NHL Rumors: Oilers, Wild discussing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins trade

The Minnesota Wild have been discussing a trade that would send a defenseman to the Edmonton Oilers for center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. 

For a long time, the Minnesota Wild have been looking to add a skilled center to their team. Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers have desperately been searching to upgrade their porous blue line. The two teams could be a match made in heaven as they are reportedly having discussions about a trade that would send center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to the Wild and a young defenseman to the Oilers.

Edmonton is reportedly targeting two young Wild defensemen: Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin. They would not be getting both in a deal, as the Oilers would likely only get one of them. Dumba seems to be the better fit since he is right-handed and the Oilers already have a surplus of left-handed defensemen like Brodin. That likely wouldn’t be the only piece heading to Edmonton, but it appears that Hopkins would be the lone piece going to the Wild.

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This appears to be a trade that would work out for both sides assuming that Dumba is involved. Edmonton would be getting a very promising right-handed defenseman in Dumba while the Wild would be getting an extremely skilled center in Hopkins, something that they have coveted for quite some time.

Hopkins had 34 points (12 goals and 22 assists) in 55 games for the Oilers. In 313 games, the first-overall pick of the 2011 NHL draft has 222 career points including 77 goals and 145 assists.

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