Hockey Trade Rumors

GM Tambellini in a tough spot

By ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI

One and done?

Not necessarily.

Steve Tambellini is famous for taking his time on the trade front, but he says there’s still time enough left to make another move or two.

With 80% of the NHL in buyer mode, the Oilers remain one of the few teams that are guaranteed sellers, putting them at the top of everyone’s speed dial this week.

“Things were kind of flat for the last month or so because people were still trying to make sense of things, most teams didn’t know if they were buyers or sellers,” said Tambellini, speaking from the Oilers war room in Chicago. “But based on discussions over the last couple of days, the climate has become much more intense. A month ago people would throw things out there to see if they could steal something, but when you’ve only got two days until the deadline, you have to make deals that you think are going to be good for both sides.”

Tambellini is in a tough spot, though, because rivals can smell weakness and there aren’t many clubs in a weaker position than Edmonton. They’re 30th, in a city screaming for change, and the market value of most Oilers is rock bottom.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Edmonton/2010/03/01/13075236.html