Red Wings and Oilers linked in trade talks, but Elliotte Friedman reports Oilers may be outbid

In his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports that he believes Detroit Red Wings forward Luke Glendening is "very much on Edmonton's radar" but that the Oilers may be outbid by another team if they don't act fast.

From Friedman's column:

I’m another one who believes Luke Glendening is very much on Edmonton’s radar. (Tippett is not the source for this.) Makes too much sense, but the challenge for the Oilers is getting outbid by a higher pick than they want to exchange.

I heard that his Detroit teammates jokingly compared Glendening — when in the face-off circle — to a dog eying a ball. His eyes never leave the puck in a linesman’s hand. He’s completely focused on it and ignores all else. Guess that’s why he’s at 64 per cent.

The 31 year old centerman certainly does make a lot of sense from a depth perspective for the Oilers. He has just three goals and nine points in 34 games this season, but he's an absolute ace in the faceoff dot and isn't afraid to play with a little bit of jam either. He can play up and down the lineup and is a true versatility type player. Plug him into the lineup and forget about him. He might never wow you, but he's always going to get the job done.