Category Archives: Armchair GM

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

Edmonton Oilers Playoff Talk: What Kind of Magic Does Woody Have in Store for Calgary?

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Cult of Hockey

Jay Woodcroft’s innovative “Donut Line” deployment paying dividends for Oilers

  • One of the secrets to Woodcroft’s success since he took over the bench has been his innovative approach to setting his lineup.
    • For a couple of significant stretches during the season, he opted to go with an unconventional line-up of 11 forwards and 7 defencemen, eschewing the traditional 12/6 split. 
  • Come the playoffs, however, Woodcroft has started to utilize his forwards in a different way.
    • In the last 2 games of the Kings series, both of them must-win affairs, he essentially used 4 pairs of wingers but just 3 centres.
    • That left a set of … let’s call them “free agent” wingers without a full time pivot. But those unattached wingers were a long way from being fourth liners; instead it was the second line that had a hole in the middle
  • The new approach does put high expectations on Kane and Hyman, who at least have each other on a shiftly basis, but who face a rotation of all 3 pivots each bringing their own game

BLH’s Thoughts: I mean, if you’re being centered by one of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, or RNH, that has to be a plus all around. Now seeing as how Leon is playing on one leg, it’s probably safe to replace him in that trio with Ryan McLeod or Derek Ryan and that changes the balance of the equation a bit. 

Now, I don’t know if this tactic is going to work on a team that’s as deep as Calgary is. They’re four lines deep and the problem I see arising is how Edmonton’s smaller defense is going to be affected by the Flames’ intense forecheck. I’m sure Nurse and Ceci will be fine, but what about Barrie, Keith, and Bouchard? This is a massive concern for me. It’ll put way more pressure on the forwards to come deep to help out the dmen but there’s also risk of needless giveaways when the Oilers’ defenders get overwhelmed and simply go off the glass and out… 

Oilersnation

MacT’s Take

On Draisaitl’s Status

  • “How banged up is Leon? How quickly can he recover? Amazing guts from Leon to play the way that he did, 22 minutes that last game…”
  • ““He didn’t have that arrow in the quiver. Those things are hard to fix too. They take a long time to heal, so that’s going to be a big part of it obviously…”

On Connor

  • “…That’s what I call a big-game player. Somebody that’s going to add something to their game you don’t see on a day-to-day basis. McDavid has definitely done that. That guy has been amazing.”

Targets

  • “They’re really going to target the stars. Connor is going to be targeted intensely every chance they get. He does have elite awareness and he’s going to need that because he’s going to have to keep himself healthy and they’re going to come after him. Leon is a little bit different animal. He’s tougher to get because he is so strong himself…”

Mike Smith’s Temper

  • “From what I saw in the last series, you’re not going to get under his skin. He’s too driven, he’s too focused right now. I’d be really surprised if you could get under his skin…”
  • “Phenomenal goaltending and battling and competing. I mean, whatever happens from this point forward, he’s going to continue to play well. Even if he doesn’t, that guy has certainly earned my respect and the respect of Oilers fans.”

It’s the Price You Pay

  • “It’s cliché, but it’s how bad do you want it and what are you willing to do to get it? How much more do you have left in terms of competitiveness and battle and courage to get it done…”

BLH’s Thoughts: I noticed Leon wasn’t shooting in games six and seven of their series with LA and if he can’t shoot, that’s taking a massive weapon out of Edmonton’s armory. The likes of Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, and RNH are going to have to step up their goal-scoring against one of the best goalies in the league this year. 

I watched all of Calgary’s games vs. Dallas and they tried to outmuscle the Stars and push them out of games early but Dallas had some bigger vets on their team that allowed them to weather the storm. Having Oettinger do his best Curtis Joseph impression was huge for the Stars too. Can we count on Mike Smith to continue his outstanding play?

So I think the Flames will try this with Edmonton as well and it’s key that the Oilers don’t get sucked in. They need to stick to their gameplan, copy what Dallas did, and take advantage of the few chances they’re given. I think when Gudbranson and Zadorov are on the ice, if the Oilers can work the puck around and keep those big boys moving in order to tire them out, that might be an impactful tactic.

What Calgary won’t get with Edmonton is a John Klingberg to pick on… Jay Woodcroft’s club can play these games any way Darryl Sutter wants to. My fear is that the Oilers won’t be able to withstand seven games of Iron League hockey though… 

There was also one planned play Calgary employed against Dallas that seemed to work like magic and it all centered around getting Elias Lindholm the puck out of the RW corner. He’d sit in a tiny bit of soft ice just off center of the slot between the dots in the offensive zone and wait like Brett Hull used to with his stick cocked ready for the shot. Almost every time Tkachuk or whoever was gathering the puck from the corner gave Lindholm a clean pass, that puck was behind Oettinger because the Swede has an absolutely unreal release. The Oilers will have to be cognizant of this play or Lindholm is going to eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDX_l7EM6pw

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey

  • PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel wonders if the Penguins will let Malkin and/or Letang to depart via free agency and what effect that might have on captain Sidney Crosby.
  • ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton believes the Dallas Stars’ offseason priority is signing restricted free agent forward Jason Robertson, who’s coming off his entry-level contract. Having tallied 79 points this season…
    • Goaltender Jake Oettinger is also completing his ELC and looks to be their starter going forward.
    • Shilton also wonders whether pending UFA John Klingberg stays or goes.
  • TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan doesn’t believe the Maple Leafs should make major changes in the front office, behind the bench or on the roster despite another first-round playoff exit.
    • General manager Kyle Dubas will have around $8 million in salary-cap space to work with unless he moves some players. Koshan suggested Alex Kerfoot and Justin Holl as trade candidates. Dubas must also find a way to shed backup goalie Petr Mrazek’s $3.8 million cap hit.
  • THE SCORE: John Matisz believes Mrazek, Kerfoot, Jake Muzzin and Pierre Engvall are four Leafs worth monitoring during the offseason.
  • ESPN.COM: Kristen Shilton suggested a lack of killer instinct remains a problem for the Leafs. She thinks there must be changes, likely starting in the front office as team president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Kyle Dubas have to answer for yet another first-round failure.
  • ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski wondered if Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake will be aggressive in adding to his roster this summer as he was when he brought in Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson last summer. He mused over whether Blake will revisit his interest in Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

BLH’s Thoughts: LA will be better if they have a similar offseason to last. Grabbing Chrychrun would be a good start and I’d be shocked if they didn’t go after somebody like Reilly Smith or Filip Forsberg should they make it to market. The Kings should be a good bit of competition for Vegas for that last playoff spot next year. 

There’s absolutely no reason for the Maple Leafs to shake up that roster just because they lucked out and had to face the reigning champs. All they need to do is add some functional toughness to the forward group and grab themselves a no.1 goalie should Campbell move on. And by functional toughness I’m talking about a couple of power forwards who can contribute to the scoring not what Simmonds and Clifford did this year. Maybe that means adding an Andrew Copp, Zach Aston-Reese, Zach Sanford, or Josh Archibald. 

Pittsburgh is going to be an interesting case this summer. Personally, I think Letang is as good as gone but Malkin I’m 50/50 on. There’ve been rumors of him moving on to Florida the last couple of seasons and with his health becoming more of a question with every passing season, it might be time for the Pens to move on from him and use his salary to add some talent depth to their team.

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

Edmonton Oilers Playoff Talk: Who’s Next on Mikey Anderson’s Hit List?

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

The Score

4 questions that’ll decide Game 7 between the Oilers and Kings

Can LA’s Top Six Tilt the Ice?

  • In Game 5’s brief overtime period, Danault’s line hemmed in and fatigued McDavid’s trio right before Kempe subbed in and capitalized off the rush.
  • …L.A.’s top lines, centered by Kopitar and Phillip Danault, have shown they can lean on the Oilers in spurts.
  • Kopitar, Kempe, and Alex Iafallo were on the ice for Edmonton’s first two goals Thursday, which put L.A. in a hole against a team that tends to stifle comebacks.
  • The Oilers went 29-3-1 in the regular season when they opened the scoring and 28-1-0 in games they led at the first intermission. The Kings haven’t trailed in their three wins this series, so starting strong in Game 7 is paramount.

Whose style will prevail?

  • When the Oilers coasted to back-to-back six-goal wins last week, it affirmed that the Kings can’t handle Edmonton’s offense when it shifts to top gear.
  • Mike Smith raised his playoff save percentage to .931 after stopping 30 shots in Game 6, significantly better than Jonathan Quick’s .893 mark.
  • L.A.’s defensive scheme has worked at other points. Four Kings hang back to congest the blue line and the middle of the ice, disrupt the Oilers’ entries, and force giveaways that spark their own offense.
  • L.A. counters Edmonton’s creativity with simplicity.
  • The Oilers rely on pace and inventiveness to generate chances. The Kings attack downhill in transition, drive straight for the crease, establish the cycle if their first foray is deterred, and aim everything on net.

Will Edmonton’s Powerplay be the Difference?

  • The Oilers’ power play ranked third in the NHL this season and enters Saturday’s decider on a 7-for-18 (38.9%) tear. The Kings’ power play ranked 27th in the league. Durzi’s goal upped their success rate in the series to 3-for-24 (12.5%).
  • If the Kings can barricade the zone at even strength and not let Edmonton’s speedsters get a step on them, that’ll minimize the likelihood they obstruct someone and give McDavid an edge to exploit.

Will the Oilers Stay Levelheaded?

  • Duncan Keith carelessly tipped in a Troy Stecher goal and fell over trying to defend Kempe’s OT winner.
  • Deciding to headbutt Danault got Darnell Nurse, Edmonton’s top defenseman and minutes leader, suspended for an elimination game.
  • Smith jabbed Andreas Athanasiou in the groin in Game 6, an unprovoked and avoidable act that was penalized.
  • Playoff success often stems from punishing the opponent’s miscues. Gaffes and slipups are magnified, and imprecision can swing the result of a tight Game 7.

BLH’s Thoughts: Sorry for the delay in posts. I was out of commish with a bout of the Vid, but now I’m back stronger than ever! So let’s get to it, shall we?

What I’ve noticed in the first six games of this series is that when the Oilers get off of their game, LA hasn’t had any issues beating them. They simply clog everything up, outwork Edmonton, and then Jonathan Quick takes care of the rest. It hasn’t helped that Draisaitl, Nurse, and Puljujarvi are dealing with a variety of ailments that’ve slowed them down either, but Kane, Archibald, McDavid, Ceci, Kulak, and Yamamoto have really picked up the slack and Mike Smith has been very good aside from the one gaffe. 

Game 7 will really depend on how much LA can shut Connor McDavid down because he’s looking like he’s entered Mario Lemieux territory where he can take games over at will. I’m really hoping the Oilers don’t lose this series on a questionable call because Connor is doing everything in his superhuman power to push this team to the next round where they’re likely to face Calgary unless Dallas can pull off some sort of miracle. 

The Cult of Hockey

The Edmonton Oilers stave off elimination with a gritty 4-2 win in Game 6 in Los Angeles: Player Grades

  • CONNOR McDAVID. 9. – was on the ice for all 4 Edmonton goals, registering points on 3… Had 6 shots in all, 2 hits, a blocked shot and led his team in TOI with 24:02. The game’s 1st Star.
  • BRETT KULAK. 8. Stepped into the top pairing in Darnell Nurse’s absence and delivered his best game as an Edmonton Oiler in 21:19.
  • CODY CECI. 8. Rock-solid beside his (for tonight) new partner. 2nd Assist on the 1-0 goal.
  • EVANDER KANE. 8. Played just a tremendous game… Laid 2 heavy hits just before the 3-2 goal, helping force a faceoff on the Kings end.
  • DUNCAN KEITH. 7. The Duncan Keith that was so good in Game 2 was back for Game 6. Particularly in the 1st Period, Keith was right on his game, now allowing a single HDSC against.
  • TYSON BARRIE. 7. Won the game with a wicked wrist shot from about 18-20 feet out, his 1st of the series. 
  • MIKE SMITH. 7. Stopped 30 of 32 and continues to be the best goaltender in this series.
  • RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS. 5. “E” for effort but this was not Nugent-Hopkins’ finest game.
  • RYAN McLEOD. 5. McLeod struggled to keep his head above water in this one and just barely did.
  • JESSE PULJUJARVI. 4. Barely visible. Laid a solid hit early. But faded after that and only played 5:30 in all.

BLH’s Thoughts: Funny, Elliotte Friedman was on Oilers Now (630CHED) yesterday and he said that was the best game he’d every seen McDavid play considering the circumstances and it’s hard to disagree with that sentiment. Also, there seemed to be a consistent feeling amongst pundits online that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins played extremely well after being thrusted into the two-hole after Draisaitl was moved to the wing. 

Evander Kane is an absolute wrecking ball out there and it would be such a shame if we weren’t given another seven game series to watch him continue on his path of destruction. 

I thought Josh Archibald and Kris Russell were effective in their given roles too but Leavins only gave them an “above average” score. 

Now, there’s some who are thinking that since Kulak and Ceci played so well a couple of nights ago and with Nurse returning to action that maybe Darnell will get paired up with Tyson Barrie on the third pairing and I’ve got to say that I’m not entirely against that notion. If Nurse is skating on one leg, why not run seven dmen again and deploy them in a similar manner as was done in game six? Seemed pretty effective to me and with last change afforded to the Oilers, Dave Manson will have the ability to be more proactive than reactive. 

Pulju and Foegele… Don’t ask me what’s going on with these two. I think Jay Woodcroft made the right decision scratching Foegele and dressing seven dmen the other night but can you see any scenario where he gets back into the lineup vs. LA?

With JP, I’m happy that Woodcroft has decided to keep Jesse in the lineup, but I have no idea what Pulju’s deal is. Bob Stauffer was all over his case the day after game six because JP collided with RNH early on in that game and he feels that Jess hasn’t been the same since contracting covid. Take that for what you will. 

Pulju has a very simple role on the team and he performs it really well, but the problem is, they need him to do a little bit more and at the moment he’s having a tough time with the added responsibilities and I’m wondering if he’s dealing with multiple ailments that are preventing him from contributing in an acceptable (to the coaching staff) manner. 

If he’s only going to get 30 sec shifts and 5 minutes a night, send him to the press box and put Devin Shore in. At this point in their careers, their playing/skating styles are similar but Shore tends to get stuck in a bit more. It’ll help JP to heal up and to get a different perspective too. In addition to that, it might help calm his nerves a bit if that’s something that’s bothering him too. 

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey

  • LAS VEGAS SUN: Danny Webster reported Reilly Smith could be a hot commodity in this summer’s free-agent market… Webster suggested clubs like the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils or Ottawa Senators might be willing to pay that much ($5M/yr).
  • DAILY HIVE: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating the Vancouver Canucks could attempt to trade Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
  • THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens recently reports Max Comtois’ disappointing season with the Anaheim Ducks saw his name pop up in trade rumors.
  • OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch noted the Senators will have the opportunity to add another promising talent to their roster with the seventh-overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. However, he noted there’s a belief GM Pierre Dorion could be willing to part with that pick if a rival club offers up a player who can help the Senators compete for a playoff spot.
  • NYI HOCKEY NOW: Stefen Rosner wondered if the New York Islanders might use their pick (13th overall) to address more immediate needs.
  • THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reported on the New York Islanders’ surprising decision to fire head coach Barry Trotz on Monday. He speculates Trotz’s handling of young forward Oliver Wahlstrom and the reduction in Mathew Barzal’s role and ice time may have factored into general manager Lou Lamoriello’s decision to part ways with Trotz.
  • THE HOCKEY NEWS: Mike Stephens suggested the Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets as three landing spots for Trotz.

The Daily Goal Horn

  • “I’m told the New Jersey Devils really do like Kevin Fiala,” Jeff Marek said. “I’m sure they can see him playing with fellow countryman Nico Hischier as well. The Minnesota Wild will be going through a cap crunch next season.”
  • “In San Jose, there were some very preliminary trade talks this year involving defenseman Erik Karlsson and a couple of teams,” Elliotte Friedman said. “I don’t think it will go anywhere but it says that the Sharks recognize that having two elite Norris winning right defensemen that hasn’t worked out.”
  • “Burns has less term,” Friedman added. “If they get something they like, that is something everyone will have to watch in San Jose.”
  • Seattle also had some interest in trading for New York Rangers pending UFA center Ryan Strome. If the two sides can’t find common ground, expect the Kraken to pursue. Same for other Rangers’ UFAs in Andrew Copp and Frank Vatrano.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Trading Puljujarvi and Woody’s 3rd Line Conundrum for Game 2

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Oil on Whyte

2 Mock Trades for Jesse Puljujarvi

Trade #1

  • To Dallas: Jesse Puljujarvi
  • To Edmonton: Joel Kiviranta, Mavrik Bourque, 2nd round pick
    • The Stars have been rather quiet lately as far as trades go but with the team looking to become contenders quite soon, the move to bring in Puljujarvi could add some much needed offensive depth.
    • This trade gives the Oilers a boost to their already stacked prospect pool, as well as gives almost a direct replacement for Puljujarvi.

Trade #2

  • To Tampa: Jesse Puljujarvi
  • To Edmonton: Pat Maroon, Nick Paul, 2nd round pick
    • This would have to be a sign and trade for both sides. Puljujarvi is an RFA, while Paul is a UFA. Both guys would have to agree to new contracts with their new teams before the trade goes through. The Oilers also bring back Maroon, who is famous for having a career year alongside Connor McDavid. Paul and Puljujarvi will likely sign similar contracts as far as cap hits go as well.

BLH’s Thoughts: I do think that it would be best for Jesse to reach his potential on another club because he’s always tasked with playing alongside Connor but recently the Oilers captain has shown some hesitation with regards to including JP in the play.

I think it’s a shame that Pulju is seen as a net-front dummy or the guy that chases down the puck for McDavid in Edmonton. I see him as much more than that and I think he believes he’s much more but he’s a soldier that’ll do what he’s told. To an extent you have to respect that he wants to earn his stripes but on the other hand, you want him to be in a system that will allow him to spread his wings a bit. 

So, getting back to a potential trade…

Nothing against Pulju, but I don’t think there will be a lot of teams willing to mortgage a really good prospect for him as his goal scoring seems to dry up after the first month of the season nor do I think Holland would make a trade for Maroon, a UFA, and a 2nd round pick. They tried to get Nick Paul at the deadline, mind you. So who knows?

If I were Holland, and this is a tad controversial so hold on to your hat, I might give Steve Yzerman a call and see what it’d take to get Filip Hronek out of Detroit as it sounds like the dman could be looking to get out of the Motor City. Maybe expand the deal to include Filip Zadina… Holland should be looking for players who can play now more so than futures if he’s moving Jesse and Hronek, a right shot, just put up 38pts for a bad Red Wings club. How would Puljujarvi and Lucas Raymond look on line one in Detroit?

The Athletic

Should Oilers play Jesse Puljujarvi and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on same line?

  • …an RNH-Puljujarvi pairing is something Woodcroft and his staff should strongly consider deploying at five-on-five if not in Game 2, then at some point in this series.
  • Nugent-Hopkins played 12 minutes at five-on-five and the Oilers were out-attempted 17-14 and outscored 2-0. He seemed a step behind.
  • Puljujarvi, meanwhile, played a team-low 7:52 with no time on special teams.
  • Nugent-Hopkins needs a winger who can help him drive play… Though Puljujarvi has struggled to produce with just four goals and 13 points in his last 37 regular season games, the Oilers had a 70 percent goal share with him on the ice at five-on-five over that span. That’s not insignificant.
  • A line switch might also give Puljujarvi some weaker matchups, away from Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault, to perhaps score a goal and regain a bit of confidence.
  • The worst-case scenario is likely that a trio headlined by Nos. 93 and 13 plays to a draw but provides quality minutes where the puck spends more time in the Kings zone.
  • The one drawback to this RNH-Puljujarvi proposal is the Oilers would have to live with losing most faceoffs since Nugent-Hopkins wouldn’t always have Ryan around for support.
  • There are situations where it might behoove the coaching staff to replace Puljujarvi with Ryan such as late in periods in the defensive zone.
  • …it’s unlikely to happen. Nugent-Hopkins and Puljujarvi have played a grand total of 70 minutes together at five-on-five across the 55 games where they’ve both been in the lineup.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m not opposed to this idea and Bob Stauffer was talking about it with Mark Spector on yesterday’s Oilers Now, so there might be a bit of credence to it. 

Derek Ryan was 6-1 on the dot in game one and I would have to agree with DNB as to there being a concern with taking him off of Nuge’s wing. I mean McDavid and RNH had faceoff win percentages under 37% in that game and if they’re up around 50% each, I think the result might’ve been a bit different. They can’t have Leon and Ryan taking all of the draws, so Nugey and Connor are going to have to bear down here or Woodcroft is going to have to come up with a different plan. 

Now, I suppose they could insert Devin Shore because he can take a draw and he plays on the PK, but who do you take out at that point? You can’t take out McLeod and I’m not even sure you can take Zack Kassian out while the team is in Edmonton and you’re not sitting Ryan… That would mean that they’d have to go 12-6 instead of 11-7 so a dman could spend the night in the press box and is Darnell Nurse healthy enough to do that?

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey

  • Rick Dhaliwal tweeted that J.T. Miller’s agent Brian Bartlett said his client has made re-signing with Vancouver one of his goals. He wants to help the club go forward and would be happy to sign a contract extension this summer.
  • Charlie O’Connor reports Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher is hoping to replicate his 2019 offseason success this summer… O’Connor believes Fletcher will attempt one big acquisition, more of a traditional hockey trade (player-for-player) and a smaller buy using B-tier assets. He’ll also need to hire a new head coach.

NHLRumors.com

  • Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said that forward Mark Scheifele hasn’t asked for a trade. They haven’t had their exit meeting yet.
  • Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic has four years left at $7 million per. He played well on the third pairing but the Sharks could use the salary cap space… Will the Sharks consider buying him out?
  • The Senators were believed to be close to trading forward Colin White at the deadline and he could be moved this offseason. The Montreal Canadiens may have been the team interested in White.
  • Kevin Fiala of the Minnesota Wild has been linked to the Senators. The Wild will try to find a way to fit in an extension for the RFA as opposed to trading him but they may be not able to.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Playoff Talk: “Smith was a microcosm of this Oilers team.” Says One Pundit

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Cult of Hockey

Player grades: Mike Smith’s blunder key play in Edmonton Oilers loss to Los Angeles Kings.
  • Connor McDavid, 8. Great game, with major contributions to nine Grade A shots.
  • Kailer Yamamoto, 8. One goal and an assist in a great game. Mixed it up with big Iafollo early on…
  • Brett Kulak, 7. He fired a 5-alarmer in tight in the first. He kept a clean sheet at even strength, not one major mistake on a Grade A shot against.
  • Zach Hyman, 7. Some monumental hustle plays this game. His dogged o-zone ragging of the puck got a penalty call in the second.
  • Darnell Nurse, 4. Super rough start to this one. He got caught in the Red Light Zone — covering no one and blocking no passing lane — on the first L.A. goal.
  • Jesse Puljujarvi, 3. He seemed off. He was not sharp with the puck. He played just 7:52.
  • Mike Smith, 3. Did so much so well, but one brutal error in crunch time lost his team the game, for which he gets docked three full grades.

BLH’s Thoughts: Serious? How can you dock Smith three full grades for one error when he actually made the save he needed to off of the giveaway? The ones being docked should be the defenseman who let that pass get out from behind the net, the forward who wasn’t covering Durzi, and/or the skater (dman or center, you pick) who left Danault all alone at the side of the net. As far as I’m concerned, Smith did everything he needed to on that play and his teammates let him down. 

I didn’t think Nurse was so bad that he should be considered below average on the night. It looks like he’s still dealing with a knock, but he kept things pretty simple and wasn’t forcing anything substantial on the night plus he showed a little edge as well as the odd rush into LA’s zone which I enjoyed. 

My boy Jesse… He is not looking himself. He looks tentative and nervous, but considering the circumstances, I can understand why he’d be feeling like that. However, I need him to buck up though and stick his nose in places where it doesn’t belong. Take a few punches, throw a few, and simply get involved. I love Pulju to death, but if he could spend some time watching old clips of Tomas Holmstrom, it would do him a world of good. I don’t know, he just doesn’t look himself and I wonder if that’s a lot to do with how much pressure he puts on himself in order to keep Connor happy. Poor kid must be a bucket of nerves right now. 

Tell ya what though, Russell and Barrie did not have a good night. The Kings’ grinders had their way with them because Barrie and Russell don’t have the speed to beat them to the puck nor do they have the size to knock them off of it. So they’re left containing, chasing, or blocking the shot and a reactionary style of play is not the system that’ll see Edmonton to the 2nd round. 

I was really impressed with Kailer Yamamoto though. I loved his tenacity and didn’t mind the penalty. He was engaged in the moment and thrived and the aggressiveness of the game didn’t push him out. He dug right in and got better as the game wore on. 

Old Man Bouchard is starting to get a bit ornery… Can’t say I mind this too much. Hopefully some more kids walk on his lawn so he can get a bit more angry… 

Warren Foegele’s game was as I expected. He used his speed and physicality to tenderize LA’s defenders, but I’d like to see him either take the shot as he enters the offensive zone or drive the SOB right to the net. 

Speaking of guys who need to stop mucking around and shoot the puck, I would like to see Evander Kane and Zach Hyman simplify their games and get that fookin’ puck on the net more. Hyman’s work ethic and engine should never be critiqued because he’s elite in both, but sometimes he gets that puck and he rags it for so long that his opportunities dissolve before he gets a shot off and with Kane, sometimes he likes a dangle when he needs to like a shot. It happens though and I imagine they’ll be better in game two, just like the rest of the team.

Sportsnet

Smith’s awful gaffe looms large as Oilers revert to bad habits in Game 1
  • One mistake… That’s like calling Mount Everest “one hike.” Like calling Connor McDavid “one NHL player.”
  • Smith made a miraculous save to keep the ensuing chance out of the net, but within seconds Phillip Danault deflected a point shot home for the game-winner with 5:14 to play.
  • This wasn’t a physical mistake, or a bobbled puck. This was mental — a player taking too big a risk at a time in the game when the safe play is the right play. A veteran player who should know that the playoffs requires patience.
  • Smith was a microcosm of this Oilers team. His game has been flawless for the past two months, just like the Oilers, who have installed a structure and reliability that simply wasn’t there when the puck dropped in Game 1.
  • The Kings line of Danault between Iafallo and Trevor Moore was unstoppable, with each player scoring and the line splitting up four assists.
  • Somehow, an Oilers team that was playing sound, structured hockey down the stretch reverted to their former selves, holding a track meet against a Kings team that was licking their chops at the thought of a loose opponent.

BLH’s Thoughts: The did revert didn’t they? That was Tippett-era defending last night. I really felt like Edmonton’s defensive game was non-existent at times and LA was getting gifted chance after chance even though they weren’t playing that well and they were missing their most gifted scoring winger, Viktor Arvidsson, who was away due to personal reasons. 

What I did enjoy is how the team battled back three times, I loved all the hits they were dishing out, and its special teams was on point. 

With Mike Smith, he could’ve been better. There’s no doubt in my mind about that. I didn’t feel the same level of comfort as LA broke into Edmonton’s zone with Smith as I have in the last few weeks but ultimately, I truly believe the GWG banking off of Danault is pure luck and I can’t fully blame Smitty for that because other mistakes had to have been made between his “miraculous save” and Durzi’s bank shot.

Conversely, Jonathan Quick was really good and if he continues to be really good we’re going to start hearing comparisons to Corey Crawford and Connor Hellebuyck. The Oilers shooters need to start peppering this guy and driving the net to eliminate the possibility of any sort of narrative developing around Quick.

Are you at the point to where you can pretty much see how Edmonton’s game is going to go after the first few shifts of the night? I mean, if they’re not looking engaged or winning battles, giving up lots of shots or even the first goal or two early on, it’s going to be a long night, isn’t it. 

Jay Woodcroft’s got his work cut out for him but I believe in the man and I believe in his group. LA has to win three more to take this one and they barely won this one while Edmonton was having a bad game… What happens when the Oilers regain their mojo?…  

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey

  • Ken Wiebe believes how Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff proceeds with Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois will determine the club’s future.
  • Wiebe believes Scheifele would draw plenty of interest if Cheveldayoff were to put the 29-year-old center on the trade block this summer.
  • Bruce Garrioch reports Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said his club won’t spend to the $82.5 million cap next season but they will increase their salary budget… Dorion said he would like to bring in a player to help his young talent play meaningful games by the end of next season.
  • Garrioch said it’s no secret the Senators would like to add a top-six right winger to skate alongside center Tim Stutzle… The Senators could be among the clubs interested in Ottawa native Claude Giroux if he hits the open market this summer.

The Daily Goal Horn

  • The Jets announced on Monday that they will begin a search for a new head coach. Interim bench boss Dave Lowry will also interview in hopes of becoming the permanent coach… Word out of Winnipeg is that he’s unlikely to get the job… The top potential coaches out there are John Tortorella, Rick Tocchet, and David Quinn.
  • ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported on Monday night that the Philadelphia Flyers will be moving on from Mike Yeo as the team’s head coach for next season… Former Flyers power forward, Rick Tocchet is considered the favorite to land the job.

BLH’s Thoughts: If there was any time for teams to “rebuild” it’s now thanks to the 2023 draft that will feature Connor Bedard, Matvei Michkov, and Adam Fantilli. The Jets might want to consider that route… 

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: “If they Lose to LA, Blow it up! Trade Draisaitl!” Says Ex-Oilers Defenseman

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

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Spittin’ Chiclets

If you click on the video below it should start right at the point where the Spittin’ Chiclets guys get into who has the most pressure to get out of the first round, the Maple Leafs or the Oilers. That then heads into what should happen if either or both get eliminated early on and the trade Leon Draisaitl for the sake of doing something talk. I’ll put some notes underneath if you’re not interested in watching. 

  • PB: I think of any team entering these NHL playoffs, the most pressure is on the Edmonton Oiler. 
  • RW: If you’re trying to say that anybody has more pressure than the Toronto Maple Leafs, you’re just not following the league.
  • PB: If they don’t beat the LA Kings minus Drew Doughty, f*cking blow it all up! Blow it all up, because I know if Toronto ends up losing to Tampa you’re going to say blow it up too but they’re the back-to-back champs… The fact that LA is even in the playoffs is a jaw dropper… This is the biggest layup of a first round series for the Edmonton Oilers, maybe in franchise history. 
  • RW: I was going to say if the Oilers lose the series, blow it up… Trade Draisaitl and it’s not even his fault but you’re not trading McDavid, you gotta trade him and I’m not even kidding… If Edmonton loses, it’s pathetic, it’s embarrassing, and they should blow it up, yes!
  • RW: The worry I have is that Jonathan Quick just stands on his head which is not out of the realm of possibility… But we could not have hoped for a better matchup and the way that we’re buzzing, Mike Smith looks phenomenal, I think the Oilers have the no.1 PK since Woodcroft took over. 
  • RW: They’re going to win the two games at home, split in LA, and then win at home in 5. This is a team that is on a mission.
  • RW: The guys LOVE playing for Woodcroft. I’m talking, I don’t think there’s a group of guys in the league right now that love playing for their head coach more than the Oilers. But Woodcroft, it’s straight-up passion playing for the guy. They’ve changes the culture there with a new head coach.
  • RW: They’ve got Evander Kane playing like an absolute stud. He’s on another level. I mean this team has finally actually turned the corner and become a team that if they don’t get through the first round blow it up. 

BLH’s Thoughts: So, let me get this straight. Now that the team has finally turned the corner and the culture has been changed, if they lose to LA it’s time to hit the reset button?! 

That is the biggest crock of shite that I’ve come across so far from any reputable pundits online and from one that claims to be a legit Oilers fan no less. 

You don’t blow it up at this point, that’s the worst move. Right now the Oilers are an annual top-two team in their division because the core is set. If they come up against a hot goalie (again), it’s not their fault. Shit happens, but to tear it all down and start again right when the team is trending up is daft. Even in Toronto, if they blow that up because they lose to Tampa, I think that’s a poor decision. There’s no shame in losing to the two-time reigning champs, you augment and come back stronger next year. 

The biggest thing that has been Edmonton’s problem in past playoff series has been complimentary scoring, right? Even though 97 and 29 were scoring, it was only them. I don’t think that will be the case this year considering Ken Holland added Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, and Warren Foegele. We can’t forget about Pulju and Yamo either.

So I think it will come down to which teams goaltending blinks first if the offense is sawed off. 

FWIW: I picked Edmonton to meet St. Louis in the Western Conference final and Tampa to meet the Rangers in the East. I think Tampa will three-peat over the Blues in the final this year and yes, I’m predicting we will see the Battle of Alberta as well as the Battle of FLA. 

Oilersnation

A deep dive into the Los Angeles Kings ahead of their upcoming playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers

  • First Line: Alex Iafallo – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe
    • This trio is well-rounded overall, with an excellent defensive presence in Iafallo, a strong two-way playmaker in Kopitar, and a shooter/goal-scorer in Kempe. They have a decent 50 GF% and 52 xGF% this season, but compared to other top lines around the league, this trio isn’t exceptional by any means.
  • Second Line: Trevor Moore – Phillip Danault – Viktor Arvidsson
    • This season, the trio has played 471 TOI together and have posted a superb 56 GF% and 59 xGF%. They’ve generated an excellent rate of 3.6 Goals/60, and 3.8 xGoals/60. This is certainly a line to watch out for.
  • Third Line: Andreas Athanasiou – Dustin Brown – Quinton Byfield
    • Overall, it’s a pretty average third line, and nothing exceedingly special or significant.
  • Fourth Line: Carl Grundstrom – Blake Lizotte – Arthur Kaliyev
    • In general, this is a pretty strong fourth line, especially in regards to exiting the zone and shooting the puck at a high rate.
  • First Pairing: Alexander Edler – Matt Roy
    • Both of them are fine defenders deep in the defensive zone. However, Edler’s above-mentioned declining foot-speed, combined with Roy’s poor entry defence results, consequently means that the most significant key to exposing this pair is attacking them off the rush with speed. 
  • Second Pairing: Tobias Bjornfot – Sean Durzi
    • Sean Durzi excels at breaking the puck out of his zone, using both his individual exit transition abilities and his breakout passing skills… Meanwhile, Tobias Bjornfot has one of the weakest play-style profiles in the entire database; he doesn’t rank above average in any category.
  • Third Pairing: A toss-up between Olli Maata, Mikey Anderson, Jordan Spence, Jacob Moverare
    • Maata is LA’s best defenceman at defending the blue line… Mikey Anderson, who frequently played on the top pair with Drew Doughty, is excellent at defending deep in his own zone… Jordan Spence and Jacob Moverare haven’t played a lot in the NHL this season.
  • The Kings rank high in numerous different microstat categories. They’re a superb transitional team, ranking 2nd in the league in controlled zone entries and successful zone exits.
  • They’re also excellent at exiting the zone with possession and generating chances off their entries.
  • LA doesn’t have any notably strong forecheckers besides Lizotte, so how do they rank top-five in the entire league?
  • In regards to Entry Defence, they deny the entry at a top-five rate as well.
  • LA shoots the puck at a very high rate, ranking 6th in the league in shot volume/quantity, and consequently, their expected goals rank decently high as well.
  • Furthermore, their poor quality chance generation is likely a major factor as to why Los Angeles is the worst finishing team in the league.
  • LA seems to prioritize shot quantity over quality.
  • They rank 5th in the league in shot attempt volume against (CA/60), but they rank 26th in shot quality against.
  • Their goaltending is solid. Quick’s SV% of 90.9% isn’t exceptional, but his GSAx (goals saved above expected, which accounts for shot quality unlike SV%) is at 12.01.
  • …it’s worth noting that Quick’s recent performance isn’t exceedingly encouraging; in his last 20 games, he has a 1.2 GSAx, and a SV% of 90.3%; he had a stellar start to the season, but he’s cooled down.
  • They rank second-last in the league in Quality +/-. Combine this with their abysmal finishing, and as a result, their 5v5 goal share is unimpressive. Their GF% has been even worse in the past 25 games, likely due to their recent injuries.
  • My eventual prediction is for Edmonton to win in six games. I could be wrong, as the playoffs are exceedingly unpredictable, especially in regards to goaltending; there’s a very legitimate chance that Mike Smith regresses yet again, and/or Jonathan Quick decides to randomly perform at a Vezina-calibre level. 
  • I think Edmonton’s dynamic offence under Woodcroft will shine against a team that allows high-quality chances near the front of the net and off the rush at a high rate, and they have a considerable edge in special teams as well.

BLH’s Thoughts: If you’re an Oilers fan and you’ve got some worries going into this series with LA, the article from Sid at Oilersnation should help quell some of those fears. It goes deep and long… Giggity. 

This series is Edmonton’s to lose, just like the ones vs. Chicago and Winnipeg were. I just think that the Oilers are rolling really hard right now and the way they’re playing and with the overall health of the team where it is (knock on wood), Edmonton should take this in five.  

Trade Rumors

  • Spector’s Hockey: Pat Hickey suggests the Canadiens could see a roster teardown in the offseason. He pointed out they’re up against next season’s $82.5 million salary cap with 19 players, including the probably permanently sidelined Shea Weber, under contract.
    • Hughes said he has no plans to trade winger Brendan Gallagher…
    • The Habs GM made no comment about the futures of winger Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia.
    • Craig Morgan reports Jakob Chychrun doesn’t sound like he’s keen to be part of another rebuild with the Arizona Coyotes.
    • (Mark) Scheifele sounded frustrated during yesterday’s season-ending press conference… (Scott) Billeck and (Mike) McIntyre believe Scheifele’s comments are the start of what could be a turbulent offseason for the Jets.
    • In addition to Scheifele’s future, there were reports of a divided dressing room and a lack of accountability throughout this season.
    • Charlie Roumeliotis recently reported long-time Blackhawks star Patrick Kane said he’d had multiple conversations with general manager Kyle Davidson and expects to learn more about the club’s offseason plans following the end of the regular season.
  • The Daily Goal Horn: “The Golden Knights have no cap space, no top draft picks, and a thin prospect cupboard. It feels like an inevitability that coach Pete DeBoer will be cut loose,” Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli said. “But will GM Kelly McCrimmon follow him out the door?”
    • No matter who the GM is this summer, the Golden Knights are likely to make some roster changes.
    • Captain Mark Stone isn’t going anywhere because he has a full no-move clause, which points us to Max Pacioretty… Patches as he’s affectionately known has a modified no-trade clause and must submit a 10 team list. The 33 year-old has one more season remaining on his deal at $7M AAV and will have a good market for his services after scoring 35 points in 38 games.
    • Evgenii Dadonov and his one year left at $5M AAV is most assuredly gone.

BLH’s Thoughts:

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