Proposal: (EDM/CBJ) Campbell Ekholm for Merzlikins Provorov

[ManofSteel55]

Merzilkings declines, he doesn't want his career ruined. Edmonton is a goalie graveyard, what goalie would want to go there?

One who looks at his current situation and realizes that playing in Edmonton might not be so bad.

 

[HolyGhost]

Both goalies are equally bad but the oilers are giving up the better D. I though Elvis was on the same $$ as campbell but he is not he is on 400k more This trade make the oilers a lot worse.

 

[Extra Texture]

I know you have to give to get, but Ekholm is one of the last players the Oilers should be sacrificing

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Edmonton doesn't touch this with a 200 foot pole. Add something from Columbus that hurts and hurts badly.

I know you have to give to get, but Ekholm is one of the last players the Oilers should be sacrificing

Give to get what, exactly? A defenceman that isn't in the same league as Ekholm and a broken goalie (said as a guy that loves Elvis' personality and really hopes he can figure things out?) Woof.

Merzilkings declines, he doesn't want his career ruined. Edmonton is a goalie graveyard, what goalie would want to go there?

Elvis over the last two years owns a 25-45 win/loss record and an .889 save percentage. Dude has one foot in the grave already.

 

[mydnyte]

Provorov and Ekholm are basically a wash talent wise, and why would the Jackets trade Ekholm off?
Campbell played his way out of the NHL
Elvis is still a good goalie (about 70% of the time)
Pretty sure the Jackets say NOPE

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Provorov and Ekholm are basically a wash talent wise, and why would the Jackets trade Ekholm off?
Campbell played his way out of the NHL
Elvis is still a good goalie (about 70% of the time)
Pretty sure the Jackets say NOPE

...no, no they are not.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Considering how... ineffective... the Nurse-Ceci pairing is and how great the Ekholm-Bouchard pairing is, this seems absolutely crazy for Edmonton to even consider.

I think Merzlikins is better than Campbell, but I don't think he's ever shown anything more than being slightly better than average for one season a few seasons ago. Campbell was awful this season (small sample, but has been hit and miss in the AHL), but it was really last season where opinion of him cratered and Merzlikins was even worse last season. I don't think its probable or even likely that he would be a "big" upgrade, and may not even be an upgrade at all given how fluky goalies can be. And he's more expensive.

McDavid and Draisaitl are Edmonton's two most important players, but I'd say Bouchard and Ekholm are 3 and 4 after that. This would be an awful trade for Montreal.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Considering how... ineffective... the Nurse-Ceci pairing is and how great the Ekholm-Bouchard pairing is, this seems absolutely crazy for Edmonton to even consider.

I think Merzlikins is better than Campbell, but I don't think he's ever shown anything more than being slightly better than average for one season a few seasons ago. Campbell was awful this season (small sample, but has been hit and miss in the AHL), but it was really last season where opinion of him cratered and Merzlikins was even worse last season. I don't think its probable or even likely that he would be a "big" upgrade, and may not even be an upgrade at all given how fluky goalies can be. And he's more expensive.

McDavid and Draisaitl are Edmonton's two most important players, but I'd say Bouchard and Ekholm are 3 and 4 after that. This would be an awful trade for Montreal.

Edmonton would start laughing the minute Ekholm's name was brought up. He's untouchable.

Our 2nd pairing is gutter trash, but Ekholm and Bouchard are dominating and Kulak and Desharnais are holding their own.

 

[Buttonwood]

Random question: if Merzlikins was loaned to a EU team for a season (say Liiga for argument's sake), would his cap hit be the same as being buried in the AHL like Campbell this season? Can he even be loaned to another pro team?

 

[jackjohnson]

to Edmonton Oilers
Elvis Merzlikins (3y @ $5.4000m)
Ivan Provorov (1y @ $4.7250m)
total cap = $10.1250m (open $0.8750m)
important note = Edmonton cap dumps Skinner to 3rd team after

to Columbus Blue Jackets
Jack Campbell (3y @ $5.0000m)
Mattias Ekholm (2y @ $6.0000m)
total cap = $11.0000m (add $0.8750m)
important note = Columbus trades Ekholm to playoff team after

EDIT - Also want to say: if people think the trade value is off but the trade works in terms of roster players, would be interested to hear what people would wanted added to the trade (picks/prospects) to make it work.

Edmonton reasoning:
Edmonton does NOT want to move Ekholm AT ALL, but they aren't going to be able to win a cup with their goaltending situation. Provorov is a downgrade for sure on Ekholm, but he isn't a useless bum either. Cap hit is decent, contract is only 1 year long. Merzlikins seems to have declined a little bit, and then the coaches decided to start playing other goalies. Is this a locker room thing? Merzlikins mentally checked out / wants out? Maybe Columbus fans can chime in but, from the little I've read, I'm not convinced it's only because of his play. I think he can be a good goalie elsewhere and Columbus wants to move him. It's very probable IMO that he'll be a big upgrade on Jack Campbell. Edmonton could then dump Skinner elsewhere for a 7th rounder or future considerations, and sign a cheap backup goalie to help with their cap situation. Teams that pop into my head that would maybe take Skinner for free would be Buffalo, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Winnipeg, Los Angeles.

Columbus reasoning:
It's clear that Columbus wants to move on from Merzlikins, and it doesn't seem like Provorov has come in and become a part of their long-term plans. This trade allows Columbus to move out Merzikins and let Tarasov take over. Greaves and Campbell can battle it out for the backup spot, and then once Greaves needs waivers next summer, Campbell can play in the AHL to finish his contract. Columbus obviously wouldn't think paying $5 million per year to Campbell is a good thing, especially if he's in the AHL, but they're swapping out Provorov for Ekholm here. They could maybe keep him, but I think the smarter thing to do would be to then shop Ekholm to playoff teams and get a really nice return involving young NHLers, good prospects or high picks. Basically, the new Columbus GM is moving on from guys that aren't in future plans, and also adding at least one or two GOOD young pieces into the system (Ekholm trade to 3rd team after), at the cost of bringing in a 3 year overpaid goalie who's gonna play backup and AHL, or maybe just AHL. Tarasov is unlikely to get a HUGE raise next summer, and Greaves getting a huge raise this summer isn't happening. The overall goalie budget (both actual dollars and cap) should be manageable over the next 3 years with Tarasov Greaves Campbell.

Potential trade modifications:
If this trade seems to kind of make sense but not fully work, something like Broberg could potentially be added in. Bourgault maybe but I don't think Columbus wants young wingers. Edmonton doesn't have a lot of good picks or prospects to work with. Maybe add in Kulak and one of Boqvist or Gudbranson? I don't know. These are just random ideas that popped into my head, in case the deal is close but needs tweaking.

Did you dream that up? No one would take Campbell even if Ekholm came free with him

 

[Extra Texture]

Give to get what, exactly?

In this case, probably "to get worse". I'm not even commenting on the merits of the deal, because its a clear downgrade on the blueline. But "you gotta give to get" is one of those silly aphorisms that get repeated on here a lot.

As I said in my post, the Ekholm is one of the last players the Oilers should be parting with, and adding him to the Oilers made me think they were a legit cup threat, despite having had a deep run in 2022. It goes without saying that any deal which sacrifices him should be for an clear upgrade in net, not this.

 

[Viqsi]

Provorov and Ekholm are basically a wash talent wise

If that were true, the Jackets wouldn't have blueline problems anymore. Provorov's been fine, but he doesn't stop opposing players the way Ekholm does. Not by a long shot.

* * *​

Did you dream that up? No one would take Campbell even if Ekholm came free with him

I would do that immediately and be grateful for the opportunity. Ekholm is that good.

Remember how Hamhuis seemingly came out of nowhere from Nashville's blueline depth and basically transformed Vancouver's defense? It's like that.

 

[joestevens29]

Ekholm should be retiring with the Oiler or maybe he goes back to Nashville as a depth d-man at the end of his career.

No way the Oilers are trading him

 

[bucks_oil]

to Edmonton Oilers
Elvis Merzlikins (3y @ $5.4000m)
Ivan Provorov (1y @ $4.7250m)
total cap = $10.1250m (open $0.8750m)
important note = Edmonton cap dumps Skinner to 3rd team after

to Columbus Blue Jackets
Jack Campbell (3y @ $5.0000m)
Mattias Ekholm (2y @ $6.0000m)
total cap = $11.0000m (add $0.8750m)
important note = Columbus trades Ekholm to playoff team after

EDIT - Also want to say: if people think the trade value is off but the trade works in terms of roster players, would be interested to hear what people would wanted added to the trade (picks/prospects) to make it work.

Edmonton reasoning:
Edmonton does NOT want to move Ekholm AT ALL, but they aren't going to be able to win a cup with their goaltending situation. Provorov is a downgrade for sure on Ekholm, but he isn't a useless bum either. Cap hit is decent, contract is only 1 year long. Merzlikins seems to have declined a little bit, and then the coaches decided to start playing other goalies. Is this a locker room thing? Merzlikins mentally checked out / wants out? Maybe Columbus fans can chime in but, from the little I've read, I'm not convinced it's only because of his play. I think he can be a good goalie elsewhere and Columbus wants to move him. It's very probable IMO that he'll be a big upgrade on Jack Campbell. Edmonton could then dump Skinner elsewhere for a 7th rounder or future considerations, and sign a cheap backup goalie to help with their cap situation. Teams that pop into my head that would maybe take Skinner for free would be Buffalo, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Winnipeg, Los Angeles.

Columbus reasoning:
It's clear that Columbus wants to move on from Merzlikins, and it doesn't seem like Provorov has come in and become a part of their long-term plans. This trade allows Columbus to move out Merzikins and let Tarasov take over. Greaves and Campbell can battle it out for the backup spot, and then once Greaves needs waivers next summer, Campbell can play in the AHL to finish his contract. Columbus obviously wouldn't think paying $5 million per year to Campbell is a good thing, especially if he's in the AHL, but they're swapping out Provorov for Ekholm here. They could maybe keep him, but I think the smarter thing to do would be to then shop Ekholm to playoff teams and get a really nice return involving young NHLers, good prospects or high picks. Basically, the new Columbus GM is moving on from guys that aren't in future plans, and also adding at least one or two GOOD young pieces into the system (Ekholm trade to 3rd team after), at the cost of bringing in a 3 year overpaid goalie who's gonna play backup and AHL, or maybe just AHL. Tarasov is unlikely to get a HUGE raise next summer, and Greaves getting a huge raise this summer isn't happening. The overall goalie budget (both actual dollars and cap) should be manageable over the next 3 years with Tarasov Greaves Campbell.

Potential trade modifications:
If this trade seems to kind of make sense but not fully work, something like Broberg could potentially be added in. Bourgault maybe but I don't think Columbus wants young wingers. Edmonton doesn't have a lot of good picks or prospects to work with. Maybe add in Kulak and one of Boqvist or Gudbranson? I don't know. These are just random ideas that popped into my head, in case the deal is close but needs tweaking.

Or you know... we just buy out Campbell, trade Skinner, sign a better UFA goalie than Merzlikins and KEEP our 1B defensemen.