Can the Oilers Get 100 + cents on the Dollar in a Trade?

This is a repost of a comment I made in Lowetide's blog.

I believe the only way Tambo will get 100 cents on the dollar in any trade is to make teams trying for a playoff run sweat (this will definitely be the case in trying to deal with ‘Stone Cold’ Lombardi.) That would mean that any trade will come later in the month and not now. I think the league perception is that this organization is still a laughing stock and that rep will not change until some serious hardball is played (on the ice and in the front office).

With Hemsky and Penner both having a year left in their contracts, Tambo has complete control in moving these players. It’s not like the Oilers can get any worse and they do not have salaries to dump. What leverage would another team have in getting a bad deal out of Tambo? While I think the Oilers will not get a deal that works in their interest at this moment; any deal that is not 100 cents or better on the dollar, closer to the trade deadline would have to be considered a bad trade (Even if the ‘MB’ is given a couple of more bullets for draft day). I have to admit I am not opposed to taking on a salery dump from another team if it helps get a better trade and the contract is not long term.

Another thing that may work in Tambo’s favour is that there are a lot of teams that are potential buyers; the only teams at this moment I would consider true sellers are the Devils, Islanders, Oilers and Sens. This will really work in the Oilers favour if the number of teams in contention for a playoff spot is still high. Also, in comparison to the other bottom feeders, the Oilers have better assists/depth in the farm system they can deal from.

(an aside: is Murray trying to get himself fired prior to the season ending, with the Fisher trade with Nashville? I understand that Fisher’s wife is a country music star and lives in Nashville, but to give him away for virtually nothing? If I was a Sens fan I would be losing it.)