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NHL Trade Rumors: Oilers pursuing Travis Hamonic and Sami Vatanen

By Dave Stevenson

Nov 5, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron (41) moves the puck against New York Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic (3) during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron (41) moves the puck against New York Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic (3) during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Edmonton Oilers are reportedly exploring trading for either Travis Hamonic or Sami Vatanen

The Edmonton Oilers have needed to improve their blue line for quite some time and they’ve been a bit more aggressive in trying to fix their blue line under new General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Peter Chiarelli. They have expressed a ton of interest in two young defensemen: Travis Hamonic of the New York Islanders and Sami Vatanen of the Anaheim Ducks.

“I think that everybody is looking at Hamonic,” said Elliotte Friedman, via the Edmonton Journal, “and saying, ‘Is there going to be a match there?; I have no doubt that that is what the Oilers are considering. I have no doubt they’re going to try to get it done…I definitely see a situation where Anaheim deals [a defenseman] for forwards.”

The Oilers’ interest in Travis Hamonic is obvious. He wants to live closer to his family in Canada and the Oilers have a huge need for defensemen of his caliber. However, because the Islanders are asking for a defenseman in return for him this season, the Oilers aren’t likely to trade for him during the season. The Oilers simply don’t have anything to offer them other than the defensemen that they should be keeping.

The Oilers’ interest in Sami Vatanen makes a lot of sense because the Anaheim Ducks have a bit of a surplus of young defensemen on their blue line. They need offense if they’re going to make a playoff push, so the Oilers could move either forward Jordan Eberle or center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for Vatanen in season, unlike Hamonic.

The Oilers and the Islanders will likely start talking again about Travis Hamonic once the offseason begins. It would make sense then because the Islanders would at least have time to find another defenseman if they trade Hamonic during the offseason.

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