According to some rumors, the Edmonton Oilers are trying to find a new home for defenseman Oscar Klefbom and forward Zack Kassian. Ken Holland would like to free up some space on his payroll, as he is sorely lacking flexibility under the salary cap.
Klefbom, a 28-year-old Swedish defenseman, is bound to attract interest from other NHL general managers.
The 6-foot-3 lefty is an offensive-minded D-man who can contribute between 30 and 40 points per year when healthy. The problem with him is that he missed the last season entirely due to a chronic left shoulder injury. He is not expected to be healthy for the start of training camp... He also carries an average salary of $4.1 million through 2023. The arrival of Duncan Keith in Edmonton might have forced the Oilers' hand in that direction.
Zack Kassian, a 30-year-old right winger, has had some good times with the Edmonton Oilers in recent years.
However, he seems to have slowed down a lot, hence his only 5 points in 27 games last year. Still, he should definitely find a buyer, as he is very versatile. He can play on any lineup, even the first line to help out in the short term. The emergence of Jesse Puljujarvi have hurt him a lot, as he has seen his ice time decrease considerably. Kassian has a $3.2 million impact on the payroll through 2024.
Could we see Marc Bergevin interested in the services of Oscar Klefbom? The Habs had once shown interest in the Swede. Yes, he's a lefty, but as a last resort, Dominique Ducharme could move Ben Chiarot to the right side. It's a good idea to consider, because we don't even know when Klefbom will return to the game. His injury seems to be very serious. Will he even be in good shape, or lose his timing? To be continued...
