First Rantanen, now Marchand?

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The Edmonton Oilers have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL this season, but GM Stan Bowman will be looking to make a big splash a the trade deadline to bolster his team. With that in mind, Oilers insider Alan Mitchel recently suggested a block buster move that would send shockwaves down the NHL — acquiring Brad Marchand.

The Boston Bruins have had an extremely underwhelming 2024-25 campaign to say the least. The combination of Jim Montgomery’s departure and slumping performances from their superstars, the B’s are one breath shy from a total franchise rebuild.

While the B’s continue to trend downwards, insider Alan Mitchell suggests the Bruins could look to move Brad Marchand if their playoff odds look grim.

Acquiring Marchand at the deadline would be something close to a perfect fit for the Oilers. If he does become available, Bowman and Edmonton should be aggressive in pursuing Marchand.

– Allan Mitchell

Although Brad Marchand carries a hefty price tag, Mitchell suggests structuring the deal around top prospect Sam O’Reilly Maxim Berezkin as best fits for the Bruins organization, but also that the Oilers could trade a prospect for an NHL ready player, and flip them for Marchand.

It’s unlikely Boston management would view draft picks as a worthwhile centrepiece for Marchand. If Boston requires a young NHL player it’s possible Edmonton could acquire that player from a club that’s at the beginning of a rebuild process.

The San Jose Sharks are an example of a team that has recently been hospitable to such a trade, and any of Savoie, O’Reilly, Akey, Berezkin and or the picks might be enough to pry a substantial young NHL player loose from another team.

According to Liam McCormick of Oilers Daily, Any trade the Oilers would have to make for Brad Marchand would be extremely complex, not only to meet the trade assets necessary to acquire him but also to accommodate his salary. He’s owed $6.125M until the end of this season.

Although Brad Marchand would be strictly a rental, the idea of Brad Marchand is an incredibly enticing idea.

It would also make the Edmonton Oilers the most hated franchise in hockey.