Category Archives: Eric Friesen

Edmonton Oilers, Eric Friesen, NHL

Five Possible Defenceman To Join Oilers Alumni Roster

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After months of speculation, the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets unveiled their rosters for the 2016 Heritage Classic on Friday. The Oilers alumni includes Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Kevin Lowe, Charlie Huddy, Randy Gregg, Dave Semenko, Esa Tikkanen, Marty McSorley, Craig MacTavish, Kelly Buchberger, Ken Linseman, Blair MacDonald, Craig Simpson, Ryan Smyth, Bill Ranford and Dwayne Roloson. Glen Sather and Ron Low served as honourary coaches for the Oilers alumni.

Jets forward Blake Wheeler wasn’t wrong when he said “the alumni game might trump the main event” at the Heritage Classic presser. It likely will. As excited as I am for the Oilers-Jets regular-season game, the alumni game will be a once in a lifetime event for many hockey fans, myself included.

Lowe jokingly said that the Oilers would hold a “training camp” to fill the last spot or two for the Oilers alumni on defence. Not unlike the current edition of the Oilers, the alumni roster could use another right-shot defenceman as well. Today I wanted to look at some of the top candidates to fill the last spot on Edmonton’s blueline for the 2016 Heritage Classic Alumni Game.

Jason Smith

For the fans who were hoping to see more players from the 1990s and 2000s named to the Oilers alumni roster, Smith would be an excellent addition. Smith was a hard-nosed blueliner who consistently sacrificed his body to block shots and was team captain from 2001 to 2007. The 42-year-old Calgary, Alberta native was recently named the Head Coach of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, who play the Seattle Thunderbirds on the night of the alumni game, so he likely won’t be available to the Oilers.

Janne Niinimaa

Niinimaa was the Oilers best offensive defenceman in the early 2000s. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pound, Niinimaa had great size, a solid point shot and was great on the powerplay.  The 41-year-old Raahe, Finland native retired from professional hockey in 2013 and would give the Oilers alumni some “young legs” on the back end.

Steve Staios

Staios is another younger option for the Oilers on the blueline. The 43-year-old Hamilton, Ontario was strong, two-way defenceman and only retired four years ago and is certainly in better shape than any of the already named alumni defenceman. As the President of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, it would be easier for Staios to suit up for the Oilers than his former teammate Smith.

Lee Fogolin

A heart and soul defender, Fogolin is arguably the greatest right-shot defenceman in Oilers history. He’s best remembered as the player you handed the ‘C’ to Gretzky in 1983. The 61-year-old Chicago, Illinois native would be the oldest player on the team, but if he’s able to play, I’d love to see him throw on the Oilers jersey one last time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04ahTDixJ7A

Jeff Beukeboom

At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Beukeboom was a hulking defenceman who won battles in front of the net and in the corners and was able to clear the puck out of his zone efficiently. The 51-year-old Ajax, Ontario native won’t provide much offence punch, but would be a solid choice to fill a third pairing role. And who doesn’t love that name, right?

Thanks for reading. Let me know if you agree with my picks and we’ll see if any of these former players make the cut in October!

Eric Friesen, NHL

Ranking the Oilers Top 10 Picks of the Past 10 Drafts

Everything considered it was a great draft weekend for the Edmonton Oilers. They didn’t get a top pairing defenceman and they weren’t able to trade Nail Yakupov (I expect both will get done in the week), but GM Peter Chiarelli got his man with the 4th overall pick. Even after losing all three lottery draws in April, the Oilers left Buffalo with Jesse Puljujarvi in their prospect pool. Hopefully Puljujarvi will be Edmonton’s last high pick for a long time as they continue to push toward becoming a playoff team.

The Oilers have done very well in the first round over the past 10 years. I mean, it’s hard to mess up when you are picking near the top of the order year after year, but it’s still not a sure thing as we’ve seen with Yakupov (1st overall, 2012) and Magnus Paajarvi (10th overall, 2009).

In today’s blog, I will rank the Oilers top 10 picks of the past 10 drafts.

10. Brandon Davidson (162nd overall, 2010) – Some might say I’m going out limb here, by putting a player who has only played 63 NHL games on this list, but he’s earned it. For a team that has had few hits beyond the first round over the past decade, Davidson was a pleasant surprise for the Oilers in 2015-16, emerging as a steady top four defenceman.

9. Darnell Nurse (7th overall, 2013) – After selecting a forward with their first pick in six consecutive drafts, the Oilers finally ended that streak by taking Nurse in the first round three years ago. Nurse was asked to handle way too much responsibility in his rookie year, and to no one’s surprise he struggled. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a big point producer in the NHL, but he’s still young, and has the size, tenacity and skating ability to develop into a top pairing defender.

8. Sam Gagner (6th overall, 2007) – Gagner got off to a great start to his NHL career, tallying 49 points as a rookie in 2007-08. He never bested that total in his next six years in Edmonton and would have been better served moving from centre to the wing. Gagner was still one of the Oilers offensive leaders for several years and the highlight of his career was when he tied Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey‘s team record for points in a single game (8 points) back in 2012.

7. Oscar Klefbom (19th overall, 2011) – Klefbom was most likely the Oilers best defenceman over the past two seasons and at only 22-years-old, his best years are ahead of him. I had no issue with GM Peter Chiarelli signing Klefbom to a seven-year extension last September, despite having played under 100 games in the NHL at that point.

6. Jesse Puljujarvi (4th overall, 2016) – I’m making a bold pick here considering Puljujarvi hasn’t even played a game in the NHL yet. But I feel confident ranking him this high on the list and think he would even higher if I were to re-do it in five years. Puljujarvi is perhaps the most complete player in this year’s draft and will likely be in the Oilers’ lineup on October 12th when they open Rogers Place.

5. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1st overall, 2011) – When Nugent-Hopkins was first drafted, some fans and media members speculated that he might be the best of the Oilers young guns by the time he reached his prime. That won’t happen now, but RNH has developed into a reliable two-way centre. He came into the league as a No. 1 centre, but in the past year has dropped to third on the Oilers’ depth chart down the middle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uz6XGbGjWk

4. Leon Draisaitl (3rd overall, 2014) – After 15 years of chasing a big, skilled centre, Edmonton finally got one in the draft two years ago. Draisiatl took a big step forward in his development last season, and even though he faded down the stretch, I believe he’s going to be a big part of this team for the next 10 years.

3. Jordan Eberle (22nd overall, 2008) – Eberle was a steal for the Oilers late in the first round eight years ago. A natural goal scorer, Eberle is one of the best right-wingers in the NHL as well as the best pure finisher on the Oilers. He’s led the team in scoring in three of his six years with the team and deserves to be one of Edmonton’s top three picks of the past decade based on that alone.

2. Taylor Hall (1st overall, 2010) – An elite scoring winger, Hall is a two-time top 10 scorer in the NHL and recorded a career-high 80 points in 2013-14. Hall became the first Oiler to score at least 80 points in over a decade. Like Eberle, Hall has led the team in scoring in three of his six years with the Oilers and has learned to take his foot off the gas a bit, which resulted in him staying healthy from start to finish for the first time last season. I will never understand why 30% of the Oilers fan base wants to trade him. Because he turns over the puck too much? Because he has perceived attitude problems? Unless Chiarelli gets a No. 1 defenceman for him in a deal, they are a worse team without him.

1. Connor McDavid (1st overall, 2015) – Was there even any question about this one? McDavid was dominant in his 45 games with the Oilers last season, registering the third-highest points per game average in the league (1.07) and only missed out on winning the Calder Trophy because of his broken clavicle. That’s alright, I have a feeling his NHL trophy case will be full 20 years from now he hangs up his skates. McDavid is the face of the franchise and will likely be named the youngest captain in NHL history this fall.

I hope you enjoyed my list. Let me know if you agree or disagree with my choices. It’s always good to talk to fellow Oilers fans. Thanks for reading!

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Armchair GM, Edmonton Oilers, Eric Friesen, NHL, Rumors

Nail Yakupov For Jarome Iginla Straight Up?

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I think it’s safe to say Nail Yakupov is on his way out of Edmonton. As for where he might headed, your guess is as good as mine. But while I was listening to TSN 1260 in Edmonton this morning, host Will Fraser brought up an interesting trade proposal; send Yakupov to the Colorado Avlanche for local boy and future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.

At age 38, 39 by the start of next season, Iginla is near the end of the NHL career, but proved last season that he’s still a productive scorer. The two-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner tallied 22 goals and 47 points in 82 games with the Avs in 2015-16. Now imagine his powerful wrist shot, a shot that hurt the Oilers in the Battle of Alberta for more than 15 years, on our side.

Iginla would be the perfect short-term linemate for Connor McDavid. Not only would he be able to finish on a lot of sweet feeds McDavid would be dishing to him, especially on the powerplay, but Iginla would also be able him plenty of guidance in captaining an NHL team. Also, can you imagine the reaction Calgary Flames fans would have to seeing Iginla, arguably the greatest Flame of all-time, clad in orange and blue? It would be like seeing Wayne Gretzky or Ryan Smyth in Flames silks. Hard to stomach. And while I admit it would be slightly entertaining to see Flames fans freak out on twitter, I’m more concerned with seeing the Oilers take a significant step forward next season than pouring salt into Flames fans wounds.

The Avalanche, who have a self-imposed cap, could be interested in getting Iginla’s $5.33 million cap hit off the books and brining in Yakupov at $2.5 million a season. Even though his best years are long behind him, Iginla is still a better player right now than Yakupov. Oilers’ GM Peter Chairelli won’t waste his time trying to convince Avalanche GM Joe Sakic otherwise, he knows that, too. Yakupov has yet to put up 40 points in any of his four NHL seasons. However, the Avs might think they can get Yakupov’s career back on track by giving him a shot in the top six with their core of young stars, which is an opportunity that he was clearly not going to get in Edmonton.

Of course, this is all speculation, but I don’t think anyone in Oil Country would have a problem with Iginla coming in for a year to help this team make a playoff push and finish his career with the team he grew up cheering for.

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, Eric Friesen

Could the Oilers Sign Steven Stamkos?

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Heading into the off-season Steven Stamkos is set to become the most coveted UFA to hit the market in years. It seems like the hockey world is split between where they think Stamkos will land on July 1; either he re-ups with the Tampa Bay Lightning or returns home to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. But what if he were to sign with the Edmonton Oilers?

I’m sure that many of you reading this will probably laugh at the idea of Stamkos leaving the warm weather and a Stanley Cup contender to come play in the harsh winter for a perennial loser, but there are reasons to believe that Stamkos and the Oilers could be a great fit.

The biggest selling point GM Peter Chiarelli has is offering Stamkos a spot on Connor McDavid’s wing for the next seven years in state-of-the-arena to play in. The four-time 40 goal scorer who recorded a career-high 60 goals in 2011-12 gave McDavid some heady praise before the season.

“He’s way better (than me),” Stamkos said. “He is good. The best I’ve seen for a player that age.”

Would Stamkos be willing to switch from centre to right-wing? If so, the Oilers would have an elite pair that would be on par with the likes of Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin or Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. With McDavid expected to take another massive step toward being the best hockey player in the world next season, having arguably the league’s best goal scorer not named Alexander Ovechkin on his line would make them two frontrunners to take home some major hardware at the NHL Awards for years to come.

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Let’s just pretend Stamkos is interested in coming to Edmonton. What’s it going to cost? Stamkos and his agent reportedly took the Lightning’s initial offer of $8 million a year over the winter and threw it in the trash, so it’s fair to assume the Oilers would be handing out the biggest contract in franchise history. If I had to guess, I’d say somewhere in the ballpark of $11 million a year for seven years, which would take Stamkos up to 33 years of age and ensure that he is a part of the team through McDavid’s prime years.

However, there is an event later this week that could completely snuff out any possibility of a Stamkos signing, and that is the draft lottery. Should the Oilers win one of the three lottery draws and decide to keep the pick, then bringing in Stamkos probably wouldn’t make sense for the orange and blue.

With Leon Draisaitl needing a new deal in 2017 and McDavid able to sign long-term next year as well, adding in yet another high pick who will surely command a high salary down the road makes a Stamkos signing unrealistic for the Oilers. It could end up being a smarter move for the Oilers to bring in another player in McDavid’s age wheelhouse who can grow with the group.

I still think Stamkos will re-sign with the Lightning, and if they win the Cup this spring, those chances only increase, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping the Oilers were to get this guy. It will be interesting to see how this story develops over the next nine weeks and whether or not Chiarelli decided to go all in signing number 91.

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Armchair GM, Edmonton Oilers, Eric Friesen, NHL, Rumors

Could the Oilers Trade For PK Subban?

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It seems hard to fathom that any team would be actively looking to trade a Norris Trophy winner who also donated $10 million to a children’s hospital, but that’s where the Montreal Canadiens appear to be at. This couldn’t come at a better time for the Edmonton Oilers who have been looking for a true No. 1 defenceman since Sheldon Souray’s only good season in Edmonton in 2008-09.

Is Subban a little flashier than most players in the NHL? Sure. Does he like to celebrate goals? Of course! But if that’s the worst thing about him than it doesn’t make much sense why these trade talks are even happening. This is a story that will not go away until July 1 when Subban’s no movement clause kicks in. Odds are that the Canadiens will end up patching things up with their franchise defenceman and all of this will be forgotten in a year. But for the sake of argument, I will look at what it would take for the Oilers to pry Subban out of Montreal in this post.

First off, it would be nearly impossible for the Canadiens to get fair market value for Subban. But if they seriously want to move him, then maybe the Oilers could put together a package. We all know that the first player Habs’ GM Marc Bergevin would be asking Oilers’ GM Peter Chiarelli about is Taylor Hall. I’m as big of a Taylor Hall fan as anyone and it would hurt to see him leave the organization that he has given everything to for the past six years without ever playing a playoff game in Edmonton, but it will likely take Hall plus others to pull off this deal.

Perhaps the Canadiens would have some interest in bringing in Nail Yakupov? Ironically, there were rumours prior to the 2012 NHL Entry Draft that the Canadiens had offered Subban, who was coming off a sophomore campiagn that saw him produce 36 points in 81 games, to the Oilers for the first overall pick. This would have given the Canadiens the chance to select Yakupov as well as his best friend and former Sarnia Sting teammate Alex Galchenyuk. In retrospect, 2012 would have been the year for the Oilers to make such a trade. I had no interest in them trading the first overall pick in 2010 or 2011 when they drafted Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. A Yakupov trade, would reunite him with his former teammate and possibly get his NHL career back on track.

The Canadiens would likely want a defenceman back as well and the names they would be most interested in would be Darnell Nurse and Oscar Klefbom. I can’t see the Oilers trading away Nurse after one season, despite hiss struggles as a rookie or a guy that they locked up to a seven-year extension last fall. This could be where Chiarelli draws the line in the sand in negotiations with Bergevin.

In reality, the Oilers will probably spend more time pursuing trade targets like Travis Hamonic or Sami Vatanen this off-season, but neither of those players comes close to holing the value that a player of Subban’s ilk would bring to the struggling Oilers. Also, with Connor McDavid expected to be the highest paid player in the game by 2018-19, adding a $9 million defenceman might not make sense for the Oilers.

Assuming the Oilers don’t end up winning any of the three lotteries this year, my best trade offer would be Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov and the first round pick in 2016 for Subban. Maybe they throw in a prospect, too? Either way, Subban is who Oilers fans really care about. It would be a little premature to put his nameplate on a stall in the Oilers new dressing room at Rogers Place, but they should have a few No. 76 jerseys ready to go for fans just in case.

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