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 Cult of Hockey (Leavins)
Olympic reward just part of the excitement of a new Edmonton Oilers season: 9 Things
- Still no contract for Kailer Yamamoto. As I have written in this space in the recent past, I expect Yamamoto and club will ultimately land on a 2-year, somewhere between $1.5m-$1.75m. Is agent J.P. Barry playing a waiting game? With his client coming off a decline in production in 2020-21 and with no arbitration rights, “waiting” past training camp could put the player further behind just when he’s trying to recapture his momentum.
- In talking with sources close to team, I hear Kyle Turris has had a tremendous off-season and has really put in the work in order to show up in optimum shape. And for a 2nd consecutive season, I am hearing that Evan Bouchard is arriving back in Edmonton in spectacular form. On Friday’s Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, Associate Coach Jim Playfair came back (unprompted) not once but twice to Bouchard’s promise and professionalism.
- I would not be surprised if Kassian ended up on the 1st unit to start. He has a history of being productive with McDavid. Some will read into this that I don’t like Puljujarvi. To the contrary, it’s because I think Puljujarvi can be driver on a line and the club might have a more balanced attack if he instead lined up with Ryan McLeod and Warren Foegele.
- If Zack Hyman’s season takes off on McDavid or Draisaitl’s wing I can see him getting a shot in the Chris Kunitz role. I expect that was one of the reasons why he liked the Edmonton option on free agency. Let’s include Ryan Nugent-Hopkins as a dark horse candidate. Depending on his start to his season, The Nuge is a top-level special teams performer that could play a very specific role on the Olympic team.
BLH’s Thoughts: Ugh! Are we going to be talking about Kailer Yamamoto every day until his contract is signed? Maybe something happens this week and we can move on to talking about rookie camp sooner than later…
Leavins is really pushing this narrative that the NHL vet is working his ass off this summer and will be in outstanding shape, but what does that even mean? Was he not in shape last season? Is his problem that his conditioning prevented him from keeping up with everybody else on the ice or has his game eroded to the point to where he’s always a step behind?
Pulju to the third line is an interesting turn of events… I mean, the guy could drive that line, no problem and Leavins is right, Zack Kassian’s fancies over the years tell us that he’s been quite good with McDavid. I still don’t see how you pull Jesse off of the top line and replace him with Kass when Yamamoto was the one who was in over his head on the 2nd line last season. That’s just me though and I’m more a fan of Puljujarvi than Killer.
I’m telling ya, Mark Scheifele over Hyman on Connor’s wing. The Jets captain is far and away the better player.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is better than Rob Zamuner, right? Remember when Hockey Canada took Zamuner to the Olympics because he was a defensive specialist?… Nothing against Nuge, but how’d that work out?
Reckon Mat Barzal makes Team Canada? Bloody guy is as electrifying as hell with the puck on his stick, but I’m not sure the coaching staff would be a fan of the rest of his game. That said, Barry Trotz is on Canada’s coaching staff. Will that work for or against Barzal?
Oil on Whyte (Courville-Lynch)
Three Potential Tryout Options For Training Camp
- Michael Stone: …a 31-year-old Defenseman from Winnipeg, who most recently played for the Calgary Flames. In his 11 NHL seasons, Stone has played 493 games and has 128 points to show for it. His toughness is apparent, as he sits at a career total of 270 penalty minutes, but his +/- is an underwhelming -52.
- Magnus Paajarvi: Now 30 years old, the once highly-touted prospect is looking for a job, and the Oilers could be just the place. The team needs to add an offensive boost to the bottom 6, and he could fit in to the role of 13th forward, or bottom 6 winger depending on how well his camp went. Putting him on a line with a couple young guys line McLeod & Archibald could put Paajarvi in a spot to succeed with the team.
- Tyler Ennis: Ennis would likely earn a $700k contract for a season, but would only be the 13th forward at best, and would be fighting for a spot night in and night out…
BLH’s Thoughts: Maybe Stone comes in because the team needs somebody who can play in the minors that has the ability to come up to the parent club in a pinch, but I reckon Paajarvi and Ennis are done in the NHL.
Spector’s Hockey
THE ATHLETIC: If the Rangers intend to acquire Eichel, Carpiniello believes they’ll have to trade center Mika Zibanejad now or at the March trade deadline… Carpiniello doesn’t believe the Rangers should include promising winger Kaapo Kakko in any deal for Eichel. One of their young defensemen and perhaps center Filip Chytil would have to be part of the return.
NHL.COM: Nicholas J. Cotsonika believes the Vegas Golden Knights still need a first-line center. General manager Kelly McCrimmon said they’re happy with their depth at that position after acquiring Nolan Patrick and Brett Howden during the offseason. Promising Peyton Krebs could also crack their lineup this season.
