NHL Trade Rumors (Getty Images)The Edmonton Oilers have had a busy offseason, but Stan Bowman may not be finished yet. With just under $5 million in cap space still available, attention has turned to a specific name in Montreal: Kirby Dach, the 25-year-old centre whose latest contract standoff with the Canadiens has quietly nudged him closer to a trade. NHL analyst Allan Mitchell is among those now urging the Oilers to make a move, describing Dach as a credible middle-six upgrade whose talent has never been the issue.Does Kirby Dach actually fit what the Oilers need at centre?Edmonton's forward depth behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl has been a recurring conversation, and Dach checks several boxes that the Oilers have struggled to fill. At 6-foot-4 and 221 pounds with speed clocking in at the 94th percentile according to NHL Edge, he brings a physical and dynamic profile that is genuinely rare for a player at that price point.Mitchell framed it plainly: "A talented player with size (6-foot-4, 221 pounds), speed (94th percentile, via NHL Edge) and skill (No. 3 at the 2019 draft), injuries have dashed a promising career. His contract will take him to full free agency, but it's possible the Canadiens would be open to a trade before then."The underlying numbers from last season are not alarming either. Despite playing only 37 games after breaking his foot, Dach posted 1.09 goals per 60 minutes and 1.77 points per 60, alongside a 50 percent goal share. Those are not the numbers of a player in decline. They are the numbers of someone who simply cannot stay on the ice.Mitchell acknowledged the faceoff limitation but still sees a role: "He isn't a full-time centre, but if the Oilers plan to run McDavid-Draisaitl on the same line, Dach would be an option for strong-side faceoffs on the second line and has the potential to be an offensive difference-maker if he can stay healthy."That last qualifier carries the most weight. Dach has played just 154 of a possible 328 regular-season games since joining Montreal. That is a significant concern, and it is also the main reason the Canadiens are unlikely to command much in return.Why would Montreal actually trade Kirby Dach now?The situation in Montreal has its own logic. Nick Suzuki is entrenched as the team's number-one centre, and the Canadiens have a crop of younger forwards pushing for ice time and roster spots. Dach is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027. If Montreal has doubts about committing long term to a player who has missed nearly half his games over three seasons, moving him now for something tangible makes more sense than watching him walk for nothing.The Oilers, for their part, have an interesting personal angle here too. Edmonton recently extended Dach's younger brother Colton, acquired from Chicago, on a two-year deal. Both brothers grew up supporting the Oilers outside Edmonton. It is the kind of subplot that rarely drives trades on its own, but it does not hurt.A return package built around a 2027 second-round pick and a depth defender like Ty Emberson or Alex Regula would likely be where talks begin. Given the injury record, Montreal cannot expect much more. For Edmonton, the risk is real, but so is the upside. A healthy Kirby Dach playing behind the two best forwards on the planet is a very different proposition than what his career numbers suggest so far.