First off I want to say that I’m very proud of the Women’s Canadian Hockey team. That was such a good hockey game and they worked their asses off. That move the American shooter made to win it was outstanding though. Seriously…
A silver medal is nothing to scoff at no matter how much Lias Andersson tries to convince you it is. And those ladies join another elite hockey team to lose a very important hockey game at the Olympics in Asia via the shootout…
99 on the bench after losing to the Czechs in ’98 at Nagano, Japan.
On yesterday’s Oilers Now, Bob Stauffer asked John Shannon a very interesting question,
Do you think that it’s an automatic that there are two non-compliance options options (going to be in the new CBA), like there have been in past CBAs?
John Shannon’s reply was, “Guaranteed!”
I’m a little confused at this point as to which kind of compliance buyouts Stauffer and Shannon are talking about. I reckon Stauffer is talking about compliance buy outs NOT non-compliance ones though.
But just to relieve any confusion, let’s go over their definitions:
Non-Compliance Buyout – Consider this the “regular” buyout like the one Chiarelli used on Pouliot last summer. NHL teams can choose to buy out and terminate any player’s standard player contract. It isn’t quite as easy as just cutting a player though, because any bought-out player is still due a portion of the money owed to him; either one-third or two-thirds of his remaining salary (depending on the terms of the original deal) to be paid out over twice the remaining years of the terminated contract.
Compliance Buyout – This is the “Get Out of Jail Free” buyout. Basically, teams can buy out any contract on their roster and it won’t count against their cap but it has to be a contract signed.
Now with those compliance (or amnesty) buyouts, in the past, there’s been a 2-week window right after the Stanley Cup final’s conclusion where the teams could do their business if you will. Also, the last time compliance buyouts were eligible to be utilized, only players who’d signed contracts on or before Sept.12 of 2012 were given the O.K. to be bought out and this was for the 2013 and 2014 seasons…
2021/22 is when the current CBA expires and conversely, the new Seattle franchise is expected to join the league the season previous. I don’t think that it would be in the league’s best interest to expand, have the new team play a year and then have a lockout. Both the NHL (Sept.1) or the NHLPA (Sept.19) can opt out next summer (2019/20) but that’s unlikely according to Shannon.
I know when I write on these kinds of things I feel like I’ve glossed something over, so please feel free to let me know if I’ve gotten something wrong in my interpretation either in the comments below or on Twitter (@beerleagueheroe). Thx!
HOW MIGHT THIS AFFECT THE OILERS?
If I’m right in interpreting the verbiage from past compliance buyout windows, it might allow them to buy out Milan Lucic IF he’s still with the club. I was thinking possibly Sekera and/or Russell but their contracts will have expired by the time a window opens and there’s no guarantee they’d be on the club at that point either. I’m thinking one of them will be in Seattle and the other playing in a different city.
Milan Lucic is signed for $6M/yr until 2022/23
But there’s the fact that Lucic’s deal is so laden with signing bonuses, would it even be worth it to the team to buy out the last year of his deal?
So I guess the only players who might be considered in the compliance buyout category at this point in time are Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid… Unlikely targets but you never know… Maybe the Oilers go on to sign John Carlson to a mega-deal this summer and he shits the bed for them… Or maybe they trade for Erik Karlsson and he slows right the F down in those later years and becomes a liability. I guess at that point, a compliance buyout might be an option for the Oilers.
The other thing Edmonton could do is acquire heavy contracts in exchange for tasty draft picks or prospects and then buy them out in the windows. Similar to what the Vegas or Arizona have done in the past.
I mean other teams could simply do that themselves but what if there’s a team that is desperate to get a contract off of the books, in theory, my notion above would be applicable, no? I guess the follow up to that would be, how much cap room will the Oilers have by then and if they have enough cap room to make such a move, why is that?
What do you think? Have I got it all wrong here?
LATEST ON THE OILERS TRADE FRONT
In all seriousness….and it has been fun hanging….I was just texted the Oilers would consider taking on Bobby Ryan and Karlsson….Looking into it..
No, I don’t believe that the Oilers and Sens are talking Karlsson and Bobby Ryan because Eklund tweeted that out. But I do believe it’s worth a discussion IF the Sens would take Lucic back.
I love Lucic, I really do, and I want him to succeed but it’s really hard to watch him this year. He tries to engage in the games but nobody will fight him, nobody will even hit him. So the things that got him fired up in the past aren’t available anymore and he’s struggling to get out of this slump. He’s squeezing his stick way to tightly, he’s doing fly bys at the net when he should be stopping.
He looks tired.
I’d feel bad for him if he got dealt this early into his deal but it would be what it would be if it happened. I’d accept it and move on. I’d much rather him see success as part of the Oilers than another team obviously.
I don’t want to get into the details of a proper proposal but I do want to offer an idea to you…
What if the Oilers went ahead and traded for Karlsson and then traded him at the deadline next year? What kind of haul do you think the Oilers could get IF Doughty and OEL were on the market too? Not only that but what if the Oilers also won the lottery and drafted Dahlin?
Bob Stauffer also said yesterday that the Maple Leafs have watched the Oilers five of the last 7 games… They’re not looking at Maroon and I can only assume they’re not looking at Cammalleri…. Is there a Josh Leivo/Mark Letestu deal in the works with Toronto?
Toronto has a few names that jump out to me like RH’d Connor Carrick (RFA), plus their UFAs Bozak, Komarov, and Van Riemsdyk. Not to mention a whole whack of guys on their AHL team like Andreas Johnsson, Jeremy Bracco, Andreas Borgman, Calle Rosen, Calvin Pickard and Garrett Sparks.
I think the thing with Toronto is that they’ll want more bodies moving out than coming in but the potential for a huge deal is there.
Speaking of Letestu, Jim Matheson wrote recently that in addition to Toronto, Columbus and Pittsburgh are interested in his services.
if the Penguins can’t bring back Matt Cullen from Minnesota, Letestu is their second choice.
One would think that Letestu would be the first choice due to age but Cullen would definitely know the Pens system a lot better.
Matheson also says that the Oilers are looking for a first rounder in exchange for Maroon but I’m thinking they’ll have to settle for a 2nd or 3rd and a prospect. Jakub Zboril’s name has come up from Boston and so has Zach Senyshyn’s but earlier this week Joe Haggerty said he couldn’t see Senyshyn getting moved.
Stauffer talked a bit about Anders Bjork yesterday and the report on Bjork is that he can move out there. A very fast player who has 12pts in 30 games this season for the Bruins and 4pts in 9 games for their AHL affiliate.
Bjork has the speed, offensive smarts and playmaking ability to potentially be a strong player in the NHL. If all goes well, he could be a second-liner. – Dobber’s Prospects
I would say that Bjork is really the epitome of modern day NHL player. He can play both ways, relies heavily on his speed, and has “creative” hands. – Chowder and Champions
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After watching the Hurricanes/Devils game yesterday, I wondered if Pat Maroon would be a fit on the Hurricanes’ roster? It’s painfully obvious that it could use some size and power on those wings of theirs. They’ve only got two players over 200lbs, Jordan Staal and Jeff Skinner.
The next thing you have to consider is with a new owner who is very progressive and aggressive, might the Hurricanes really try and make a splash at the deadline this year in an effort to make the playoffs? They’ve got the pieces in my opinion.
I reckon it wouldn’t cost them anything more than a couple of prospects and I’ve got my eyes on two specific ones, Janne Kuokkanen and Roland McKeown.
Janne Kuokkanen – 6’1″ 188lbs – LH – Centre – Charlotte Checkers: 38gp 6g 20a 26pts
If this name sounds familiar, it should. Kuokannen and current Oiler Jesse Puljujarvi had a helluva u18 world championships back in 2016 combining for 14pts. That’s enough right there to perk your ears right? Aapeli Rasanen also lit up the scoreboards in that tourney with 9pts in 7 games. And one more Oilers draftee, Markus Niemelainen played for Finland that year too.
Last season Kuokkanen played in London and put up over a point-per-game (60gp 26g 36a 62pts) for the OHL’s Knights.
Here are some scouting reports on the lean Finn:
Janne Kuokkanen is a very smart hockey player who uses his entire hockey IQ to make plays and setup scoring chances. His vision is outstanding and he is very well aware of his line mates. He reads the game well and distributes the puck using his powerful and accurate pass. If you watch him play you get the feeling that he knows what to do next even before he has the puck. – The Hockey Writers (source)
I think something more important than speed in today’s NHL is hockey IQ. But if you can get a player who’s quick (not the same as fast) AND is very smart, you’re in the money.
Kuokkanen is an average skater who uses his reach and a wide stance to protect the puck as he moves towards the net. His sense of awareness is extraordinary, so catching up to him won’t always nip an opportunity in the bud. Kuokkanen makes good use of time and space, and even though he has a good shot with a quick release, he is most certainly a pass-first winger, albeit one you should keep an eye on near the low slot. – The Draft Analyst (source)
Man, the Oilers system is really bereft of the kind of skill Kuokkanen has. Well, it’s bereft until Safin, Benson, and Yamamoto arrive next season. I suppose Aapeli Rasanen could leave college too if he wanted to join Bakersfield. I also believe that the Finn wouldn’t need that much more seasoning in the AHL either. This sort of prospect would fit the description of the kind of return the Oilers are looking for in return for Maroon.
The Hockey Writers have him compared to Markus Granlund.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ac0eXHGNqk
Roland McKeown – 6’2″ 19lbs – RH – Defenseman – Charlotte Checkers: 49gp 5g 14a 19pts
Fun Fact: Roland McKeown was originally an LA Kings draft pick (2nd round in 2014) but was traded to Carolina in a package for… Andrej Sekera!
One quote I really like about McKeown came from ‘Canes GM Ron Francis after the trade was made to acquire the former Kingston Frontenac,
“He’s a character guy, leadership guy. He’s a player used head-to-head against the other team’s best.”
It is only McKeown’s 2nd pro year but I’m not getting a sense that he’s got offense in those bones despite being the 2nd highest scoring dman on the Checkers. I dig that he’s a RHer and personally, I feel like you can never have enough of those in an organization but I wish he was putting up a bit more offense. Even in junior he wasn’t much of a point producer.
That said, he looks like a very solid 2-way defender. Plus/Minus shouldn’t ever be a solely relied upon stat but +30 this season is pretty decent.
Here are some scouting reports on McKeown:
McKeown is a strong, do-it-all defensemen whose biggest asset is his ability to think the game and know his position. He makes strong, simple plays, has a good shot and distributes the puck effectively. – Future Considerations (source)
The scouts at the Hockey Writers had McKeown compared to Roman Josi.
He enjoys joining the rush and creating opportunities for his teammates. He has the wherewithal to see the play develop and create chances. McKeown is poised with the puck and can maneuver out of the defensive zone with a few short strides. His skating is up there with the best prospects.
On the defensive side of the puck McKeown cuts down passing lanes and finds ways to disrupt the play. He’s not overly physical, but doesn’t have a problem throwing a hipcheck every once in a while. Occasionally, he will be caught up in the rush leading to a breakaway, but it isn’t often. In fact, his overall positioning is what makes him a great tw0-way defender. – The Hockey Writers (source)
I would probably be looking at a couple of other prospects in the Hurricanes system like Warren Foegele or Valentin Zykov but you’d have to think since they are the ‘Canes top forward prospects, they’d be hands-off for a rental like Maroon.
In all honesty, Edmonton would probably have to throw in a pick or prospect to get both Kuokkanen AND McKeown but I’d be willing to accept that. The Oilers AHL team needs more youthful quality anyhow and a 4th or 5th rounder (depending on how many games Montoya suits up for) would probably be less likely to bring the Oilers a Kuokkanen or a McKeown.
What do you think? Would you be happy if this were the kind of return the Oilers got for Pat Maroon this year? Or would you hold out for less but a higher impact player?
I’m so so happy to see Adam Larsson back practising with the team. I think I can speak for the majority of us in saying we were all shocked when news came of his father’s passing and that for one day everyone could throw their support behind an Oiler.
I hope that when he plays his first game back in Edmonton he gets the biggest standing ovation Rogers Place has ever seen. The fans owe it to him.
HE’S BACK PT.2
Our favourite Edmonton Oilers vlogger, Ryan Robinson, came out of his self-imposed vlogging hiatus to let us know what he thinks has gone wrong for the Oilers this season.
I’ve really missed Robinson’s vlogs this season because I feel he really brings the fan’s perspective out into the open without slagging others in the process. In this post, I will include the vlog from YouTube (at the bottom) and some commentary of my own on his thoughts.
RUMOURS
According to Andy Strickland, Pat Maroon’s agent and Peter Chiarelli have spoken but it looks like an agreement on a contract won’t be happening and the Oilers will be trading the big winger. Which is probaby a better scenario for the Oilers anyhow, right? They need to bring in some fresh young talent on the wings and Maroon is the asset they are most willing to move to get that player.
Jim Matheson tweeted out yesterday that the Oilers want Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Was he reading my blog or seen one of my tweets recently? Weird. Even Jason Gregor was talking about it on his show yesterday with Jason Strudwick and Lowetide, specifically my proposed offer of Nuge and Klefbom for OEL.
I still think you do it and handle the contract after. He only makes $5.5M this year, so say he wants $7.5M a year for 7 years. Well since you dealt away $10M in Nuge and Klefbom, why not? It’s obvious that the Oilers are fine with JJ Khaira playing center and Ryan Strome can do it too. There, we fixed the problem fans have with RNH being a $6M 3rd line centre AND gave the team the elite PP dman it’s been craving.
Robinson’s vlog starts with him talking about one of the reasons why he stopped making his famous vlogs. He tells us a story about the game vs. Dallas where Cam Talbot got rocked for 5 goals and after the game, his wife, Kelly, posted a lovely picture of the Talbot family on social media. That’s not the issue, the issue came when someone commented on the photo basically telling Cam Talbot’s wife to pass on the message to Cam to get his head out of his ass and concentrate on hockey because his family will always be there for him.
What’s wrong with these fans? I’d be willing to put money on it that this guy isn’t a season ticket holder but a guy who sits on his sofa with a case of Kokanee and a bucket of KFC. Even if he was a season ticket holder, that is atrocious behaviour for a human being let alone a fan.
Pro Tip: When you comment on the socials or are talking about your team in the pubs, the things you say represent other fans as well. Just because you’re behind a keyboard or a smartphone, doesn’t make it okay for you to be an asshole. Be mindful of your language and the words you choose to use to express your opinion and realize just because you can say something doesn’t mean you should.
AN UNMITIGATED DISASTER
The Edmonton Oilers are going to join the Florida Panthers as two teams who have missed the playoffs 11 out of 12 seasons. It’s safe to say that Robinson is right when he says that this year has been an unmitigated disaster.
The main reason: There’s ZERO benefit to a year like this.
What we will be looking for as fans is if Connor McDavid can win the scoring title. Can Puljujarvi show us some of that offence we saw at the World Juniors a few years ago? How many games will Milan Lucic go before he scores a goal? Might Leon Draisaitl end up in the top-ten in scoring despite having a down year (according to some)?
Ultimately I’ll be looking for any signs of life from the team as a whole. There are 26 games left for the Oilers to show me, at least, that they don’t need a heart transplant (thanks, Georges!) and they are a team to be reckoned with. They’ve got quite a few Pacific Division matchups remaining and I want them to be the spoilers for Calgary’s playoff hopes.
RYAN ROBINSON’S FORENSIC AUDIT
Darryl Katz: Teflon
Bob Nicholson: Will he fire Chiarelli and hire Wayne Gretzky?
Peter Chiarelli: Regarding dealing away the younger players in Boston, Would you take years of a productive player or a Stanley Cup ring? When you start to exaggerate and omit facts, it doesn’t leave room for debate which is exactly what fans, “influencers” and sponsored Oilers blogs are doing right now.
It's fine to talk about how Chiarelli went to Harvard and won a Cup in Boston but you also have to acknowledge that he left that team in shambles because that happened more recently than the other two things.
— x – Baggedmilk, Oily Playoff Boy (@jsbmbaggedmilk) February 16, 2018
Robinson goes into a few of the bad trades that Chiarelli made at this point in the vlog. The Reinhart trade and the Eberle trade. Let’s start with Griffin!
I still agree with the rationale behind those two moves. Back in the summer of 2015, the Oilers were desperate for young dmen that could grow with their core of players. And last summer they need to move out salary to protect themselves from a potential offer-sheet to Draisaitl.
Contrary to popular opinion, the Oilers didn’t lose the Reinhart deal because Barzal has emerged as such a strong player. He’s a fantastic young player and he might even win the scoring title one day. He lost that trade becaues Reinhart turned into nothing! Both as a player and as an asset. He couldn’t establish himself on the Oilers roster and then he was claimed in the expansion draft. Barzal tearing it up just makes the trade look even worse.
Same goes for the Eberle trade. Ironically, Eberle has been rejuvinated playing with Barzal! But the real problem for Edmonton was that Strome has been horribly mismanaged and remarkably unremarkable for long stretches.
It took until the other night against Florida, game 55, for the Oilers to finally give Strome a shot on McDavid’s wing. And it took until a few games ago, I think game 52, for them to put him on the left half-wall on the PP for his one-timer.
THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT HE WAS ACQUIRED FOR IN THE OFF-SEASON! He’s got a hard, accurate wrist shot and the Oilers haven’t take advantage of it. Why did it take so long?
I’d like to also point out that when Chiarelli was hired there was this outcry for a strong possession team, to which he’s built.
Robinson really gets going in his next topic here.
HOW WILL NICHOLSON HANDLE CHIARELLI?
Nicholson has to be very careful in how he handles Chiarelli. Because of what Vegas has done taking everyone’s scraps and rising all the way to the top, I think that has given every manager league-wide a free pass for this season.
If Nicholson does fire Chiarelli, what he needs to do is hire someone with experience, a good track record, and just like Chiarelli, zero ties to the Oilers old boys club.
This is interesting because I thought that was what Nicholson did in the first place. Chiarelli has all three of those requisites listed unless you consider being part of Hockey Canada as something.
That’s where I’m a bit concerned. If Chiarelli gets the axe, does he simply dip into his Hockey Canada network and find someone?
TODD MCLELLAN
The thing with Todd is, he didn’t just forget how to coach overnight. He was nominated for coach of the year last season. The problem this year has been some horrendous decision making and a complete refusal to adapt on the fly.
Early on in the year Todd publicly called out his best players, something that Don Cherry pointed out on Coach’s Corner as a poor choice. I couldn’t agree with that more. Do that behind closed doors but do not embarrass them publicly. As much as I do not like it, this is a different generation of player and they do not respond well to that kind of motivational tactic.
A lot of people are asking of the players have tuned out the coaches and I think to a degree they have. Do you remember that “special” PP formation they used against the Ducks, the one that Kevin Bieksa commented on during the intermission? Basically, every player picked a corner and one guy stood in front of the net and they just held on to the puck for the majority of the powerplay? I think that was the players’ dig at the coaches.
I have said in the past that perhaps McLellan is not suited to run a team driven by young players because I’m not sure he knows how to ride out the waves that come with young players. He coached the San Jose Sharks for what, a decade? That team was headed by Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle, etc. Not 5 or 6 key players under the age of 24.
THE REFUSAL
Secondly, the refusal to break up Connor and Leon for so long did irreperable damage to the Oilers’ season. While several players were struggling with their confidence he just hung them out to dry.
If I’m the coach and someone is struggling I throw them on McDavid’s wing, just to give them a boost and get them going. And the thing is, McLellan did this in the past. I remember him putting Yakupov and Pouliot on McDavid’s line but this season he’s just continued to beat a dead horse.
WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO GET THE PLAYERS READY TO PLAY?
Also, the Oilers are never ready to play. They’ve given up the first shot of the game ten times. I mean, it must be a record but I don’t think anybody would bother tracking such an embarrassing and obscure statistic. They’ve also been scored on first 34 times. It is the coach’s responsibility to have the players ready to play.
Preach it, brother! Amen! I’m surprised that they haven’t been axed already. But the Oilers are on a 5-game losing streak and you do have to wonder how long that streak goes before somebody is let go.
WHAT KIND OF TEAM DO THE OILERS HAVE?
A lot of people believe the Oilers are a big slow team. I think earlier this year Ray Ferraro said Chiarelli has built the Oilers to win in 2011 not 2018. The thing is the Oilers aren’t really a big slow team.
Kassian is a great skater. Darnell Nurse is a fantastic skater. Draisaitl is a very powerful skater. Now that Gryba is in the minors they only have two slow guys, Maroon and Lucic. And they have perhaps the fastest player ever to play the game in Connor McDavid.
Here’s the thing, what moves faster? Connor McDavid or the puck?
I’ve said this many times before, it doesn’t matter how fast your players are if they don’t play with pace. Last year McLellan did a really good job of having the Oilers play a balance of finesse game but also a very physical game. This year he seems to have completely abandoned giving the players any offensive creativity and he’s in this routine of playing a cycle into the corner, back up to the point, back into the corner, trying to wear the other team down.
I truly believe that the pundits that were saying the Oilers are slow this year were referring to quickness and not straight away speed. Meaning your Mitch Marner-types who are very agile on their blades. I think that when Drake Caggiula is on his game, he’s one of those players as he’s zippy and he hits anything that moves.
If you still believe that the Oilers aren’t fast enough, I guess I’d ask you what kind of goals are being let in by the Oilers this year? I’d also ask, what aspect of the game do you think the Oilers are slow in?
THE PART OF THE SEASON THAT IS INEXCUSABLE
To have Connor McDavid, the best player on the planet, running a powerplay that is 30th in the league is an absolute disgrace.
It’s not even so much about the results, it’s about how non-threatening it is. The Oilers pass the puck about wildly around the perimeter and then they get it to Klefbom for the point shot and the problem is he never freakin’ shoots it! And when he does, he shoots it wide of the net because he’s hurt! I’m pretty sure he’s been hurt all year and yet, the coaching staff continually puts him out there squandering endless opportunities and also killing the guys confidence because he can’t get the job done.
The Oilers could have a threatening powerplay IF players would shoot it. IF Connor, or anybody for that matter, would shoot the puck, regardless of if it goes in or not, that will back the dmen off. They’re looking for that cross-seam pass for the one-timer and the other teams know that so they cut it off and leave the point open because they know two things, either they’re not going to shoot it or they will but there’s no hope of it going in.
THE PK
What the Sam Heck is even going on here? It is the worst home PK of all-time! Of all the terrible teams that have played throughout the years, none of them come close to the travesty that is the Oilers home penalty killing. How many goals do you have to let in from the point before you realize that the L-shape or the diamond or whatever you want to call it doesn’t work.
It’s not rocket science, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Play a tight box have active sticks, clear lanes so your goalie gets a clear view of the puck. And the reason that the PK is such an achilles heel is that the Oilers have some big strong players who can intimidate the opposition and they’re scared to hit anyone because they know they absolutely can not under any circumstances take a penalty because it will almost certainly end in a goal against.
Unfortunately, the Czech press is the tactic that is used all over the league to combat how most of the PPs are being run in the league. Watch any team and I’ll bet you’ll see the same tactic used by that team as the Oilers use. The difference is this:
Their players are willing to get in the lane. They’re willing to do what’s necessary to stop a shot. Which leads me to this question, why aren’t the Oilers’ PKers willing to do this?
WHAT SHOULD THEY DO FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR?
I don’t really have a problem with them riding out the rest of the year and continuing with the same head coach and GM next season. Look at Colorado, they were absolutely awful last year, kept their coach and GM, they rebounded very nicely.
But.
ACCOUNTABILITY
I preach accountability on this blog. Someone at some level within the organization needs to pay the price for this absolute miserable failure of a season and Woodcroft and Johnson don’t have a leg to stand on. They have ZERO justification for keeping their jobs.
Earlier in the year, I reported that Chiarelli wanted to make a change with the assistant coaches but McLellan wouldn’t sign off on it and knowing how Chiarelli hangs onto his head coaches, he’s gone along with it. Well, I think that loyalty has shifted a bit because we haven’t seen improvement in the slightest amount from the special teams coaches.
I predict that Woodcroft and Johnson will be shown the door and at least one of the new assistant coaches will be the new head coach at some point in the next 12 months. Maybe that’s Darryl Sutter or Dave Tippet, Todd Nelson or Sheldon Keefe.
THE PLAYERS
Surprisingly, these are the only ones I have any sympathy for for a few reasons.
First of all, did you know that the Oilers hit the post more than any team in the league?
Secondly, the Oilers have lost every single coach’s challenge this season.
Despite the Oilers having Connor McDavid, the fastest player in the league, the Oilers draw less penalties than any other team.
Offside calls and goalie interference plays are 50/50 at best. The fact that the Oilers have been on the wrong side every time is awful luck. As for the penalty calls, I think that Connor McDavid’s speed has actually prevented him from drawing calls. Think about it for a second.
McDavid blasts by the official, he gets hooked, held, or slashed but they’re so far behind at that point they can’t see it. And if they don’t see it, they can’t call it.
Also, the Oilers have some bigger stronger players, they don’t go down easy. I can’t count the number of times Lucic got hooked or slashed and he didn’t go down.
Is it not completely unbelievable that there are so many members of the Oilers fanbase that are this ignorant of how bizarre the results are going for Edmonton yet they still ask for Chiarelli’s head as if he’s responsible for these mad stats?
WHEN THINGS AREN’T GOING YOUR WAY…
Can you think of even one game this year that the Oilers won that they didn’t deserve to?
Exactly! And what happens when you feel like you’re hitting the post all of the time and you know the you need to outplay the opposition in order to have a chance to win and you know you’re probably not going to get your share of calls or challenges and you know that you absolutely cannot take a penalty?
It begins to wear on you mentally.
Why do you think that the Oilers have had so many games this year like the one against Nashville where they’re outshooting them 29-4 and let in a goal and everything falls apart.
THE RESULT
The Oilers have completely lost all of their confidence and swagger that they had last year and the thing is, no amount of trades, free agent signings, or firings is going to bring that back.
I wonder how the mob would react to this comment? I mean let’s say they fire Chiarelli, how many years are they willing to wait for the new GM to turn it around. Oilers Nerd Alert said that GMs should only get 2 years to show progress. I find that to be a tad harsh.
WHAT ABOUT LAST YEAR?
I know a lot of fans believe that last year was an anomaly but I have a hard time believing that when I see all those bizarre statistics surrounding the Oilers.
So I know it’s hard and frustrating because you invest so much in the team but my advice is take a deep breath…
I love the truths that Ryan Robinson throws out there. I’m sad that he’s not vlogging as much lately and I’d love to hear him on a regular podcast someday or perhaps his own radio show. He’s got the skills and he analyzes the game very well in my opinion. I guess there’s always next year 🙂
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According to Darren Dreger and Josh Yohe, the Winnipeg Jets are showing interest in upcoming Oilers UFAs Pat Maroon and Mark Letestu.
Pierre LeBrun believes that the Oilers are looking for a 1st round pick in return for Maroon but would be happier with an NHL-ready or near NHL-ready prospect to help turn the team around a bit quicker next season.
The highest return on Letestu that I’ve heard is a 3rd round pick which I think is fair for a 32-yr old UFA. And Edmonton will likely be without their 4th rounder from this year’s draft due to Al Montoya most likely suiting up for more than 7 games.
So which prospects do the Jets have that would interest the Oilers?
Right off the bat, let’s get the players who the Jets would be insane to deal away.
Kyle Connor
Jack Roslovic
There’s no point in even wasting any time speculating about these two. They’re currently in the Jets top 6 according to rosterresource.com and producing. Winnipeg would be nuts to sell on any of these guys for a couple of soon-to-be UFAs
But the Jets do have three players in their minor league system that I believe could interest Edmonton.
Mason Appleton – 6’2″ 201lbs – Right Shot – C – 21 years old
Appleton is leading the Manitoba Moose with 16 goals and 30 assists in 51 games. Some were surprised that he turned pro a year early after being named Captain of his NCAA team in his junior year. Here’s a scouting report from Dobber’s Prospects:
Plays with a fast pace and has great vision on the ice to find his teammates with a crisp pass. A bit of a late bloomer, but will get his first taste of pro hockey this year and could make an impact soon enough at the NHL level.
I think the fact that he can move, he shoots right, he’s producing in his rookie year in the AHL, and that he’s a centre are all things that would peak Chiarelli’s interest. Winnipeg seems set at centre for the foreseeable future as well with Scheifele, Little, Adam Lowry, and Andrew Copp down the middle.
Sami Niku – 6’1″ 175lbs – Left Shot – LD – 21 years old
Niku is 4th in team scoring for the Manitoba Moose. He has accrued 10 goals and 27 assists in 51 games played down in the minors. This also being his first year in the AHL and North America. He’s drawing comparisons to current Jets blueliner Tobias Enstrom and Sami Vatanen.
The small Finn could fall into the same vein as a Sami Vatanen if he’s able to survive the rigors of the NHL. A high-risk, high-reward long-term fantasy selection. – Dobber’s Prospects
I’m all for the Oilers adding more offensive-minded defensemen to their system. I do not think there are enough. Sure there’s Bear and Jones but I feel the more the merrier down in the AHL because you can teach defense to a young player, offensive, I’d argue, is a helluva lot tougher to teach if you don’t have it.
Brendan Lemieux – 6’1″ 209lbs – Left Shot – 21 years old
I’m not sure if Brendan is as irritating as his old man (Claude) but he has certainly progressed well. In his first season with the Moose last year he played 61 games and scored 12 goals and 7 assists as well as 130 PIMs (maybe he is as irritating as Claude…). This year in 31 games he has 28 pts (12g 16a).
Brendan competes in a similar skilled yet gritty mold often getting under the skin of opponents. Not afraid to drop the mitts or lay out a larger player, Lemieux plays a no fear and borderline reckless game. His offensive skills are underrated as he has shown an ability to finish off plays with a soft touch. Lemieux is an impact forward that rivals despise playing against and the fact that he can play several roles up and down the lineup is certainly appealing.
This might be my favorite potential target for the Oilers. They need this sort of player I believe as they don’t have an aggrevator on the squad at the moment. Zack Kassian has relinquished that role in an attempt to play a more sound hockey game. In 9 NHL games this season he’s amassed 21 PIMs and 1 assist.
What do you think? Would these players fit the description of players that would help the Oilers next season?
Let us know in the comments below!
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First things first, Dreger didn’t get all of that from Chiarelli. Either someone within the Oilers organization above Chiarelli leaked it, Dreger is making it up, or one of the other GMs is trying to throw a wrench into Trader Pete’s deadline/summer plans.
Secondly, why would the Oilers want a winger who can skate WITH Connor? It’s not like you see tandems breaking out of the d-zone into the neutral zone and then into the other team’s end together.
I feel the type of player the Oilers are looking for is a trigger man, not a speedster because if that was the case, why wouldn’t they have gone out and traded for Carl Hagelin when he was struggling like mad earlier in the year? Why wouldn’t they have picked up Nikita Soshnikov before TO traded him to the Blues.
They need a guy who knows where to go on the ice while Connor has the puck in order to get himself open for a one-timer.
If not this kind of winger then a winger who is quick. Personally, I don’t think they need to go out and get one. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is right there and alternatively, Anton Slepyshev is here too and if he didn’t feel slighted by how he’s been treated by the Oilers this year, he might be a cheap re-signing too.
But if we’re going outside the organization, I feel like Mike Hoffman is the perfect winger for the Oilers here. TSN’s Travis Yost feels like Swapping RNH for Hoffman would be beneficial for both teams.
I could see it but I always thought you never trade a centre for a winger…
But what if the Oilers send Kris Russell w/salary retained (remember contrary to what Capfriendly says, the first two years of his deal lack any clauses, only the final two seasons or at least that’s what I’m lead to believe from the MSM reporting on his contract and Spotrac’s website) and say Jesse Puljujarvi to Ottawa for Hoffman.
The Sens are looking to rebuild, the Oilers are looking to upgrade whilst opening cap space and even if I am wrong about Russell’s first two years having no clauses, a simple request is all it takes. If Ottawa truly wants to tear it down, would having Russell on defense help or hinder that goal?
Don’t get me wrong here, I do NOT want Jesse Puljujarvi traded. I love that kid more than Oilersnation loves anti-Chiarelli rallies. I’m just thinking out loud here and trying to work around trading Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Oscar Klefbom to Ottawa. I do feel like, despite Pulju’s young age, he shouldn’t be fading as the season goes on but this is his first real pro season. Plus I’m thinking the coaches are higher on Yamamoto than Pulju.
Again, I’m not advocating for the trading of Puljujarvi. Having him and Yamamoto on the RW for the next 5 years would please me to no end but how else do you satisfy Ottawa’s needs w/o moving RNH, Klefbom, or this year’s 1st rounder.
Another name on my list is David Perron. Not the fastest but draws penalties, is irritating as well and had his best pro season as an Edmonton Oiler in his previous stint with the club.
Thirdly, the defenseman that Oilers are looking for will have to have some puck skills. I think they one they’ve got the best shot at is Rasmus Dahlin at the moment. Not even joking.
But if we were to look at the pro roster, the Oilers have to send someone out before bringing in another because the D corps. is simply too crowded and I’d prefer to see them bring back Davidson and Auvitu too.
Which defender might that be? I mentioned Kris Russell before but the word I’m getting is that it’s Oscar Klefbom. Management/Coaching aren’t happy with his progression or lack thereof, this year. They’re pissed that he can’t stay healthy. So, they’re listening to offers on him which is a far cry from offering him out. Let’s make that distinction clear right now.
I’d love for the Oilers to bring in Mike Green because I value his veteran experience as well as his RH’d shot, and his offensive eye for the game.
A player few might consider is Chris Wideman out of Ottawa. He’s a UFA this summer, he’s 28 years old and he’s also RH’d. Not a big guy but he can skate well and move the puck well. Before going down with an injury this year he had 8pts in 16 games. So he was definitely on pace (#OnPace) for a career year. He’s making 800k this year.
Tyson Barrie will be the name on the market connected to the Oilers from now until he’s moved and his cost is pretty high. Meaning RNH is probably the ask and I really want to avoid breaking up the 3-headed menace down the middle for Edmonton.
So how would you feel if the D looked like this:
Nurse/Larsson
Sekera/Barrie
Russell/Davidson
Auvitu or Wideman (I’d prefer both)
That means Benning and Klefbom would be moved on.
Fourthly, we’re looking for a goalie to compete with Talbot aka we’re afraid that Talbot might shit the bed again next year and we want to go with a 1A and 1B in the nets.
David Staples and Bruce McCurdy have brought up a good point in that perhaps the Oilers WILL need another goalie in addition to Talbot and Montoya and that Montoya should go to the minors in case of emergency next season.
The problem I have with that is, do you simply let the goalies you’ve paid to develop all these years walk away? Not that I think that Brossoit and Ellis are ready but the question still remains.
Here are a handful of UFA goalies who are putting up acceptable numbers this season:
Carter Hutton – STL – (15-5-3, 1.81 GAA, .940%) – Does STL move him or Allen?
Jonathan Bernier – COL – (17-10-2, 2.74 GAA, 916%) – $2.75M per… Pricey!
Aaron Dell – SJ – (14-4-2, 2.51 GAA, 917%) – The New Cam Talbot?
Antti Raanta – ARI – (11-14-0, 2.53 GAA, 920%) – Maybe should’ve acquired him last year…
Anton Khudobin – BOS – (12-3-1, 2.32 GAA, 925%) – Chiarelli would be familiar with the little Russian.
Michael Hutchinson – WPG – (1-0-0, 1.00 GAA, 958%) – Rumors earlier in the year had connected the Oilers and Hutchinson.
I fancy either Carter Hutton or Anton Khudobin for the 1B position because they’re a bit older and I value experience. But would Antti Raanta be the guy who’d push Talbot a bit more for that no.1 spot? Hutchinson is a beauty too though.
Tough call! Hutchinson and Khudobin have history with Chiarelli though, so there’s that.
A couple of wild cards might be Curtis McElhinney (TOR) and Kari Lehtonen (DAL) if you’re like me and prefer experienced goalies. These two tenders’ contracts expire after next season. The Leafs have Garrett Sparks and Calvin Pickard on their AHL team right now and I’d like to think that one of them will be the back-up next season. I don’t see Lehtonen getting paid $5M per season ever again nor do I see him being a starting goalie again.
Is it even possible for the Oilers to start the 2018/19 season with the following roster?
It seems like we’ve just moved the chairs around on the deck a bit, no?
I’ll leave you with one last thought here. Look at that lineup above, now add one of Rasmus Dahlin, Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, Brady Tkachuk, or Adam Boqvist.
How does it look now?
Let us know in the comments below! But first buy a shirt for a loved one because there’s a sale going on at the Beer League Heroes Teepublic shop!
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