Monthly Archives: January 2018

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects, Rumors, Trades

Oilers Trade Landscape to Change with Injury to Nugent-Hopkins?

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Poor Nugey, out with a fractured sternum, which is ridiculous by the way. The Oilers, and more importantly Todd McLellan, are now forced to go with McDavid and Draisaitl down the middle. Iiro Pakarinen is back up from his destruction of the AHL to hopefully help on the PK (at home).

FYI: Lowetide has a similar post up at the Athletic. If you’re not signed up, do so through my link here and I’ll get a tidy little gift certificate for $10 from Amazon and a hardy handshake from me if we ever meet. It includes a free 7-day trial so you can try The Athletic on for size free and see if they enjoy the in-depth, ad-free coverage on the site. If you don’t feel it’s worth the $4.49/month, cancel anytime during the trial before getting charged.

I just want to answer the question presented in the title quickly and if you’d like to read on to get a more detailed answer (albeit a bit unorganized), you can continue. It’s game day and I’d rather not waste TOO much of your time, that’s what we have Oilers Twitter for 🙂

Answer: RNH’s injury will not change the Oilers trade landscape. If there’s a team that wants him and is willing to pay, he’ll be traded. IF not, he’ll be an Oiler after the deadline and most likely into next season. This isn’t a playoff team today but ask me in a month and we might have a different answer because if there’s any team in the NHL that is capable of winning 85% of their remaining games, it’s this Oilers squad.

So, we’re about to see what the team might look like sans RNH but with Leon and Connor running their own shows. If I’m not mistaken I believe the latest line combos have Strome as the 3rd line pivot and Letestu as the 4C. I would prefer Khaira to be the 3C myself but I believe it was Woodguy who said that Strome should actually move up with Caggiula to play with McDavid on Lowetide’s show this week thus moving Puljujarvi and Lucic to Draisaitl’s line and Maroon down to RNH’s. That way the unicorns are still present but of course, that was before the extent of the RNH injury was known.

Speaking of Woodguy, I guess he’s not a fan of developing players…

Isn’t that a line of bullshit if you’d ever read one.

I’ve got time for McLeod but this is where the analytics community loses its traction with folks who are on the fence. Could you imagine if there was no Twitter to be a dick on?

Listen, if Nurse is already leading the team in scoring from the blueline, it’s obvious some offence is coming and whether that’s now or in 2 years, he’s going to get paid. Not giving him the reps to become a better dman would be an egregious error on management’s and/or the coach’s parts. This isn’t a 7 game “heater”, it’s a 46 game progression. Not only that but just because a player hasn’t played on the PP in his previous 3 years doesn’t mean he can’t do it now or he’s not equipped to do it. He doesn’t have to score goals to be an effective piece of the powerplay either as you’ll see below.

Moving on…

These are the lines as of practise yesterday:

The PP units have been altered slightly as well.

Now with Nuge out 5-6 weeks, how is that going to change what direction the Oilers go on the trade market and what kind of effect will his absence have on the Oilers’ roster?

Well, we can already see that the special teams units have been affected. The 2nd unit has no true playmaker but maybe that’s not such a huge deal. I put it out on Twitter and Kurt Leavins suggested that McLellan might just load up one unit and run that group for 1:30 of the 2-minute man-advantage. I remember back in the early 90s that the Pittsburgh Penguins would run Mario Lemieux’s unit for nearly the entire PP and it was so deadly that they were rarely out there for more that 1:30. The downside to this tactic might be having to run your bottom 6ers immediately after the PP and risk a bad matchup vs. the other team’s better players.

This season Ryan Nugent-Hopkins took over Jordan Eberle’s scoring, so we may very well get hit there too. That being said, Nuge only had two goals in the last month, so I might be wrong there.

The Oilers PK could take a hit as well. Nugent-Hopkins has been a mainstay on the kill since he joined the team and I find him to be a good penalty-killer. Will the road PK continue to be top-5 in the NHL with RNH on the IR?

On the other end of the spectrum here is an opportunity. When one player goes down with an injury, it opens up the door for another player to take advantage of the situation. I believe that most fans are thinking that person will be Ryan Strome. I think it will be Jujhar Khaira. But it’s entirely possible that it’ll be both.

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Bumping Strome up to the 1st unit PP might be exactly what he needs to kick start some production out of the guy and I really love Khaira on the PK. I think he’s just as good of a player as Benoit Pouliot in that role.

Where do the Oilers go from here with the trade deadline approaching fast?

I am of the belief there are two ways they can go:

  • Go for it! – Basically, try and do the improbable and make the playoffs. Make trades that’ll better the club more than weaken it.
  • FIRE SALE! – Concede the season and make plans for the summer and next season.

There’s actually a third way to go and that’s simply staying status quo.

There’s a belief that the Oilers really need that right-handed PP guy who can improve the Oilers’ transition game but if we look at some of the teams who have top PPs we might be tempted to believe that a top RH’d defenseman isn’t what the team needs for its PP but more for its transitions.

2017/18 Top PP Teams (PP%/goals):

  1. Pittsburgh (26.9%/46) – 3 goals from dmen (Letang has 2, Oleksiak has 1)
  2. Winnipeg (25.5%/42) – 4 goals from dmen (Myers has 3, Byfuglien has 1)
  3. Tampa Bay (24.4%/39) – 3 goals from dmen (Sergachev has 2, Hedman has 1)
  4. Nashville (23.6%/38) – 12 goals from dmen (Josi has 5, Ekholm has 4, Subban has 3)
  5. San Jose (22.1%/34)- 7 goals from dmen (Burns has 4, Heed has 2, Vlasic has 1)

Edmonton’s PP is 27th in the NHL and running at a blistering 15.4% and they’ve only scored 19 times with the man advantage with Oscar Klefbom scoring the only tally from the point on said PP.

Kind of a long way of saying that maybe the Oilers don’t need to pay a premium price for an effective RH’d defenseman who can run the PP. Maybe if they’re going to make a big move using a Nugent-Hopkins or a Klefbom, that they go for an elite RH’d 2-way defender who is an upgrade on the current personnel offensively.

But I digress (sort of). Despite Nugent-Hopkins being hurt, there’d still be teams interested in him, like the Montreal Canadiens, the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Arizona Coyotes, and the Carolina Hurricanes.

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A wild card might be the Colorado Avalanche though. Now that they’ve got Samuel Girard running their PP due to Tyson Barrie’s injury, is there an opportunity there for the Avs to send Barrie to Edmonton for RNH to upgrade their 2C position from Carl Soderberg?

The Boston Bruins are looking to add a LH’d dman apparently and if it weren’t for the strained relationship between Chiarelli and the Bruins brass, I’d think there would be a real chance at Chiarelli being able to strike a deal there.

Those would be summer moves though.

Realistically, the UFAs are gonzo. I’m not sure if Slepyshev will find a new home next month or head back to Russia this summer. So what we’ll be looking at is Chiarelli thinning out the wings even more so and replacing those players with temporary solutions with an eye to the summer where he’ll (if he’s around) sort out the flanks then.

Does that mean Ty Rattie and Brad Malone are coming up from Bakersfield? Does it mean we’ll finally see Slepyshev (if he survives the deadline and McLellan) up in a top-6 role? If those players were successful in their short stints, would you sit on them and look for them to continue their performances into 2017/18 or would you try to deal them or simply say thanks for helping out and let them walk?

If Chiarelli and his team decide to take a mulligan this year I’d be very excited to see who he brings in but concerned for the compete level of the team for the rest of the campaign. It’s been a bad luck year which keeps getting compounded with injuries like the one to RNH.

Would you be okay if he moved out some of the youthful players who are RFAs this summer like Drake Caggiula or Matt Benning in return for some older players who have term left on their deals? Maybe you trade both for Andrew Shaw or simply one of them for Charles Hudon (sniper with a poor sh%).

Let us know in the comments under our newest addition to the Beer League Heroes YouTube channel. We’ve got a shift-by-shift of Rasmus Dahlin’s from the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship Gold Medal Game. Check it out and please SUBSCRIBE! I’m on the hunt to 1000 subscribers (currently at 638)!

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Podcast, Rumors, Trades

The Edmonton Oilers Top 5 Trade Candidates

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Well, it’s getting to that time of the year I suppose where we should look at the Oilers’ who are most likely going to be playing for another team after the NHL’s trade deadline at the end of February.

But before we get into the list of 5, I want to give you the opportunity to listen to a podcast that I was on recently that is called Oilers Live! It’s hosted by a gentleman who lives just down the QE2 in Calgary and it’s new. I’m really honoured that he’s asked me to come on his show TWO TIMES now and am looking forward to working with him in the future as well!

Without further delay, THE LIST OF FIVE!

  1. Patrick Maroon (LW) – No surprise here with Maroon being a UFA at the end of the season. Some team will definitely benefit from a player who has great size, good hands, and an old-school “don’t f*ck with me or my boys” hockey attitude.What makes Maroon one of the most coveted targets on the trade market is his salary. Without looking I believe the Oilers are paying him $1.5M and most of that will be paid up by the deadline, so he can fit under the cap of nearly any team.

    Cost: 2nd rounder and prospect OR an AHL prospect that is near-NHL ready

    Teams Possibly Interested: St.Louis, Nashville, Los Angeles

  2. Mark Letestu (C/RW) – The 32-year-old right-handed centre was determined to be the best PP specialist from last season by analytics guru Rob Vollman in his latest version of the Hockey Abstract. “Test” can give any Stanley Cup contender the Swiss Army knife they’ll be looking for and every year these kinds of players swap teams, so there’s definitely a market for them.Cost: 3rd rounder or B-grade prospect

    Teams Possibly Interested: Columbus, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Vegas

  3. Anton Slepyshev (LW/RW) – Our enigmatic Russian who can’t seem to get on the same page as Todd McLellan may finally be on his way out and that’s a shame because there’s a player here. Slepy has speed, hands, a shot, is tenacious on the puck, and has not complained one time about his TOI or playing in the minors after coming over from the KHL.The other thing to add to this is that the Oilers seemingly need what Slepyshev brings to the table but McLellan would rather toss Drake Caggiula up with McDavid or move Auvitu to forward instead of giving Anton Slepyshev more time to work through his supposed weaknesses.

    It really is too bad because he’s going to go to another team and get the opportunity to do what he does best along players that will allow him to look the best and the Oilers will be accused of squandering another talent away…

    Cost: Minor league prospect or mid-round draft pick

    Teams Possibly Interested: San Jose, Columbus, New Jersey, Ottawa, Calgary, Florida

  4. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C) – The Nuge is out injured at the moment but he was on a helluva tear before that. He effectively replaced Jordan Eberle’s scoring at the same time as playing the infinitely harder position of centre. Tell me the Oilers are missing Eberle’s goals… POPPYCOCK! lolRNH is shooting way higher than his career average (it’s nice someone is this year) and if there’s a year where Chiarelli has a chance to win a big deal, it’s this one. If there’s a year where he could finally grab that young right-handed PP destroyer, it’s this one.

    Do I want to see it? I do not. I love the Nuge, McLellan loves the Nuge, Chiarelli loves the Nuge! This team is so much better when McDavid, Draisaitl, and Nugent-Hopkins are down the middle. Strong spine folks! It’s not a myth.

    A positive about dealing Nuge over Hall and Eberle is that he’s a centre with two-way pedigree. Centres bring back more in trades and teams are willing to pay for them. I also believe that it’d be a tad easier to find a proper 3rd-line centre either through trade or from within.

    Cost: Top-3 right-handed PP specialist on defense or a top-6 winger who scores plus a grade-A prospect or 1st rounder

    Teams Possibly Interested: Montreal, Columbus, Carolina, Colorado, Vancouver, Ottawa, Detroit, Arizona, Minnesota

  5. Andrej Sekera (LD) – I know, he’s got one of those “clauses” that gives him the right to choose where he can be traded and he’s coming off of major knee surgery but with that said, we seen how he performed in last year’s playoffs and no doubt other teams saw it too. That will be of some value and the chance to play for a Stanley Cup will be of value to him as well.’Rej is a great guy to have on this young Oilers team but I think he’s the guy to go first in that D corps, clause or not. A team like the Tampa Bay Lightning who just saw Victor Hedman go down for 3-6 weeks could very well acquire Sekera and give him the necessary TOI so as not to push him too much. They’ve also got a great stable of prospects to buy him with.

    The other reason I believe Sekera to be the man to go first is that the Oilers NEED to make room for a 2nd pairing right-handed dman (I’m looking at you Mike Green) and probably this is a trade that Chiarelli would have to sweeten to get done. Also, I don’t believe Kris Russell is the preferred sacrifice on the left side of the defence in Edmonton.

    Cost: 2nd/3rd round draft pick, AHL prospect (RFA probably)

    Teams Possibly Interested: Tampa Bay, Boston, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Vegas

Other Notable Trade Candidates: Eric Gryba, Drake Caggiula, Yohann Auvitu, Brandon Davidson, Zack Kassian, Mike Cammalleri

The Oilers can go about this trade deadline in one of two ways, they can either try to improve the squad for next year if things are looking on the up or they can wipe some of the slate clean and attempt to go mad this summer and hit free agency hard to correct this year’s mistakes!

What are your thoughts? Who are your top 5 trade candidates for the Oilers? Let us know in the comments below!

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors, Trades

One of the Oilers’ Perfect Trade Partners for the 2018 NHL Trade Deadline

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Elliotte Friedman was on Oilers Now yesterday and with Bob Stauffer they were talking about what the Oiler should do going forward. I’m paraphrasing but Friedman said something to the effect that he wouldn’t do anything to add to the team this year because the team is in shock about where they are and that the young core of this team is still something to work with.

And that led to what Pat Maroon could fetch the club on the trade market this year.

Stauffer said that he thought the Oilers should be able to bring in a 2nd round pick and a prospect for Maroon or possibly a pretty good player instead. Stauffer then hinted, as he does around this time of year, that there might be an organization out there that’s got a guy that needs to be qualified as an RFA but they’ve got to save some money elsewhere.

The Detroit Red Wings are in quite the situation regarding their cap as they have ZERO dollars available according to Capfriendly.com. I really feel that there are some players on that team that would be able to contribute and make a difference immediately for the Oilers. Let me explain.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

This summer Detroit has 5 RFAs that need qualifying and of those 4 of them are vital cogs in the Red Wings future:

  • Dylan Larkin
  • Andreas Athanasiou
  • Anthony Mantha
  • Martin Frk
  • Petr Mrazek

PLAYERS WITH NO-MOVEMENT CLAUSES/NO-TRADE CLAUSES

Detroit has multiple veterans who have clauses in their contracts that would make it problematic for Ken Holland to move them:

  • Frans Nielsen
  • Gustav Nyquist
  • Justin Abdelkader
  • Darren Helm
  • Mike Green
  • Danny Dekeyser
  • Trevor Daley
  • Jonathan Ericsson
  • Niklas Kronwall
  • Jimmy Howard

LONG-TERM INJURY RESERVE AND UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Two players are occupying Detroit’s LTIR, Johan Franzen and Luke Glendening whilst Mike Green and David Booth are the only UFAs this season for Detroit.

So to put it all together, the Red Wings do not have any room to add players this season, not that they would be given their record but the only significant contract they’ll have coming off of the books is Mike Green’s.

Now if the salary cap goes up to $80M (I’m not sure that it will go that high) then the Red Wings will have a bit more breathing room but I do not believe for one second that those RFAs mentioned above will be taking any hometown discounts. I mean, Athanasiou was willing to play the whole year in Russia to get what he wanted.

According to Capfriendly, Detroit will have around $12M to sign 8 players. I think that Athanasiou will be looking for closer to $4M, Mantha will want around $3M, Larkin is definitely going to be asking for something in the range of $6M. So right there with those three players Detroit is over their cap without getting Frk or Mrazek signed or having someone fill in for Green like Vili Saarijarvi.

My thought is that this is a near perfect storm to take advantage of for the Oilers and their $8M in cap space. If I had a Christmas list of players that I’d love to see Chiarelli go after, this would be it:

  • Henrik Zetterberg – I know, he’s got 3 seasons after this one to go on his contract that pays him a shade over $6M a season until 2021. So the only way I’d take him is if DET ate half of his contract.

    The reason I like the idea of adding Zetterberg is that he’s got that experience the Oilers are lacking (I also like Nik Kronwall for that same reason but his boots left him a few years ago). Don’t get me wrong, Lucic and Sekera and Cammalleri all bring their own flavors to the team but Zetterberg has that little bit extra AND he can still perform. He lacks a clause in his deal too 🙂

  • Tomas Tatar – He’s probably the perfect candidate to help the Oilers on the PP. He’s a sniper’s sniper and he’s been brought along the right way in the Motor City. They marinated him like mad as he’s only been a FT NHLer since 2013/14. He’s only getting $5.3M for the next 4 seasons.

    But you’d have to give a bit more for TT because he’s only 27 and he’s right in his prime. He’s contracted until the end of the 2021 season BUT here’s the kicker, his NTC kicks in for next season. So that means if Detroit wants to move him without having to get permission first, this year’s the year to do it.

    I’d be willing to pay a bit more for him. Kailer Yamamoto I’d surely send over in a package to get Tatar. Plus I could make a few more creative t-shirt designs with Tatar’s name 🙂

  • Andreas Athansiou – One of the few players in the NHL that can keep up with Connor McDavid. He’s got offence to his game but I think he’d really shine on the Oilers PK with that speed and tenacity.

    I think a factor in including him on my list is the contentious contract negotiations he had with Detroit this summer. There’s probably some sour tastes in mouths on both sides and I imagine Edmonton could offer something up like Matt Benning because it’s obvious that somebody is going to have to fill in on that right side. Not that Benning is anything close to Mike Green but just being right-handed and having nearly 2 NHL seasons under his belt would allow the Red Wings to keep players like Saarijarvi in the minors to get some more seasoning.

    I really like Gustav Nyquist and Martin Frk too. Nyquist is a very competent complimentary winger who’d probably put up career numbers alongside any one of McDavid, Draisaitl, or Nuge. Frk’s an RFA and a Tatar-like player. Shooter from the wing. So if you were willing to “grow” with him, he might come along a bit later but could turn out to be that 15-20 goal man.

I still feel like I’m forgetting something or overlooking something with the Red Wings though. Everything seems too right with them when picking a trade partner. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Bakersfield Condors, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton Oilers Post Game Report, Lindsay Ryall, Madison Moroz, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects, Trades

Chiarelli Isn’t the Only Oilers GM We Could Accuse of Poor Asset Management by Lindsay Ryall

Pic courtesy of Conway’s Russian Hockey Blog.

When the news of Anton Slepyshev’s availability in trade was distributed indiscreetly to Oilers fans on Tuesday, few could have been surprised.  But more than a few (including myself) were likely disappointed.  For a team in search of speed, size, and value, Slepyshev seemed to have the potential to check off all the boxes.

Drafted in the third round of the 2013 entry draft, Slepy showed potential from the start.  Playing with the big boys in the KHL as a teenager, Slepyshev was one of Russia’s leaders on their 2013 and 2014 U20 WJC team.  At the 2014 WJC he scored at a point per game rate and paced Russia to a bronze medal that year vs the top U20 talent in the world.

Unlike some young prospects, Anton didn’t seem to be in a rush to the big league.  He spent two more years in the KHL before coming over to take a crack at the NHL.  When he arrived, Mclellan seemed impressed, commenting on the professional edge he held over some of the other rookies.  However,  not long after making the team, Slepyshev was sent down to Bakersfield, a move that didn’t take long . . . it doesn’t appear patience is a virtue with Mclellan.

After spending the balance of the year with Bakersfield (scoring 13 ginos in 49 games) he re-joined the Oilers for the balance of the 2017 season, providing some timely scoring in the playoffs on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Milan Lucic.  Big things were expected of Slepy in the 2017-18 season, the P.O.H himself even said so . . . so what went wrong.

Two things: The player got injured and his progress lost momentum, and, he was not put in a position to succeed.  Anton Slepyshev is not a fourth line player, nor should he be.  For velocity and accuracy, his wrist shot is the best on the team, and he was never shy about using it.  Slepy also had no issues going to the front of the net, with speed and purpose.  But he was never going to accomplish anything on the fourth line, and he didn’t.  On the brief moments he spent next to the Nuge he looked good.  But he was never again put on a line with Draisaitl and Lucic . . . save 19 seconds according to Bruce McCurdy.

So within a matter of months the Oilers have devalued a prospect from one with clearly demonstrated potential, to whatever the NHL’s equivalent of a bag of pucks would be (see Nail Yakupov trade).  The situation is both puzzling and frustrating to watch.  But it’s not a story we haven’t seen before.  Even before the decade of darkness, the Oilers had a habit of shipping prospects off prematurely and letting other teams reap the benefits.  Interestingly Slepyshev would have a few close compatibles from Oilers’ past.

Oilers Have a Long History of Downtrading

Martin Gelinas: Although Gelinas was not drafted by the Oilers (selected 7th overall in the 1988 entry draft by LA), they were his first NHL organization as he came over in the now infamous Wayne Gretzky trade.  Gelinas established himself as a member of the kid line in the Oilers’ last successful cup run in 1990 showing speed and some offense.  Gelinas followed up with 20 goals in his first full season with the Oil in 1990 – 91.  Nonetheless, he often drew the ire of then head coach John Muckler and was eventually traded by Glen Sather for rugged forward Scott Pearson in a trade with the Quebec Nordiques.  Gelinas would go on to have a successful NHL career, scoring 660 points over 18 NHL seasons.  And Scott Pearson?  If that name doesn’t ring a bell, it shouldn’t: Pearson scored 98 NHL points and spent most of his pro career as a minor-leaguer.

Miroslav Satan: Drafted 111th overall in 1993 out of Slovakia, Satan showed an early scoring touch for the Oilers, notching 18 goals in 64 games in his 1994 rookie season. 1994, part of the first dark era in Edmonton Oiler history.  Satan showed good potential, however was traded by then Oiler GM Glen Sather in his second season to the Buffalo Sabres for Craig Millar and Brian Moore . . ..   Satan would go on to score 30 plus goals in four seasons including a 40 goal campaign in 1998 – 99, mostly with Buffalo.  Craig Millar and Barrie Moore combined would not play in 40 NHL games . . .

Kyle Brodziak: Something of a local boy hailing from St. Paul, Ab., Brodziak was drafted 214th overall in 2003. Brodziak cracked the big club in 2008, scoring 14 and 11 goals in his first two seasons respectively, playing mostly on the bottom six.  Apparently, that wasn’t good enough for then GM Steve Tambellini as he traded Brodziak (under the advice of then coach MacT) plus a 6th round pick, to Minnesota for a fourth and fifth in the 2009 entry draft.  Brodziak remains a productive player, providing equal parts grit and scoring, currently with St. Louis Blues.  For the picks Edmonton received in the trade, the Oilers landed . . . Linus Omark, who is no longer in the NHL, and never made an impact.

So how will Slepyshev develop as a player?  My guess is somewhere between Gelinas and Brodziak, closer to Gelinas.  He has a better shot than Gelinas but isn’t as fast.  I would rate his hockey sense as average at best, but he has the skills, and over time he will learn how to use them.  My guess is, he will develop into at 15 goal 40 point guy if he sees consistent ice time on the top nine.

Now, I don’t have a direct line to Chiarelli’s office so, maybe this move was prompted by Slepyshev demanding a trade.  Possibly.  But based on what we know, Slepshev’s imminent departure is spurred by player mismanagement by the coach.  And what will the Oilers receive in return?  With the way Chia desperately advertised the player, I don’t see any team rushing to offer a prospect or a pick in the top three rounds.  The Oilers will likely receive a career AHL player, or a pick no earlier than the fifth round.  And why would we expect anything different?  With respect to Oiler asset management, it seems to be a long tradition.

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Ho-Sang Wants NHL TOI and the Oilers Should Give It To Him

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This just in from the New York Post:

“He’s a baby,” Thompson said. “He’s a baby, he’s immature and he’s got a lot of growing to do. I’m excited. The upside of him is outstanding. He worked hard today, he’s been working really hard. We all make mistakes, we all have bad games. It’s how do we respond from those and what do we learn from them? Every piece of this season for Josh, with us, is a development piece. It’s just going to be a longer process with some people. – Islanders AHL Coach Brent Thompson

Overall that quote isn’t bad but when you start reading it you have to wonder where it’s going right?

But Ho-Sang had his own thoughts about being stuck in the minors,

“Yeah, I’m only young, but I’m burning years off my NHL career. It sucks,” he said. “You want to be up top. For me, I didn’t look at it this way until this year. I was looking forward to hopefully my first [full] NHL season.”

“I enjoy playing up there and I find that when I’m up there, I’ve had a quite a bit of success,” Ho-Sang said. “I think I’ve had more success up there than hardship. But they want what they want.”

Source

Fun Fact: Josh Ho-Sang played minor midget with Connor McDavid!

Ho-Sang is nearly a point-per-game player in the minors right now (4-8-12 in 15gp) and that’s more than what Draisaitl and Puljujarvi had when they were called up for good in Edmonton.

This is a player who is blessed with some ridiculous offensive talents but an attitude similar to that of Nazem Kadri when he was younger. I really think that if Peter Chiarelli acquired this kid and put him on Connor’s wing that he could be the kind of player the critics have been clamouring for since Eberle was dealt last summer.

He might be a bit too much flash for the conservative fans out there but there’s no doubt in my mind that JHS can be a successful NHLer if the right GM/Coach gives him a chance and you know it’s weird that he’s not getting any TOI under Weight. I’ve always thought that Weight would be a bit more lenient with young players like Ho-Sang.

What would piss people off about a player like Ho-Sang is that he doesn’t do a whole lot when he’s not directly involved in the play. So much like Eberle or Yakupov in year’s past, he knows one end of the rink VERY WELL and the other end he’s got an on/off again relationship with.

Last season for the Islanders he was a 52% CF player 5×5. This year that number has dropped to 47% in 22 games.

In 43 NHL games, Ho-Sang has 22 pts (6g 16a). He was drafted 28th overall in 2014 and is signed through next season for a shade under 900k.

The Islanders need help on the blue line due to the injuries to Johnny Boychuck and Calvin De Haan. They’re also 3-6-1 in their last ten and find themselves at the bottom of the Metro Division.

So how much would he cost?

I imagine that depends on how badly Garth Snow wants to get rid of him, if at all. The Islanders are struggling on D right now, so I’d offer Matt Benning and Anton Slepyshev (especially if Slepyshev goes through waivers unclaimed because that’ll mean that the Isles can send him to their minor league club right away without him having to go through waivers again.)

I’d also offer Pat Maroon straight across but depending on the deal and how big it could get, Brock Nelson is apparently entering the trade market now. That’s a big centre (6’3″ 205lbs) who only makes $2.5M a year. He’s an RFA at the end of this year and he’s been good for at least 35 pts per year as of recent. Why not expand the deal and include him?

I know that’d be selling low on a couple of players that are going through a tough season but JHS is struggling too, same with Nelson. IF Edmonton could get their hands on both players it would allow them to straight up stack the top-6, no?

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Ho-Sang wouldn’t help the PK mind you but the PP he’d surely be of use on. I wonder if Nelson would be a serviceable PKer?

What would you offer the Islanders to get Josh Ho-Sang off of their hands knowing that you HAVE to win this trade? Would you want Brock Nelson too? Let us know in the comments below!

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