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

Would You Do This Trade?

September 16, 2021 Beer League Hero

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!

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The Cult of Hockey

Greybeard Incorporated? Oilers bring in another 30-something vet, this time a hard-checking winger on a PTO

“The Oilers have signed forward Colton Sceviour to a professional tryout agreement. Sceviour spent the 2020-21 season playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins, notching five goals, five assists and two penalty minutes in 46 games. Before joining the Penguins, the 32-year-old played parts of his career with the Dallas Stars, who drafted him in the fourth round (112th overall) in 2007, as well as the Florida Panthers.”

Why sign him to a PTO as opposed to bringing back Alex Chiasson, a solid defensive player and power play ace? I’m not sure. I liked Chiasson’s game fine, but perhaps the player and/or the team are looking to go in a different direction.
With Yamamato out, I like this move, in part because I have strong impressions of Sceviour being a good two-way player.
He’s a different kind of player than Marody and Benson, so I don’t see him beating them out. The competition on the wing will come down to what Tippett wants and needs at any extra forward position, more skill in the from players like Marody or Benson, or more checking from a player like Shore or, now, Sceviour.

BLH’s Thoughts: I didn’t think the Oilers could bring a forward in on a PTO, especially with Benson and Marody right there just looking for a chance. I’d say that Ken Holland has just made their job a little bit harder to make the club and maybe that says something about how the organization feels about those two prospects(?).

The other thing I pondered is if Ken Holland is now letting Kailer Yamamoto know that his position is covered if he’s not at camp and the guy that was brought in, he basically plays the same style of game AND he was born just down the road in Red Deer, so there are some local ties as well as an added bit of motivation for Sceviour.

For what it’s worth, the Oilers have had their eye on Sceviour since 2019, if not earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RGO4JlREfM

Oilersnation

Who should tho Oilers bring to camp on a professional tryout?

Jason Demers – Now, he’s best served as a bottom-pairing veteran who can log minutes on a team’s penalty kill. Demers only scored four points in 41 games for the Coyotes last season, but he was effective for the team in a defensive role.
Sami Vatanen – A major trouble for Vatanen in his career has been staying healthy, as he missed significant time in both 2018-19 and 2019-20… With Tyson Barrie and Evan Bouchard in the mix, Vatanen probably isn’t as good of a fit as Demers.
Zdeno Chara – The Oilers have spoken at length about the importance of what Duncan Keith’s experience will bring to the table. They could double down and add even more by bringing in future Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara.
Devan Dubnyk – Dubnyk could be third-string insurance for Stalock, who might get claimed on waivers like Anton Forsberg last season.
Eric Staal – Staal is best playing on the wing at this point but he could also serve as an insurance option for a bottom-six centre.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’d bet my house that Dubnyk won’t be returning to the Edmonton Oilers on a PTO to compete for the 3rd string job… I believe Eric Staal was looking to link up with one of his brothers, Marc perhaps. Chara’s not coming out west, that’s been made painfully clear.

So that leaves Vatanen and Demers and I reckon both are looking for 1-way contracts… Flip a coin.

NHLRumors.com

Dustin Nielsen: Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland met with J.P. Barry, the agent for restricted free agent forward Kailer Yamamoto, last night.

Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic: The St. Louis Blues still need to re-sign restricted free agent forward Robert Thomas. The Blues have only about $2.3 million in salary cap space (before they re-signed Tyler Bozak yesterday at $750,000 plus bonuses).

Thomas’ only leverage may be an offer sheet.
The Arizona Coyotes have five second-round picks and Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong drafted Thomas when he was the Blues Director of Amateur Scouting.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens forward Tyler Toffoli doesn’t blame Jesperi Kotkaniemi for signing for over $6 million.

“It is what it is … you’re not going to turn down $6 million,” said Toffoli

BLH’s Thoughts: I wonder if St. Louis and Edmonton would get together and swap Thomas and Yamamoto? The Oilers don’t have much cap room, so the two clubs would have to get creative. I dunno, it’s just something that popped into my mind.

The new NHL franchise in Seattle already has their AHL affiliate worked out! Click the pick and grab a Karen shirt today!

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

“What would this Oilers team need for a championship run?” Asks One Prominent Pundit

September 16, 2021 Beer League Hero

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Lowetide.ca

LONG TRAIN RUNNING

What would this Oilers team need for a championship run? One Nick Foles? Two? Would Ilya Konovalov turning into an on-ice Semyon Varlamov be enough? What if that happened and Dmitri Samorukov emerged as a top-four shutdown defenseman overnight?
…if the Oilers were fortunate enough to discover Dylan Holloway was healthy, he could have an impact on this roster. Don’t look past Ryan McLeod either, his speed is such a difference maker.
we’re looking at two blue ticketed for the minors (Philip Broberg and Dmitri Samorukov) who could impact the 2021-22 season at the NHL level. Plus Markus Niemelainen who showed enough in Bakersfield to earn a mention when we discuss the season to come. No one knew much about Artem Zub not long ago, and he had a positive impact relative to his fellow defenders last year.
What if Konovalov is the real thing? He isn’t a big man but those KHL numbers shine like a diamond. Stuart Skinner is also in the conversation, and he delivered a strong run in Bakersfield last season. Did he turn a corner?

BLH’s Thoughts: So basically LT is wondering if somebody will come out of left field to lead the club to the Stanley Cup and I like the idea of Dmitri Samorukov or Ilya Konovalov being those guys. They’ve basically proven in the second best hockey league in the world that they have the ability to be “go-to” guys and to their advantage the positions they play have some question marks surrounding them on the Oilers.

I don’t think it will, but what about a guy whose back is against the wall like Tyler Benson? He’s got all of the tools but he’s just lacking one thing! What a story it would be if he emerged as the latest local lad to star for the Edmonton Oilers?

The Hockey Writers

Oilers Have Plenty to Offer in Trades This Season

Zack Kassian – The Oilers are going to have to see 2017 playoff Kassian again to reassure them why he needs to be on this current roster. With expectations high in Edmonton, this style of hockey can be just what they need to push past difficult opponents.
Mikko Koskinen – In a backup role with less games, he has done surprisingly better at times than what people give him credit for… With one year remaining on his deal, Koskinen is definitely an easier option to move at any point without giving up too much alongside him as far as assets go… If a goalie is performing well on a team that decides they can’t compete for a playoff spot, that could create an opportunity to make a 1-for-1 swap with a low-end draft pick attached.
Tyler Benson – A very productive player in the American Hockey League, he produced 141 points in 156 games. To go along with that, he produced 12 points in 16 playoff games in the AHL… He could be a good addition as a throw in to a larger trade. He could also be a result of a swap with an equally talented young player if both are struggling. We’ve seen this many times before from teams, and it could go well for both teams involved, or maybe just one.

BLH’s Thoughts: Koskinen’s not moving unless the Oilers attach a first round pick to him. So I don’t know if I’d consider him a “trade asset” per se. However, Kassian has tools in his toolbox that a lot of GMs like and I know for a fact that there are teams out there (*cough* Seattle *cough*) that are just waiting for the Oilers to put Benson on waivers so that they can claim him for a few hundred bucks.

Do not discount Edmonton moving a defenseman either. They’ve got a glut on the big club and another one on the minor league team and at some point, they’re going to need to be culled.

NHLTradeRumor.com

Matt Porter of the Boston Globe asks the question, if you’re Predators general manager David Poile, don’t you have to try to deal Filip Forsberg?

His expiring $6 million deal is reasonably priced and lacks trade protection.
There were NHL rumors last season that Forsberg was available for a trade but the team played really well down the stretch and the team decided to keep him for a playoff run.
Poile will likely ask for top prospects and a 1st round pick for Forsberg.

Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now reports there’s zero doubt the Boston Bruins will have interest in (Tomas) Hertl if he becomes a trade market option.

…the real complication in a Hertl trade is his $5.625 million cap hit. Hertl will undoubtedly be looking for a big raise as he approaches unrestricted free agency following the season.
The Bruins would need to move Charlie Coyle ($5.25 million) to the Sharks in order to make the money work…

Steve Carp of Vegas Hockey Now reports a Jack Eichel trade gives Vegas the top center it has lacked from Day One.

Owner Bill Foley is persuading team management to make a trade for Eichel and he has a goal to win the Stanley by year 6 of the Golden Knights existence.
In order for a trade to happen and clear salary cap space, Vegas will have to move one of Reilly Smith or Jonathan Marchessault along with Alex Tuch. They would likely want Peyton Krebs or a couple of other prospects. And they would probably insist on Vegas first- or second-round picks in 2022, 2023, or 2024.

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

Which Training Camp Battle Will be the Most Intense, LW or G?

September 15, 2021 Beer League Hero

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Oil on Whyte

5 Things To Watch This Preseason

The Rookies – This list will include the first-round picks Xavier Bourgault (2021) and Philip Broberg (2019). 2020 first-round pick Dylan Holloway and 2017 pick Dmitri Samorukov may not be skating due to lingering injuries per Postmedia’s Jim Matheson.
The New Guys – Hopefully, in the preseason we will get to see Zach Hyman play lots of time with Connor McDavid. Hyman was Holland’s biggest offseason addition. The preseason is a good time for those Hyman and McDavid to feel out each other rhythms and build some chemistry.
Bottom Six Battles – Warren Foegele, will increase the skill in the bottom six. This along with the signing of Derek Ryan will cause more battles for lineup space in the bottom six. There will be no more having to choose between struggling players to put in the lineup this year.
The Goalies – I believe Mike Smith will be going into the season as the Edmonton Oilers starter. This means he need to have good start to in the preseason. This doesn’t mean the Mikko Koskinen can take it easy. With the age of Smith, I believe that Koskinen could be getting quite a few starts throughout the season. We should also get some Alex Stalock action in preseason as well.
Connor McDavid – I don’t see him getting in many games, as they still are just preseason games, but I hope he does. He needs to work on building chemistry with Zach Hyman and needs to be on point this year if the Edmonton Oilers want to make a run at the Stanley Cup.

BLH’s Thoughts: Is anybody else wondering if Xavier Bourgault will get an extended look in the event that Kailer Yamamoto isn’t signed by the time the puck drops for game one of the 2021-22 season?

A battle worth keeping an eye on is Tyler Benson vs. Devin Shore vs. Brendan Perlini. Aside from the three goalies going head-to-head-to-head for a spot on the Oilers opening night lineup, the competition for the 4th line LW should be fierce.

Lowetide.ca

WHAT DOES REASONABLE LOOK LIKE IN BAKERSFIELD?

One of the things a team that has so many older players will need is replacements, possibly early and often often. Do the Oilers have a full parts department at the Bakersfield plant? Let’s have a look at what things once looked like and then how they look now.

G Stuart Skinner (22): Solidifying his status as a legit AHL goalie with NHL potential.
G Ilya Konovalov (23): He should emerge as the AHL starter and be the first recall.
G Olivier Rodrigue (21): A strong ECHL season and quality play if he gets AHL time.
LD Dmitri Samorukov (22): Dominating shutdown play, same as last season.
RD Filip Berglund (24): Solid two-way play in the AHL with good offense.
LD Philip Broberg (20): Deliver in all areas, impress with skill set.
LD William Lagesson (25): A shutdown and mentor role and lots of PK minutes.
RD Phil Kemp (22): More of his solid play, calm feet and good coverage.
LD Markus Niemelainen (23): More of the same things we saw in Bakersfield.
RD Mike Kesselring (21): He should grab a regular job and post solid numbers.
RD Vincent Desharnais (25): AHL contract, he’ll play top-four much of the year.
LD Yanni Kaldis: AHL contract, undersized, he is effective in support role.
LC Dylan Holloway (20): A healthy year, point-per-game if he is at 100 percent.
LC Ryan McLeod (21): Most of the year in the NHL.
LC Tim Soderlund (23): Support role, penalty kill. I don’t see him as a feature player.
LW Tyler Benson (23): If he’s in Bakersfield, he is an impact player and forcing a recall.
LW Raphael Lavoie (21): 20+ goals and an enormous shot total.
LW Brendan Perlini (25): If he’s in the AHL, Perlini should be one of the top scorers.
LW Ostap Safin (22): A healthy season, 12-15 goals.
LW James Hamblin (22): AHL contract, he can score and has utility.
RW Cooper Marody (24): Productive scorer, same pressure to get a recall as Benson.
RW Kirill Maksimov (22): A feature role, points-game around .65-.70
RW Seth Griffith (28): Pure offense and power-play production, mentor the prospects.

How many Oilers will be recalled from this assumed list? One of the goalies, Samorukov and or Broberg, McLeod, Benson, Marody, Perlini, maybe Lavoie? McLeod may spend the entire season in Edmonton and he’s the only center, so it’s a stretch from here.

BLH’s Thoughts: If you’ve been listening to Oilers talk radio this week, you’ll know that it’s starting to sound as if Holloway will have a second surgery on the scaphoid bone in his wrist that hasn’t healed correctly I guess. So he won’t be ready for hockey until around December/January depending on the recovery process.

The reason I bring him up is that I think that Edmonton’s depth at center is probably the shallowest amongst all of the organizational positions. If two pivots go down with injury or are suspended, who’s getting called up?

NHLTradeRumors.me

San Jose Sharks Set Price for Tomas Hertl Trade

According to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, the price tag is a first-round pick and a top prospect if you want to get the Sharks attention.
One team to watch…the Boston Bruins. These two teams could construct a deal before puck drops on opening night.

“Along with a first-round pick, they would have to get at least one potential high-end prospect in return, too, and preferably someone who could play NHL games ahead of or along the same timeline as guys like William Eklund, Thomas Bordeleau and some of the other prospects who are around 19 or 20 years old (in other words, probably two years away). In a perfect world that player is probably a center, but considering Ryan Merkley’s declining stock and Brent Burns’ advancing age, a defenseman might be just as welcomed.”

Jets’ Dubois Opens Up About Trade Demand Out of Columbus

Dubois was a guest on the 31 Thoughts Podcast and according to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox and had this to say about the drama that wore him down from the deal:

“For me, the hard part was when I got traded, it was the people kinda putting words in my mouth, like why he wants out. These are people that have never met me, that have no idea who I am, have probably never even done an interview with me. It was kind of tough to deal with that. It was hard on my parents, to be honest. For my mom to see stuff like that, it was tough on her. That was a very hard part in my life, and I went through it, and I’m still alive. There’s worse things that can happen.

You know, the organization did so many good things for me. They drafted me third overall when nobody thought I’d go third overall. They gave me a chance. So, I don’t know why I’d go out there and say bad things or say things that I might regret later on. I didn’t think anybody there deserved that – the staff, the players, the fans. I thought that maybe saying less would annoy people and make people mad, but down the line, I think that’s the best way to be respectful.”

New Jersey Devils: 2 Trade Rumors Following the Team

There’s been multiple reports about Subban being shipped out of New Jersey and when you’re a right-handed shooting defenseman on the final year of your contract, it makes total sense.
Rumors have the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs as two teams who have kicked tires and look for the New York Rangers and Seattle Kraken to also be interested.

Offers Keep Coming in for Miles Wood

Rumor has several teams interested in acquiring Wood, who is a pesky forward with size, who can skate like the wind and is coming into his own offensively.
Teams to look out for are the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche.

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