Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Trade Bait: Ales Hemsky

Edmonton Oilers v Dallas Stars

at American Airlines Center on February 28, 2013 in Dallas, Texas.

Ronald Martinez

The NHL’s trade deadline is Wednesday, April 3. Following is a player that may be moved. For more “Trade Bait,” click here.

With the NHL’s trade deadline quickly approaching, Ales Hemsky is being talked about as a player who could be available.

The Edmonton Oilers’ 29-year-old winger has one more year on his two-year, $10-million contract after this season. He’s scored eight times and has 18 points in 30 games this season for the Oilers, but is regarded as a highly skilled forward.

According to John Shannon of Sportsnet, Hemsky, who is a cap hit of $5 million, isn’t available just yet. That isn’t to say that won’t change in the coming days.

“Not yet, but he could be,” said Shannon during the Hockey Central Trade Tracker on Monday night.

“The reason I say that, I think if you talk to anybody inside the Oilers’ organization, they still have that outside hope - now don’t laugh, folks - the outside hope of making the playoffs.

“Bottom line is they don’t need another draft pick, they don’t need more prospects. If they are to trade someone like Ales Hemsky, they’ve got to get a forward that can play the same position, just a little tougher.”

That outside hope at a playoff spot might be fading fast after Monday night.

The Oilers were defeated 3-2 by the Nashville Predators and have now lost three straight games. They have one point over that span and are 13th in the Western Conference.

They sit three points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche, the 15th and final seed in the West, and five points behind the Predators for that eighth and final playoff spot.