The rumours started last week and they have continued during the weekend. According to Elliotte Friedman, the Edmonton Oilers are in the hunt for Pavel Buchnevich. He is their #1 target in terms of the top six forward they are shopping for.
Buchnevich’s fit for the Oilers
In terms of if he is the correct fit, Buchnevich brings what Edmonton lacks in their top six and even in their top nine. He is physical like Evander Kane and he has soft hands like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He has a nose for the net and possesses a great shot which explains the high amount of 20-goal seasons he has collected.
Buchnevich has speed that can be utilized on the wing, he is very good in the defensive zone, he has a high hockey IQ, and he is very versatile. That last quality is what I think the Oilers favour the most next to the goal scoring he provides.
Another quality that Buchnevich could bring to Edmonton, if the trade happens, is he has term on his contract. The player would not just be a rental. He will be here for more than one season and, based on the rumours that have floated around, he may even re-sign in Edmonton.
The cost to acquire Buchnevich
Since Buchnevich has term on his contract, the cost for him will be very high and even more than what the cost will be for Jake Guentzel. If I had to take a guess, I would say the cost will be two first-round picks, a top prospect and a roster player.
Here is my trade proposal:
Two first-round picks, Philip Broberg, Warren Foegele
for
Pavel Buchnevich (25% salary retained) and conditional pick
For obvious reasons, the Oilers would need St. Louis to retain salary.
Will this happen at the trade deadline?
I see this going down to the wire. Based on how much noise we’ve heard around Edmonton and St. Louis, along with the scouting the Oilers have done on Buchnevich, I would say he is their #1 target. But, based on the rigorous scouting Edmonton has done on the New Jersey Devils California road trip, I believe Tyler Toffoli is their #2 target.
