Elliotte Friedman confirms the interest for 2 players from the NHL Western Conference

Elliotte Friedman reports that the Oilers are interested in acquiring both Ryan Donato and Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks to help their forward group and defense.

Ryan Donato is having a career year with 19 goals and 37 points in 53 games and he is a polyvalent forward, but he can also play center and wing and he's effective in penalty kills.

Plus, his ability to score and his defensive reliability would add much-needed depth to the Oilers' middle six and it's making him a valuable addition as the team pushes for the playoffs.

Connor Murphy brings experience and defensive stability with over 700 NHL games under his belt.

Murphy is also a top-four defenseman who can play both on the right and the left side, and while Edmonton recently acquired John Klingberg, Murphy offers stronger defensive play which provides insurance in case Klingberg struggles in high-pressure situations.

Financially, the Oilers could fit both players under the cap if Evander Kane stays on LTIR until the playoffs since Murphy has a $4.4M cap hit through next season, while Donato is a pending UFA at $2M.

The Oilers will need to part with significant assets to land both players like a 2026 first-round pick and a promising prospect like Beau Akey or Paul Fischer could be the starting point for negotiations.

While this trade would help the Edmonton's roster, it wouldn't address their biggest concern which is goaltending.

The Oilers may still need to explore options in net to maximize their playoff chances this year.