Category Archives: NHL

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

Edmonton Oilers Prospect Talk: “You’ll Notice Him When He Irritates the Flames.”

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!

Lowetide.ca

ROOKIE CAMP ROSTER 2021

(LT’s listed all the attendees of the 2021 Oilers rookie camp with a blurb attached to each. I’m just going to list off the ones you may not be familiar with from each position because if you’re reading a post from this site, you’ve probably got an idea of who the more notable prospects are. Please click the link above to read the whole post!)

  • G Ethan Kruger. Local goalie from Sherwood Park, he had a dandy season for the Brandon Wheat Kings (16, 2.30 .915) in 2020-21. He turns 20 later in September and is a solid prospect.
  • RD Max Wanner. He’s 18, 6.03, 185 and apparently passes the puck extremely well and can skate. This is the reason these are important. Like Kesselring when he arrived after his draft (for summer orientation) we need to get a glimpse of him. We don’t know what we don’t know.
  • RC Drew Englot. He’s 18, and a big forward (6.03, 190) who plays a gritty style and disrupts opponents. He scored 12 goals in the dub two years ago but was unable build on it last season with the Regina Pats. An intriguing player, you’ll notice him when he irritates the Flames.
  • L Devin Brosseau. He’s 24, and 6.01, 203. A skilled college man, he posted decent numbers in four seasons of ECAC hockey at Clarkson University. In 2020-21, he posted 7-14-21 in 34 games in the Austrian league, and then returned to North America to go 4-1-5 in 27 AHL games. Nothing about his resume suggests he will be an AHL 20+ goal scorer. Has AHL deal.
  • R Dino Kambeitz. He’s 21, and a load (6.02, 212) with some goal-scoring acumen. He has scored 22 goals in 73 games as a member of the Lethbridge Hurricanes over the last two seasons. He has an AHL contract for the coming season.

BLH’s Thoughts: By the sounds of it, Holland has brought in some tougher skaters for rookie camp. I mean, this happens every year, so we shouldn’t be all that surprised by the invites. Max Wanner and Drew Englot catch my eye from LT’s mini-scouting reports, so those two will be the ones I might be paying a bit closer attention to during those rookie games vs. Calgary next week. 

The Cult of Hockey (McCurdy)

“Balance” is the watchword for Edmonton Oilers prospect pool in 2021
  • What’s the defining characteristic of the 2021 group of prospects? To me, it’s that most welcome of words, namely “balance”. For the first time in quite a while, the Oilers have promising youngsters at all six positions in more or less equal numbers.
  • As recently as 2019, the year Ken Holland took over as Oilers GM and immediately drafted yet another defenceman (Philip Broberg) in the first round, the Oilers depth chart was wonky right through the top 22, never mind the top 12.
  • Just two years later that imbalance has largely been addressed. The top 22 now consists of 11 attackers, 8 defenders and 3 netminders, pretty close to the 3:2:1 ratio that occurs on the ice.
  • The biggest shortcoming remains at centre, though fortunately the top two ranked forward prospects both play that demanding position. Bear in mind that pivot is a major position of strength on the big club and projects to remain so for years to come.
  • After a fallow year in which the Oilers had zero rookies who played as many as 20 games, better results are both needed and expected in 2021-22. Several of these youngsters are in line to graduate, including Bouchard, McLeod and Tyler Benson, while several others should at least get a cup of big league coffee.

BLH’s Thoughts: Two years! Two years is all it took for Ken Holland to come in and right this part of the ship and that’s WITH him trading a bunch of picks at the deadline.

It’s amazing what happens when you don’t rush prospects into the NHL, isn’t it? They get to develop on their own time frame and it allows them to tell the club when they’re ready to be promoted. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit OCD about balance in the prospect cupboard regardless of who’s on the pro roster. I like to see teams build out their development system almost as if it’s a separate team altogether. 

What’s most fun about following Edmonton’s draft strategy now is that they’ll really need to do their homework on the guys they draft. Not that they don’t do that, all I’m saying is that when a club is selecting in the bottom quarter of each round, the guaranteed NHL players aren’t necessarily there like they are in the top-10.

It could behoove the club to invest a little more in its scouting staff a bit now to get that extra edge as the organization trends into a Stanley Cup contender. 

Daily Goal Horn

Sharks looking to keep Hertl
  • In his latest blog, Elliotte Friedman notes; “word is [GM Doug Wilson] told other teams that it is San Jose’s desire to make this work, and that message will be delivered once Hertl arrives.”
  • Friedman also reported that the Montreal Canadiens prior to trading for Christian Dvorak spoke with the Sharks about Hertl. Since he is still with the Sharks, it would confirm for me they may want to keep him.
Rangers to name a captain
  • The Rangers are believed to have narrowed down their choices to Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba, and Mika Zibanejad. Of the three, Kreider appears to be the favorite. Zibanejad’s looming UFA status will likely play into the decision.
Bridge deal for Brady Tkachuk
  • The Ottawa Senators and RFA Brady Tkachuk have dominated the rumor space for the last few days. As the two sides continue to work on a new contract, the good news sounds like a deal will get done.
  • If a long-term deal can’t be worked out, the two sides seem to be ok with getting a bridge deal done before camp.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Talk: “A Change Could be in Store…”

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 Athletic (Mitchell)

Dylan Holloway’s season and why patience is vital for Oilers’ prospect
  • Hand or wrist injuries can be deadly.
  • At the World Junior Championship, Holloway played through the pain despite an injury on this play.
  • In March, Holloway suffered a broken thumb at the Big-10 tournament in a game against Penn State, which ended his season.
  • Daniel Nugent-Bowman at The Athletic reported Holloway had surgery March 29, just after Wisconsin’s season-ending loss to Bemidji State in the NCAA tournament.
  • The news ahead of training camp about a cautious approach to Holloway’s condition should be received as welcome news by Oilers fans.
  • Ideally, in the future NHL organizations are more open in regard to injuries. The increased betting on the league that is anticipated beginning in the fall may allow more openness in this area.
  • Even more important is making certain young prospects get the best possible advice and are encouraged to refrain from playing through pain. Oilers history is riddled with brave men who paid a heavy price to do it.

BLH’s Thoughts: Truth! To add to that, young players will do anything to achieve their dreams, including jeopardizing their long-term futures.

Teams DO need to handle their injuries a helluva lot better though. I wonder if having a larger day-to-day roster would help? 23 men is a lot but that’s one extra player per position only, why not have 2-3 extra at forward and defense and another goalie? Just remove the need to make a recall from the development league and insert a larger taxi squad.

Folks will kick and scream about having players up with the big club who aren’t playing, but that’s the nature of the game and honestly, a minor problem. Hockey’s a physical sport and I’m near 99% sure that not one NHL player goes through even a quarter of the season without playing with some sort of nick, bump, or bruise. Having those “tweeners” available could give teams the opportunity to protect their valuable assets in addition to extending some playing careers too.

With Covid looking to be staying around a lot longer than previously intended, the NHL might want to look at expanding roster sizes, that’s all I’m saying. 

The Hockey Writers (Bochon)

Battle of Alberta Will Hold Extra Importance in 2021-22
  • Will it ever reach the all-out battle each side wishes it would take? Or will it settle back to a kinder, more peaceful hockey love fest that it seems to have morphed into over the past few seasons, with the exception of the February 1, 2020 game?
  • Key players and personnel on both the Oilers and Flames will be on the hot seat this season. If either team is unable to make the playoffs or win one or two playoff rounds, a change could be in store for Dave Tippett, Brad Treliving, Sean Monahan and even Ken Holland
  • As much as the Oilers will feel the effect of losing Larrson, Giordano’s departure represents a crater size hole in terms of leadership and skill to the Flames.
  • With the Oilers signing Zac Hyman and trading for Warren Foegele as well as the addition of Derek Ryan, their forward group is the strongest it’s been in over a decade. 
  • The Oilers’ defence remains a question mark, and it’ll wait and see with the additions of Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci. While the Flames D will feel the loss of Gio, the addition of Nikita Zadorov to go along with the solid first pairing of Tanev and Hanifin still gives them a slight edge on the backend over the Oilers.
  • Goaltending could be the Achilles heel for both teams.
    • The Oilers will nervously rely on another solid year from 39-year-old Mike Smith, but their backup situation still has to be sorted out.
    • Meanwhile, in Calgary, the pressure is on Jacob Markstrom to have a bounceback year while prospect Dustin Wolf could be poised to take over the number two position in the organization.
  • Maybe 2021/22 is the year both teams square off in the playoffs. That’ll be sure to renew the hostility. Stay tuned. Puck drops Saturday, October 16th.

BLH’s Thoughts: Look, with the additions of Zadorov and Gudbranson to their blueline as well as Coleman, Richardson, Lewis, and re-signing Brett Ritchie; it’s obvious the Flames are giving their skilled pests the green light to “go there”. 

I have some concern for the safety of Edmonton’s players, but what’s overriding my thoughts right now is how healthy will Calgary’s tough guys be able to stay if the plan is to reinvent the Broad Street Bullies? Honestly, I don’t think the game plan will last long and specifically to Edmonton, they’re a way better team. Way more skilled! Jacob Markstrom is the Flames’ saving grace here and if he gets tired or hurt, it’s game over for his club. 

That said, I look forward to the BoA, as I do every year, because of the players Sutter and Holland have brought in. 

Also, it wouldn’t shock me if the Oilers added some muscle somewhere down the line…

NHLRumors.com

  • Andy Strickland: Still believe that the St. Louis Blues will trade forward Vladimir Tarasenko… It might take a third team to get involved to make it happen. There is at least one team that is willing to get involved and retain a portion of Tarasenko’s salary.
  • Shawn Simpson: The Ottawa Senators have made it know that they have offered Brady Tkachuk an eight-year deal… Have been told that Tkachuk loves it in Ottawa and would consider signing an eight-year deal. Money is what will determine that.
  • Matt Porter of the Boston Globe: Defenseman Charlie McAvoy will likely be the next Boston Bruins player to sign a big contract extension. How much he’ll get paid and for how long is yet to be determined.
    • Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski‘s six-year, $57.5 million deal is a comparable.
  • Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now: Multiple sources have said that the Boston Boston have explored the idea of acquiring defenseman P.K. Subban on more than one occasion.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Was the Edmonton Media Misreporting This the Whole Time?

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 (Laing)

Report: Edmonton Oilers prospect Dylan Holloway may not be ready for training camp
  • According to Postmedia’s Jim Matheson, a lingering thumb injury may keep him out from camp.
”After Dylan Holloway’s surgery (broken thumb) this spring, Oilers hoped it would be completely repaired for rookie camp next week but it’s iffy the winger takes part,”
  • News of Holloway potentially getting a late start to his season is less than ideal. He’s a player the Oilers we’re likely going to have at main camp battling with a plethora of other fringe NHL’ers for a roster spot.

BLH’s Thoughts: So, it’s starting to come out that Holloway has a broken scaphoid and apparently this sort of injury can take some time to heal up given the limited blood flow it receives. If the club is taking their time with this player, good on them for doing the right thing.

Now, what I don’t know is if Holloway also broke his thumb and this is a different injury or if it the Edmonton media has been misreporting the whole time… He was all ready to play in AHL post-season, was he not?

Does that mean the organization wasn’t willing to do the right thing back then but are now? But then that presents two more questions, how healed was the scaphoid back then and why isn’t it fully recovered after a full offseason?

The Athletic (Duhaschek)

Sweeping changes vs. standing pat, the offer sheet saga and more
  • The Flames and Flyers are two teams that demonstrated some recent promise but took completely different approaches to the offseason.
    • The Flyers promised change and followed through in a big way.
    • Meanwhile, in Calgary, despite a lot of external pressure to change the core – to trade Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan etc. – were largely ignored.
      • Sutter, for all of his old-school style and approach, understands one hockey lesson better than people give him credit for: Talent wins. And you can’t ship talent out the door without getting talent back or you go nowhere.
      • Internally, the Flames believe a better year out of Jakob Markstrom in goal and a full year of Sutter-style hockey will make them a far tougher out than they’ve been in the last two years when they actually were a tough out, with largely the same personnel in key places.
  • Carolina, Montreal and Arizona contributed to making the days before Labor Day interesting when restricted free agent Jesperi Kotkaniemi signed a one-year, $6.1 million offer sheet with the Hurricanes.
    • More than anything else this offseason, Montreal needed to replace a key piece, Philip Danault, who left to join the Kings as a free agent this summer.
    • …ultimately, Montreal did something to help them today. Carolina did something to help them tomorrow. And Arizona pushed its future back even further down the road.
  • I think about Los Angeles. The Kings were one of the main success stories of the last decade, but did they jump on the prospect bandwagon too soon?
    • You wonder if they’d been a little more stubborn and tried to keep the band together if the group would have gotten a second wind?
    •  The Penguins were also pressed to do a reset in 2014 and 2015 after second and first-round playoff exits, but stuck to their guns and unexpectedly ended up roaring back into the winner’s circle.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’ve not much to say on the offer sheet saga or the current trajectory of the LA Kings, but I look at how the Flames are building out their roster and how Matthew Tkachuk’s current contract is going to expire after the upcoming season.

I think Sutter is bringing in all the extra muscle and because he sees the importance of keeping Tkachuk in Calgary.

Johnny Gaudreau could be dealt and Sean Monahan may get moved at some point, but they do not stir the drink in Calgary, that role belongs to Tkachuk and you can bet your bottom dollar that if things don’t go his way, and they didn’t last season (pretty sure his teammates got tired of his bullshit act), he’ll be angling for a trade to some place like New York, St. Louis, or Boston. I wonder if he’d consider joining his brother in Ottawa?

The Flames, for their own good, need to find a way to keep the league’s no.1 pest and if he’s given the leash to play his game, that might keep him around. Besides, how costly is the bet bringing in Zadorov, Gudbranson, Ritchie, Lucic, etc. if he decides to leave? Not very much… 

Spector’s Hockey

  • TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan reports Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas scuttled rumors linking his club to New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban. “I can definitively say that we have not thought a single thing about any player that is going to be a free agent a year from now,” said Dubas.
  • Sources say Toronto Maple Leafs winger Ilya Mikheyev asked to be traded following last season but the club doesn’t want to accommodate his request. The departures of Zach Hyman and Joe Thornton mean the Leafs envision a bigger role for Mikheyev this season.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

“…if that doesn’t happen, then I’ll be putting my seatbelt on and bracing for impact.” Says One Oilers Blogger

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 (baggedmilk)

The Oilers Kool-Aid is going down smooth
I wanted to share my quick list of reasons why I think this year will be a fun one and why we should all be excited.
  • Connor McDavid is the greatest cheat code this league has seen in decades and I’m fired up for another year of magic that brings us from our seats and fills the city with hope.
  • I’ll be fascinated to watch how Zach Hyman’s first season with the Oilers plays after he signed a seven-year contract that carries a $5.5 million AAV on the first day of free agency.
  • I’m going to bet on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto (Kassian?) having better seasons in 2021-22 than they did in the 56-game all-Canadian campaign.
  • Chuck Zach Hyman and Warren Foegele into the chili and all of a sudden there are a few more spicy scoring options available that could truly make a difference.
  • Of course we want Duncan Keith to play well and anchor that second pairing — that’s truly what I’m hoping he can do — but if that doesn’t happen, then I’ll be putting my seatbelt on and bracing for impact.
  • I’ve written about Evan Bouchard a few times this offseason, but as we draw closer to the new season, I’m starting to get very excited to see what he’ll be able to do now that he’ll be in the lineup on a nightly basis.

BLH’s Thoughts: Five things I’m jacked for this season,

  • Jesse Puljujarvi taking another step in his development for the Oilers and becoming a legit threat every night.
  • Mikko Koskinen upping his game in a contract year. He’ll be looking to earn another contract after this one and for it to come even close to what he makes now, that save percentage is going to have to be up around .920. 
  • The internal competition between Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to see who scores more goals.
  • Which of Edmonton’s blue chip prospects forces their way onto the roster out of training camp or early on in the season. Will it be Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, Ilya Konovalov, Dmitri Samorukov or possibly a somebody out of left field (Xavier Bourgault?)…
  • When Evan Bouchard takes his spot in Edmonton’s top-four.

Cult of Hockey (Staples)

Over over ripe ripe? Top prospect on Edmonton Oilers repeats for fourth year in a row
  • Bouchard, who will be 22 in October, should likely have earned a job on the Edmonton Oilers last season, but Adam Larsson was killing it as a shut-down d-man, Ethan Bear was coming off an extremely promising rookie campaign and the Oilers had signed ace veteran attacker Tyson Barrie to run their power play with Oscar Klefbom expected out of the season.
  • With both Larsson and Bear now gone, the path is clear for Bouchard. Indeed, on Oilers Now in recent weeks both Oilers head coach Dave Tippett and asst. coach Jim Playfair haven’t just talked up Bouchard as a team member, they’ve indicated he’ll have every opportunity to move up into the Top 4 as the year goes along. He’s also expected to get regular penalty kill and second unit power play duty.
  • During the Decade of Darkness the Oilers struggled to find d-men who can move the puck, but that’s a strength of Bouchard and Barrie, with Darnell Nurse also a strong attacker. If Duncan Keith can still move the puck, if Cody Ceci delivers in that regard, and if Slater Koekkoek plays as well as he did last year, this will be Edmonton’s best group of puck movers since the 1980s.
  • Expectation for 2021-22: That Bouchard play every game, working his way into the Top 4 by the playoffs.

BLH’s Thoughts: With the way that Edmonton’s coaching staff is talking about him and how Bob Stauffer can’t hide his man crush for guys who come into camp in “good shape”, I’m willing to bet that Bouchard gets his shot in the top-four earlier than the playoffs… 

What I’m thinking is that Tippett and Playfair are going to analyze his defensive game early on and if he’s staying afloat playing against the league’s best, they’ll move him permanently. Otherwise, he might just spot-fill from time to time during games or when Edmonton plays a weaker opposition. 

Sportsnet (Friedman)

  • According to several sources, Toronto winger Ilya Mikheyev asked for a trade following the 2020-21 season. But, what is important to the story is that the Maple Leafs made it clear they do not want to accommodate this request.
  • There’s been a lot of talk about San Jose’s Tomas Hertl, headed into his final season before unrestricted free agency… I’d love to see the incoming-call log on Sharks GM Doug Wilson’s phone, but word is he’s told other teams that it is San Jose’s desire to make this work, and that message will be delivered once Hertl arrives.
  • I do think there will be a lot of eyes on Phil Kessel once the season begins. There were some conversations around the draft (the Sharks came up there, too, but that’s not going to happen). If he starts out hot, things are going to intensify in a hurry.
  • Finally, a couple clubs indicated they were expecting Tyler Bozak’s decision on where to play in the next few days. The 764-game veteran has a couple of options. Wonder if one is Pittsburgh, with both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin injured to start the year.
  • Over the last little while, the word is the Senators and Tkachuk have been grinding away on a long-term deal — believed to be similar to Thomas Chabot’s 8×8 extension.  If that can’t get done soon, it’s very possible the two sides will switch to something shorter. What that says to me is both sides agree getting Tkachuk in camp is a priority.
  • The Sabres had an “introductory meeting” with Jack Eichel’s new representatives… I do believe Buffalo re-engaged with interested teams to see where everyone stands. We will see where things go.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Is Zack Kassian About to Get Pumped and Dumped?

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!

Lowetide.ca

MAIN COURSE
  • I’ve been reading opinions here and there about Dmitri Samorukov or Philip Broberg emerging as NHL regulars by mid-season, but I think that’s going to take an injury.
  • Will Keith fall off so much he’ll get scratched? I don’t see it. Dave Tippett could move him to the third pair but I don’t see a long stretch of healthy scratches this year. Next year? Absolutely possible…
  • The Zack Kassian moving to the top line chatter is coming from media who work for rights-holders, so there may well be some truth to the idea. I think logic and reason suggest that, even given the opportunity, it is unlikely to result in success.
  • I’m not against the idea, because moving Kassian to the top line would give the team even more strength in the top three lines. I just don’t believe it will work.

BLH’s Thoughts: Unless Duncan Keith has turned into Mark Fayne 2.0, why should we think he’s going to be a healthy scratch ever? Is the analytics community that dug in to the numbers that they can’t see the kind of physical specimen that Keith is? What do they make of Gerry Johansson taking him on for free? A player agent of that stature doesn’t just do somebody a favor like that… 

Now, with Kassian, I don’t mind throwing him into the top six but not at the cost of Pulju, who’s shown that he can produce and play very well with Connor McDavid plus they’d already have Zach Hyman on that line.

Kass is a better fit for Leon’s line I reckon because it could use that physical element that Zack brings, no? Then move Kailer Yamamoto down to the 3rd line with McLeod and Foegele and let them wreak havoc out there. 

I think if Kassian does go up to the first line, I believe it’ll be a showcase for an early season trade. They’ll see how he does with fans back in the stands and that’ll be the advertisement to whatever team(s) (*cough* New York Rangers *cough* Pittsburgh Penguins *cough*) are interested in him.

Oilersnation (Lewis)

ON’s 2021 Prospects Countdown – No. 6: Dmitri Samorukov

Position: Defence
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Russia
Date of Birth: June 16, 1998
Drafted: 2017, No. 84 overall (EDM)
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 189 lbs

  • Samorukov will return to Bakersfield in 2021-22 after an impressive showing in a good league with aspirations of playing top-pairing minutes for the Condors.
  • The Oilers have a wealth of interesting young defenders who will be battling each other for playing time, including Broberg, who’s going to be making his debut in North America this fall.
  • Edmonton’s blueline is likely set with Darnell Nurse, Duncan Keith, Kris Russell, William Lagesson, Tyson Barrie, Cody Ceci, Evan Bouchard, and Slater Koekkoek.
  • That said, a strong performance from Samorukov could earn him a call-up in the event of an injury. A gig on the team’s third pairing doesn’t seem too far away for the big, Russian defender.
  • Dmitri Samorukov, the team’s third-round pick from the 2017 draft, has thrived playing in the KHL and will look to prove this season that he can be a part of the team’s future.

BLH’s Thoughts: Bob Stauffer was saying on Oilers Now yesterday to keep an eye on Samorukov. Intimating that he might not be back to 100% from shoulder surgery stemming back to an injury he had in February I believe. 

If that’s the case, and I’ve had a few people reach out to me to tell me it isn’t (so take whatever you hear with a grain of salt), he’ll definitely be going to Bakersfield for the year possibly. UNLESS! He’s traded… Remember all the rumors he was involved in from the trade deadline through to the offseason… 

The Daily Goal Horn

Tarasenko trade update

  • Andy Strickland notes that “there’s at least one team willing to retain a portion of Tarasenko’s salary” in order to help get a deal done.
  • That team is most likely the Detroit Red Wings who are still looking to build up future assets as they weaponize their $15 million in cap space. Another possible team that needs help getting to the cap floor are the rebuilding Buffalo Sabres.

Latest on Brady Tkachuk and Senators

  • According to TSN’s Shawn Simpson the Senators have offered Brady Tkachuk a max term deal. The only hold up right now is money.
“Sens have put out that they have offered Tkachuk 8 years. What I’m told is Brady loves Ottawa, and is more than willing to sign for 8,” Simpson tweeted. “The question is the money and figuring out a number. My guess is they keep working until the eve of camp, and if nothing is done, bridge deal.”
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