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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: “We are officially into the ‘greybeard era’ that doomed the Red Wings to the bottom of the NHL.”

TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) quotes 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!

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Oilersnation (Brownlee)

ABOUT KAILER…
  • Yamamoto, 22, is coming off a season in which he had an AAV of $1.24 million (he had a base salary of $832,000 plus bonuses) and one that was unquestionably difficult. He scored 8-13-21 in 52 games and had just one goal in his last 25 games. Over the life of his entry level deal, Yamamoto produced 20-32-52 in 105 games.
  • If I’m Holland I’m offering a look-see contract with a $1.5 million AAV that protects the team and gives Yamamoto the opportunity to raise his stock for a better deal two years down the road. Would I move on $1.5 million? Sure, but not much.
  • The way I see it, Yamamoto has the chance to make a boatload of money playing for the Oilers. He’s a promising, talented young player. But he’s not going to hit the jackpot in the summer of 2021 coming out of his entry level contract. Nor should he. Get a deal done, kid. Bet on yourself this summer and show us more.

BLH’s Thoughts: If Yamo is smart, he’ll take Brownlee’s advice here. If not, Ken Holland has quite a bit of experience in these matters. What you fear the most is another Ethan Bear situation where Killer comes to camp late, out of game shape, bitter, and it impacts the rest of his year because the Oilers have the depth to replace him pretty handily. 

My personal feeling is that Yamamoto won’t develop into the kind of player that demands huge money in the future. I don’t see him producing at the NHL level like he did in the WHL because he’s not a line driver like smaller statured players in the past were. I’m talking about the Martin St. Louis-types or Theoren Fleury-types. If I had to make a projection today, I can see him topping out just under $5M/yr and becoming an elite middle-six forward who contributes on special teams but isn’t a feature on them.

Copper n Blue (Czechboy)

Bear’s last game!
  • It was game 4 in round 1 of the playoffs… There were about 15 minutes left in the game and we had a lead!.. Bear really screws up here and sets a sequence that would send us into Overtime…
  • However, Bear didn’t play the rest of the period… Or the first overtime… Or the second overtime… He finally got a shift in the third overtime… a full 60 minutes (a full NHL game!) later…

  • Bear is no longer an Oiler so I’m assuming Tippet and Holland had a chat. I’m assuming they agreed Bear was to blame.
  • I always pictured Tipp and Holland having a beer and Tipp saying ‘everytime I put Jones or Bear on the ice, the other team scores’.

BLH’s Thoughts: If you don’t think Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl weren’t in that conversation too, you might have selective information consumption syndrome. 

  • Bear was drafted and developed by us. He was cost controlled and would seemingly have a nice career ahead of him. The Oil D is not very good and has not been very good in a long time.

BLH’s Thoughts: The Oilers have allowed 3.06 goals per game (19th overall) in the Tippett/Holland era according to NHL.com. That puts them in company with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals and I’d be willing to bet that the clubs GA/GP will improve next season and continue to improve as the club’s defensemen get better. 

  • Something the Oil had been poor at till this last 2 years when we started seeing 2nd to 6th round picks donning the Oil Silks. This was a great step in the right direction.
  • It is disappointing though when we think 4 years of Tyson Barrie entering his 30s at more money is better than a cost controlled Bear in his 20’s.
  • We are officially into the ‘greybeard era’ that doomed the Red Wings to the bottom of the NHL.

BLH’s Thoughts: I agree that it’s been some time since the team started producing NHL players that’ve been selected after the 2nd round of the draft. Getting Jones and Bear in the mid-rounds of the 2015 draft was some good drafting and they developed them properly, however, it was just their bad luck that the team’s development outpaced theirs. 

I will say this though, I will take 4yrs of the NHL’s highest scoring defenseman on a value contract over that of a 3rd pairing defenseman who’s seeing contract values skyrocket as his is set to expire. Bear and the Oilers already had a tough negotiation last summer that set the stage for this season… I’m more than happy with Tyson Barrie and I’d be willing to bet the players on the hockey team are as well. 

Embrace the “Greybeard Era” folks! It’s here for a while…

That said, what do you think of the Islanders’ roster construction from their playoff run? 

  • Cal Clutterbuck – 33yrs old
  • Leo Komarov – 34yrs old
  • Andy Greene – 37yrs old
  • Travis Zajac – 35yrs old
  • Semyon Varlamov – 32yrs old
  • Braydon Coburn – 36yrs old
  • Josh Bailey – 31yrs old
  • Jordan Eberle – 30yrs old
  • Anders Lee 30yrs old

I bet you if the Oilers go as for as Barry Trotz’s club has the last four years, nobody will say shite about how old Edmonton’s skaters are… 

Spector’s Hockey

  • TWINCITIES.COM: John Shipley reports Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin isn’t concerned about the possibility of Kirill Kaprizov signing with KHL team CSKA Moscow. “It’s not my decision, it doesn’t bother me at all,” he said. Asked of the report of the 24-year-old winger signing a one-year, “eight-figure” deal with the Russian club was true, Guerin said he couldn’t tell if it was true or not.
  • NHL.COM: Tom Gulitti believes the Columbus Blue Jackets need a right-shot defenseman and perhaps a center with Max Domi sidelined until November by offseason shoulder surgery.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Could Duncan Keith be the Key to Tyson Barrie’s Norris Trophy Pursuit?

Quotes 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 Lowetide, 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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Oil on Whyte (Courville-Lynch)

Edmonton Oilers: How many points could Barrie put up next season?
  • Tyson Barrie recorded an impressive 48 points in 56 games in his first season with the Oilers. The Defenseman definitely left his mark on the offensive side of the game with the team last season…
  • Barrie doesn’t really have much to prove, he’s a solidified power play quarterback, he has a good playmaking ability, and overall has a decent hockey IQ.
  • Barrie needs to work on his play in his own zone, this offseason should have been completely focused on that. I think bringing in Keith will definitely help him though.
  • His knowledge, if used properly, could propel Barrie into a two-way defenseman, and it would be tough not to give him a look for the Norris Trophy.

2021-22 Stat Prediction: 13 Goals, 53 Assists, 68 Points.

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t think Barrie will get as much TOI on the PP next season. I’m of the belief that Evan Bouchard will start to transition into the team’s PP QB. 

I do like the idea of Duncan Keith helping round out Barrie’s game though. It was a joke that Barrie didn’t get even one single vote for the Norris despite leading the entire league in scoring at his position. It’s not as easy as some think to play with elite talents like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It’s a skill in it’s own right to be able to skate with those guys and produce with them. So, hopefully Keith can help out with the rest of Tyson’s game a bit. 

I’ll say that Barrie gets 18 goals and 55 assists next season. 

Oilersnation (Brownlee)

That Drai Deal…
  • August 16 also the date in 2017 the Edmonton Oilers inked Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year contract extension worth $68 million, for an AAV of $8.5 million.
  • I thought it was a $1 million overpay by GM Peter Chiarelli back then and so did many of you…
  • After putting up 25-45-70 in 2017-18, Draisaitl scored 50 goals and had 105 points in 2018-19. The encore came in 2019-20, when Draisaitl not only surpassed 100 points again with 43-67-110 but claimed the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league MVP and the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s scoring leader.
  • The bottom line is there isn’t a better one-two punch in the league than the one the long-gone Chiarelli orchestrated.
  • it’s a rare tip of the cap to Chiarelli for setting the foundation of this franchise with the inking of McDavid and Draisaitl…

BLH’s Thoughts: I won’t shy away from the fact that I wanted Edmonton to take Sam Bennett at the 2014 draft. Bennett reminded me of Doug Gilmour and I thought the team needed more heart at the team. Egg on my face. 

When the Edmonton Oilers win the Stanley Cup, Peter Chiarelli will be deserved of some praise because of the contracts he worked out for McDavid and Draisaitl. Chia’s fingerprints will still be on the club when it wins it’s sixth championship and that’s going to drive a lot of people nuts. 

Spector’s Hockey

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Hailey Salvian was asked if other moves could be in store for the Calgary Flames. She feels they still have some obvious holes on the defense, especially on the right side. They could consider going the trade or free-agent route or look within their system to address that issue.

Asked if the Flames could make a big move, Salvian believes they’re not done and there’s plenty of time remaining in the offseason.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins speculates the Oilers could use a professional tryout offer route as training camp approaches to add an experienced No. 4 defenseman with a right-hand shot. He suggested Michael Stone or Sami Vatanen as possible options.

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: What if Bouchard Struggles? Are the Oilers Equipped to Handle that Scenario?

Quotes 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 Lowetide, 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 Athletic (Mitchell)

Lowetide: How much playing time will Evan Bouchard get with the Oilers this season?
  • The question now pertains to Bouchard’s deployment. Bouchard is an expert passer and can change angles from the point to get the puck through the high defender and on net. He would have been the de facto power-play quarterback if Barrie had signed elsewhere, but the current setup will obscure his main strengths.
  • If Bouchard struggles early at even strength in 2021-22, it will be important for Tippett to be patient and keep playing him through the inevitable mistakes young defencemen always make.
  • If Bouchard averages 13:30 at five-on-five, 30 seconds four-on-four, 90 seconds on the power play and another 30 seconds on the penalty kill, what should fans expect? 
  • If we take Bouchard’s numbers from last season and apply his minutes to a full 82-game schedule, his totals would be 36 points all-in. That’s with just 90 seconds a game on the power play and 14 even-strength minutes over those 82 games.
  • Bouchard is unlikely to play major minutes with Darnell Nurse at five-on-five this season; Tippett is a conservative coach in this area.
  • Bouchard’s weakest area is goals against. His goal-differential ratio (5-8) combines some bad luck and some rookie mistakes during his time with the club last season.
  • Bouchard’s challenges are a lack of experience, a coach who will be under even more pressure after a quick playoff exit, and the nuts and bolts of defensive play.
  • Patience is required, but if the organization plays Bouchard all season, he’ll be more capable come playoff time. Forty points is a reasonable expectation if he plays all season.

BLH’s Thoughts: From what I’ve gathered online, it sounds like the coach is very eager to get working with Evan Bouchard and there’s a lot of belief in this player’s potential from the organization.

He’s going to get thrown into some tough spots this upcoming season to see how he fares because he’s the best playmaking defender on the team. Yes, better than Tyson Barrie. 

There are going to be some who get really pissed off at Dave Tippett because Bouchard might make a mistake similar to one that Caleb Jones or Ethan Bear made in the past that had them sitting, but Tipp will throw EB right back out there. 

Here’s the thing though, Bouchard has top-pairing potential whereas no other defensive prospect in Edmonton’s system aside from MAYBE Philip Broberg has. The team is going to nurture this guy and make sure he reaches that potential. 

I think he’s good for 40pts or more next season and that’s with minimal PP time. 

 

Oilersnation (Laing)

Edmonton Oilers player review and 2021-22 preview: Warren Foegele
  • His final year in Carolina was no different. In 53 games mainly spent as a third-liner, he scored 10 goals and as many assists all of which came at 5×5. With him on the ice at 5×5, the Canes controlled 54.12 percent of the shot attempts, 54.35 percent of the goal, 55.59 percent of the expected goals, and an even 100.5 PDO.
  • His most common linemate was Jordan Staal and all of Foegele’s underlying numbers were better away from him than with him suggesting that Foegele was a strong driver of play on that line.
  • Foegele provided offence at a 12 percent rate above league average and defence at a one percent rate above league average.
  • Foegele was one of the best penalty killers this year, too. There, according to hockeyviz.com, he provided value at a three percent rate above league average. 

BLH’s Thoughts: Sounds like the Oilers got themselves an elite PK man, but then again, he was playing for Carolina and it’s pretty tough not too look great by the fancies there… You watch, Tony DeAngelo is going to be a bloody all-star according to the advanced metrics next season if he doesn’t alienate his teammates first. 

The Daily Goal Horn

Lately, news out of Calgary has the Flames looking to keep Gaudreau around and extend him before next summer. As for Monahan, he could still be a trade chip to fill in other holes.

  • “Sean Monahan would be the longest-tenured member of the “official” leadership group, having been an alternate since 2015-16. But as pointed out, his time in Calgary could be limited, as he is frequently mentioned in trade speculation. Even if he stays, he only has two years remaining on his deal, and I’d be surprised if he was re-upped in Calgary.” – The Athletic

BLH’s Thoughts: Reckon there’s a team out there that will trade for Monahan while he’s recovering from off-season surgery?… I don’t see a trade going down this year, next year though when he’s only got one year remaining on his contract, there will be a few teams lining up to deal for him. Who knows, maybe Edmonton would be one of them… 

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: “Two interesting names who could impact things are…”

Quotes 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 Lowetide, 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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Lowetide.ca

MAN OUT OF TIME
  • If we can agree that the top two lines, top two pairings, starting goalie and No. 3 center are the heart of the order, then these Edmonton Oilers are complete. Are they better? I think they are if you believe forwards drive the results, and smart people tell me that’s the case.
  • I’m fascinated by the bet on defense. Management and coaching decided last year’s six were not enough, and made significant changes to the second and third pairings.
  • The two interesting names who could impact things are Kyle Turris, who is apparently lifting cars over his head on Jasper Avenue is preparation for training camp, and Samorukov.
  • If Turris shows up healthy and moving the puck well, as center or right-winger, it could change the dynamic on the No. 3 line.
  • Samorukov could force his way into an opening night assignment, but it would take outstanding performances in preseason and an injury to one of Russell, Koekkoek or Lagesson.

BLH’s Thoughts: Kyle Turris’ problem wasn’t that he didn’t have the strength to play last year, it was because he lost a step and was almost always behind the play. I’m not sure if he’s going to be able to regain a step via time in the gym this offseason, he just needs to find a way to anticipate the plays better so that he has a head start on where to go on the ice, right?

Samorukov could outplay Koekkoek and Russell, but then again, so could Broberg and we know that Holland and Tippett LOVE the Swede… I don’t think it’d shock anybody if Broberg or Samorukov made the club out of camp on merit. If I’m not mistaken, did Dima not partner Evan Bouchard in Bakersfield for a short time?

The Hockey Writers (Couch)

Oilers Bring in Much-Needed Help Up Front
  •  There have been multiple seasons of a revolving door on the top line alongside Connor McDavid. This seems to have ended with the acquisition of Zach Hyman this offseason on the left side and the continued growth of Jesse Puljujarvi on the right wing
  • The second line is set and will most definitely stay together if they can find the success they had playing as the top line in the 2019-20 season while McDavid was out with an injury.
  • The Oilers also added some depth wingers that they hope will pan out in Warren Foegele and Brendan Perlini. These two players, along with the emergence of Tyler Benson into the bottom-6, will create competition and hopefully raise the level of play.
  • There are bound to be injuries or games missed at some point by the wingers on the Oilers’ team, so these players will look to take advantage of any opportunity given in 2021-22.

BLH’s Thoughts: Holland has signed up his lunchpail gang, now it’s time to go to work. Will the strategy pay off? That’s the question, isn’t it?

I’ll say this, there’s nothing wrong with adding more competitiveness to this roster, especially in positions where it’s required. In the past, when the Oilers have had great teams, the club always had gritty wingers who’d run through a wall to score a goal AND stop one and personally, I think having these sorts of character players on the team are great for the younger skaters coming up. 

NHLRumors.com

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun: The Ottawa Senators would like to add a veteran center or another forward.

    • Defenseman Erik Brannstrom could be used as a trade chip for the forward.
    • The Senators kicked tires on Buffalo Sabres Jack Eichel but the asking price was too high and his contract may have forced them into other moves.
    • There has been some speculation that the Senators have spoken with the San Jose Sharks about Tomas Hertl. 
    • Ryan Strome could become available and would make sense. His brother Dylan in Chicago is available and the Senators have shown mild interest.

Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal: RFA Kailer Yamamoto still needs to be re-signed. It’s not known yet if he can become a top-six winger. He only scored eight goals last season. Valeri Nichushkin’s deal with the Colorado Avalanche may be too high of a comparable (two years, $2.5 million per) and may more along the lines of Max Comtois‘ deal with the Ducks (two years at $2.04 million per). That said, thinks Yamamoto will come in under $2 million, guessing two years at $1.75 million per.

Mike Heika of NHL.com: (mailbag) One of the questions surrounding the Dallas Stars this season will be if Ben Bishop is able to return at some point.

    • The Stars and defenseman John Klingberg have been talking about a contract extension…The Stars have Heiskanen, Esa Lindell and Ryan Suter signed, and Thomas Harley is close, so extending Klingberg is tricky.
    • With Joe Pavelski, Alexander Radulov and Klingberg UFA after the season, and the Stars may wait to see how this year plays out.
    • Don’t believe the Stars are interested in trading any goaltender before the season.

BLH’s Thoughts: Julius Honka, Victor Mete, Sami Niku, Erik Brannstrom… I was always under the impression that undersized defensemen with skill were more valuable than the bigger bodied cycle-breakers… I Imagine you could add Caleb Jones and Ethan Bear to that list too… 

Which version of Killer Yamamoto are we going to see in 2021-22? The one who scored at a point-per-game pace two years ago or the one that only scored 8 goals last season? If the Oilers put him on the third line, I’m betting we’ll see the PPG version by season’s end… 

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Should the Oilers Give Benson, McLeod, and Marody a Run in 2021-22?

Quotes 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 Lowetide, 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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Oilersnation

Monday Mailbag – Can Tyler Benson crack the Oilers lineup?

What does Tyler Benson have to do to crack the Oilers lineup once and for all?

  • To win that job, he might have to beat out a guy like Devin Shore, so showing that he can be trusted both at even-strength and on the PK will go a long way in him making this team. – Yaremchuk

BLH’s Thoughts: Might have to beat out Devin Shore? I’d say not only does he have to overtake shore but also Brendan Perlini and do we actually think that just because Jay Woodcroft had him on the PK in Bakersfield it means that he’ll get a chance on Edmonton’s? If so, that might be some wildly optimistic forecasting on your part. 

As always, the caveat being Benson’s boots. IF he comes to camp and there’s an extra pep in his step, all bets are off and the reason for that is, the rest of his game is NHL ready (for the most part). The only thing holding him back is his quickness and if that doesn’t arrive this summer, maybe a style pivot would do the trick… Edmonton could always use a pest in its bottom six… 

Now that Slater Koekkoek is signed, how do you see the depth chart looking on the left side on defence?

  • I think Koekkoek and Russell will split the time as the 3LHD for the most part, but we’ll have to see what happens. Koekkoek would probably be the better puck mover, but I can also see Tippett wanting to strap the cowboy to Evan Bouchard early on. – baggedmilk

BLH’s Thoughts: Ryan Murray would’ve been the ideal partner for Evan Bouchard, but that ship sailed when he chose Colorado. 

Personally, I could see Koekkoek getting an extra look-see with Russell subbing in from time to time when KK gets dinged up. Barring a major injury, it’s doubtful that the young bluechippers in Bakersfield get called up before Christmas. 

After Bouchard barely played last season, how worried are you that the lack of playing time affected Evan’s development and may have set him back for this season?

  • Not worried at all. He’s 21. He’ll start in the third pairing and have a chance to move up alongside Keith if all goes well. – Brownlee

BLH’s Thoughts: Exactly. Bouch might look and sound like he’s 35 but he’s only 21. This is exactly how you develop a young defenseman and if he’s good enough, you’ll see him move up the depth chart very quickly. 

Do you think it would be a good idea for the Oilers to at least try the line of McLeod with Benson and Marody? 

  • No. I think it would be a bad idea. What lines would they play ahead of? McLeod is the only member of that trio with a shot to play with the top nine forwards. At best, two of the three make the opening night roster. I don’t see a place for Marody. – Brownlee

BLH’s Thoughts: What?! No! There’s no way that trio should get a shot in Edmonton in the fall. Maybe in pre-season you could fire them out here should there be a split squad game, but aside from that, I don’t think they should be used in a regular season game. Brownlee has it right here. 

What is your way too early prediction for how the Pacific Division shakes out?

  • The Oilers and Golden Knights are the top two teams in my opinion, then the middle tier includes Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle, and LA. Those are the teams that I believe will be in the mix for a playoff spot. Anaheim and San Jose likely won’t factor into the playoff picture. The Kings have a chance to surprise a lot of people this season. I really liked what they did this summer. – Yaremchuk

BLH’s Thoughts: I wonder if we start to see the decline of the Golden Knights this year without their no.1 goalie, their enforcer, or a no.1 center. It’s a great team but Edmonton was on their asses last year and I expect the Oilers to surpass Vegas sooner than later. 

The no.3 hole is the one that will be interesting. I think Vancouver bounces back and claims that spot. I like the additions of OEL, Garland, and Halak plus they should have Podkolzin in the lineup and he’s an absolute bulldog. Canucks fans are going to dig him. 

The Cult of Hockey (McCurdy)

Oilers #18 prospect Maxim Beryozkin took a big step forward in 2020-21… or did he?
  • …as a 19-year-old, Edmonton Oilers prospect Maxim Beryozkin dressed for no fewer than 45 games in the Kontinental Hockey League this past season.
    • In all, the big (6’4, 216 lbs) right-shot winger saw just 181 minutes of game action, a mere 4 minutes per appearance…
  • Beryozkin’s boxcar stats of 31 GP, 0-2-2, +2 don’t set one’s heart to racing, but given the context of role and ice time, shouldn’t be viewed as alarming either.
  • He did continue to perform in a part-time role with Loko Yaroslavl in the MHL, Russia’s version of major junior, playing 25 games and 420 minutes (ATOI 16:48). There his scoring plateaued at just over a point-per-game, very similar goals and assists rates as his draft year but in half the number of games.

“As for his NHL chances, to be honest he’s closer to ‘shot in the dark’ territory than he is to a sure thing. That said, he’s scored very very well in the junior MHL the last couple of seasons, and there are some really glowing reports out there on him in terms of skill and physicality. He strikes me as the kind of player that could have the penny drop and break out in a big way quite suddenly.” – Patrick Conway (@ChunkletsHockey)

  • Expectations for 2021-22: Splitting time with Lokomotiv’s teams in the KHL and VHL (Russia’s top minor pro league), but with considerably more ice time and opportunity in his 20-year-old season.

BLH’s Thoughts: I got nothin here. Russians drafted in the mid-to-late rounds are truly hit and miss. Watching the highlight package below, he reminds of me of Pavel Buchnevich though. I like his speed, size, strength on the puck. He seems to have good hands, a nice shot, and can make a play. What’s not to like? We’ll just have to wait and see, right?

Now, if he’s getting the call to the KHL, that must mean somebody in his organization sees something in him. Next season will be a very important year for Beryozkin in terms of his development. He’ll really need that TOI for his KHL club. 

The Daily Goal Horn

Aleksander Barkov, Mika Zibanejad, and Morgan Rielly headline 2022 NHL Free Agency
  • The two biggest names that would command salaries of $10M or more are centers Aleksander Barkov and Mika Zibanejad. These two stars are coming off of great deals and have the stats to back up monster contracts.
  • While both are expected to re-sign with their current teams, there are other big names available. Forwards Evgeni Malkin, Patrice Bergeron, Claude Giroux, Phil Kessel, Johnny Gaudreau, Filip Forsberg, Ryan Strome, and Tomas Hertl would all fetch hefty deals on the open market.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to have to find a way to keep Morgan Rielly… Toronto has enjoyed him at a great price coming in at $5M against the cap, expect that number to be $8M or more on his next deal.
  • Another defenseman that could command a similar salary is John Klingberg in Dallas.
  • Anaheim’s Josh Manson is another that teams will pay a premium for. The 29 year-old doesn’t put up great offensive numbers but he’s big and plays the game hard.

BLH’s Thoughts: The Oilers kinda blew their cap room this year, so I don’t expect them to delve into this crop of UFAs unless they go after Marc-Andre Fleury… 

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