Monthly Archives: May 2017

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL

Oilers Keeping the Powder Dry For a HUGE Push in 2017/18?

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There are some major players going to unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2017/18 season and I reckon Peter Chiarelli is going to push hard to add a significant player or three at next season.

See, at the moment, the Oilers have as few as 12 roster spots or as many as 18 remaining under the 50-man limit depending on the RFA’s they sign. If you’d like to read more on who’s left to sign and of those players, who the Oilers will/should be signing, visit Lowetide’s post here.

The image below is from said post of Lowetide’s.

Care of Lowetide, This is the Oilers 50-man list as of 5/21. Click the image to read more.

The trend at the moment is to pay your important players the big bucks and surround them with cheaper and efficient players out of the AHL or NCAA. I think the Penguins and Blackhawks are obvious models for this.

So Spencer Foo is on the Oilers radar and he’s exactly the kind of player I’m talking about. They Oilers have already signed Joe Gambardella, Nick Ellis, Drake Caggiula, Patrick Russell, and have to re-sign Joey Laleggia. I might be missing someone but I can’t recall right now.

Oh! Jordan Oesterle is another that would be a good candidate for re-signing with Edmonton. Boy can skate and move the puck! I’m hoping he puts on a few more pounds of muscle and comes back next year.

Of the players mentioned above, only Russell wouldn’t really have a chance at playing some NHL hockey next season.

Chiarelli is going to give his roster a chance to show what they can do and make moves accordingly. I’d be willing to bet there are already trades in place as contingency plans if things start on a sour note in 2017/18.

Yes, there are players that Chiarelli will need to send away in order to enact this plan of adding some major names next year. Pouliot and Fayne are for sure and then possibly Nugent-Hopkins and/or Jordan Eberle.

I reckon Ebs is going to bounce back not because the narrative sounds nice (like the one in the playoffs about McDavid “having” to show up because it’s about time) but because he has to, unless he wants to be the next Justin Schultz…

I have a hard time believing the Oilers will get a fair fare for Benoit Pouliot but I don’t think they need to necessarily move him right away either. He’s a player that can float throughout the lineup and I like his play on the PK. I imagine someone will take him at some point though, probably with the Oilers retaining salary.

Mark Fayne… Has to be moved because he’s not an NHL defenseman anymore but therein lies the problem… He’s not an NHL-caliber defenseman anymore and when McLellan chose Reinhart over him in the playoffs, that was set in stone.

  • Speaking of Stone, Mike Stone is a player that may pop up in FA rumors related to the Oilers this summer. I know the Oilers were keeping an eye on him all year and even going back to the season previous.
  • Other rumored players: Justin Faulk and Tyson Barrie will most likely be linked to Edmonton again.

But with the cap possibly going up to $77M, one or two of those names above might make it easier for the Oilers to hold onto them.

So going back to the beginning of this post, the Oilers adding notable players to the roster next season in an effort to go “all out”. If these 2018 UFAs aren’t re-signed and their teams are heading for the golf course instead of the playoffs, they could be targets of the Oilers this season.

If these 2018 UFAs aren’t re-signed and their teams are heading for the golf course instead of the playoffs, they could be targets of the Oilers this season.

  • Zdeno Chara, LHD ($4M) – Has a history with Chia Pete and is still a monster. If he’s on the back end next season, Getzlaf, Perry, Ritchie, Thornton, Pavelski, and whoever else thinks they’ll take liberties with the Oilers, won’t be. Don’t forget about that shot either… Lastly, if I’m not mistaken, did Big Z partner up with Sekera at the World Cup last summer?
  • Mike Green, RHD ($6M) – Here’s a player with playoff pedigree from his days with the Caps. Has struggled to score in his more recent post-seasons though. A nice veteran powerplay option though.
  • Paul Stastny, LHC ($7M) – Quite a good faceoff man (55.7% in 2016/17) and scores in the playoffs (35 pts in 55gp). Health might be a problem though.
  • Evander Kane, LW ($5.25M) – Character deficiencies aside, this is a one-year deal only. He hits, he shoots, he skates like the wind, and he doesn’t take shit from anybody. Buffalo wants to get rid of him too…
  • Antoine Roussel – LW ($2.4M) – A move for the French Esa Tikkanen would obviously be predicated on the Oilers getting rid of Pouliot but isn’t Roussel the kind of guy Edmonton could use for a playoff run? He will not fill the net with points but he will drive the opposition nuts. I mean, did you see what Kadri did to the Caps? These are players that take their opponents attention off of the game at hand and on to them.

I’d much rather have a 40-year-old Zdeno Chara than Kris Russell if we’re being honest here and the money would be the same (approximately).

So you go into the playoffs (hopefully) with a roster that looks something like this:

maroon-mcdavid-caggiula
lucic-draisaitl-puljujarvi
pouliot-RNH-eberle
roussel-Letestu-kassian
slepyshev

klefbom-larsson
chara-sekera
nurse-benning
reinhart/bear

You could swap Chara and Sekera and replace Chara with Mike Green if you prefer. Also, if you’re not into Roussel, move pouliot down to 4th line and Maroon to the 3rd line, then toss Evander Kane on the 1st line with McDavid. I imagine Stastny only comes in if one of Eberle or RNH is moved.

I also wonder if Slepyshev gets moved to another team in this push for the Cup…

I do think if Ethan Bear makes a good impression down in the AHL that he could get a look-see up in Edmonton. With Sekera being out, that might make it more likely.

 

**Wishful Thinking**

I really wanted to say the Sedin Twins here and there’s a previous working relationship between Jim Benning and Peter Chiarelli going back to their days in Boston but I just don’t know if the Oilers have the pieces to acquire them nor do I think the Canucks want to be facing them over and over if they chose to re-sign in Edmonton. I mean it’d be rad if they though did, right?

Would you send Nugent-Hopkins, Caleb Jones, and Tyler Benson over to Vancouver for them?

Weird, the more I think about it, the more I can be convinced that Edmonton might actually be a fit for them. Not the best fit mind you but if they were to re-sign at a reasonable price, is there a better team for them to win a Cup with in the next 5 years than the Oilers? There’s already a strong Swedish presence on the team too. Would that make it easier to waive the no-trade clauses?

I know, they’re both 36 years old and their production is going down (I imagine that has more to do with Vancouver being a poor team) but I’ve heard some analysts say the twins could play into their 40s if they wanted…

The Wishful Thinking Playoff Roster:

maroon-mcdavid-caggiula
lucic-draisaitl-puljujarvi
daniel-henrik-kassian
roussel-letestu-slepyshev
r.strome

klefbom-larsson
chara-sekera
nurse-benning
reinhart/bear

talbot
brossoit

take away RNH/Eberle/Russell

I blame EA Sports and NHL hockey sim games for granting me the power to make up fictional rosters like this… I’m feeling a little bit of shame at this point.

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Armchair GM, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Rumors, Trades

Oilers and Stars Talking about the 3rd Overall Pick?

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“I have talked to other teams already about possibly moving that pick, getting an established player back,” Nill said during an interview on SiriusXM NHL Network. “It gives us lots of options.”

I was talking to my source today and I asked him what’s going on with the Oilers? He told me that they’re talking to Dallas about the 3rd overall pick.

**Disclaimer: I’m not an insider by any means but like most people who live in an NHL city, I know someone who knows someone that works in the club. Actually, I know a lot of people who work with the Oilers but that’s not the point. Now, it’s up to you whether to believe what I tell you but these things rarely come to fruition, EVER. Ask McKenzie, Friedman, Dreger, or LeBrun. So all I ask is that at the very least, you treat this post as entertainment and if by some luck, it comes true, great. Thanks a bunch!**

Last I checked, the Stars were looking for an established NHL defenseman in exchange for that no.3 overall pick, right? But with Patrick Sharp, Ales Hemsky, and Jiri Hudler coming off of the books, they’re going to need scoring on the wing.

Don’t forget that Chiarelli was the GM of the Bruins and Nill was the GM of the Stars when the Tyler Seguin trade went down… Not sure if that’s a fair point to make since it was Harry Sinden and Cam Neely making the call there but whatever, it’s already been carved in stone.

To me, this is the easiest way to for Chiarelli to rid himself of that $6M weight that is sitting on his chest. Problem being, Jim Nill is not Jim Benning… So, that kind of deal wouldn’t be so cut and dry but I’ll toss it out there nevertheless.

Now if there were a way to get the 3rd overall AND Cody Eakin… That’s something. Can’t see Nill doing that though unless Chiarelli takes one of Lehtonen or Niemi at full contract off his hands…

You could go over countless scenarios but I’ve only got time for a couple…

OPTIONS AT 3RD OVERALL

  • Gabriel Vilardi – A highly skilled and very competitive right-handed centre. Has size (6’3″, 201lb) and is said to be a possession beast!
  • Casey Mittelstadt – A sniper with major speed and puckhandling. This guy is ridiculous.
  • Miro Heiskanen  – Left-handed defender. NHL speed and mobility. Good Hockey IQ. Solid 2-way defender.

If it were me and I was actually able to pick up the 3rd overall pick for Eberle, I’d be taking Valardi or trading down with say, Arizona, because they own the no.7 and no.23 overall picks. Dealing Eberle outright like this would allow the Oilers to go down the right side next season with Anton Slepyshev, Jesse Puljujarvi, Zack Kassian, and Iiro Pakarinen.

If that trade with ARI were to go down, I might look at drafting the best pure goal scorer available, Owen Tippett (Mississauga), and one of the hardest working centres, Robert Thomas (London). Both are righties and both have skills that the Oilers are lacking down their pipeline.

Imagine THIS Coyotes centre depth in a few years down the middle though… #Yikes

  • Dylan Strome
  • Gabriel Valardi
  • Clayton Keller

All of that being said, in the last 5 years, the highest pick traded was 8th overall…

Look, the Oilers are out of the playoffs and there’s not a whole lot going on now that Cocksucker-gate is over… My rooster is still pissed about that. I mean unless you consider the Alphonse and Gaston routine that the Oilers are playing with Drew Remenda and Todd McLellan on Oilers Now! this week as entertainment.

What do you think? Would you get serious about the 3rd overall pick if you were the GM? Let us know in the comments below!!

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Edmonton Oilers, NHL

What Was That Deadline Trade All About Anyhow? by Andrew Taylor

This piece is a pure speculation piece; I do not and never claim to have any insider info to back this up, and the point of this, first and foremost, is to provide you with some speculation that might entertain you.  

On June 18th through to the 20th the NHL’s newest franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights, will be holding their expansion draft.  They will be taking a player from each of the other 30 teams to fill their roster out and the Oilers will lose a player; I suspect the two most likely candidates are Jujhar Khaira or Griffin Reinhart.

While either will be a hit to the Oilers’ depth, I wouldn’t consider them to be detrimental losses.

Khaira, a forward, has played a total of 35 games and has amassed 3 points.  I really like his tenacity and he fits the Oilers new mold well, but he projects as a third liner at best right now.

And Griffin Reinhart had a really nice developmental year in the AHL this year but He’s looking like a 6th or 7th defenseman (somewhat unbelievable since he played such a key role in the Edmonton Oil Kings’ Memorial Cup championship).

I get that Peter Chiarelli gave up two picks for Reinhart, and Matthew Barzal may end up being a pretty good player, but since the Oilers acquired Reinhart he has played 27 more NHL games than the two players he was traded for combined.  The trade doesn’t look great optically but I’m not ready to call it a flat out loss by the Oilers.

Brandon Davidson made huge strides in his career last year chipping in 11 points while playing 51 games.  He was playing solid second pairing minutes (average 19:12 per game) and looked to be a valuable piece of the Oilers blue line going forward.  Looking back on last season though, while taking the events of this season into consideration, I would guess his “climb up the ladder” had as much to do with a questionable NHL defense corps as it did his development.

Of the 28 games Davidson played for Edmonton this season only twice did he exceed that 19:12 average time on ice, while also more often being a minus than a plus player while only tallying one assist. I think he is a solid depth defenseman but his 2015-16 season may have been a bit of a mirage.  Nonetheless, Las Vegas likely would have taken him in the expansion draft and now they can’t, at least not from Edmonton.

David Desharnais, of course, isn’t exactly a dynamo offensively at this point in his career though, and his faceoff wins percentage doesn’t scream of a solid third line centre on a cup contender.  His size definitely stands out, but not in the right way (only 5’ 7”).  It really didn’t make much sense, at least at the time.

So, What Was it All About? 

My theory: it was about trying to solve cap problems going forward.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are likely lining up to be the Oilers top two paid players, and the issues their salaries are going to bring to the Oilers’ team cap situation are well documented.  Before we all have panic attacks maybe we should remind ourselves that having two centres that are as dynamic as they are is a good problem (see Pittsburgh Penguins for reference).  The need to shed some money is real though, and even with next year’s cap likely being manageable problems are on the horizon.  If approached properly the expansion draft could present to the Oilers an opportunity right now to solve an issue they will have in two seasons.

I believe the Oilers sacrificed Brandon Davidson in order to increase the chances of the Golden Knights agreeing to take Benoit Pouliot in the expansion draft more than they brought in David Desharnais to help with this season’s playoff run.  Keep in mind that Pouliot is a much better player than the numbers he put up this year would suggest.  But, he is a $4 million cap hit.  If he was getting $2 million I don’t think we’d be having any discussions about him, but he’s not.  It’s likely going to cost the Oilers something as a throw in; maybe their third round pick this year or maybe Reinhart or Khaira as well.

The issue isn’t that Pouliot doesn’t have a spot on the Oilers roster, it’s that his salary doesn’t have room under their cap.  Remember, the Golden Knights have plenty of cap room, need NHL caliber players (Pouliot is still an NHL caliber player despite his performance this year), and need to load up their prospects cupboards as quickly as possible if hockey in Sin City is going to work out.

In the next few years, I see there being some significant pieces added to the Oilers roster at the trade deadlines every year.  I believe they are on track to make a Stanley Cup Finals appearance in the next two years and sacrificing some future for a chance at the Cup might be a thing for them in the near(er) future.  I don’t believe that Chiarelli was under the impression that the Oilers were a small, underperforming centre away from being a legitimate cup contender this season.

Bottom line, I don’t think the Brandon Davidson for David Desharnais trade pulled off on February 28th of this season was “going for it”.

Give Andrew Taylor a follow on Twitter @drewtaylor1978!

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Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

Twelve Draft Gurus have 11 Different Names For Oilers at #22

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I noticed that Lowetide did up a brief post on the players that might be available at the 22 spot of the upcoming NHL entry draft. I think he was riffing off of the Chris Wescott’s article on the Oilers website. So, in fact, what this post will be is me riffing off of both Lowetide’s post and Wescott’s a bit and then tossing a bit more in for you.

Before we get into the names, there’s a quote off of Wescott’s article that Lowetide didn’t hone in on that I’d like to though,

“Should the Oilers choose to stay at 22, they’ll have a plethora of different types of forward prospects to select from”

I’m not convinced the Oilers will stay at 22. All I’ve been hearing this season with regard to the Oilers first round pick is that Chiarelli would like to get a 2nd rounder and if moving back in the draft from 22 gets him that 2nd round pick, he’s open to that.

With that said, I did my own bit of “research” and it took all of about 15 minutes to come up with these names because they’re all in one place.

Here are the eleven names ranked at no.22 from the twelve different NHL entry draft sources I was referring to in the title of the post.

  • ISS – Isaac Ratcliffe (LW) 6’6″ 192lb, Guelph Storm (OHL)
    • Big guy, skiller, a little disconnect between his mind and body but isn’t that so often the case with players who are that big at that age (17). Scored 28 goals this year.
    • Compared to Kevin Hayes
  • Corey Pronman/The Draft Analyst – Ryan Poehling (C) 6’2″ 175, St.Cloud State (NCAA)
    • Smart 2-way centre, compete is there, had a decent U18 with 5pts in 7gp.
    • Comparison to Ryan O’Reilly
  • Draftbuzz – Juuso Valimaki (LHD) 6’2″ 200lb, Tri City Americans (WHL)
    • Large, offensive blueliner. Likes to jump into the rush. Scored 61pts in 60gp for Tri-City this year.
    • Compared to Mark Giordano
  • Dobber’s Prospects – Cal Foote (RHD) 6’3″ 198lb, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
    • Heavy boots, needs improvement. Possesses a cannon of a shot, and good hockey IQ. 57 pts in 71 gp for Kelowna (only 6 goals).
    • Compared to Erik Johnson
  • Future Considerations – Erik Brannstrom (LHD) 5’10” 172lb, HV71 (SHL)
    • Is everything you want in an offensive dman, mega skill, super skater, excellent playmaker, but apparently the size is an issue. Scored 23pts in 19 gp for HV71’s jr team and 6pts in 35 games for the senior club.
    • Compared to Torey Krug
  • Craig Button – Shane Bowers (C) 6’1″ 170lb, Waterloo (USHL)
    •  Great compete level, good all-round game, puckhandling is tight. Not an exciting player but effective. Scored 51pts in 60 games for Waterloo.
    • Compared to Jordan Staal
  • Jeff Marek – Urho Vaakanainen (LHD) 6’1″ 187lb, JYP (SM-Liiga)
    • Played against men last year. Strong character, physical, and a smooth skater. Scored 6 pts in 41gp in the SM-Liiga and 6pts in 5gp at the U18s.
    • Compared to Jake Gardiner
  • McKeen’s – Klim Kostin (C/RW) 6’3″ 185lb, Dynamo (VHL)
    • Injured this year. Excellent puck protector. Elite skill. Could be Malkin, could be Nichushkin. Scored 7 pts in 5gp at U18s but also added 29 PIMs.
    • Compared to Dustin Brown
  • Hockey Prospect – Kailer Yamamoto (LW/RW) 5’9″ 160lb, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
    • Great hockey sense, ridiculous puckhandler, smart on-ice awareness. Scored 99 pts in 65 gp for Spokane this year.
    • Compared to Conor Sheary
  • The Hockey News – Nic Hague (LHD) 6’6″ 210lb, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
    • Long reach, some scouts concerned w/skating at next level, others not.  Smart but not fast. Big shot. Scored 18 goals in 65 gp last season.
    • Compared to Ben Hutton
  • MyNHLdraft.com – Kole Lind (C) 6’0″ 172lb, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
    • Quick player and can make plays at a high tempo. Not flashy but gets the job done. Good Saskatchewan boy. Lived down the road from the Eberles growing up. Had 87 pts in 70 gp last season.
    • Compared to Gustav Nyqvist

**Comparisons are from The Hockey News Draft Preview**

The way I see it is that there’s no consensus whatsoever at number twenty-two and I guess there rarely is at that point in the draft. But to me, it seems like there’s too much divide and the Oilers could go with anybody here.

It’s completely possible that a sniper like Eeli Tolvanen could drop or that a power forward like Kristian Vesalainen might be sitting there at no.22. It’s a weird draft.

Now, I talked to Eric Friesen on Twitter this week and he’s convinced the Oilers will take Kole Lind out of Kelowna. Personally, I like any of the highly-rated right-handed centers (Nick Suzuki or Robert Thomas from Owen Sound and London, respectfully) that may be available come time for the Oilers selection. Connor Timmins, a right-shot defender, who stands over six feet tall, out of the Sault looks like a good pick as well.

And if I’m not mistaken, this year is being touted as a good year for goalies. So on the way out, I hope Chiarelli grabs a one. Be it Michael Dipietro, Ian Scott, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, or Jake Oettinger, I’m not picky. Although, Finland produces a nice goalie from time to time I hear.

Goaltending isn’t an absolute need right for the Oilers right now, I’d say that centres who are good on the dot and snipers on the wing are in demand though. The Oilers should pick the best player available at no.22 regardless of position and load up on the best right-shot players available in the remaining rounds. That is because teams are always on the look out for right shots, especially centres and defensemen.

If I had to pick, I say the Oilers go with the London Knights’ gritty center Robert Thomas. I like what I’m hearing about his two-way game and his high hockey IQ and character sounds like something Chiarelli and McLellan would love. He’s compared to Mike Fisher by The Hockey News. So, there’s that and Corey Pronman was on Lowetide’s show yesterday, he insinuated that IF Thomas were to be available at their pick, the Oilers should be very happy.

What do you think? Who should the Oilers be looking at for their 1st rounder? Should then even keep it? Let us know in the comments below!

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Edmonton Oilers, NHL

How Did the Oilers Improve So Much This Season? Part 5 by Andrew Taylor

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This is the last in a five-part series looking into the areas in which the Oilers improved in the 2016-17 NHL season, leading them to their first playoff appearance in eleven years.  

All in all the Oilers have made quite a few changes to their on-ice personnel and some of that came with a lot of luck at the right time.  Draisaitl turning out to be as good as he is, for example, is a major win for an organization desperate to claim any sort of positional depth and strength.  Oscar Klefbom developing into a high-end defenseman partnered with his fellow countryman is also vital to the Oilers success.  I think that pairing is a fine example of the sum being greater than the individual parts.  Perhaps one of the aspects that led to this year’s success is overlooked.

Writing Their Own Story

The Edmonton Oilers made a conscious effort to philosophically start over with the hiring of Bob Nicholson three years ago.  He was initially brought in to do a forensic audit of the organization and the difference three years later is amazing.  They are now run as a professional organization should be.  The threat of frustrated fans tossing their jerseys onto the ice after the team struggles through a 6-0 loss seems now like only a memory.  Things got to the point where, even in the city of Edmonton, fans were becoming embarrassed to support the local team.  Now, the sense of pride has returned, and consumer confidence has returned.

There is still a place in the organization for Kevin Lowe and Craig MacTavish, and even the Great One is hanging around town now, but the hockey decisions are left to people that envision this team in a whole new light.  As expensive as it in Roger’s Place to go watch the Oilers play, fans have a better sense of getting their money’s worth now.  There is a feeling of pride and excitement surrounding the team, but perhaps, more importantly, there is a sense of structure and strength within the organization.  Hope for better days has been replaced by accountability and the Oilers have won their fans back.

A few things stuck out to me in end of season presser with Todd McLellan which reinforced the idea that things are now different.  He has been here for a short two years but had no issue assuming some of the ownership for the ten years the fans patiently waited for their team to figure things out.  He stated “I think the fans are more important to us than we are to them” which speaks to how the team now wants the fans to be part of them and grow alongside them.  There is no more detrimental effect on a sports team than when their fans become apathetic to their situation, and the Oilers managed to avoid that by changing the path they had been on for far too long.

The Oilers of the 1980’s will always be ours to cherish no matter what the future brings.  The team today, however, is for the first time its own separate entity, and ironically, that seems to be a reason that same success may return once again.

Look, Connor McDavid was a game changer and as fans, we are obliged to remember that.  It would be asinine to suggest the Oilers could have given the Anaheim Ducks a run for their money in the second round of the playoffs without him.  To me, however, it is just as crazy to believe that you can throw him on the ice with 17 other random teammates and a goalie and expect the success we witnessed last year.  The Oilers have some very good players and some very high-end talent in some key positions.  Most importantly, the Oilers, for the first time in much too long, are a functional hockey team in all areas.

So hold on tight; the next 10-15 years are going to hopefully bring some glory, and likely some further pain and heartache.  One thing that can be promised to Oiler’s fans no matter what is that being a fan of this team is fun again.

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