Coming from an Edmonton Oilers point of view, BLH provides you with excerpts from the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation from all of the internet’s best sites including Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, The Athletic, TSN and more!
From Oilersnation
Edmonton Oilers “juggling multiple balls” as they re-evaluate goaltending position
In a Friday 31 thoughts column from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, he noted the Oilers are looking at different options.
- “In goal, it sounds like they are juggling multiple balls, from Mike Smith to someone younger.”
From the outside looking in, it seems to be “Oilers or bust” for the goaltender.
The Oilers have a few things working in their favour this offseason: they have lots of cap space, a decent amount of moveable assets, a desire to get better, and some available goaltenders that could make the team better.
Ilya Konovalov could also surprise people in his transition to North America. All in all, these next few weeks are going to be really interesting to see what happens.
BLH’s Thoughts: The Konovalov kid really is a bit of a wildcard, isn’t he. He could come in and really make things difficult for the Oilers if he has a great camp and Holland has already brought somebody in.
You know what we might see? We may very well see the goaltending position sorted out very close to the beginning of the 2021-22 season. What I mean is that Holland could still re-sign Mike Smith but wait and get more of a feeling on the Russian netminder and the market for Mikko Koskinen before committing to a more permanent situation.
From NHLRumors.com
Trade and free agent options for the Devils
Corey Masisak of The Athletic: The New Jersey Devils could use some help on the blue line. There are some teams who could be looking to trade one before the expansion draft so they don’t lose someone for nothing.
Some potential pre-expansion draft trade options include Connor Clifton (Bruins), Colin Miller (Sabres), Nick Leddy (Islanders), Cal Foote (Lightning), Jake Bean (Hurricanes), Travis Dermott (Maple Leafs), Vince Dunn (Blues), and Mathew Dumba (Wild).
Other trade options could include Dougie Hamilton (Hurricanes), Seth Jones (Blue Jackets), Rasmus Ristolainen (Sabres), Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler or Josh Manson from the Ducks, Ryan Ellis or Mattias Ekholm from the Predators
BLH’s Thoughts: The Devils have that extra 1st rounder from the Islanders this year and $35M in cap space, they should be gunning for a Matthew Dumba or a Rasmus Ristolainen. I think the Ducks want a first round pick and they’re looking to package Rickard Rakell and Josh Manson to get the best return possible.
Either way, NJ has to get on their horse sorting this roster out because next season they’ll have two forwards from their NHL roster contracted past 2021-22, Nico Hischier and Andreas Johnsson, two defensemen (Damon Severson, Jonas Siegenthaler, and goalie MacKenzie Blackwood.
From NHLRumors.com
Vegas Golden Knights on the hunt for Jack Eichel
Dan Kingerski of National Hockey NOW: Again, Vegas needs a number one center in the worst way as Peter DeBoer has soured on Cody Glass. That leaves Chandler Stephenson as their number one center and this does not sit well with the Golden Knights apparently.
So, naturally, Vegas is looking around for options. One of them happens to be Jack Eichel. Now, the Buffalo Sabres’ center still expects to have surgery on his neck at some point. Teams have explored Eichel’s medical records and Vegas, despite that, is still sniffing around.
Kevyn Adams wants as many as four to six pieces for Jack Eichel. This is even with the circumstances surrounding the Eichel injury. Teams do not care. They feel that they are getting an all-world hockey player.
BLH’s Thoughts: At this point, I fully expect Jack Eichel to be playing for Vegas next season, don’t you? They’ll have to sell off some players for pennies on the dollar, but they’ve shown an ability to do just that in the past to get their guy since joining the league.
What’s to stop them from moving Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, Max Pacioretty, and Marc-Andre Fleury this summer and opening up $24M in cap space?
From The Athletic
Lowetide: 10 free agents for the Oilers to target this offseason
This is a fantastic year for quality free agents. Here are the 10 names that a hard-target search reveals are the best available candidates for Edmonton in its current situation.
1. Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes
If there’s one move Holland could make that would send fans the message that now is the time to win, signing Dougie Hamilton would be it.
2. Linus Ullmark, Buffalo Sabres
Linus Ullmark led the woeful Sabres to a 9-6-3 record when he played for the team in 2020-21; the team went 6-28-4 without him. Ullmark’s save percentage at five-on-five in 2020-21 (.937) put him in the top five in the category and kept Buffalo in every game. He is 27, the cap hit shouldn’t cost the moon.
At five-on-five, he can push the river, he is able to transport the puck from his own zone into the opposition end and set up an offensive sequence all by himself.
4. Blake Coleman, Tampa Bay Lightning
As an option for McDavid’s left wing, Coleman is perfect. His speed, two-way ability, aggressiveness everywhere and legitimate skill make him a going concern across all 200 feet.
5. Adam Larsson, Edmonton Oilers
Last season, Puck IQ marked him playing over 300 minutes (over 30 percent of his overall minutes) and winning the possession battle (Dangerous Fenwick is smart Corsi) by a 53.7 percent total.
6. Brandon Saad, Colorado Avalanche
He has size, speed and two-way acumen. He isn’t a driver like Hall but a top-level complementary winger (similar to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) with a pristine resume.
7. Jake McCabe, Buffalo Sabres
Puck IQ has him playing big minutes against elite competition for the past several years and performing well in those minutes during the past two seasons.
8. Tomas Tatar, Montreal Canadiens
There’s a perfect storm brewing with this player, and Holland’s history with Tatar could benefit Edmonton.
9. Zach Hyman, Toronto Maple Leafs
His ability to play basically any role required of a forward (all three positions, all three game states) and dogged determination make him an attractive player for any team.
10. Ryan Murray, New Jersey Devils
He should be able to provide solid performances over the next year or two until the young defenceman can push him down the depth chart.
BLH’s Thoughts: Helluva list put together by LT here. I love what I read about the Swedish netminder Ullmark. It’s very hard to argue against the Oilers bringing in a goalie who was top-5 in the league at 5v5 despite playing for a team as bad as the Sabres.
I do wonder if Edmonton could get not only a Taylor Hall or Zach Hyman but also a Tomas Tatar or another mid-level free agent. It’s really going to depend on Holland’s sell job with these guys.
Bob Stauffer (630CHED) is really pushing the notion that there’s not a lot of money out there and if players wait too long, they risk getting left out in the cold like Mike Hoffman has in the past or Pat Maroon, for example.
Stauffer is good acquaintances with some very high profile agents as well as NHL execs around the league, so he may or may not have an inside track on this kind of info. *wink*
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