednesday.
Detroit is finally willing to bend. If Stan Bowman wants Edvinsson, this might be the softest the price ever gets.
Should the Oilers trade for Simon Edvinsson?
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