Category Archives: NHL

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

Connor McDavid Warns Teammates, “Every one has to do as they please but with every decision there’s a consequence.”

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 (Lewis)

ON’s 2021 Prospects Countdown – No. 7: Ryan McLeod
  • The thing with McLeod is that he has all of the skills you want in a hockey player. He’s big, strong, and physical, he skates incredibly well, and he has good hockey sense, especially in terms of playing a smart defensive game. That physical skillset all points to McLeod having two-way, second-line centre upside, but his ho-hum production at every level suggested otherwise.
  • That changed in 2021 when McLeod produced well in Switzerland, a very good Euro league, and then put up a point-per-game in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors.
  • …it’s already fairly clear that McLeod can swim as a fourth-line pivot at the NHL level. The question is whether he can continue to climb up the depth chart and become more than that.

BLH’s Thoughts: There’s nothing more pleasing that watching a hockey player who skates so well with zero effort. Paul Coffey did it for a couple of decades for a plethora of NHL teams and now we’ve got Ryan McLeod to watch for another 10 years or so, hopefully. 

For me, I’m not as concerned about how productive he is this early in his career. I would like him to become one of Edmonton’s best defensive forwards first and then as he grows, the points will come, I’m sure of that. 

McLeod’s speed and hands alone should have him on Dave Tippett’s penalty kill this year, no? Anybody else getting Michael Grabner vibes? I’m just saying, he could be an offensive threat in defensive scenarios and how many players can you say that about on the Oilers?

Edmonton Sun (Matheson)

OILERS NOTES: McDavid knows there is vaccination dynamic at play in NHL
  • The NHL says 90 to 95 per cent of their rank-and-file will be vaccinated by the start of the season Oct. 12 but there might still be some outliers.
  • If an unvaccinated player tests positive for Covid, they will be suspended without pay (by the day). If a player gets Covid and is vaccinated, they will be treated as if they had damaged their knee or broke a hand; it will be a hockey injury injury and they will be paid.
“It’s a tough question. Every one has to do as they please but with every decision there’s a consequence,” said McDavid
  • Part of being at the Olympics is being able to mingle with other athletes in other sports, but that probably won’t be the case in February in China.
This ‘n That:
  • Even though the Oilers have eight defencemen with NHL experience signed, chances are they will bring in one player on a training camp PTO contract with right-shot D Michael Stone (Calgary) or Jason Demers (Arizona) most likely candidates.
  • Tyler Tullio, the Josh Archibald-type winger drafted in the fifth round in 2020, signed a three-year entry level. He was just named captain of the Oshawa Generals.
  • Predators goalie Juuse Saros is the slam-dunk starter for Finland in the Olympics but there’s no reason Oiler Mikko Koskinen can’t be back-up.

BLH’s Thoughts: Ty Tullio is going to be a very intriguing prospect to follow this season. I think I’ve given him the short end of the stick a little bit so far since I’ve not seen a lot of footage of him play. What does Edmonton have on their hands in this player? Another Theo Fleury or is he more of a Paul Byron? The upcoming rookie camp should give us a few more clues as to who this player is. 

It’s a bit of a kick in the nuts for the NHLers to have to fly all the way to China to play in the Olympics only to be locked down in their hotel rooms the whole time, no? 

Are there still pro-pandemic NHLers planning to play next season? Good luck with that… 

NHLTradeRumors.me

Arizona Coyotes Set Asking Price For Jakob Chychrun
  • According to The Fourth Period, Arizona is asking for two first-round picks for defenseman Jakob Chychrun. This was revealed on The NHL Network.
Montreal Canadiens Made Trade Offers to Multiple Teams
Rumor: Maple Leafs Considering Adding Players on Professional Tryouts
  • The team already has Josh Ho-Sang coming to training camp on a tryout, meanwhile there’s been rumblings they’ve tried to get Tyler Bozak, James Neal and Erik Gudbranson to agree to come to camp. As of right now it appears all three veterans are holding out for a potential one-year contract.
Rumor: Vancouver Canucks Worried About Offer Sheet
  • The Vancouver Canucks have watched the NHL drama unfold over the past few weeks, and according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Canucks management has legitimate concern about a team offer-sheeting young star Elias Pettersson.
  • At this point, there doesn’t appear to be any team willing or able to make the move. The Canucks are in a bit of trouble because they need to not only pay Pettersson, but also young defenseman Quinn Hughes. 
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Prospects, Rumors

Five Oilers on Pronman’s List of the Best U-23 Players in the NHL

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 (Pronman)

Ranking the best under-23 NHL players: Does Cale Makar or Andrei Svechnikov top the list?
  • 79. Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Edmonton: The skating is a separator at the NHL level. He works, he can win battles despite his 5-foot-8 frame and he creates offense around the net front area… I like the way he plays. I think he’s a long-term top-six forward, but he’s not going to realistically come close to the number he hit in the 2019-20 season.
  • 90. Dylan Holloway, C, Edmonton: He won’t be the most dangerous player with the puck on his stick on an NHL line, but he can drive play while also being a physical player off the puck. I see a projected top-six forward in the NHL.
  • 124. Evan Bouchard, RHD, Edmonton: His skating isn’t the best and how good a defender he can be in the NHL is the main question on his game due to his feet. I think over the years he’s shown he can be competent enough there, even if it won’t be his main strength. I see for sure an NHL player, with the possibility to be a good top-four defenseman.
  • 127. Philip Broberg, LHD, Edmonton: Can he make enough plays as a distributor to create offense? Why is his defending and gap work not a standout part of his game given his feet (which scouts think will come with time)? There’s way too much talent here, so I see a top-four defenseman, and there is a possibility for more to justify his draft slot…
  • 159. Xavier Bourgault, C, Edmonton: He’s not an exceptional skater, but he will be able to skate at an NHL level, and has shown he can make skilled plays on the move and play with pace. I wouldn’t describe Bourgault as a physical player or the first guy over the boards on the penalty kill, but he backchecks well enough and creates turnovers with his hustle. Bourgault projects as a middle-six NHL forward, likely on the wing.

BLH’s Thoughts: Pronman’s list is 194 deep and of course there are some players ranked in questionable spots but it’s his list and if one was so bothered, they’d make their own. 

That said, the Edmonton Oilers have FIVE players on said list and that sounds fantastic to me. Personally, I reckon Bouchard will be the best of that group of Oilers followed by Broberg, Holloway, Bourgault, and Yamamoto. 

Interesting to note that Broberg, Yamo, Bourgault, and Holloway have all had injury challenges early in their careers. Knock on Wood that Evan Bouchard is lucky enough to stave off any time on the IR. 

Oilersnation (Yaremchuk)

Who Should Be McDavid’s Linemates at the Olympics?
  • It’s pretty clear to me that MacKinnon is the second-best player in the league and the idea of putting him on a line with McDavid for 20 minutes every single game is just too good to pass up.
  • Put Crosby down the middle, throw McDavid and Mackinnon on his wings and just let them run wild.
  •  I think having (Mark) Stone go hard to the net while MacKinnon and McDavid run things around the perimeter in the o-zone would make life very difficult for the opposition.
  • He (Brad Marchand) has the speed and offensive skill to keep up with the two of them and his willingness to go to the tough areas of the ice would only create more space for the other two to work their magic.
  • What if Zach Hyman is scoring at a crazy clip and is on pace to have a 40 goal season when Canada has to make their final roster decisions? Could they look at him as a viable option to make the team? He could also kill penalties and that’s something they may need to have on their roster. 
  • HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Jonathan Huberdeau, Matt Barzal, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares

BLH’s Thoughts: No to Mark Scheifele eh? What has the Winnipeg Jets captain done to deserve such disrespect? You’ve got to be off your rocker if you don’t think he could play on Team Canada’s top line. Simple as that. 

Let Sid play with Marchand and Bergeron like they have in the past and throw Scheifele, McDavid, and MacKinnon over the boards and watch the domination commence. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63TTnGqMprE

NHLRumors.com

Craig Morgan: (responding to a now deleted tweet) Confirm from sources that Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun is not on the trade block. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s not available as they want to build around him

Cory Lavalette: Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell said that they only talked to Jesperi Kotkaniemi and his agent about a one-year deal and he has “no idea” what they would want on a long-term contract.

Shawn Simpson: “If Tkachuk is being offered 8 x 8, I sign that in a minute if I’m BT. That’s great money and security. Nothing stops you from forcing a move down the road.”

Shawn Simpson: Have been told that (Logan) Brown won’t be heading to Ottawa. If he’s not traded, he will go play in Sweden.

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: “What does Duncan Keith have to do this year to make the organization happy?”

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)

Monday Mailbag – How many games is too many for Mike Smith?

Mike Smith looks like the default starter for the season and I wonder how many games you think he’ll play now that we’re back to an 82-game season?

  • “If he plays more than 41 games I’d almost be surprised. Not because I don’t think he has the ability, but our boy isn’t getting any younger and we’re back to having the boys travelling all over the place rather than a mini-series in each city.” – baggedmilk

BLH’s Thoughts: If Mike Smith is making saves and winning games, he’ll start 2/3s of the games. If he’s struggling, it’ll sway the other way for Koskinen or Stalock or whoever.

Is there a part of you that thinks we could be witnessing something special with Smith here? I mean, it’s a rare occurrence when a goalie has some good seasons in his late-30s, early-40s and I do wonder if he’s poised to do something crazy for the Oilers… 

Who is your bet to be the biggest surprise at training camp, both good and bad?

  • “I’d be surprised if Kyle Turris can bounce back in any meaningful way. Would certainly be a positive if he did.” – Brownlee

BLH’s Thoughts: Tyler Benson winning a spot out of camp would surprise me and Xavier Bourgault staying for the entirety of training camp would be a bit of a shock too, but I think there’s a universe where both could happen. 

How big of an impact do you expect Evan Bouchard to have and where do you see him in the lineup come January?

  • “Bouchard turns 22 in October. It is interesting to see how many players physically mature between 21 and 22 and he has. He is noticeably bigger and I believe he will be paired with Nurse by January.” – Gregor

BLH’s Thoughts: Yeah, I think this is the overwhelming feeling amongst pundits keeping a close eye on Bouchard. If he’s not pairing up with Darnell by the new year, he’ll be there shortly after.

What does Duncan Keith have to do this year to make the organization happy?

  • “He needs to be a legitimate top-four defenseman who can handle consistently going up against the other team’s best players. He also has to kill penalties.” – Yaremchuk

BLH’s Thoughts: The organization is already ecstatic with him on the team. I think the question should be, what does he have to do to make the fanbase happy? The answer to that is, outscore Connor McDavid for the scoring title, beat up Matthew Tkachuk, coax Wayne Gretzky out of retirement for at least one more game with the Oilers, and score the series-clinching GWG in the Stanley Cup final. 

Anything less than that and the fanbase will be disappointed. 

The Hockey Writers (Couch)

Oilers Can Fill Larsson Void with Newcomer Ceci
  • Ceci shouldn’t have the most difficult time making up for what the Oilers lost in Larsson, as he has been playing that role for nearly as long throughout his entire career.
  • When it comes to physicality, Larsson has the edge, but at the cost of spending much more time in the box. 
  • Ceci is able to play at a high level while also avoiding putting his team at a disadvantage. He received some recognition for this in 2014-15, when he received votes for the Lady Byng Award.
  • Larsson’s defensive zone start percentage (dZS%) was 60.3 during his tenure in Edmonton. Ceci joins the team with a career dZS% of 60.7, showing that he can more easily acclimate himself to the role he will be playing for the Oilers.
  • With a possible Duncan Keith pairing, these two will probably be the shutdown pair and be the go-to duo matching up against top opposing lines.
  • Ceci joins the Oilers with a different attitude than what Larsson had, as he is on a fair deal and there is no trade to live up to.

BLH’s Thoughts: I wasn’t aware that Ceci started so many of his shifts in the defensive zone. Did Adam Larsson cost the Oilers a lot of games with his penalties? I can’t really recall off the top of my head a meaningful game where Larsson took a bad penalty and it cost his team. Besides, I don’t mind a rugged defender sitting for two minutes if he saves his club from a goal against. 

My prediction with Ceci is that he’s going to be a very unspectacular defenseman like Geoff Smith was in the 90s for the Oilers. I mean Smith fought a few guys now and then but that was part of the deal, right? Check out this fight of Smith pummeling Rob Ray! Bet you didn’t think that ever happened.

The Daily Goal Horn

Pettersson Contract
  • Per CapFriendly, Vancouver has around $10 million in cap space to get deals done. The expectation is that it will take more than that to sign Pettersson and Quinn Hughes.
    • “I want to stay [in Vancouver], but I also want to play for a team that’s winning and has the chance to go far into the playoffs every year,” Pettersson said in a recent Swedish interview. 
P.K. Subban will be trade bait this season
  • The 32 year-old defenseman scored 19 points in 44 games on a struggling Devils team last season. P.K.also has one year remaining on his contract that comes with a $9 million AAV. New Jersey signed Dougie Hamilton to a monster long-term deal worth $9 million a year this summer making Subban expendable.
Sharks Rumors
  • Elliotte Friedman noted that the Montreal Canadiens prior to trading for Christian Dvorak spoke with the Sharks about Hertl, and the Capitals about Evgeny Kuznetsov. Another team Montreal called were the Flames about Sean Monahan.
  • As for Evander Kane, he has no trade market and is a buyout candidate.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Drafting NHLers Beyond the 1st Round and Depth Scoring in 2021-22

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!

Cult of Hockey (McCurdy)

Edmonton Oilers’ struggles to fill depth roles from within are both real and spectacular
  • If a team doesn’t get to the third D in “draft, develop, and deploy”, what have they really accomplished?
  • It’s undeniable that the Oilers have built their core through the draft, but almost all of that has come with high-first-round picks, themselves earned on (de)merit coupled with a wee bit of luck in the draft lottery.
  • Holland had the reputation for doing just that in Detroit, where he was the incumbent for so long he essentially was the institutional memory. Draft, develop, deploy. Not just the famous steals like Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, but long-term support players like Valtteri Filppula, Johan Franzen, Jimmy Howard, Jonathan Eriksson, Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm, Gus Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, and more. Day 2 selections, all.
  • Where are those players on the Oilers? Holland hasn’t had enough time to develop the new ones, he’s turned the page on several of the old ones, and the list was thin on the ground at the best of times.
  • I remain convinced that the organization sorely needs to develop a few “lifers” from the shallow end of the talent pool who beat the odds to first make the club, then stick around for a while.

BLH’s Thoughts: I encourage you to read this article in its entirety because Mr. McCurdy goes on to contrast how the Oilers dynasty teams were built with the team that is currently attempting to become a dynasty. He talks about current teams in the league whose rosters are stabilized by homegrown draft picks from the 2nd round on like Tampa, the Islanders, and even the Calgary Flames. 

It’s no shock to anybody that this current version of the Edmonton Oilers is propped up by first round picks and it’s not yet at that point to where we can say, “Look at all the players selected in the latter rounds of the draft that are populating this championship team!”, but I’d say it’s coming. 

The likes of Tyler Benson, Rafa Lavoie, Ryan McLeod, Dmitri Samorukov, Stu Skinner, Ilya Konovalov, Carter Savoie, Markus Niemelainen, and Tyler Tullio have been drafted, their being developed, what remains is to see if they’ll be deployed… Nevertheless, that’s a fine list of hockey players 

The Athletic (Mitchell)

Oilers’ reasonable expectations for 2021-22: Goal scoring
  • In order to have success in the coming season, the Oilers will need to rely on Leon Draisaitl (18.5 shooting percentage last season) and Connor McDavid (16.5) to carry the team to new heights.
  • Add in Ken Holland’s summer moves, almost all designed to increase scoring at the expense of defensive play, and the Oilers will draw blood early and often in 2021-22.
  • I’m projecting an increase (25 goals over 82 games) for the Oilers forward group. In looking at the move from the Canadian division, the condensed schedule, and other factors, the increase in goals will likely be spread across the roster
  • The depth of the offensive ability on defence is substantially more powerful the moment Bouchard gains the confidence of the coaching staff and is allowed to wheel. That should come this season.
  • I have the Oilers scoring 289 goals in the season to come; an average of 3.52 goals per game.
  • Edmonton should be among the highest-scoring teams in the NHL next season. Most of the moves made by Holland over the summer were designed to improve the Oilers in this area.

BLH’s Thoughts: Lowetide is also of the opinion that we’re going to see a resurgence of some 1980’s scoring from the Oilers. I’m not sure if he tossing in some hyperbole or if he actually believes this team is capable of winning some 10-7 games. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt since he was there to watch the dynasty Oilers and if he says scoring is coming, then you’d best believe Connor McDavid and Co. will be twinkling the twine more consistently this season. 

Now, my question is, who, aside from the usual suspects, will be increasing their goal output in 2021-22? Where is the goal scoring going to spread out to? Warren Foegele is expecting to contribute from the 3rd line, Derek Ryan is being touted as somebody who’ll score more than Gaetan Haas and Jujhar Khaira have for the Oilers in the past, I think Zack Kassian, Kailer Yamamoto, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will rebound to some extent, and then there’s the ever-developing Jesse Puljujarvi. Pulju should be good for at least 20 goals, no? How many goals is Zach Hyman good for?

I’m sure the defense will see the offense spread out as well, but I’ve got a more pressing query. Who’s going to regress? Nurse? Barrie? McDavid? Draisaitl? Picking those guys to come back to Earth is a bit like swiping the low-hanging fruit though since they did so well last season. 

I don’t know, what do you think? 

Spector’s Hockey

SPORTSNET:In their latest “31 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the aftermath of the Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer-sheet saga. Friedman believes Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin may have called around asking about San Jose’s Tomas Hertl, Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov and Calgary’s Sean Monahan. Bergevin acquired Christian Dvorak from the Arizona Coyotes almost immediately after declining to match the Kotkaniemi offer sheet.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy reports multiple sources confirmed the Bruins, on more than one occasion, explored what it would take to acquire P.K. Subban from the New Jersey Devils. At the same time, they hope to convince the Devils to pick up half of his $9 million cap hit for this season. Murphy also said the Toronto Maple Leafs had “more than lukewarm interest” in Subban.

Nicholas J. Cotsonika believes the Seattle Kraken still needs more firepower up front. He wonders if they have enough depth at center with Yanni Gourde sidelined for at least the opening month of the season recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

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

One Edmonton Oiler Who May Benefit Greatly from the Addition of Zach Hyman and It’s Not Connor McDavid

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!

Copper N Blue (Hodgkinson)

The Copper and Blue 2021 Top 25 Under 25: #23 Maxim Denezhkin

Club: Lokomotiv Yaroslav
Age: 20
Pos: Center
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 170lbs
Shoots: L

  • When Denezhkin was drafted he was viewed as a versatile forward who could put up a decent amount of points on the top Russian junior team.
  • He was expected to eventually make the jump to the KHL to play for Locomotiv Yaroslav but, for whatever reason, he has only managed to appear in a measly two games with the big club.
  • …he was able to show off some impressive passing plays and solid improvement in his game after a few shaky years in junior.
  • The hope is that he can eventually make that permanent jump to the KHL this coming season where he can show how he competes against top-end talent…
  • The Oilers do hold the rights to Denezkhin for the foreseeable future and should be keeping a close eye on him as he continues his development.
  • …it is clear that the Oilers took a long-term gamble on Denezkhin.

BLH’s Thoughts: I tend not to spend too much time worrying about the development of 7th round picks let alone ones from Russia.
I am curious about the potential plan with this guy though as it seems Edmonton’s top-6 is pretty much set for the next 5-8 years. Now, if Holland is still around and Denezhkin, aged 25 or older at that point, is a star in the KHL, where would he slot in as a sub-6ft left-shot forward who most likely will be a Tyler Ennis-type? Does the club see him as an impact piece from the third line?
I do agree with Hodgkinson that Denezhkin is a long-term project though and the reason is not because he was picked in the last round of the draft, it’s because the good Russian players tend to get promoted quickly with the rest left to develop at a slower pace. Denezhkin was promoted but almost immediately sent back to his junior team and that tells me that his future is cloudy at best, even for the KHL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF8IuU95NMU

The Hockey Writers (Panganiban)

Oilers’ Nugent-Hopkins & Kassian Poised for Bounce-Back Seasons

On Kassian:

  • Heading into the 2021-22 season, Oilers fans can expect Kassian to have a bounce-back season.
  • He’s the type of player who excels in the playoffs, laying big hits and chipping in offensively.
  • Most importantly, he’s the type of player that feeds off that energy off of the crowd. Looking back at the 2017 playoffs, he was throwing his body around heavily and playing to the crowd.
  • This year, fans will be allowed back into arenas (fingers crossed), primed with pent-up energy to release and ready to cheer on their team. An electrified Rogers Place will be beneficial for Kassian and it will help him find his game that made him a favorite in fan’s eyes.

BLH’s Thoughts: This is the narrative going around right now and I can buy it. It makes a lot of sense to me too, but I would argue that without fans last year, Kassian was finding his feet again only to go down with an injury.

I reckon this will be a showcase season for Kass and probably the last one he spends in Edmonton. These kind of players tend not to spend too long with one club and he’s getting up there in age. Is there a chance that he’s moved along next summer to address a roster need elsewhere?

Whatever happens, Kassian has joined a special list of enforcers who’ve played for the Oilers and his legend will carry on long after he’s skated his last shift for Edmonton.

On Nuge:

  • The Oilers led the NHL in power-play percentage last year at 27 percent, and Nugent-Hopkins was a big part of that. With the addition of Hyman, the Oilers have a player that can provide the dominant net-front presence on the power play, something that has been lacking since the prime days of Ryan Smyth.
  • With goalies screened, Nugent-Hopkins will have the opportunity to bury more of his deceptive snapshots from the left side, or picking up more assists— while others bury his juicy rebounds.
  • With less contract distractions, peace of mind knowing his stability with the team, new player additions, and the opportunity to play wing on a line with the last two Hart Trophy winners, expect Nugent-Hopkins’ point totals to increase this year.

BLH’s Thoughts: The last point here is the real kicker I feel. Last year, the distractions of his contract and a potential summer of uncertainty with regards to his long-term future, in my opinion, really played a part in RNH’s decline in production. So, I also believe that Nuge will bounce back next season and what I’m really wondering is how much of a rebound he’ll have. Could he get into the 70pt range or is that a tad optimistic?

NHLRumors.com

Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Latest notes on the top remaining restricted free agents.

  • 1. Quinn Hughes – Vancouver Canucks – A bridge deal may be the only solution for Hughes and the Canucks. He’s not eligible for an offer sheet.
  • 2. Elias Pettersson – Vancouver Canucks – Pettersson and Hughes agent JP Barry said earlier this offseason that given the Canucks salary cap situation, they won’t be able to do long-term deals for both players.
  • 3. Kirill Kaprizov – Minnestoa Wild – Kaprizov and the Wild may now be willing to comprimise on a mid-range deal, maybe five or six years.
  • 4. Brady Tkachuk – Ottawa Senators – Tkachuk has said he’s open to a long-term deal if the Senators are as well.
  • 5. Rasmus Dahlin – Buffalo Sabres – The safe bet would be a bridge deal.
  • 6. Nolan Patrick – Vegas Golden Knights – Patrick will get a fresh start with the Golden Knights and likely on a bridge deal.
Classic Captain Wendel, taking care of business once more! Click the pic and grab a shirt for yourself!