Category Archives: NHL

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

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Oilers Looking to Bring in a Forward on a PTO According to Gregor

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 (Gregor)

Oilers Roster with Salary Cap Considerations
  • With Oscar Klefbom starting the season on Long-Term Injury Reserve (LTIR), the Oilers will essentially have a salary cap of $85.6m, but because they are starting in LTIR, we could see some interesting roster shuffling to start the season.
  • …performance bonuses become a factor in how the cap works and could play a factor in who makes the opening day roster.
  • Philip Broberg ($850K) and Dylan Holloway ($400K) also have performance bonuses, and if the organization expects to recall them during the season, we could see one, or both, on the opening 23-man roster. They might only be there for one day, but having them on the opening day roster would give the Oilers room to recall them later.
    • If Broberg is on the opening day roster, then automatically his 850K potential performance bonuses is included… However, if the isn’t on the opening day roster, and because the Oilers will start the season in LTIR, if they recalled him during the season he would be considered a $1.713m cap hit, instead of his $863K cap hit.
    • Holloway is in the same boat, although his bonuses are lower. If he is on the opening day roster, then sent down, but recalled later during the season, he’d count at $925K on the cap instead of $1.325m…
  • Kailer Yamamoto will sign a one or two-year deal.
    • If Yamamoto signs a one-year deal I could see it around $1.5m. A two-year deal would be closer to $1.7m-$1.8m.
  • The Oilers are looking at potential PTOs. And it might not only be a D-man. They are looking at potential forward options.
    • Could we see Tyler Ennis on a PTO in Edmonton?
  • I expect Cooper Marody to sign a two-way deal with the Oilers. Considering he would be a group VI UFA after this season, look for it to be a one-year deal.

BLH’s Thoughts: Well doesn’t that information throw a screw into pre-training camp prognostications?… Those damned paper transactions! Then again, who’s going on waivers or being sent to Bakersfield (on paper?) so that the Oilers can save a few hundred thousand on the cap? Turris? Stalock? Lagesson? Koskinen?

I get that the club has some room under the 50-man cap to bring in some players, but where would they play IF they made the team? Are we expecting some forwards not to actually make the Oilers out of training camp thus opening up a spot? Has somebody been injured during off-season training because all we’ve heard this summer is that the club was looking to add another defenseman. Is it possible the Oilers are putting some pressure on the Yamamoto camp to get a deal signed? 

As for Ennis, I don’t mind him in short spurts, but I’m not sure the head coach is a big fan. My feeling is that, fancy stats aside, there are some better options out there like Alex Chiasson, Bobby Ryan, Alex Galchenyuk, Patrick Marleau, or Michael Del Colle. 

I don’t know why Marody doesn’t just head over to Europe and start racking up the points and the paychecks for a few seasons and then come back to get his music career started? You never know what might happen, right? Maybe he ends up going the Derek Ryan route and making this hockey thing work as an older player. 

Oilersnation (Brownlee)

Relentless
  • With 574 points in 407 games, he is already eighth in career franchise scoring and will pass Doug Weight, Ryan Smyth and Paul Coffey this season if he stays healthy.
  • As blessed with talent as he is, McDavid has shown he’s absolutely relentless when it comes to working on his game. I’m guessing that has something to do with the one piece of silverware that’s eluded him through his first six seasons with the Oilers.
  • McDavid has been back training since July and he’s spending this week at the BioSteel hockey camp in Ontario. McDavid told the Associated Press his focus is working on his defensive play and becoming a better all-around player.

BLH’s Thoughts: Did Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux have to deal with the “two-way” argument throughout the early parts of their careers? I mean, I love the fact that Connor wants to become a better player on the whole, but I don’t get the media attention directed at the other side of his game? 

What’s the rush? I’m surprised nobody’s suggested they put him on defense…

My guess is that we’re going to see a more rounded Edmonton Oilers team in 2021-22 and as a result, players like McDavid and Draisaitl, who a lot of people like to think of as one-trick ponies, will see their “against” metrics improve. 

The Hockey Writers

Canadiens Shopping the Offer Sheet Picks
  • Elliotte Friedman suggests in his latest 31 Thoughts podcast that the Canadiens will take the seven days they have to either match or not match the offer sheet from the Hurricanes for Jesperi Kotkaniemi and figure out what options they have if they don’t match. In that time, they’ll shop the first and third round picks that will come as compensation for an unmatched offer.
Eichel and Sabres Met With NHL
  • Friedman also reports that the Sabres and Eichel’s reps met with the NHL and NHLPA this past week and before Eichel moved to a different agent to see if any sort of resolution could be worked out. Friedman says he didn’t think either party got anywhere. In fact, he believes it was learned that both sides were going to dig in even deeper and their respective positions hadn’t changed.
Rangers Not Overwhelmed by Tom Wilson
  • “It’s not going to overtake the team,” Gerard Gallant explained. Saying the pieces they added are not a direct response to what Tim Wilson did to their team last season…
Latest on Tarasenko Trade Talk
  • Jeremy Rutherford provided an update on trade rumors involving forward Vladimir Tarasenko. When asked about who may still be interested he noted the Hurricanes; Rangers, and Islanders as the top teams.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Talk: “I’d bring him in despite the addition of Ryan”

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

LITTLE PTO.

PTO CANDIDATES

    1. RW Kyle Palmieri. I don’t see him coming to Edmonton, but it’s worth a call.
    2. LHD Zdeno Chara. I don’t care. I know he’s rumoured to be heading to Florida, but he’s No. 1 on my list until he signs.
    3. RHD Sami Vatanen. He appears to have lost his offense but the possession numbers and puck moving remain solid.
    4. RC Tyler Bozak. I’d bring him in despite the addition of Ryan. That’s a position where the Oilers have great utility, but one more RH pivot would be a wonderful luxury.
    5. RHD Michael Stone. He played 21 games (2-2-4) with possession stats around 50 percent. He is a veteran but past 30 and has some coverage gaps.
    6. RHD Jason Demers. He was 41, 0-4-4 with the Coyotes, outscored 21-34 and at 33 he may be done. You never know.
    7. LHD Erik Gustafsson. Surprised he’s still out there, and he does bring chaos, but this is a talented puck mover.
    8. RW Alex Chiasson. I would bring him back, he was effective in his Edmonton years.
    9. LW Michael Dal Colle. He’s a Glen Sather special. Former top pick looking for a second chance.

BLH’s Thoughts: So, take a look at that list and then ask yourself which ones would be eligible to play in Bakersfield, by choice or not. I’m talking your Perlini types and I don’t see more than one person on LT’s list there who’d be willing to play in the AHL. Michael Stone would because he has done it the last couple of years.

I think what also must be considered is that Edmonton will not have a lot of rookies on the team, so the majority of contracts on the roster this season will be one-way deals and that throws a wrench into things when bringing in potential PTOs. The Oilers have lots of room under the 50-man list, but just not a lot of room in the lineup. 

Oil on Whyte (Lynch)

Edmonton Oilers: Ten Storylines To Watch This Upcoming Season

1. Will Connor McDavid have another career year?

  • “McDavid had a remarkable regular season, putting up over 100 points in 56 games. Yet his year still ended with the same long summer and the same short postseason run. Maybe there will be an extra spark under him to see the team do well this season, or maybe some frustration will hurt his game. Time will tell.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Connor McDavid doesn’t need any help with motivation. We know that barring injury he’s going to have a very good season statistically and we also know that he’s had a hand building this year’s roster as well. All of the members of Edmonton’s leadership core have helped in that regard because Ken Holland has said as much. 

Frustration may help one bring more emotion to their game, but there’s not guarantee that positive results will follow. 

2. Is Leon Draisaitl going to outshine McDavid again?

  • “This team has the star power, and those stars are some of the best around the entire league, but for some reason or another, they just have not gotten it done during the postseason. Maybe Draisaitl can help lead the charge.”

BLH’s Thoughts: They haven’t gotten it down because the team hasn’t been as good. This isn’t basketball where two guys can bring a championship to a team. There are multiple variables that come into play, but you know that or else you wouldn’t be reading this. 

We shouldn’t be expecting Leon to outshine Connor or vice versa, we should hope that everybody on the team brings their ‘A’ game more often than not and it results in the Oilers winning the league’s final game of the year and hoisting the Stanley Cup over their heads.

3. Does Duncan Keith still have anything in the tank?

  • “I think this is one of the biggest question marks for this team. If Keith can go out and play great as he has in the past, then they have a heck of a player to help add depth on the back end behind Darnell Nurse, but if he is a liability that cannot be trusted in big situations, then the Oilers are in for a long season.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Elite hockey players tend to stave off the eventual downtrend in their games as their careers get longer. In Keith’s case, some believe he’s already in a free-fall but at the same time forget that Chicago has been a tire fire for a few seasons now. 

What will Duncan Keith look like on a better team with fewer responsibilities and if he wasn’t on the team and Darnell Nurse went down with injury, who would move up to the top-pair?

Two valid questions to consider.

4. How will the goalies perform?

  • “The regular season probably won’t be an issue for these two netminders. Fans have seen the Oilers outscore opponents for years, it is in the playoffs that goals get harder to come by, and teams with not as great goaltending fall – that is where the Oilers need to be careful.”

BLH’s Thoughts: An older more experienced defense will help Edmonton’s netminding, I’m convinced of that. 

5. Does Brendan Perlini find a spot?

  • ” I think Perlini is one of the team’s underrated acquisitions as it gives someone that deserves another chance in the NHL a chance in a bottom-six that is in desperate need of talent.”

BLH’s Thoughts: I wouldn’t say that the team is “in desperate need of talent”, but I’m split on Perlini. He’s a better/faster skater and shooter than Devin Shore and Tyler Benson, but the rest of his game is full of holes… 

6. Zach Hyman better bring a lot more than his contract

  • “Zach Hyman is an example of a player that got overpaid during free agency, but sometimes that is the price for a team that is desperate for talent. Hyman is a top-six forward that has been a great help on the Toronto Maple Leafs. The thing is, though, Toronto has a LOT of talent offensively, so whether or not Hyman really is the skilled player or just someone good with guys of high caliber remains to be seen.”

BLH’s Thoughts: How is Hyman an example of a player that got overpaid? He could’ve got one or two more million if he’d hit the market and he signed in Edmonton at a bit of a discount, if you ask me. 

So with that out of the way, how much does Hyman need to do to outperform his deal? 50pts/season? 60pts? More?

I’d say he should be producing at a rate similar to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, so between fifty and sixty points/yr. 

7. The Bottom Six Dilemma

  • “The best teams in the league, like the Tampa Bay Lightning, are able to roll four lines every night. It does not matter which line is on the ice; they are going to score goals, protect a lead, and basically overwhelm opponents any way they play. Edmonton needs to find a spark like that.”

BLH’s Thoughts: I agree and I think so does the team seeing as they went out and brought in proven bottom-six scorers Warren Foegele and Derek Ryan for the third line to replace JJ Khaira, Gaetan Haas, Dominik Kahun, etc. 

8. Holland and Tippett

  • “If the Oilers struggle early in a game, does Tippett get desperate and mess with the lines or bench players as much as he did during last season’s postseason?… The moves Holland makes from now until the end of the season will be critical to the team’s success, and I cannot wait to watch it all play out.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Spot on. This will be an interesting season to see how Tippett reacts to certain in-game scenarios now that his roster is that much deeper. 

The 2021-22 trade deadline should be something to marvel as well if the Oilers are in a very good position to make the playoffs. Conversely, if the team is struggling a bit, how will Ken Holland handle that?

9. Warren Foegele has a lot to prove

  • “It will be interesting to watch Foegele play this season and see if he can win over the fans as much as Bear did during his time here. Fans often hold a little resentment against players when they are a part of the trade that sends fan favorites away – even though it is not their fault.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Foegele is already behind the 8-ball with a portion of the fanbase. I hope he scores some big goals next season in order to get the ultras off his back or it’s going to be a long few years in Northern Alberta. 

10. Evan Bouchard already has a lot of pressure on him

  • “The Edmonton Oilers said goodbye to some fan favorites on the blue line, like Adam Larsson; a loss to the team very few expected. The other guys like Caleb Jones and Ethan Bear were also surprises that could have been avoided. The Oilers are moving on from those two young guys to make room for another, Evan Bouchard.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Evan Bouchard will make the fans forget about Ethan Bear, Caleb Jones, and Adam Larsson before the end of October. That’s my story, it has been since that trio left the club, and I’m going to stick to it. 

The Daily Goal Horn

The Eichel to Canadiens trade rumors are starting back up again

On his last podcast, Elliotte Friedman started to speculate that the Canadiens may not match the Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer sheet from the Hurricanes. Instead, they will take the first round pick and third round pick as compensation and use it in a package for Eichel.

  • “I’m not sure Montreal is big in the Jack Eichel sweepstakes,” Friedman began. “There’s a long history between Pat Brisson and Marc Bergevin. I just wonder if this changes the dynamic between the Sabres and the Canadiens at all.”

The relationship between Brisson and Bergevin could be a small factor, but the key here is the additional picks the Habs could get as compensation to add to their previous package. Or maybe they match and send Kotkaniemi to Buffalo as part of the deal.

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

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: “Jason Demers would be a good addition.”

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 – What will be considered a successful season?

Seeing as the Oilers are low on cap space, do you think they will be able to offer some PTOs to anyone ahead of training camp? If so, is there anyone that interests you?

  • “If possible a veteran RD… Jason Demers would be a good addition.” – Gregor

BLH’s Thoughts: I was going through Demers’ fights on Youtube to see if he could bring some grit to Edmonton and I’ve come to the conclusion that if the Oilers need someone who’s willing to get beat up, Jason Demers is your man… Good lord! I love that he’s willing to get in there but man, he’s been fed a lot of knuckle sandwiches in his career. 

Bob Stauffer was talking about Michael Stone, but he also commented that Calgary may come around on him again. Also, the right-shot defender that Edmonton is looking at would most likely be for the AHL with the ability to get called up in a pinch. Stauffer added that this player would get paid 250k-300k to play in the minors and that that is a substantial amount of money for that sort of player.

Do you think the Oilers have enough toughness on the roster?

  • “They have players who will drop the gloves if necessary, like Nurse and the newly-added Zach Hyman, plus Zack Kassian is still around. That’s more than enough in the modern league.” – Lewis

BLH’s Thoughts: The team is a lot “tougher” this year than it was last year with the additions of Keith, Ceci, Foegele, Hyman, and Ryan.

Those players might not strike you as tough, but they know how to play hockey the Don Cherry way if need be. We can’t forget about Killer Yamamoto, Josh Archibald, Devin Shore, and even Tyson Barrie has a mean streak if you push him enough. 

The team has an adequate amount of “toughness”, in my opinion.

Based on how the team is built today, do you think the Oilers have made enough improvements to not only make the playoffs but to get past the first round?

  • “I think the Oilers are deeper and more balanced at forward and marginally better on the blueline, although that will hinge on Evan Bouchard’s readiness to be a full-time player. Biggest question for me is in goal. If I have to say today, I see the Oilers and Vegas battling it out atop the Pacific Division. I see the Oilers making the second round.” – Brownlee

BLH’s Thoughts: There will be more additions, mark my words. At the trade deadline, the Oilers will bring in somebody of note that should get the fanbase excited. 

If the goaltending is simply average, maybe Ken Holland will go out and grab a netminder. If the scoring is down, perhaps he brings in a top-six forward. Maybe the defense isn’t as tough as Coach Tippett wants it, that’s where Holland goes out and grabs his cycle-breaker. 

It’s “Go Time” and Edmonton’s GM knows it. 

Which newcomer are you most interested to watch in their first season with the Oilers and why?

  • “Duncan Keith. He will likely average the most minutes of any new player, and thus his play (good or bad) will play a significant role. I think he will be better than some think.” – Gregor

BLH’s Thoughts: Keith is good shout, Foegele and Hyman are obviously peaking the curiosity of most, but I wonder how Cody Ceci will be? He was highly touted coming out of junior and started out well, but fell on hard times until last year in Pittsburgh. 

I’m wondering if Ceci is one of those dmen who find their mojo after a few tours in the league. I mean, I could be wrong, but weren’t those teams in Ottawa and Toronto below average? Pittsburgh was a good team and he had really decent numbers, so is his deal that he plays better on better teams? We’re about to find out. 

As we approach the start of the 2021-22 NHL season, I wonder what everyone would consider to be a successful season for the Edmonton Oilers?

  • “They need to get through the first round to make this a success for me. Not an easy task to be sure, but we have to raise the bar around what’s acceptable around here.” – baggedmilk

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t think the 2nd round of the playoffs is out of the question for this squad. You’d like them to win the division, but for me that’s less of a concern. I just want the club to make it to the dance and then mop up the floor with whomever they face.

The Athletic (Pronman)

NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 25 Edmonton Oilers betting on Kailer Yamamoto to separate from rest

1. Kailer Yamamoto, RW – “I think Yamamoto has skill. It’s not the type of elite skill and playmaking you’d like at his size, but it’s good enough to be a useful scorer in the NHL and create chances. 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.”

2. Dylan Holloway, C – “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.”

3. Evan Bouchard, RHD – “I see for sure an NHL player, with the possibility to be a good top-four defenseman… 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.”

4. Philip Broberg, LHD – “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, but he needs to be a more consistent all-around player.”

5. Xavier Bourgault, C – “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.”

6. Ryan McLeod, C – “I think he has offense, he shows good flashes of skill and he has great vision, but it might not be enough to be a true scorer in the NHL. I see a bottom-six forward and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned into a true middle-six forward.”

7. Raphael Lavoie, RW – “He looks like a player who should pop consistently with his talent. Those moments don’t happen too often due to a lack of speed in his game, and an effort level that comes and goes on top of playing too much on the perimeter. I still see too much scoring ability that I think Lavoie finds a way to be a bottom six winger.”

HM: Dmitri Samorukov, Tyler Tullio, Matvei Petrov, Stuart Skinner, Olivier Rodrigue

BLH’s Thoughts: Notice anything similar about most of those players? High levels of character and work ethic. At the very least, every one of those skaters should play in the NHL and to me, that’s a change in drafting philosophy that I embrace. 

You can use every pick you have on the highest skilled player available if you want to and you might hit on a couple, but all-star teams never win championships because they don’t have the required attributes that would see them block a shot with their teeth or horse collar somebody on the opposite team that took liberties with a teammate. 

Since Chiarelli’s days, the Oilers scouting staff have targeted players with excellent work rate, sandpaper, and a burning desire for success. Leaders, if you will, and the choice to pivot their focus will pay massive dividends down the road for the organization.

NHLTradeRumor.com

On John Klingberg

John Klingberg is entering the final year of his seven-year contract, and is part of one of the deepest top-fours in the NHL. Klingberg, 29, has one year remaining with $4.25 cap hit (actual salary of $6 million).

Mike Heika of NHL.com reports Klingberg is looking to get a long-term extension done, but Klingberg has placed himself statistically in a very high dollar range while at the same time getting to an age where a long-term deal might not be best for the team.

It is likely the Stars will not be able to afford a high AVV long-term deal… Do the Stars keep him for a Stanley Cup run or trade him and get assets in return instead of losing him for nothing.

On Montreal’s Next Move

If Kotkaniemi joins the Hurricanes, the Canadiens would receive a first-round pick and a third-round pick at the 2022 NHL Draft as compensation. The Habs could use that as part of a package to land Eichel. The Sabres will also likely ask for Cole Caulfield as part of a package.

Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports the Canadiens could now be strong suitors in the Jack Eichel sweepstakes.

If Bergevin really wants to cause a ruckus in the NHL, if he looses Kotkaniemi to the Hurricanes, he could also go the route of an offer sheet and offer one to Vancouver Canucks star forward Elias Pettersson.

On Christian Dvorak

Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports if the Montreal Canadiens do not match the Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer sheet could GM Marc Bergevin look to shed some of acquired draft picks to trade for Coyotes centre Christian Dvorak?

Elliotte Friedman earlier this offseason reported that the San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers also had interest in Dvorak.

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: “… any team coming in with an offer sheet above $3-million would put the Oilers in a precarious position.”

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

Connor McDavid’s NHL MVP defence begins with defensive improvement
  • McDavid is widely considered the best player in the world but at 24 he said he feels he is just entering his prime. Last season he put up 21 more points than the next-closest player — teammate Leon Draisaitl — and had the best faceoff percentage of his career, yet there’s still room to improve.
    • “It’s lots of battle drills, lots of little 1-on-1 things, scrimmage stuff — just trying to stop on pucks, get into some battles and really focus on that,” he said. “For me that’s always kind of where the defensive game slips is when I’m not dialled into those details and stopping on pucks and supporting guys and doing all that.”
  • According to analytics data, McDavid ranks 100 per cent offensively at even strength and 66 percent on the defensive end.
    • “Heading into my seventh year, you realize that you’ve always got to be building on your game, growing your game and working on a full, 200-foot game. It takes some growing up to kind of realize that. I’ve definitely gone through that process.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Ya know, Connor McDavid is so good offensively that I really don’t give two shits if his defensive game progresses. I think the club could do a better job of building out the roster so that everybody’s defensive metrics improve as a result. I mean, he’s going to have to excellent 200ft wingers on his flanks this year in Hyman and Puljujarvi, so what are we really getting at here? 

I think when 97’s two-way game gets brought up, it’s just a talking point because no player can be perfect. He’s not going to get 100s in both offense and defense, it simply doesn’t work that way and to think it does is wishful thinking. 

McDavid has one responsibility right now, score, and that’s hard enough as it is.

The good thing about the Oilers captain is that he’s always striving to get better, so I’ll bet that by the time he’s 29, his defense will be better. By the time he’s 32 or 33, it will be even more improved. 

So can we get back to what really matters and start digging into what brand of sock tape he’s using?

Oilersnation (Laing)

Should the Edmonton Oilers be concerned about a Kailer Yamamoto offer sheet?
  • He’s appeared in 105 NHL games and has scored 20 goals and 52 points in that time. This next deal, much like that of Kotkaniemi’s, is his first outside of his ELC.
  • A Yamamoto offer sheet could put the Oilers in a serious bind. The Oilers have around $3-million in cap space when you account for Oscar Klefbom destined for the LTIR and I could see the team wanting to bring in an extra body or two on offence and defence.
  • …money-wise, any team coming in with an offer sheet above $3-million would put the Oilers in a precarious position. The offer sheet compensation for any deal between $2,055,365 and $4,110,732 would be a second-round pick.
  • The teams that could offer that compensation would be the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators and the Seattle Kraken.
  • The number of teams that could offer between $4,110,733 – $6,166,096 and the 1st and 3rd round pick compensation that follows shrinks more: Arizona, Buffalo, Detroit, Minnesota, Nashville, New Jersey, Ottawa and Seattle.

BLH’s Thoughts: This post made me literally laugh out loud. It was only a matter of time before somebody in the Oilogosphere threw this post out there. 

First off, if anybody wanted to come in and offersheet Yamamoto, the only way they’d be putting Edmonton in a bind is if the Oilers matched it. 

Second, who’s going to give a winger who scored TWO goals in his last 30 games an offer sheet of any substance?

Third, and no disrespect to Kailer, Edmonton’s got the pieces to replace him if he’s not in the lineup. Giving them more cap room only serves to help the team down the road, not hurt them. 

I don’t see any team’s trying to pull one over on Ken Holland by tempting Yamo with big money. My feeling is that the Oilers would trade him before that happened. 

Now, that being said, Jesse Puljujarvi is a prime target to be poached by another team as his contract expires next summer. The Oilers will not have a lot of extra cash in the upcoming campaigns and Jesse has certainly shown he’s got what it takes to be a top-six winger, plus with his size and two-way game, there will certainly be a lot of other teams who’d be interested in his services and dropping a few draft picks might be worth it to them. If Ken Holland wants to keep this player in tow, his best plan of action might be to get him under contract ASAP. 

Spector’s Hockey

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Jeremy Rutherford provided an update on the trade status of St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko. He believes the Carolina Hurricanes remain interested as they need scoring help, especially on the power play. The New York Rangers could also be among the suitors.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski suggests the Carolina Hurricanes’ signing Jesperi Kotkaniemi could affect the Jack Eichel trade market. If the Montreal Canadiens don’t match it, they’ll receive the Hurricanes’ first-round pick and their third-round pick in next year’s NHL Draft.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Luke DeCock acknowledged the salary-cap issues facing the Hurricanes if they successfully sign away Kotkaniemi from the Canadiens. He speculates one way to address it is by placing defenseman Jake Gardiner and his $4.050 million cap hit on long-term injury reserve.

BLH’s Thoughts:

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

The Biggest Wild Card Heading into Edmonton Oilers 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!

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The Athletic (Mitchell)

Lowetide: Projecting the 2021-22 Edmonton Oilers opening night lineup

  • The team will be more offensively focused in the year to come, with shutdown defender Adam Larsson now with the expansion Seattle Kraken and no obvious replacement in sight.
  • Dave Tippett will be able to ice a lineup with six defencemen capable of passing the puck well on outlet passes leaving the Oilers’ zone.
  • If the Oilers are all about owning the puck, forechecking and backchecking? Music. The top-end talent on this team will be able to outscore all comers if the team is winning the possession game on all four lines.
  • Dylan Holloway is a complete wild card at this point. He could rock training camp, land on a skill line and force all kinds of movement among the forward group and projected lines. If his Wisconsin season is a real reflection of Holloway’s skill, Edmonton won’t be able to keep him off the roster.

Zach Hyman-Connor McDavid-Jesse Puljujarvi
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins-Leon Draisaitl-Kailer Yamamoto
Warren Foegele-Derek Ryan-Zack Kassian
Tyler Benson-Ryan McLeod-Josh Archibald

(extras: Devin Shore, Kyle Turris)

Darnell Nurse-Tyson Barrie
Duncan Keith-Cody Ceci
Kris Russell-Evan Bouchard

(extra: Slater Koekkoek)

Mike Smith
(Mikko Koskinen)

BLH’s Thoughts: I’d love to be proved wrong, but I don’t think there are going to be any big surprises this year and Tippett likes to carve down his training camp roster early so that he can get to work preparing for the season with the main group. 

Now, where a player slots in the lineup? We may see some different looks in that regard. 

One quick question though, if you’re Coach Tippett and you know you’ve only got seven games in the first month of the year, do you stack the roster with vets and risk losing the likes of Tyler Benson and Alex Stalock on waivers, or do you take that handful of games to give the unlikelies a run to see what they’ve got?

Oilersnation (Laing)

Pettiness and tidy business: The Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer sheet is amazing
  • Many will remember the Montreal Canadiens issuing an offer sheet to Sebastian Aho in 2019. It was a weird one, however, as it was the easiest match the Canes could’ve had. The offer sheet was a five-year deal with an AAV of $8.46-million and while it was heavy on signing bonus’, again, it was easy for them to accept.
  • For the Canadiens now, however, things are ever so different.
    • Carolina has forced them into a bind by signing Kotkaniemi to a one-year, $6,100,015 dollar deal with a $20 signing bonus. 15 is Kotkaniemi’s number, while Aho’s is 20. Cheeky.
  • But the Habs might be better off not matching the deal. For one, Kotkaniemi isn’t a $6.1-million NHL player. In fact, he might only be a third-liner at this point.
  • …while a qualifying offer will be expensive next year, they (Carolina) could also look at negotiating a longer-term deal at a lower AAV.
  • If the Habs want to match the offer, they’ll need to find a way to move out a large chunk of salary while Kotkaniemi would become one of the highest played players on the team.

BLH’s Thoughts: It is what it is. The Habs should probably take the picks and cap room and focus on finding themselves a center. I mean, you’ve got to wonder if the Jack Eichel rumors pick up in Montreal, right? Or now I’m reading that Elias Pettersson could get an offer sheet of his own?

I say there should be more of this kind of stuff from an entertainment POV. I’d love to see somebody get into it with Vegas’ though as they seem to give zero f*cks about anything and they’re intent on doing whatever it takes to win no matter who gets hurt in the process. 

Who knows? Maybe Marc Bergevin, where ever he is, waits until Seth Jarvis is an RFA and sends him an offer sheet… 

Spector’s Hockey

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the Carolina Hurricanes signing Montreal Canadiens center Jesperi Kotkaniemi to an offer sheet on Saturday. Friedman said the Hurricanes had discussed the possibility of a trade for Kotkaniemi with the Canadiens but couldn’t work out a deal. He thinks the Hurricanes informed the Canadiens of their intention to sign Kotkaniemi to an offer sheet, probably within 24 hours of doing so.

SPORTSNET: Eric Engels speculates Bergevin could target Arizona Coyotes center Christian Dvorak. The Habs GM will have some extra draft capital with the first- and third-round picks he’d get from the Hurricanes as compensation.

TVA SPORTS: Yvon Pedneault also thinks Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin will be working the phones to find a suitable, affordable replacement. He speculates he’ll target teams that have to reduce payroll before the start of the season.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski recently examined four possible rental centers for the Penguins if Evgeni Malkin should be sidelined by knee surgery longer than expected.

Flames Suck. Click the pic and get a shirt.