NHL Rumors: Insider reveals Edmonton Oilers' trade blueprint, links Canadiens' David Savard 

The Edmonton Oilers appear to be set for another Stanley Cup run. The runner-up from last year is now second in the Pacific division with a 27-13-5 record. They have 57 points, only four behind the division-leading Vegas Golden Knights (61 points).

Enjoying another season of prime Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers will surely be buyers leading up to the NHL trade deadline. Losing Philip Broberg, Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais in the off-season has the blueline looking a little thin. It would make sense to see Edmonton interested in acquiring help on defense.

TSN hockey insider Pierre LeBrun wrote an article in The Athletic and shared what rumblings he's hearing in Oil Country.

"Edmonton had pro scouting meetings last week to start trade-deadline preparations, putting names on a wish list, etc. And what came out of it was the idea of casting as wide a net as possible to start. The initial search doesn’t necessarily zero in on one specific type of defender, as the front office feels it has flexibility in its current group," LeBrun said.

He specifically mentioned Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard.

"There are shutdown defensemen on the list and also puck-movers. Righties and lefties. So, for example, a right-handed defenseman who kills penalties like David Savard would fit, but so would a puck-moving left-handed defenseman. It will really depend on how the market shakes out over the coming eight weeks." LeBrun added.

It will be interesting to see how aggressive Stan Bowman is in his first trade deadline as general manager of the Edmonton Oilers.

Edmonton Oilers could see Evander Kane return for the playoffs

The Edmonton Oilers have been without forward Evander Kane for the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign. After undergoing off-season abdominal surgery, Kane recently had knee surgery in an unrelated procedure that is expected to sideline him for four to eight weeks.

Kane was originally anticipated to return in March at the earliest, so this new injury shouldn't affect that timeline.

The bruising winger has been a key part of the Oilers success since joining the team in 2021-22. He has registered 111 points (62 goals, 49 assists) in 161 games in Edmonton, and has also been a productive playoff contributor. The Oilers will surely welcome him back when he returns to full health.

Edmonton is in action on Wednesday night in Minnesota against the Wild. The puck drops at 8:30 p.m. EST at Xcel Energy Center.