Edmonton Oilers Talk: “He’s never going to have a better chance at making this Oilers team”

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Edmonton Sun

For Oilers’ Tyler Benson, the long wait to become an NHLer may be over

Through two scrimmages, Benson, who has done all he can in the American Hockey League as a point-a-game player through 154 games, looks faster, with more giddy-up in his first step, more in the battle in Jujhar Khaira’s old number. So, we’ll see if it holds.
He’s never going to have a better chance at making this Oilers team because they are looking for a left-winger on the fourth-line and they saw how he worked on being a penalty-killer in Bakersfield to round out his game.
If we’re handicapping the field, it’s Benson’s LW spot on the fourth-line to lose. In camp, the Oilers have played fellow left-winger, Devin Shore at centre. Brendan Perlini, with 239 NHL games in Arizona, Chicago and Detroit, is certainly in the picture too after being signed to a two-way deal but the Oilers have more history with Benson.
On the bench: The Oilers sent Tyler Tullio back to Oshawa, Matvey Petrov to North Bay and injured Jake Chiasson to Brandon, and released Henry Rybinski, Luke Englot, goalie Ethan Kruger and Brady Burns from amateur invites.

BLH’s Thoughts: Sometimes in life a person can appear not to be taking the next step. For years they’ll be spinning their wheels and then one day you see that person and they’re a brand new individual. They finally got it and they’re on the road to success.

This happens in pro hockey as well. Look no further than Derek Ryan who toiled in the minors and European leagues for years before getting his shot at the NHL right before turning 30 years old.

Now, I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch, but Tyler Benson has just return from training with Apollo Creed in LA and he’s got the eye of the tiger. Making the Edmonton Oilers out of camp would be his victory over Clubber Lang.

Oilersnation

Random Thoughts

I know that we tend to hear the whole “he’s in the best shape of his life” thing a lot around these parts, but I wonder if that can actually make a difference for Kyle Turris here in Edmonton.
Can the 32-year-old vet bounce back when it looks like he’s already fallen off the cliff?
After I stopped laughing at how funny the news was that Peter Chiarelli landed a new management gig in St. Louis, it got me to thinking how dumb the hockey world really is.
I mean, how bad do you have to be at your job in this league before you’re off the list as a potential candidate for anything that comes up?
I can’t help but wonder how shallow the talent pool is if a disaster like Chiarelli keeps getting opportunities after the trainwreck he was responsible for here?

BLH’s Thoughts: It’s funny how the world works, isn’t it? I mean, Jason Gregor and Frank Seravalli recently hired Tyler Yaremchuk away from TSN to work with them on the DFO Rundown. Yaremchuk’s worked with Jason Gregor on Oilersnation for many years, but I wonder how that hiring process went? Do you think NN looked far and wide for the perfect candidate or did they simply go with a friend, somebody they trust more than a stranger?

Look, that’s no shot at Yaremchuk. He’s worked with Lowetide on his radio show for years as well as doing color for the Sherwood Park Crusaders (IIRC) of the AJHL. He obviously works hard, loves what he does, and knows the right people. Good for him!

All I’m saying is that the NHL is not all that different than most companies and organizations.

What’s getting old is that there are still some in Edmonton who can’t help but take a shot at Chiarelli whilst at the same time being completely ignorant to how many pieces of the current roster came from his time as GM of the team in addition to being the guy that built an Oilers squad who made the playoffs after ten years out of them.

Let it go… Be a better human and wish others well when fortune comes their way.

ProHockeyRumors.com

PHR Mailbag: Rangers, Lightning, Predictions, Bruins, Bounce Back Candidates, Penguins, PTOs

If the NYR are going to sign Zibanejad long term, what salaries do they move if they want to sign a front-line center?

Chris Kreider feels like the one that they’d try to move. His contract probably won’t age well and with the young wingers they have coming, he could be pushed down the depth chart in a hurry.

Could you see Drury dangling Kaapo Kakko and one of their plethora of young defense prospects to fill the hole they have at center?

If they had any inclination of trying to move Kakko for a center, it may make more sense to try to do it now. There’s some risk in that Kakko breaks out elsewhere but if he landed a promising young, cost-controllable pivot, it could be worth doing sooner than later.

Which prospect(s) from the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning will have the biggest impact?

I mentioned him in a recent mailbag but I’ll go again with Alex Barre-Boulet here. He produced at a high-end rate in junior. He went to the minors and produced at a high-end rate in both of his full seasons while averaging more than a point per game in limited action last year.

If the Bruins struggle to find a center who plays well with Hall, who are some centers that could be available as the trade deadline approaches that could be possible trade targets?

I’d look at someone like Joe Pavelski as a primary target if the Stars aren’t in the playoff race. Dallas would need to retain and Boston would still need to send a salary offset but if they’re making one last run with this core and their internal options can’t get the job done, I would be surprised if he wasn’t Plan ‘A’.

Disappointing year from more than a few players. Many of whom are still young but are certainly paid to be better. Who will bounce back and who will not?

Carter Hart will have a better defense in front of him and his track record before last season suggests he’ll be able to find his past form and give the Flyers a big boost in the standings.
I believe Pierre-Luc Dubois will rebound nicely with a full camp and season in Winnipeg and it’s a contract year for him as well, providing extra motivation.
I’m a bit uncertain about Sean Monahan. Calgary’s forward group is largely the same as it was last season and Darryl Sutter-coached teams aren’t known for a high-flying attack.
I’m not expecting a big improvement from Timo Meier though.