The Edmonton Oilers could be busy at the trade deadline this year thanks to them being out of the playoff race already. One of the players other teams have been checking out all year is Ales Hemsky thanks to his offensive prowess.
According to Jason Gregor of Oilers Nation, however, Hemsky would love to stay around in Edmonton to ride shotgun with the host of young talent they’ve got on board. As you might expect though, there’s a bit of a catch.
“Of course I would like to stay, but it depends on the terms. I can’t really talk about it because I haven’t seen an offer yet. I like the guys here, I like the city, the fans are great and I have lots of friends here. I’ve always been happy here so I’d like to stay.’''
Ah yes, the contract.
Hemsky is due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and after coming off a deal that saw him make $4.1 million against the cap and a slew of injuries, he’s not likely going to come cheap.
At 28-years-old Hemsky is still tremendously talented and could compare with a guy like Marian Gaborik who dealt with injury problems through big offensive seasons. Hemsky tells Gregor that he feels like he’s just coming into his prime. That’s a pretty good line to use if you’re hoping to find someone to take you out of town.