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

Another Outlet Connecting the Oilers to Taylor Hall

Coming from an Edmonton Oilers point of view, BLH provides you with excerpts from the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation from all of the internet’s best sites including Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, The Athletic, TSN and more!

From The Athletic

‘You’ve got to take risks’: How re-signing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for eight years could help and hurt the Oilers

The Oilers need more top-six forwards, not fewer of them, so getting Nugent-Hopkins back at a reduced rate should be helpful as the team attempts to vault into the league’s elite. Remember: it’s not exactly easy to get veteran players to come to Edmonton via free agency or trade if they can block deals.

The Oilers get a very good player back, someone with whom they’re comfortable, and someone who Holland thinks will age like a fine wine.

“His game is based on smarts, hockey sense, stick skills, patience,” he said. “Those are things that are never going to go away.”

Getting the cap hit down $875,000 annually based on the RNH’s current $6 million salary gives Holland some flexibility in the coming weeks as he tries to revamp his roster for the months and years ahead.

BLH’s Thoughts: This one more successful example of Ken Holland’s ability to sell a player on his vision. He did it multiple times with the Red Wings as they were on the verge of building an NHL powerhouse in the 90s and 2000s and no he’s doing it with the Oilers. 

By getting Nuge to sign for almost a million dollars less than what he was making, he’s essentially found $6M(ish) to play around with. That’ll be valuable pocket change for Holland as he could use it on a player or players, it might be tucked away to cover for bonus overages. Who knows? Point is, found money is found money and it has to be treated with care.

Now, I don’t exactly see the final few years of RNH’s deal as all that risky. Sure there are some bonuses tied to them and the last year jumps up to $3.75M, but the cap will be higher by then if the contract needs to be moved or bought out by then. Maybe a Shawn Horcoff scenario plays out or maybe Nuge does spend the rest of his career in Edmonton, I mean, at 36 years old, if his body holds up, he could go another 4-5 years after that like Patrick Marleau has. 

The RNH signing brings Edmonton’s available cap space down to $16.22M according to capfriendly. At least until the day after the Stanley Cup has been awarded… Then all hell should be breaking loose, no? 😉

From NHL Trade Talk

Fans Lose It Over Buzz Oilers to Protect Kassian in NHL Expansion Draft

Oilers fans are riled up at a rumor Ken Holland is thinking about protecting Zack Kassian during the NHL Expansion Draft.

This all comes after news that among the forwards the Oilers will try and hang onto — which as a result, means likely losing a defenseman in the draft — Kassian is going to be among the names on the protected list. So is his two goals and five points that the Oilers just paid over $3 million for this past season.

Jonathan Willis of The Athletic points out something interesting. He writes: “Given the number of teams around the NHL worried about bulking up for the playoffs and/or getting their show run by Tom Wilson, his [Kassian] trade value likely exceeds his recent on-ice contributions.” Is Willis hinting that the Oilers will protect the player to ensure they can trade the player and get a decent return versus losing him for nothing?

When you think back to the visceral reaction from Oilers Nation that came with the two-year contract Holland signed Devin Shore to, this speculation about Kassian isn’t going to go over well if it turns out to be true.

BLH’s Thoughts: The Oilers could announce that they’re partnering with a new skate sharpening company and the fanbase would lose it’s proverbial shit… Who cares what the vocal minority has to say every time Edmonton makes a move that some bored twat doesn’t like?

The point that Jonathan Willis makes is completely valid, why lose a tradeable asset for nothing in the expansion draft? Protect the player and capitalize on the asset later on if need be.

I know there are some members of the media who didn’t think Kassian upped his game last year but I beg to differ. I’ll admit, the majority of his year was underwhelming, but late in the season before he got hurt, he was starting to round into form. Then he came back for the playoffs and started to find it in the first round loss to Winnipeg (after Tippett moved him up to the top-six no less). I feel like had the Oilers gone to the next round or two, he would’ve found his mojo.

So, hopefully, if he’s not moved, he’ll start next season well and either help the team with his on-ice play or by bringing value to himself so the team can maximize their return in a trade.

Personally, I’d prefer my Oilers to have some bite and snarl but others would rather pussify the team. That’s fine. To each their own. That said, every successful Edmonton Oilers team that has been to the Stanley Cup final has had it’s fair share of grinders, enforcers, and glue guys. Whereas no team built around pure skill has made it that far. 

From The Daily Goal Horn

Apparently the two sides worked diligently to get something done since the interest to remain was not only mutual but very strong. “I think I’ve said it from the start, I love being an Oiler, I always have,” Nugent-Hopkins said after the Oilers lost in the playoffs. “My goal is always to stay an Oiler… I think I’ve said it from Day 1, I love being an Oiler and it’s something that I’ve taken a lot of pride in the last 10 years.”

What strikes me most is that RNH will be making less AAV on this new deal than he made on the last. Which brings me back to a rumor that the Oilers are also going to take a run at bringing back Taylor Hall.

BLH’s Thoughts: There’s a weird vibe I’m getting from Bob Stauffer recently. He’s brought up Hall and Zach Hyman multiple time in the last week or so and he’s said that Toronto and Boston are in the driver’s seat with those two players, but when former Pittsburgh Penguin Rob Brown was on his show he came out and asked quite boldly, “Would you bring him back?” in reference to Hall and Brown said, “Of Course!”. 

I’ve found with Stauffer, even when things are certain to go down, he tries to be subtle or he leaves room for the opposite to happen in his comments. Rarely is there a 100% commitment to anything rumor-wise with him and that makes me think there’s a chance Hall is going to hit the market and Edmonton will try for him should he make it past the Seattle Kraken interview that’s surely to happen. 

I’ve said it before, bringing back Hall and Nuge would make the club so much f*cking money from the Oilers fanbase. I would imagine upon the news of the Hall signing, the city of Edmonton would erupt in one collective full body Jenna Jameson-like orgasm and those that were against it wouldn’t even be able to be heard over the moans and screams of the pro-Hall fans; and Darryl Katz would just be sitting there swimming in the cash laughing his ass off.

(If you’re bored, you could go around all the shops in Edmonton that sell Oilers jerseys and see if they’ve got some old Hall uniforms on sale and snap them up. Then, if he re-signs with the club, the demand for them will skyrocket, sell your stock and then you’ll be able to afford to go to one regular season game at Rogers Place.)

For me, enough time has elapsed, I could go either way. He’s a good hockey player, so bring him in at the right price. If he’s honest and really believes that money isn’t an issue this time around, it shouldn’t be a problem. He might have to be honest with himself though when he’s looking at the future of the Boston Bruins compared to Edmonton’s…

I do love a good redemption story though.

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