Category Archives: Edmonton Oilers

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

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: “Holland is still working the phones…” Says Oilers 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, Sportsnet, and TSN 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!

Sportsnet

Holland believes ‘time is now’ for Oilers to evolve into contenders

  • To Holland, a man of process, “the time is now” means it is time to move from being a good team to being an elite team. To evolve from a team that is feared in December and January, to one capable of being feared in May and June.
“In ’93, ’94, ‘95 we couldn’t get it done in Detroit. By ’98 we had the blueprint and the recipe.”
  • When McDavid and Leon Draisaitl sit down at the second intermission trailing 3-2, and the people they see across the room have names like Gaetan Haas, Dominik Kahun, Joakim Nygard and Caleb Jones, they know that the comeback is on their backs. It’s been that way in Edmonton: If No. 29 and 97 don’t win the game for you, it doesn’t get won.
“I wanted to bring in some people who have won before,” Holland opined. “(Zach) Hyman is 29, Foegele is 25 — they’re in the prime of their careers. Duncan Keith is going to have a lesser role (than in Chicago), but he’s bringing in his resume. He’s played in lot of situations at the international and National Hockey League level. He’s been brought in for what he can do on and off the ice.”
  • Holland is still working the phones, with a handful of NHL GMs having to make some tough decisions on the goaltending front when they set their rosters after camp.
“Since I’ve been here our goaltending has been a positive,” Holland reasoned. “It’s been part of the reason why we’ve made the playoffs. The big question mark is, one guy’s 39 (Smith), one guy’s 33.”
  • …in Keith, Hyman, Foegele, Derek Ryan and Cody Ceci, he has added genuine, veteran NHL players who belong in the league. They aren’t some Euro on a one-year deal, or a rookie whose “potential” comes with zero NHL experience.
“I guess I could have just said we’ll give jobs to the best of our young kids,” Holland said, “but my thinking process was to bring in established NHL players. And hopefully over the next 40 games some of these young guys become part of the solution. But while we’re waiting for them to grow, we have some veteran, established players on our roster.”

BLH’s Thoughts: The club is getting closer but I still don’t think they’re in Stanley Cup range. No doubt it’s a deeper team and a better one that in years passed, but there are still question marks,

  • Goaltending
  • Defense
  • The amount of players needing rebound seasons

When you look at Tampa’s roster last season, are there any question marks on that team?

Conversely, if you’re as high on the Oilers as you’ve ever been, ask yourself this question, could they beat last year’s Stanley Cup winner in a seven game series? 

If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll come to the conclusion I have and realize there’s lots of work left to do but, and most importantly, at least the team is trending in the right direction. 

A step back would hurt…

Oil on Whyte

Key battles to watch going into training camp

Warren Foegele vs. Kailer Yamamoto

  • … if he (Yamamoto) does come to camp he’ll be in a battle with dual winger Warren Foegele, who on paper fits more on the third line than the second, but will be the front runner to fill the vacuum left if Yamo holds out. Of course, I could see Josh Archibald or Zack Kassian get looks in that spot too. Archibald has filled in in the top six at times, while Kassian has underachieved for a couple of seasons now but has been a top six forward in his career. Maybe Kyle Turris, if he looks good enough, could be a dark horse candidate for that spot. There’s been hype about him preparing better this offseason than last.

BLH’s Thoughts: So… I don’t know who wants to break it to this writer but these two players play different positions… The better battle would’ve been between Yamo and Kassian because that’s going to end up being a real thing.

Third Line Center Derek Ryan vs Ryan Mcleod

  • Your classic vet vs. rookie scenario, this will be a battle in training camp to watch. Smart money says Ryan takes the spot at least to start the season, but Mcleod will probably be there by the end of the season at the latest. He showed some promise in a short call-up last season, so let’s see what he does for a full-time encore.

BLH’s Thoughts: This sounds spot on. I also think that Ryan might get the spot early on to give McLeod a bit of runway to earn the 3C position. By all accounts R-Mac is already flying out there at the “Captain’s Skates”. 

Third Pairing Defence – Slater Koekkoek, Kris Russell, and William Laggeson

  • Smart money says that Koekkoek is the frontrunner for this position, while Russell and Laggeson will have to make due as the extra guys. Koekkoek was hampered by injuries last season, otherwise, he probably would’ve played more. Russell is the grizzled veteran whose career is winding down. Both he and Koekkoek can play both sides on D, which gives Dave Tippett a lot of different combinations for his third pairing.

BLH’s Thoughts: Koekkoek probably should be the guy who wins this battle from the get-go, but I’ve got a feeling that Coach Tippett will want Kris Russell out there with Edmonton’s young defensive prodigy, Evan Bouchard.

Lagesson might have to push somebody in front of the Zamboni as it’s cleaning the ice to get some TOI in Edmonton this year… 

Mikko Koskinen vs. Alex Stalock

  • If the Oilers do end up going with Stalock, they’ll have to decide what to do with his (Koskinen’s) contract, as it’s not likely to be moved unless he waives his modified NTC. They could always send him down to Bakersfield (he’s unlikely to be picked up on waivers, and if he does then great we save ourselves $4.5 million in cap space), but that would stunt the development of Skinner and Konovalov by throwing another guy into the mix. Unless they just never played him

BLH’s Thoughts: Better yet, what about Stalock vs. Smith? Similar personalities, playing styles, both like to handle the puck… It might end up being a thing if the American netminder shows up in good form… 

Prospects Who Could Make the Team

  • Tyler Benson – Benson is a candidate for bottom 6 LW, but the team is deeper than ever so he’s got a lot of guys to beat out if he wants to make the team. 
  • Cooper Marody – If he doesn’t make the team this time around there’s a good chance he’ll get picked up on waivers by a team without the kind of depth the Oilers have now.
  • Stuart Skinner – Both Stalock and Koskinen have their warts so it’s entirely possible he leapfrogs over both of them and takes a spot earlier than expected.
  • Ilya Konovalov – This guy’s an even longer shot than Skinner, but rumours persist he might be good enough to play in the NHL this upcoming season.
  • Dmitri Samorukov – He’ll have to leapfrog over Koekkoek, Russell, and Lagesson to do it, but all three could be beatable.

BLH’s Thoughts: Both Bob Stauffer and Mark Spector were going off on Benson yesterday morning saying that the Oilers should really give him a shot because he’s paid his dues and if they lose him on waivers they’d have wasted all that time and the resources. So, that’s the young player I see getting a run-out out of this group. 

Konovalov is a wildcard. He’s no bigger than Bill Ranford and Curtis Joseph were when they were running the show in Edmonton all those years ago. 

Spector’s Hockey

TORONTO STAR: Chris Johnston recently suggested the large contracts signed this summer by several notable NHL defensemen could make it difficult for the Maple Leafs to sign Morgan Rielly to a contract extension. Chicago’s Seth Jones, Columbus’ Zach Werenski, Colorado’s Cale Makar and New Jersey’s Dougie Hamilton inked multi-year deals worth an annual average value of $9 million or more.

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo reports Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin admits some obstacles remain in his quest to get Kirill Kaprizov signed before the start of training camp. Part of it involves getting a work visa to travel to the United States, get tested for COVID-19 and undergoing a seven-day quarantine as per NHL protocols before joining the Wild.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports talks are continuing between the Senators and Brady Tkachuk’s representatives. While discussions have been cordial they could increase in intensity as the start of training camp on Sep 23 approaches. It’s believed the Senators have offered up an eight-year, $64 million contract.

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

Bob Stauffer on Yamamoto: “He needs to be here. He NEEDS to be here!”

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, Sportsnet, and TSN 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!

Edmonton Sun

Nugent-Hopkins hoping revamped Edmonton Oilers can finally push through
  • Aggressive off-season moves by general manager Ken Holland haven’t been popular with all of the fans, but there is a different look and feel to this year’s team and the 28-year-old likes it a lot.
“We know it’s not easy and we’re finding that out the hard way, but the guys coming in have a lot of playoff experience. They know how hard it is and what it’s going to take and that’s exactly what we need.”
  • The two biggest additions are six-foot-one, 211-pound left winger Zach Hyman and three-time Stanley cup champion and two-time Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith. Those are big additions that check off a lot of boxes.
“We obviously had to improve that and it’s something I’m pretty excited about,” said Nugent-Hopkins, adding Hyman is precisely what they need.”
  • Keith is 38 with a lot of hard miles on him, but having played against him enough in recent years, Nugent-Hopkins has a good sense of what the veteran defenceman has left in the tank. He doesn’t think anyone in Edmonton will be talking about his age for very long.
“He’s one of the most fit guys in the league. He’s always been known as that. Guys like that don’t taper off like a lot of guys do. We played him in the bubble and he has tremendous poise back there and an ability to get pucks through to the net for rebounds and tips.”
  • There are other pieces — Warren Foegele, Derek Ryan and Cody Ceci – added to a core that should still be getting better with age. So, like every September, there is reason to hope, even believe, that this really will be the year the Oilers do something big.
“In the past we might have as well, but this year we have some guys with experience, guys who’ve won and know what it takes.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Nuge sounds energized and ready to go. There’s a real buzz going into camp this year that this is a team that can do some damage IF the goaltending holds up and the defense doesn’t fall apart. 

I was passed along a message from a source out West that, behind the scenes, a lot of teams are laughing at Edmonton’s goaltending. They think Smith’s contract is a joke and they’ve got no faith in Koskinen. So those two are going to have their work cut out for them in order to prove folks wrong. 

Keep an eye out for Ryan McLeod, Bob Stauffer couldn’t stop talking about how fast he’s looking at the “Captain’s Skates”. If R-Mac can find a way to get comfortable getting some dirt on his nose, he could very well end up being one a feature player in their bottom-six instead of a complimentary one. 

I do love the idea of a Foegele-McLeod-Yamamoto line though… Lots to like there. LOTS! Speed, grit, skill. Very cool!

Oilersnation

Welcome Back
  • There are those who argue there’s a connection between having revved up fans in the rink and seeing Kassian at his best — skating like a demon, walking a line bordering on mayhem and hacking the rubber into the net now and then. Maybe so, but I’m thinking being banged up with injuries had just as much to with what we saw, or didn’t see, from Kassian as empty seats did last season.
“I think everyone, not only myself but everyone, is extremely excited to get back to get back to some normality here,” Kassian told Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer today… To go on the road and get the boos. That, to me, is hockey where you get the goosebumps, you get the adrenalin. It’s fun to play in away barns, it’s fun to play in home barns. Fans are a big, big, big part of hockey and there’s no doubt we missed them. In saying that, we’re very excited to get them back . . .”
  • To borrow from Kassian, big wingers who can skate, raise hell, impose their will and score a little are big, big, big. At his best, those traits have been Kassian’s calling card. Coach Dave Tippett could use some of that in a group of right wingers that will include Jesse Puljujarvi, Kailer Yamamoto, and Josh Archibald.

BLH’s Thoughts: If you heard that interview on Oilers Now yesterday, you’d have noticed it sounds like there’s some pep in Zack’s voice. He sounds really optimistic and in a good place and I don’t think it’s far fetched to say that he knows what he’s got to do. I’d also go as far as to predict, he’s going to get it done and early as the Oilers first two games are against Kass’ old club in Vancouver and the Calgary Flames. 

Have you noticed the tide turning on Kailer Yamamoto recently amongst the Oilers fanbase and the media covering the club? Check out this text a fella named “KDK” sent into Oilers Now,

  • “If Yamamoto doesn’t want to sign a 2yr deal then the Oilers should trade him or add him to part of a Koskinen deal. Anybody who’s too selfish to be on this team based on money relative to what they’re worth should just be moved on and done with. It’s clear that Yamo has a great opportunity to succeed and get paid in the long run, he just has to stop being your typical young American player and figure it out.”

Ouch! Bob Stauffer went on to say very sternly that Yamamoto NEEDS to be in camp because he fears the same could happen with him what happened to Ethan Bear last year… I don’t see the text messages getting any nicer if Killer doesn’t get signed quick, Edmonton’s mega annoying 3rd line needs him! 

Spector’s Hockey

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Kevin Kurz was asked what potential return the San Jose Sharks could get if they traded Tomas Hertl.

  • Kurz speculates the Sharks would want a first-round pick as part of the return. He also believes they’ll have to get a high-end prospect, “preferably someone who could play NHL games ahead of or along the same timeline” as Sharks prospects like William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Joe Haggerty suggested Hertl as a trade option for the Bruins if Charlie Coyle struggles to replace David Krejci as their second-line center. He proposed offering up a first-rounder and Jack Studnicka if the Sharks center becomes available.

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Matt Porter suggests Nashville Predators general manager David Poile should give consideration to trading Filip Forsberg this season. The 27-year-old winger is slated to become a UFA next summer.

  • With the Predators “lacking oomph on the roster” and shipping out veterans like Ryan Ellis and Viktor Arvidsson, they might think about peddling him for “exciting prospects and younger NHLers who have yet to peak.”
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Talk: What is this “Added Twist” to Edmonton’s 2021-22 Training Camp?

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, Sportsnet, and TSN 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 Cult of Hockey

D corps at Edmonton Oilers rookie camp is young, promising, and GIGANTIC
  • #3 Philip Broberg – “Average” sized for this crew at 6’3, 203 pounds, having just turned 20 years old.
  • #5 Dmitri Samorukov – At 6’3, 198, he has developed a reputation as a fearsome open ice hitter, at least on occasion. 
  • #12 Michael Kesselring – He’s currently listed as 6’5, 205, and don’t be surprised if one or both of those figures is adjusted northward after off-ice testing on Wednesday. 
  • #14 Markus Niemelainen – Another tall man at 6’5, with signs that the former stringbean is beginning to fill out at a listed 203 pounds. 
  • #17 Filip Berglund – He too is a solid customer at 6’3, 209, which as a frame of reference were the exact dimensions of former Oiler Adam Larsson.
  • #20 Philip Kemp – That commitment kept the 6’3, 203-pounder in Europe until after the AHL season started, but he did eventually make the long trip to Bakersfield where he suited up for 14 games.
“In the six decades I’ve been watching the game, big rearguards have never once gone out of style, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Of Course, click the link above and read the article in its entirety because there’s SO much more content to dig into than I’ve included here. I’m only giving you a few snippets of what Mr. McCurdy has written to save you a little bit of time. 

That said, as I was reading this I remembered Bob Stauffer talking with Oilers AGM Keith Gretzky about how big Bakersfield’s defense is going to be this year. Stauffer made mention of how big Tampa’s defense was and I wondered to myself, could the Oilers have an Eric Cernak in their ranks and if so, who would it be?

Dmitri Samorukov was the first name to come to mind. He’s clincal, plays a simple game, breaks up the cycle, has a physical element to his game, and may just top out as a shutdown defender who gets some time on the 2nd pair but spends most of it on the third.

Kesselring is massive and Niemelainen is also pretty big but I’m not sure they’ve got the meanness in their games. I reckon Phil Broberg may go the Jonas Brodin route and be more of a two-way specialist than an offensive or defensive star. Berglund and Kemp, I’m not sure about. There’s a part of me that’d like to see Kemp develop into the next Ryan McDonagh but I think that’s just something in my mind connecting the two since they’re American. 

The Hockey Writers

3 Oilers Who Could Surprise This Season
  • William Lagesson – Over three seasons of playing pro in North America, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Lagesson has shown to be a physical player that skates well and can move the puck… He ranked top three on the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors in plus/minus in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 AHL seasons… There’s reason to believe there’s an NHL player in Lagesson. But seven years after being drafted 91st overall pick in the 2014 draft, the Swedish rearguard, for whatever reason, is yet to stick. His strengths are much greater defensively than offensively, and his best chance may be to stick on the roster as a seventh or eighth defenceman, potentially leading to an opportunity on Edmonton’s third pairing. 
  • Alex Stalock – Stalock is ostensibly third on Edmonton’s goaltending depth chart, behind Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen. Smith Is coming off a terrific campaign and the de facto starter but will be turning 40 this season. Koskinen is inconsistent and even his best is not on Smith’s level, but the 33-year-old’s $4.5 million contract has basically forced the Oilers to keep him on the roster… It’s not at all unlikely that Stalock could outplay Koskinen, nor is it that far-fetched to think he could be better in stints than Smith. And with a modest $785,000 cap hit, Stalock is very affordable should the Oilers have a role for him.
  • Kyle Turris – With Edmonton adding forwards like Warren Foegele and Derek Ryan this offseason, Turris has certainly not moved up the Oilers depth chart. But he is versatile, capable of playing both centre and right wing… An added twist is that RFA Kailer Yamamoto remains unsigned, creating a void at right wing Edmonton’s second line where Yamamoto has played the last season and a half. Turris could potentially fill that spot or at least benefit from the domino effect Yamamoto’s absence has on the lineup.

BLH’s Thoughts: The writer is correct, I would be shocked if these three had themselves a good year for the Oilers. Mind you, they’re probably the three that I’d pick too. Tyler Benson might be another candidate though.

In any case, Lagesson, Stalock, and Turris seem like they’re Coach Tippett’s plan Cs at this point unless Ken Holland makes the call down to the coach’s office and says he’s looking to move somebody but the other GM needs to see a bit more.

I think that the Oilers have a plan with regards to their roster and barring injury, they’ll be sticking to it. Meaning, I don’t see Turris, Stalock, or Lagesson changing anything. 

To the disappointment of Chubby Checker, there’ll be no added twists from these players at training camp this year.

The Daily Goal Horn

Morgan Rielly’s Toronto future in doubt; and will Jack Eichel report to Sabres camp
  • Toronto will also have goalie Jack Campbell and forward Ilya Mikheyev hit UFA status. To add to their cap woes, they have some key RFA’s to sign that include Rasmus Sandin and Nick Ritchie. It makes you wonder if they don’t opt to trade one of their top salaries to retain Rielly.
  • Will Rielly be back with the Leafs next season? I believe the answer is yes, but it will likely come at the cost of moving Mitch Marner or William Nylander.
Will Jack Eichel show up to Sabres Camp
  • Considering how contentious things have been between Eichel and the Sabres since he went down with a neck injury, some may think the answer is obvious… If Eichel fails to report, the Sabres don’t have to pay him for each day missed. Vogl works that out to about $36K per day… What will likely happen is Eichel will report, fail his physical and be sent home until a trade is worked out.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

One Thing Oilers Fans Should Keep an Eye on as the Preseason Comes to a Close

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, Sportsnet, and TSN 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!

Oilersnation

Monday Mailbag – Lessons from Dave Tippett’s first two seasons as head coach

Which player needs to rebound the most to have the greatest impact on the team?

  • I will say it’s definitely one of Kailer Yamamoto or Zack Kassian. If one of them takes a step forward and becomes a near 20-goal guy for this team then their forward group will only get that much more dangerous. – Yaremchuk

BLH’s Thoughts: Mikko Koskinen. How can anybody not say the goalie who had a really tough year last season? Plus he’s so integral to Edmonton’s success seeing as he’s the club’s last line of defense. He needs to be fantastic for the Oilers this year. 

We’re heading into Dave Tippett’s third season as the Oilers head coach. What has he done well over the first couple of years, and what would you like to see him change or improve on?

  • I think Tippett has done a good job of providing structure on the special teams, something that was sorely lacking over the years but has certainly improved of late. On the down side, I think he goes back to the well too often in terms of leaning on veteran players even if there could be better options available. – Baggedmilk

BLH’s Thoughts: The PK. Is there anything left to say? The Oilers’ PP was never a massive problem because they had 97 and 29, but the penalty kill’s been a spot of bother for a long time. 

Tippett makes some very questionable decisions in really key moments that annoy the hell out of me. Running 4 dmen in that mega OT game against Winnipeg… Not reuniting 93/29/56 against Chicago a couple years back in the play-ins… 

Personally, I think this is his last year behind the bench. He’s been pretty quiet about things in that regard when asked and I do wonder if the club is really looking at promoting Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson for 2022-23. 

Who is the second-best player in the NHL? Draisaitl or MacKinnon?

  • I’d argue Andrei Vasilevskiy is in the conversation. He is unreal. – Gregor

BLH’s Thoughts: I think you have to ask yourself, who would you pick if you had the 2nd pick in a league-wide draft. Victor Hedman would be hard to pass up… 

What issue/need do you feel the Oilers management team did not address this off-season, that will impact the team the most?

  • Goaltending. This duo has been good enough to get Edmonton into the playoffs in back-to-back years but it isn’t one I have much faith in. I suspect Smith will be worse this year than last as the season is the normal length and I suspect Koskinen will bounce back as his struggles likely had a lot to do with playing every single game for the first month of 2021

BLH’s Thoughts: Most polled said goaltending, but I wonder if not replacing Adam Larsson will impact the team the most. They’ve got one cycle-breaker on this team and it’s Darnell Nurse… The rest of the group are two-way puck-movers or in Kris Russell’s case, a shot-blocker. 

For what it’s worth, Jason Demers isn’t really a cycle-breaker per se… Just more defensively inclined with less bite to his game and not a good fighter… 

The Athletic

A set roster? Oilers training camp gone wild? Expect the unexpected
  • Is everyone vaccinated? The one position the new rules could leave a team vulnerable on game day is in net. There may also be restrictions on flying across the border…
  • …general manager Ken Holland is in search of a defenceman on a PTO, preferably a righty.
    •  That right-handed defenceman is likely to be someone who can kill penalties. That’s important, because the only blue who kills penalty and shoots right is Cody Ceci, leaving all three lefties dressed every night to handle the PK.
    • If Edmonton invites Jason Demers to training camp (there are rumours), the club will be bringing in an experienced player in all areas. On the penalty kill, he has been relied on for over a decade and fits Holland’s veteran-laden roster.
  • At even strength, Tippett and his staff like to run pairs and it’s likely McDavid will line up with Hyman through the early portion of the season. Kassian is getting a push from several of the rights-holding media as a possibility on right wing, that’s something to keep track of as the preseason games dwindle.
    • The second line might be a good landing spot for Puljujarvi, he and Draisaitl are two big men with great skill.
    • If Nugent-Hopkins is on the wing, he may land with either McDavid (Hyman on right wing) or with Draisaitl (eventually with Yamamoto).
  • Expect to read stories about some of these names having worked out all summer running up the side of mountains and lifting jeeps over their heads. It’s an annual rite of training camp for someone to get written up for strong work in the offseason. Nothing wrong with that, although it doesn’t always convert into on-ice success. The early favourite for this honour is Kyle Turris, although there have been positive whispers about Tyler Benson, too.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’ve been saying the whole summer that I don’t think Turris’ problem was conditioning… He’s simply aged out probably. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have anything to offer to the team, but Oilers fans watched this kind of scenario play out with Sam Gagner. Can Turris change his playing style to become a more effective 4th liner like Gagner did? It’ll probably help his cause if he does… 

Yesterday morning on his radio show, Bob Stauffer was going on about Benson getting an extended run on the clubs 4th line to start the year but it sounded more like he was making a pitch for the player as opposed to relaying inside information though. 

That point about the goaltenders is a valid one. For some reason, after nearly two years of this stupid pandemic, there are folks in North America that still don’t get it and that’s one of the reasons I think the NHL should expand the rosters. 

I completely overlooked the fact that the Oilers have only one right-shot defender that has a history of being used on the penalty kill, so bringing Jason Demers in to sub in from time to time makes sense. That said, Coach Tippett is on record as saying that Evan Bouchard is probably going to get some time on the PK plus they’ve got Kris Russell and he plays both sides. 

More from Stauffer, he also mentioned that he thinks Zack Kassian is going to get a strong look in the Oilers top-9, if not the top-6. He cited ending last year on a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and offered up the idea of Leon getting sent back up to the first line with McDavid and Puljujarvi whilst having Hyman link up with Nuge and Kass on the second. 

NHLTradeRumors.me

Washington Capitals: 2 Trade Rumors Following the Team

Evgeny Kuznetsov to the St Louis Blues

  • One team that’s been linked has been the Blues, for Vladimir Tarasenko. Both teams appear headed to have their forward start the season on their current team, but keep an eye on these two clubs.

TJ Oshie to the Seattle Kraken

  • Oshie has reiterated he would love to finish his career with the Capitals, however the Mount Vernon, Washington native has been linked to the near by Kraken. If the Capitals struggle this season, which seems unlikely at the moment, Oshie’s name will once again be out there.
2 Potential Trade Destinations for Maple Leafs’ Mikheyev
  • LA Kings – The Maple Leafs and Kings are no strangers to trades, and more specifically involving depth wingers… The soon-to-be 27-year-old works hard, can move up and down the lineup and he could very well end up finishing the season in California.
  • Calgary Flames – The Flames know Mikheyev very well and have interest in the Maple Leafs forward. Calgary is looking for more depth up front and could be a good match for Toronto.
Florida Panthers: 2 Trade Rumors Following the Team

Evgeni Malkin on the Team’s Radar

  • If the Pittsburgh Penguins falter this season, expect the trade speculation surrounding Evgeni Malkin to pick up drastically and the Panthers will be sitting there waiting with open arms.

Defenseman Trade Coming Soon

  • The team is set in goal, they are set up front, but have some work to do on their back end. This will be a band-aid solution, and expect a serious trade this season from the Panthers and it will include a defenseman heading to the sunshine state.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Is This Guy Legit?

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!

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Off the Top of My Head

On Hyman

  • “I don’t think you can measure his contribution just in terms of goals and assists,” Johnston told Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer on Friday. “He has increased his scoring rates every season that he’s been in the NHL, so there’s no problem there, but he’s a culture driver. He’s a very hard worker. He lives his life the right way and he’s a great teammate.”-Chris Johnston, Toronto Star
  • “… I know one thing about Smitty, if somebody is pissing him off in front of the net, then that’s the guy I want. To me, that was the best free agent signing for quite a while on this team.” – Ron Low, Former Edmonton Oilers goalie and head coach

On Yamamoto

  • Won’t be surprised to hear something is finalized – two years with a $1.5M to $1.75M AAV – this coming week.

On Edmonton’s Team Toughness

  • “I think it’s still around,” said Low who believes Hyman and Warren Foegele will add grit up front. “I don’t think you have to fight every night, but you definitely have to show up. I don’t know if you have to fight has much as you have to have the people who are willing to fight.” – Ron Low

On Rookie Camp

  • …the guy I’m keeping an eye on is goaltender Ilya Konovalov. At just five-foot-11, Konovalov is absolutely tiny by today’s standards in the drop-and-block era. Now 23 with four seasons with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv of the KHL under his belt, it’s about time we get a first-hand look to see if he’s a legit candidate to patrol the blue paint when Smith and Mikko Koskinen are done.

BLH’s Thoughts: If Yamamoto signs a two-year deal and Jesse Puljujarvi has himself another good year for the Oilers, there are going to be some interesting times ahead as Pulju’s current deal expires next summer. Lowetide reckons Xavier Bourgault could come in at compete for a spot in 2022 and if he shows well, Ken Holland might be stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

I’m excited for this little Russian netminder. He and Nashville’s netminder, Saros, are just little guys by today’s standard, but you know who else wasn’t that big, Curtis Joseph and Bill Ranford. Both were 5’11” according to Elite Prospects’ site, but they made up for their lack of size with their athleticism and electrifying game-saving stops. Can Konovalov be the next great Edmonton Oilers netminder and follow in the footsteps of those two legends?

I’m not too worried about Edmonton’s team toughness. In fact, I’d say that Ken Holland might’ve addressed it to some extent over the summer with the style of players he brought to the Oilers. Dave Tippett’s squad will be that much better in the muck this season and in front of the net; if you ask me, those are the places where the toughest players in the league make their living… 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah7mkTyAAgs

Edmonton Sun

Holloway’s broken thumb may not be healed fully
  • The first-round 2020 draft pick didn’t play in Bakersfield after his college season ended because he wasn’t ready for games. But the Oilers thought his hand would be fine after a summer of rest. But it might still be a concern.
  • It’s been five months since the forward had surgery after he was injured in a game against Penn State.
  • Defenceman Dmitry Samorukov, who had surgery on his shoulder in February while playing in the Kontinental Hockey League for CSKA, may not be completely healed either. His rookie camp on-ice status is up in the air. The left shot defensive blue liner is ticketed for Bakersfield.
  • Cooper Marody has to clear waivers if he doesn’t make the Oilers this season after signing his $750,000/$150,000 two-way deal Saturday. Interesting to see if he plays right-wing or centre in camp.
  • Ethan Bear, who was traded for Foegele, could be in the Carolina third pair with Ian Cole as his defence partner.
  • “Eighty-five per cent of our prospects will be in Bakersfield this season, with a few exceptions like (Carter) Savoie (Denver University), (Xavier) Bourgault (Shawinigan, first-round pick),” said Holland.
  • The Oilers rookies will play the Flames rookies at Rogers and in Calgary on Sept. 20.

BLH’s Thoughts: Broken thumb, broken wrist, broken scaphoid, who cares at this point? The important part is that it’s not fully healed twenty weeks after surgery was performed to fix it and another bit of surgery could be on the table… This isn’t normal. Somebody has messed up or this is a very special case. 

Spector’s Hockey

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Yerdon examined what the Buffalo Sabres might do if Jack Eichel isn’t traded before the start of the season.

  • Yerdon speculates the Sabres could put Eichel on IR and send him home to await a trade. 

STLTODAY.COM: Jim Thomas was recently asked by a reader if Vladimir Tarasenko could return with the Blues rather than be traded before the start of this season.

  • Thomas was asked about the rumors linking Tarasenko to the New York Islanders but doesn’t think a trade is possible. The Islanders are over the salary cap now and would have to clear some salary even if the Blues retained part of Tarasenko’s annual average value.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson believes the bridge-deal negotiations between the Oilers and RFA winger Kailer Yamamoto have as much to do with the club’s limited cap space as the uncertainty over where Yamamoto fits within the roster. “Is the restricted free agent a top-six winger or a third liner?”, asked Matheson.

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