The Edmonton Oilers are exploring the possibility of trading Milan Lucic, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
In a segment on TSN 1060, Seravalli brought up the possibility of Lucic being shopped around the league. Lucic scored 10 goals and added 24 assists for the Oilers in the 2017-18 regular season, and Seravalli suggested Thursday that Edmonton may be ready to move on from the 30-year-old and his big contract.
"My understanding, and the reason that Milan Lucic is on (TSN's top trade) list is because, from my understanding, they’re trying and talking to teams about potentially taking another contract back even if that means sweetening the pot with a pick or some other roster player in order to make it happen," Seravalli said. "They are pushing, or at least doing their due diligence, and working to try and move on from Milan Lucic if they can. I just don’t know that it’s going to happen with that much term left. It’s going to be a really tough one to do.”
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Lucic is under contract for another five seasons with a $6 million cap hit per year. It's a deal that is seen as tough to move, although there may be indications that Lucic would be willing to waive his no trade clause in order to make a trade work.
Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night In Canada also weighed in on Lucic's situation, calling the veteran's contract a "huge obstacle" in getting a deal done while also noting that there may be some desire by the player to move on from Edmonton.
“There was a rumour going around a week ago that maybe he might have asked for a trade," Friedman told 630 CHED Thursday. "I was told that was not the case. I asked somebody and they told me that he had not asked for it. But I believe there has been some conversation about is there a way that this can be worked on to make it happen."
Friedman added that Lucic's contract is the biggest sticking point on any possible trade, regardless of whether the player or the Oilers deem a move necessary. It may be better to see if Lucic can be utilized differently within the framework of Edmonton's team, Friedman said.
“Do I think that his name is coming up, do I think that he would potentially be receptive to something? Yes I do," Friedman said. "But do I think it’s likely to happen? I think it is an extremely difficult trade to make because if someone is taking that contract from you, what are you getting back?
"Sometimes I think the best thing to do is [ask] is there a way that you can work with Lucic to improve his game as opposed to do this.”