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

There’s a Big Story Brewing in Bakersfield says One Edmonton Oilers Pundit

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!

Give us a follow on the socials!

The Hockey Writers (Swane)

Slater Koekkoek: 5 Things to Know About the Oilers Defenseman

He Has a Good Sense of Humour

  • Koekkoek’s doubtlessly heard his surname mispronounced any number of ways, but it doesn’t upset him. He even got a laugh at becoming a social media sensation not long after he was traded to Chicago.

He’s Taken it One Year at a Time

  • Koekkoek’s new deal is the first multi-year agreement he’s reached since his entry-level contract…
  • He then signed four consecutive one-year contracts: with Tampa Bay for $800,000 in 2017 and again in 2018 for $865,000; with Chicago for $925,000 in 2019; and finally, with Edmonton for $850,000 in 2020. 

He’s an Experienced Leader

  • Koekkoek was named captain of the (Peterborough) Petes on Sept. 5, 2012.
  • He served as an alternate captain for the Spitfires and became Windsor’s captain on Jan. 10, 2014.
  • …he was an alternate captain with the Lightning’s AHL affiliate in 2016-17 and was wearing the ‘A’ as the Crunch advanced to the 2017 Calder Cup Finals.
  • He also was an alternate captain during his time with Canada’s U18 team in 2011.

He Has a Gold Medal Collection

  • His first major gold medal win came at the 2010 Telus Cup…
  • In 2011, Koekkoek started the year by helping Team Ontario capture gold at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and then in the summer was a member of the Canadian U18 national team that brought home gold from the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in the Czech Republic.

He Was Saddled With High Expectations

  • The crowd at Pittsburgh’s Consol Energy Center was stunned on June 22, 2012, when Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman used the 10th overall pick in the NHL Draft to select Koekkoek from the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.
    • The Tampa Bay Times called it an “odd pick,” noting that “Yzerman and director of amateur scouting Al Murray said they would pick the best available player, regardless of position

BLH’s Thoughts: Pretty out of the ordinary for Ken Holland to sign himself a player who’s won a lot early in his career and has been a leader at ever level, eh?

If you’re going to bet on someone who’s highly skilled or someone who’s got high character, which do you think a veteran NHL GM is going to take a chance on?

Lowetide.ca

FROM A DISTANCE
  • The math of hockey is such that we don’t really know if any of these players can make a difference in the NHL as defenders until they arrive. Once we have a chance to observe them, collect information and tabulate the numbers, we can make statements based in fact. If one of those blue ticketed for the streets of Bakersfield can contribute to NHL outscoring, and sustain it? While remaining healthy? Music!
  • ..for defensemen, pay special attention to even strength on ice goal differential.
  • Niemelainen is the defenseman I was most impressed with in Bakersfield last season, he is big and mobile with more puck-moving ability than once thought. Kemp and Kesselring got playing time and showed flashes, but we’ll need to see them over an entire season before making any major statements on their trajectory. Samorukov and Broberg are slated to play in Bakersfield during 2021-22, that’s going to be a big story.

BLH’s Thoughts: This new crop of youngsters heading to Bakersfield is going to be very exciting to watch. I didn’t get a chance to see Niemelainen, Kemp, or Kesselring last year but I’ll be damned if I don’t get my fill next season given they’ll have Broberg and Samorukov playing alongside them. 

That does seem like a lot of young defenders on one team though. I wonder if the Oilers don’t bring in a veteran AHL dman to help with the professional transition for these kids. Somebody like Cody Goloubef, Paul LaDue, or Michael Stone (as Kurt Leavins has suggested) might be able to help out down in Bakersfield.

Spector’s Hockey

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators are still trying to add a center or winger via trade or free agency. Defenseman Erik Brannstrom could be used as a trade chip to add a winger or another center in order to move someone to the wing.

  • The Senators kicked tires on Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel but the asking price and contract are expensive.
  • Internet rumors claim they’ve had talks with the San Jose Sharks about Tomas Hertl, who’s a year away from unrestricted free agent eligibility.

THE ATHLETIC: In a recent mailbag segment, Sara Civian was asked if the Carolina Hurricanes still need another top-six forward. She believes they do, adding they seem to be looking for one.

BLH’s Thoughts: The Senators should absolutely stay away from making a blockbuster deal right now. They’ve got some stunning pieces to build around in Chabot, Tkachuk, and Stutzle with even more coming. 

As for Carolina, I wonder if this Svechnikov thing gets interesting… Tom Dundon plays to the beat of his own drum and would it surprise anybody if they traded the Russian phenom because he won’t sign for what they want him to?

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: “He’s certainly put himself in a position to get strong consideration.”

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 (Lynch)

Oilers: The team needs more contracts like this one player
  • After getting traded to Edmonton from Carolina, Warren Foegele signed a three-year 2.75 million dollar contract with the team. The 25-year-old is the perfect depth addition to the third line and this move was something the team needed to make.
  • The team has deals like Kassian and Hyman’s on the books for the foreseeable future, but it is the 25-year-old and younger players that this team needs to add.
  • So, in the future, the team will have to work out extensions for Puljujarvi, McLeod, and Yamamoto. Hopefully, they will be willing to signed three-year deals at around 2 million or under.

BLH’s Thoughts: Well, the Oilers fancy themselves a Stanley Cup contender now, right? So, this is where the club is going to have to make its hay. Value contracts is the name of the game going forward… Those ELCs need to pay off and they’ll need to have some luck in the free agent market. 

Oilersnation (Lewis)

ON’s 2021 Prospects Countdown – No. 17: Filip Berglund

Position: Defence
Shoots: Right
Nationality: Sweden
Date of Birth: May 10, 1997
Drafted: 2016, No. 91 overall (EDM)
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 209 lbs

  • In the case of Berglund, he’s interestingly similar to another defender the Oilers selected in the middle rounds out of Sweden. Back in 2012, the Oilers took Erik Gustafsson No. 92 overall.
  • The comparison between Berglund and Gustafsson obviously isn’t a perfect one. The latter is a smaller and more offensively oriented defender while the former plays more of a physical, defensive game, complemented by his large frame and sound positioning.
  • Berglund has a track record of success in a quality professional league, which generates valid optimism that there’s an NHL player here.
  • Ceci is the only true right-handed shutdown guy on Edmonton’s roster, so a strong showing from Berglund could certainly earn him a cup of coffee.

“He’s a guy that has improved his skating. That was the big issue with him coming out of his draft year, could he skate? He’s improved his skating, it’s more than adequate now at that level and he’s a guy we’re going to have to decide on. He’s certainly put himself in a position to get strong consideration.” – Scott Howson, Oilers Now (January of 2020)

BLH’s Thoughts: Yeah, I don’t know if I see this guy as the next Adam Larsson, but maybe it would be more fair to see how he does in the AHL before making definitive statements. I always saw him as a more offensive defenseman, but let’s wait and see what kind of show he puts on for us in Bakersfield. 

NHLTradeRumors.me

New York Rangers: 2 Players Who Could Be Traded Next Season
  • Ryan Strome: The 28-year-old has been named in several trade rumors this summer as the Ottawa Senators, Seattle Kraken, Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers have all held conversations with the Rangers. 
  • Alexandar Georgiev: With the new contract announced for Igor Shesterkin, it’s likely going to push Georgiev out the door. Expect to see the Edmonton Oilers very interested in how things are going in New York next season.
Minnesota Wild: 2 Players Most Likely to Get Traded Next Season
  • Matt Dumba: A couple of teams interested include the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames so we’ll have to wait and see if anything materializes at the deadline.
  • Victor Rask: At $4 million he’s a bit expensive for a third-line center, so expect teams to wait it out as long as possible to acquire Rask to in order the cost decreases as much as possible.
San Jose Sharks: 2 Players Most Likely to Get Traded Next Season
  • Evander Kane: Kane’s teammates don’t want him back and management has been trying for weeks to make it happen. So far, no deal and the trade talks continue. While he’s a headache, he can score, so it’s only a matter of time before someone takes a gamble.
  • Erik Karlsson: With six seasons left on his deal paying him $11.5 million… If Karlsson is dealt, the team will not only have to eat some of his contract, the Sharks will need to add in a couple of sweeteners to get him off their books.

BLH’s Thoughts: Ha! If Doug Wilson can move one or both of those contracts, he should automatically be given the GM of the Year award… His best bet might be just to eat Kane’s deal and ask the troubled winger to stay home…

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

Oilers Pundit Says Keep a Close Eye on Michael Stone and Sami Vatanen

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!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Oilersnation (Brownlee)

Off the Top of My Head
  • I don’t know if the one-year, two-way contract for $750,000 Tyler Benson signed with the Edmonton Oilers represents the Last Chance Motel for the former Southside Athletic Club star, but if it doesn’t, it’s a look-see bit of ink that has him unquestionably close to the same neighborhood.
  • …the Oilers haven’t put vaccination requirements in place as of today, expect them to poll their season ticket base as the Jets did before putting in place policies regarding COVID at Rogers Place.

BLH’s Thoughts: Tell me, what do these names mean to you,

  • Andrew Poturalski (San Diego)
  • Sam Anas (Iowa)
  • Carter Verhaeghe (Syracuse)
  • Chris Terry (Laval)
  • Kenny Agostino (Chicago)
  • Chris Bourque (Hershey)
  • Brian O’Neill (Manchester)
  • Travis Morin (Texas)
  • Brandon Pirri (Rockford)
  • Chris Bourque (Hershey)

Those are the last ten scoring champions in the AHL. Tyler Benson is not one of those and the conclusion I’m coming to after looking at these scoring charts is that being one of the league’s top-scoring players at the end of the season could be more of a bad thing than a good one because if you’re still in the league and producing at that rate, there must be something in your game that your bosses in the NHL don’t see kindly upon. 

Hell, you can look at each one of the AHL scoring charts for the last decade and even the top-5 scorers in any given season will rarely present a top-six NHL player. If you got ten deep you might find one or two a year…

Point is, if you’re good, you don’t spend a lot of time in the American league let alone the entirety of your entry-level contract. 

So, as much as it pains me to say, I don’t think Mr. Benson will make it as a top-nine NHL player and for every season that passes, his projection moves down a line. Now, pundits are hoping that he’ll make it as a 4th line LW whereas before some were thinking he could be the Chris Kunitz to Connor McDavid’s Sidney Crosby… 

I really hope he proves to be the outlier though. It would be a shame if a person who works as hard has he does fails to make it to the NHL as a regular. 

The Cult of Hockey (Leavins)

Skill forward Kailer Yamamoto caught in the Edmonton Oilers salary cap grind: 9 Things
  • 6. I expect the Oilers to wait on any PTO’s until closer to TC. One need is a veteran #4 RHS D-man, at a league minimum. A guy who can play in the AHL but be capable of NHL TOI.
    • Names to perhaps keep in mind: Michael Stone, 6’3 210 LBS and from Winnipeg. 30-year old Sami Vatanen might not come for $750k, but has come up in the past. As its been pointed out to me, what’s left in the UFA market for RHD is slim pickin’s.

BLH’s Thoughts: Last season Stone signed a 2-way deal worth 700k with Calgary and then proceeded to play 21 games for the Flames but also found himself playing four games with their AHL club too. 

Out of the two, I see Stone being the more viable option for Edmonton and he’s got a history with the coach from their Arizona days too… 

  • 4. Tyler Benson has inked a $750K, 2-way contract extension. The salary is lower than his qualifying offer ($913,500). If he’s good enough to make the Oilers, it’s very team friendly. If not, it makes him an inexpensive pick-up off waivers.
    • Benson sees the ice well, thinks well and has great head. It’s his average wheels that are the problem. I’m told Benson hit the gym particularly hard this summer. Good thing, his career may depend on it.
  • 2. The post-season isn’t over. But has any team done less to make themselves better than Anaheim and Calgary?

BLH’s Thoughts: Calgary may not have made themselves better so far, but they’ve made themselves a helluva lot more difficult to play against by adding Blake Coleman, Trevor Lewis, and Nikita Zadorov.  

  • 1.The biggest task still toiling in the off-season job jar for Ken Holland is the RFA status of Kailer Yamamoto.
    • But the jury remains out on whether Yamamoto can become a Top-6 finisher and whether his small frame withstand the heavy grind and offer more than 15:00 of TOI per night.
    • Because of that and his 8-goal performance in 2020-21, I don’t see Yamamoto getting the contract some others have forecast, or that his agent may have hoped for as recently as a year ago.
    • I expect the Oilers to get Yamamoto for under $2m/year, lets say 2-years at $1.75m per. That would not only work for the Oilers cap this year, it also would for next year as well. That’s when Ken Holland will need to re-sign Jesse Puljujarvi and get a new goalie…all with just about $10-11m in space. And Puljujarvi has a higher ceiling, he’ll be a priority.
    • I hope for both club and player’s sake that Yamamoto’s contract gets done and soon. We saw just last year how Ethan Bear’s later start to the pre-season (relative to the rest of the club) due to a contract issue didn’t correspond with good results.

BLH’s Thoughts: I was just thinking about how Yamo’s deal may not get done until the season gets started or very close and how that mirrors the Ethan Bear negotiations from last season. 

The big thing will be how much Killer will make on the 2nd year of the deal (if it’s a two-year bridge) as I believe that will dictate how much the Oilers will have to qualify him for at its expiration. 

Puljujarvi… How long will he sign for on his next deal? 3-4 years @ $3.5M, 6-8 years @ $4.5M? 1-2 years @ $3M? Will the Oilers walk him to unrestricted free agency, pay for a few years of UFA status, or go the Darnell Nurse route and bridge him again? It’s going to be an interesting story to keep an eye on nevertheless. 

The Daily Goal Horn 

NHL Rumors: Rangers still shopping Georgiev; and will Jack Eichel and Vladimir Tarasenko be traded?

On Jack Eichel: Right now the Sabres seem to be playing hardball not only with any team asking about Eichel, but with him and his agents. There’s some growing rumblings that the Sabres may very well drag this out into training camp and beyond.

  • Eichel still needs surgery, and from all the latest reports and information that has come to light it will be an artificial disc replacement. That recovery time will take at least 8 weeks. That means if he were to have today, Eichel would miss all of training camp. If it’s a fusion, the recovery is a minimum of 12 weeks.

On Vladimir Tarasenko: Vladimir Tarasenko wants out of St. Louis and the Blues are still trying to accommodate his request. 

  • Teams where he’d be willing to go are the Lightning, Capitals, Islanders, Rangers, Flyers, Golden Knights, Panthers, and Bruins. At this time, few of those teams could even afford to take his cap hit on. Maybe the Islanders and Rangers could do it, but he will need to expand his list to facilitate a trade before the new campaign begins.

On Alexander Georgiev: Frank Seravalli is pretty adamant that Alexandar Georgiev is interested in a change of scenery as a starter and that the Rangers are looking to move him. The 25 year-old goalie could be part of a package for a big trade or simply sent off for a high draft pick to a team looking for a new number 1.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m hearing on Georgiev that there are some around the league that are questioning whether or not he’s an upgrade on Mikko Koskinen at this point in time. 

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

Oilers Beat Writer on Bear/Foegele Trade: “You can’t have Evan Bouchard and Ethan Bear in your top-six and expect to go far in the playoffs.”

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!

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Edmonton Sun (Ellingson/Tychkowski

Oil Spills: Oilers summertime mop-up

Can the Oilers pull of a goalie trade before the season starts?

  • Nobody’s taking Mikko Koskinen for that $4.5M for a backup goalie.
  • Goaltending wasn’t a crippling issue for them last year.
  • As the clock ticks on Koskinen’s final year of his contract, by the time they get to the trade deadline, they will be able to move him because there’s not going to be as much money left on it.
  • My guess is that they ride the two and if things go catastrophically wrong, maybe Stalock can come in and see what he can do?
  • It’s the same goaltending tandem that got them into the playoffs two years in a row, so I don’t think the house is quite on fire.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’d be surprised if Stalock isn’t claimed on waivers should he be put on, but on the other hand, other clubs could be wary of claiming a netminder who hasn’t played an NHL game in over a year too… 

I think Holland is going to bide his time with this move and wait until things flush out a bit. Eventually, there’s going to be a team that needs a backup goalie and that’s when he’ll be able to get his trade. 

Are there any other signings or trades to pursue?

  • They are where they are and that should be it.
  • If they do anything else, it’ll be pretty small. 

How about the Ethan Bear for Warren Foegele trade?

  • Something like that was always coming down the pipe because they’ve got a lot of really good defensemen coming up through the system. 
  • You can’t have Evan Bouchard and Ethan Bear in your top-six and expect to go far in the playoffs, you can’t win like that with young players unless they’re superstar talents. 
  • The need at forward was pressing and with Evan Bouchard coming up, that made Ethan Bear expendable. 
  • Maybe we overvalue him (Bear). He didn’t have a great year, his points were way low, he’s good, not great, defensively. He doesn’t have a whole bunch of size, maybe you fall in love with the guy you have and other teams look at him from the outside and don’t see the same player.
  • They (Oilers) sold low, there’s no question. But then they’re in that situation next year where you’ve got to play Bouchard or Bear and people were grinding him (Ken Holland) because Bouchard wasn’t getting much ice, but you can only play so many young defensemen at one time when you’re in a win-now situation.
  • Teams with young defensemen make too many young defenseman mistakes to succeed in the playoffs. 

BLH’s Thoughts: Tychkowski said it all I think. Most important is the part where he talks about fans falling in love with a player that folks from the outside see differently. 

Bear’s decision to have a tough year couldn’t have been more poorly timed, I reckon. Sometimes the Hockey Gods have their own plans for a player… 

Spector’s Hockey

SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently examined where things stand with some of the top restricted free agents.

  • Negotiations are ongoing between the Vancouver Canucks and center Elias Pettersson and defenseman Quinn Hughes.
  • Fox noted the recent report of Kirill Kaprizov having a tentative one-year, eight-figure contract with KHL club CSKA Moscow in case negotiations with the Minnesota Wild fall through. Wild GM Bill Guerin is willing to compromise with a five- or six-year offer to the 2021 Calder Trophy winner.
  • Brady Tkachuk would be willing to commit to a long-term deal with the Ottawa Senators if ownership is willing to spend what it takes to deliver a Stanley Cup team. 
  • Contract terms seem to be the sticking point between the Carolina Hurricanes and Andrei Svechnikov.
  • The Detroit Red Wings remain flush with cap space after signing Jakub Vrana and Tyler Bertuzzi. Fox believes defenseman Filip Hronek could get more term on his new contract than any of his teammates.
  • Negotiations are underway between the Buffalo Sabres and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Fox suggested the safe play for both sides could be a bridge deal.

NHLRumors.com

  • Ken Wiebe: Have been hearing that the Winnipeg Jets and forward Evgeny Svechnikov have a mutual interest.
  • The Hockey News: Jaromir Jagr says if he quits playing hockey, his Kladno could fold.
    • “Do you know why I’m still playing? I have a responsibility to the club, otherwise I wouldn’t fly here and I wouldn’t be making a fool of myself. But if I quit, the partners and sponsors would leave and the club may be done. I have no choice. People don’t understand it, but I don’t care. Only God will judge me. I expect much more from myself, and I also believe that I have it in me.”

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Would an Injury to this Player be More Crippling to the Oilers than One to McDavid?

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!

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Oil on Whyte

How many points could McDavid put up next season?

 

  • I predict he will run away not only with the lead-in points on the Oilers but in the league. Guys like Mackinnon, Kucherov & Matthews may come close to the three-digit point mark, but they won’t surpass Connor.
  • I also predict McDavid will unanimously win league MVP, and take home both the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay award. The entire league has defensive plays written around stopping him, and he still finds ways to fill, or help fill the net on a nightly basis.
  • 2021-22 Stat Prediction: 45 Goals, 110 Assists, 155 Points. 

BLH’s Thoughts: There’s not a player in the league that will come close to Connor McDavid in the race for the Art Ross aside from his teammate, Leon Draisaitl. As long as Connor’s healthy (knock on wood), the scoring championship is his to lose. The Hart Trophy will be a yearly debate though unless he really runs away with the scoring title. 

My low mark prediction for McDavid is 40 goals and 100 assists. Anything above that is cherry.

Oilersnation (baggedmilk)

Random Thoughts: Bubble Wrap Darnell Nurse, Evan Bouchard the Wildcard, and more

  • Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think I’m underplaying how important it is for Darnell Nurse to stay healthy this season because I’ve got a horrible feeling that we’d see the milk go bad in a real hurry if he goes down for any length of time and we’ve got a left side that features Keith, Russell, and Koekkoek.
  • I don’t want to put any more pressure on Bouchard than there already is, but if he can find a way to not only handle the extra workload but actually excel with having more on his plate, then I think a lot of our worries about the defence will evaporate.

BLH’s Thoughts: Healthy is something that every team in every season is worried about. To date, Darnell has avoided extended time on the IR, but I do share this worry with baggedmilk.

You see, Darnell Nurse takes over Oscar Klefbom’s spot in the JENGA stack and you really hope that if Nurse has to miss any time that Duncan Keith, Kris Russell, and the kids (Lagesson, Broberg, Samorukov, and Niemelainen) can fill the void. 

That said, these are the kinds of scenarios where revelations occur. Maybe one of the call-ups from Bakersfield would overperform and we’d have ourselves a top-four defenseman “out of nowhere”. 

NHLTradeRumors.me

  • The NHL free agency is winding down as training camp begins next month. Veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara hasn’t signed yet, and the 44-year-old is expected to come back to play in the NHL next season. There’s rumored interest between Chara and the Florida Panthers, and a deal could be finalized in the next two weeks.

Edmonton Oilers: 2 Prospects Who Will Make The Team Next Season

  • Evan Bouchard D: Evan Bouchard played in 14 games this past season with the Oilers and did well. He ended up scoring two goals and recording five points. In 2019-20 with the Bakersfield Condors, he also had success offensively, as he had seven goals and 36 points in 54 games.
  • Tyler Benson LW: He has been a solid point-producer in the AHL for three seasons now. This year with the Condors was his best one to date, as he scored 10 goals and had 36 points in 36 games. He also started the season on a loan with GCK Lions of the SL and had 19 points in 15 games. 

2 Canadiens Most Likely Getting Traded Next Season:

  • Jonathan Drouin: The team received a ton of calls on him this summer and have decided he’s a part of their team for at least the beginning of next season.
  • Paul Byron: The Canadiens were hopeful the Seattle Kraken would take a look at Byron but that wasn’t the case. The team may need to eat some salary if they want to move the speedy winger.

BLH’s Thoughts: Chara to Florida is building up some steam eh? They just added Joe Thornton too. I do not mind what they’re doing down in Sunrise. 

Evan Bouchard, barring injury or trade, is going to make the Edmonton Oilers in 2021-22. Bet your house on it. 

Tyler Benson should play in the NHL next season, the team he’ll suit up for isup for debate. I’ve been told Seattle is really interested in him and that they’re not the only club who have interest. 

I don’t know if the Habs are heartless enough to trade Jonathan Drouin after he took a leave of absence to deal with some personal issues unless he requests it. 

Paul Byron was really good in the playoffs, I don’t see them moving on from him unless Ducharme starts sitting him for extended periods of time during the season. I could see a lot of teams having interest in him at the trade deadline. 

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