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

Which NHL Team from the Past Does This Edmonton Oilers Club Remind You of?

August 10, 2021 Beer League Hero

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 (Van Diest)

Stuart Skinner to continue development with Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton product signed a two-year, two-way contract extension with the Oilers — announced Sunday — which will play him an average annual salary of $750,000 per season.
Stuart, 22, had his best season as a professional last year in Bakersfield, backstopping the team to the Pacific Division championship in a COVID-19 shortened season. Stuart led the AHL in appearances (31), wins (20), minutes played (1,787) and saves (753). He had a 2.38 goals against average with a .914 save percentage and two shutouts in 31 games.
Stuart then posted a 2.68 goals against average and .907 save percentage, helping the Condors get past the San Diego Gulls and the Henderson Silver Knights in a modified playoff tournament.
The Oilers are hoping Skinner is eventually able to make the jump from the AHL. Whether it’s this season or next season will be up to the six-foot-four, 206-pound goaltender. The Oilers are currently heading into training camp with Skinner behind Smith and Koskinen on the depth chart.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’ve said it before, but for me, last year was a mirage/outlier for Bakersfield and I’ll be paying much closer attention this year when the team is younger in key spots. Plus everybody who was on their top line will most likely be playing elsewhere, right? Ryan McLeod will in centering the Oilers’ 3rd or 4th line, Tyler Benson might be on Edmonton’s 4th line, and who knows where Cooper Marody will be? I just don’t expect him to be on Edmonton’s roster or Bakersfield’s.

That said, I don’t mind if they aren’t a top team in the AHL. I’m more interested in watching Philip Broberg, Dmitri Samorukov, Phil Kemp, Dylan Holloway, Rafa Lavoie, and Ilya Konovalov.

If Stu Skinner’s performance rate continues to trend up, good for him! I’ve heard he’s such a hard worker and he’ll deserve all the accolades he gets, which hopefully include a promotion to Edmonton.

The Hockey Writers (Parsons)

Oilers Banking on Core 5: Success, or the Next Maple Leafs?

The difference between the Maple Leafs and the Oilers is that Toronto hasn’t won with this core and Dubas is going to have to invest in a defenseman at an age and time where the rest of his leadership core is coming closer to the end of their current deals before they potentially begin to separate.
Holland has opened a four-year window for the Oilers. These five players are at the absolute prime of their careers. Toronto’s window is closing rapidly and some will be leaving with their best years to come.
Some fans are concerned a new contract for Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto will be hard to get done with so much money committed to five players. That’s likely inaccurate.
- The Oilers hold the hammer with both Puljujarvi and Yamamoto. At best, Yamamoto gets $1.5 million to $2 million on a bridge deal (he doesn’t have arbitration rights) and Puljujarvi $3 million (maybe a little more) if he explodes offensively. That’s an affordable thing for the Oilers to get done.
At the end of the day, it comes down to the five guys taking all the money. Are they the right five guys? While there’s still time for Toronto to win and prove the naysayers wrong, they’ve perhaps showed that if you potentially allocate all your cap to the wrong guys, it doesn’t work.

BLH’s Thoughts: I have been thinking about the similarities between the Oilers and Toronto with regards to their builds, but I feel like the Maple Leafs might’ve taken a step back on forward. Capfriendly’s mock lines have Nick Ritchie and Ilya Mikheyev on Toronto’s second line with John Tavares and the rest of the forward group kind of drops off from there. I suppose depending on how you feel about the additions of David Kampf and Michael Bunting, your opinion might differ.

The defense is an interesting experiment. The pairing of Muzzin and Holl looks like the team’s only true defense-first couple. After that things get a little vanilla from a defending POV. Edmonton doesn’t have a shutdown pairing anymore, so the Leafs got them there. With that in mind, I feel the Oilers will bring much more offense from their blue line than Toronto.

I don’t really know how I feel about the netminders on either team though. Petr Mrazek and Jack Campbell could be a really good duo for the Leafs next year, right? It’s not like Sheldon Keefe is going to have to worry about the health of those two…

Personally, I like the players coming up through Edmonton’s pipeline better than what Toronto has. Aside from Nick Robertson and Rodion Amirov, do the Maple Leafs have any more prospects who are projected to be impact players?

The Athletic (Willis)

Win or lose, these Oilers are built in Ken Holland’s image

A lot of people have written that the Oilers need to add players with experience, players who know how to win. A lot of people have written that the Oilers need to get bigger and tougher. If they’re right — and there’s a lot of overlap between those two points of view — then mission accomplished. Holland has busily added age and size and guys who have been around to the roster.
Holland will succeed or fail based on his vision of a bigger, older, wiser Oilers roster. He’s made additions that reflect his values. He’s ignored things that don’t.
Every decision a manager makes shows what he believes in. When push comes to shove, Holland doesn’t believe in analytics. He believes in experience and in proven achievement, not exclusively but often, as Keith and Smith and Kyle Turris and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins all show. He believes in size, again not exclusively but often.
For Keith, Smith, Nurse or any other NHL player, the beauty of the sport is that it really doesn’t matter what anyone says. What happens on the ice proves their value. The same is true for general managers. Opinions are inexorably pulled toward the gravity exerted by what the teams they build do on the ice.

BLH’s Thoughts: I think the Oilers now have the skill to get them through the regular season. What’s been lacking is the size, consistency, and lack of players who are willing to go through a wall to score or stop a goal for the team. Holland has addressed that lack (to a degree) with his work this summer.

Hockey isn’t rocket science, what worked 40 years ago could very well work again today and one thing I thought a last month that was kind of ironic was that this group of Oilers reminds me of the Colorado Avalanche team Holland competed against when his Red Wings were at the top of their game in the late 90s and early 2000s. Edmonton’s just lacking their Patrick Roy…

The Daily Goal Horn

NHL Rumors: Bruins eyeing Dvorak; leave door open to Krejci; Panthers likely to extend Barkov and Reinhart soon

Over the weekend the rumor mill continued to buzz about Coyotes center Christian Dvorak landing with the Bruins.
There are a number of teams interested in trying to acquire Dvorak. The Bruins have been rumored for awhile You can also add the San Jose Sharks and the New York Rangers. Boston is still believed to be willing to part with Jake DeBrusk in the right deal.
Longtime Florida Panthers beat writer, George Richards believes that both Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart will be extended this summer.

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Can a Toxic Fanbase be “Fixed”?

August 10, 2021 Beer League Hero

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Oil on Whyte (Mallon)

The Edmonton Oilers Have a New Look But Are They Better?

Adding Zack Hyman, regardless of the term or dollars, makes Edmonton’s top six better today. He’s a big body (6’1″, 211lbs) who had consistently proven he can play with elite talent.
With players like Jujhar Khaira, Dominik Kahun, and Alex Chiasson out of the mix, Foegele, along with youngsters like Ryan McLeod, and the recently added Brendan Perlini, need to do what the past group simply could not, prevent the other team from outscoring Edmonton when McDavid and Leon Draisaitl aren’t on the ice.
Edmonton will almost definitely allow more goals against. While that’s generally a bad thing, the hope will have to be that they also score in bunches, canceling out any defensive gaffs.
(Mike) Smith seems to have rediscovered himself, and there’s a chance he can fill the main role once again. Koskinen, in limited starts, has the potential to win half of them for Edmonton. But the train will go off the rails if Edmonton’s now 39-year-old starter gets hurt. It’s a frighteningly plausible scenario, and barring the emergence of Stuart Skinner (who recently signed a two year extension) as a number one NHL goalie, Edmonton’s playoff hopes would immediately be in doubt.
Does Edmonton now have the team that will deliver them past the first round of the playoffs for only the second time in McDavid’s career?

BLH’s Thoughts: Wouldn’t it be something if the Oilers, who’ve brought in three former Toronto Maple Leafs who’ll play prominent roles on the team, make it past the first round before Kyle Dubas’ team does?

I’m not a huge fan of the team attempting to outscore their opposition and I’m not sure if that’s the plan at all. My feeling is that Tippett is going to clamp things down style-wise to mitigate the risk he’s got between the pipes and on defense. Connor and Leon are going to get their candies but the rest of the team might be tasked with playing as risk-free and as simple as possible.

Oilersnation

Monday Mailbag – Defencemen Getting Paid

What does everyone make of the giant contracts some defencemen are getting this offseason, especially with Nurse landing his own deal on Friday afternoon?

“It really feels like teams just don’t want to risk losing good, young defenseman and are willing to pay more than they were before to make sure they don’t get to market.”-Yaremchuk

With Zach Hyman now signed, could you see Dave Tippett keeping McDavid and Draisaitl together and having the new guy along RNH on the second line?

“Hyman-RNH-Puljujarvi could be a solid second line and I could see Tippett trying that trio to see what they do. If they play well and produce, then playing the Dynamic Duo more often is a big advantage. Colorado has loaded up their top line for a few years, same as Boston and they’ve had lots of regular season success.” – Gregor

Kailer Yamamoto didn’t have the best season in 2020-21. What does he need to do this upcoming season to ensure he rebounds because the Oilers need him to produce?

“I would be more worried about Yamamoto if he wasn’t getting chances but the guy was cursed in 2021 and just couldn’t cash to save his life. If he keeps working hard and busting his ass as he always has, I’d bet on seeing a bounce back year from Yamo.” – baggedmilk

What are the chances of Oliver Rodrigue or even Stuart Skinner ever playing for the big team?

“Historically most goalies have .920sv% or higher in the AHL, before they are recalled and become regular NHL goalies. Of course there are some exceptions, but Skinner will need to raise his sv%, which was .914 last year, to over .920 this season.” – Gregor

Going back to Jason Arnott, Oilers fans have criticized good to great oilers players to the point where many have decided to move on because of the negative environment. Or they’ve spoken about how tough it is to play here because of the negative fan attention. Arnott, Schultz, Petry, Larson, Bear and Eberle. Come to mind. Do you see this is a problem? How do we fix this?

- “There are plenty of markets in the NHL just as demanding as Edmonton, so we’re not alone and I’m not sure it’s something you can “fix… Negative attention from fans used to be largely limited to inside the rink or to the call-in shows on radio. Now, everybody, including the dim and perpetually angry, have their say in real time.” – Brownlee

BLH’s Thoughts: Almost every one of the ON writers who were asked this question said Edmonton wasn’t the only market that has fans like this and it is what it is, the players have to ignore it, and basically that it’ll never change, but my question is, why does it have to be that way in Edmonton?

Since Elliotte Friedman put it out there that UFAs are wary of playing in Canada because of the toxic ultras within each of the seven markets, I think there’s an opportunity for Edmonton (the hockey team and the fanbase) to flip the switch and create a more nurturing and caring experience for the players and how that could be done is the kind of conversation I’d like to listen to.

So I ask, why can’t the toxic portion of a fanbase be “fixed”? Why do we have to justify the actions of few because “it’s the same in other markets”? We don’t accept abusive behavior around our kids when they play hockey and if somebody went as far as to take things too far online with minors, there’d be ramifications, would there not? Could that same theory not be extended to a professional hockey team?

Lowetide.ca

MUNZENBERGER INTEL

Munzenberger is a big defenseman with good speed and shutdown ability. Since arriving in Edmonton as general manager, Ken Holland’s Oilers have drafted three defensemen. The two drafted inside the top 100 overall (Philip Broberg, Munzenberger) have size, speed and a defensive reputation. I expect we’re going to see a big, strong and mobile defense in Edmonton through the rest of the Holland era.

BLH’s Thoughts: This is what Bob Stauffer’s been saying for a couple of years since Philip Broberg was drafted. To become a championship caliber team, Edmonton’s defense needs to become bigger, more mobile, better at moving the puck, and smarter on the ice. The GM can always go out and grab a tough cycle breaker at the trade deadline on the cheap, but the quality must be drafted and developed from within.

NHLRumors.com

Eric Stephens of The Athletic: The Anaheim Ducks still have some money available this offseason if they want to spend. The prices for the remaining UFAs may come down as players may just want to make sure they have a team to play with next season.
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: The Toronto Maple Leafs are over the cap but don’t have to be cap compliant until the start of the season. They’ll need to waive some players or find a taker for forward Alex Kerfoot.
- Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is entering the final year of his contract and will be looking for a raise from his current $5 million. A long-term extension could come in around $8 million per season.

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Yamamoto’s New Contract, Rebound Candidates, and a Surprise Fact about Cody Ceci!

August 9, 2021 Beer League Hero

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The Hockey Writers (Swane)

Oilers’ Cody Ceci: 4 Things to Know About Edmonton’s New Defenceman

He Got to Live His Childhood Dream

A lifelong Ottawa Senators fan, Ceci first got to play to major junior in his hometown with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League, then was drafted by his favorite NHL team, 15^th overall, in 2012.

He’s a World Champion

Ceci was a member of Canada’s team that won gold at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Russia. He had one goal and five assists, zero penalty minutes, and a plus-eight rating in 10 games. His Canadian teammates included Oilers superstar Connor McDavid.

He’s Back With Tyson Barrie

While the two right-side defencemen won’t play on the same pair, Ceci and Oilers defenceman Tyson Barrie are reuniting as teammates in Edmonton after a season together with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019-20.

His Dad Played Football For Edmonton’s Enemy

Cody’s father, Parri Ceci, was a wide receiver who played in the Canadian Football League. Parri, however, lined up for Edmonton’s least favorite gridiron team, the Calgary Stampeders, who drafted the elder Ceci 27th overall in 1984.

BLH’s Thoughts: Do you reckon Connor McDavid would’ve signed off on the Oilers going with Ceci if they didn’t play together at the World’s in 2016 and how long until Bob Stauffer throws out that tidbit about Ceci’s dad? Bob’s a massive football fan, if you didn’t know.

Oilersnation (Brownlee)

Off the Top of My Head

At 26, I don’t know if there’s much more room for development with Nurse.
For this contract to make any sense, Nurse has to play at the same level he did last season for the majority of this new deal. That’s the floor, not the ceiling.
What I like right here today, given GM Ken Holland’s win-now mandate, is that Nurse’s contract sends a message to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl that owner Daryl Katz is willing to back up all the talk about contending now with money that ensures the core of this team will stay together at least until their deals expire.
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of money RFA Kailer Yamamoto gets on his next deal.
Speculation is agent J.P Barry would like two years at about $2 million a season. I don’t see it.
- First, Yamamoto doesn’t have arbitration rights.
- Second, as noted, he was cold as a divorcee’s lawyer to end the season.
If Yamamoto can come in above the QO, say, two years with and AAV of $1.5 million, it’s a win. Ink the deal and put together two solid years with the cap edging up.

BLH’s Thoughts: Personally, I think that Nurse can improve on the defensive end of his game. The offense is what it is and I’m not expecting that to spike without getting time on the PP since Barrie and Bouchard will be running that for the foreseeable future. I really am hoping that he develops into another Alex Pietrangelo.

It wouldn’t shock me if it took until training camp to get a deal done between the Oilers and Yamamoto. Killer’s got zero leverage here and that 25-game goal drought playing alongside the reigning MVP didn’t do him any favors. That said, I don’t think he was 100% healthy last year but he ploughed through. We should keep in mind that when he was in the AHL he had some issues staying healthy too. I’m not sure his frame will support his style of play until his body can catches up.

For what it’s worth, teams are asking about Yamamoto…

NHLTradeRumors.me (DeRosa)

Edmonton Oilers: 2 Players Who Will Bounce Back Next Season

Zack Kassian RW: In 27 games, the 30-year-old only scored two goals and recorded five points. This kind of production is far too low for his standards, so there is reason to believe that he can bounce back stronger this upcoming year.
Kyle Turris C: He posted identical statistics to Kassian, as he too had two goals and five points in 27 games. Keep in mind, he had 31 points in 62 games with the Nashville Predators the season before. Therefore, he is capable of producing decent numbers as a third-line center. He should be able to yet again next season.

BLH’s Thoughts: I think Kassian is an obvious choice here, but I’m going to say Mikko Koskinen is the other bounce back candidate. I’m not confident that Mike Smith is going to have another year like he did last season, but with rest and proper deployment, Koskinen may very well. Don’t forget, it’s a contract year for the big Finn too…

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: The Only Way Perlini Makes the Oilers in 2021-22 and Skinner’s Outlier Season

August 9, 2021 Beer League Hero

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Oilersnation (Laing)

Edmonton Oilers sign goaltender Stuart Skinner to two-year contract extension

The Edmonton Oilers have signed RFA goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year, two-way contract extension, the club announced Saturday.
The contract carries an AAV of $750,000.
Skinner, 22, led the American Hockey League in wins last year posting a 20-9-1 record to go along with a 2.38 GAA, a .914 save percentage and two shutouts. He also helped lead the way for the Condors to take home the AHL’s Pacific Division title this year.
Drafted by the Oilers in the third round of the 2017 draft, Skinner played in his first NHL game last year securing a win over the Ottawa Senators. Skinner has spent the last four seaons with the Condors posting a 40-28-10 record, a 2.91 GAA and a .900 save percentage.

BLH’s Thoughts: Skinner is the club’s top goaltending prospect for a reason, but don’t be fooled by last season’s record. The Condors had an older team and played in a division with a lot of youth. The real test for Skinner will be this season when Bakersfield has to travel and play clubs outside of their division. He’s going to have competition from an accomplished KHL netminder in 2021-22 as well. So… Skinner is definitely going to dig deep to prove he’s trending up and last season wasn’t an outlier.

Lowetide.ca

OILERS ADD PERLINI

Perlini has been inconsistent since turning pro, but has averaged 16 goals per 82 games in the NHL. Perlini spent 21 games in the Swiss-A league last season scoring 9-7-16 (0.76 pts-game). Linus Omark led the league in scoring, 22-39-61 in 49 games. My guess is he pushes for an NHL job but is sent to Bakersfield, and he could get a recall during the year. I believe his competition will be Tyler Benson and Devin Shore (fourth-line winger) with his rugged style and speed his big advantage, his play without the puck his weakness. It should be an interesting battle.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m also looking forward to this battle but ultimately, I think the only way he makes the Oilers is if he outplays Devin Shore in camp or Tyler Benson (who’ll have to pass through waivers to be sent down to the AHL) has been moved. Perlini is on a two-way deal, so it’ll be easier for the team to send him to Bakersfield from the get-go, get him re-acclimated to AHL hockey and then re-call him down the road a bit if need be.

ProHockeyRumors.com

Buyout-Proof: Darnell Nurse’s Extra Protection

The combination of a contract being front-loaded and then filled with signing bonuses creates another sort of protection for Nurse. After the halfway point, it essentially can’t be bought out. The cap savings would be negligible at that point, meaning the defenseman will almost certainly see this new deal play out regardless of how he performs down the line.
For instance, if the team tried to buy the deal out in June 2026, they would still face cap hits of $7.72MM in 2026-27 and $8.52MM in each of the next three years. As it gets closer to the end of the term, the cap savings would be even less. That means if things go sour, Edmonton would need to pull the trigger early to get any real relief, like the Minnesota Wild recently did with Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, but that would still result in some painful cap penalties without a player to show for it.
This isn’t the first time the league has seen contracts structured in a way to prevent buyouts. In the summer of 2016, just a few days after free agency opened, PHR published a piece examining how Loui Eriksson’s deal (and several others signed that day) was essentially buyout-proof.
It’s a gamble, an especially risky one to take a year out from Nurse reaching unrestricted free agency.
The team is making a huge investment in the short term, hoping to find some success in the postseason.

BLH’s Thoughts: Such an interesting way to show you care for the team by handcuffing it both in the short-term and the long-term. Don’t get me wrong, I love Nurse the player. He’s absolutely incredible when I disregard the contract he just signed and I hope he’ll stay incredible and develop into the kind of player that justifies that deal.

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

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Insider Suggests Oilers Are Looking at Slater Koekkoek and Jordie Benn

August 9, 2021 Beer League Hero

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The Cult of Hockey (Leavins)

The Nurse deal part of an on-going commitment from the Edmonton Oilers ownership to keep their core intact: 9 Things

7. I see the Oilers giving Kyle Turris every opportunity to earn the 13^th F position. If he can do it Turris would be a very useful piece. He has on his resume many of the traits required, like flexibility, an adept faceoff man and solid 2-way play.

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t think it hurts to have another veteran on the club who can step in for Ryan McLeod or one of the RWs should an injury arise. He’s at that point in his career though where he needs to be propped up by better players, so it’ll be interesting to see how Dave Tippett handles that challenge.

Don’t be surprised if 20-year old D Simon Kubicek is invited to Edmonton Oilers main camp. The undrafted 6’2 D-man was acquired by the Oil Kings from Seattle in January. He played most of his 2020-21 season in the Czech professional league save for when he was on the Czech World Junior club (in Edmonton). A tough defender with a big shot, Kubicek could be a nice organizational add under the right-shot Defence column.

BLH’s Thoughts: Oilers looking for the new Adam Larsson? If so, that’s some LONG-TERM thinking as he probably won’t be ready to hop into the NHL for another four seasons I’m thinking.

That said, it wouldn’t hurt to add another cycle-breaker to the stable. He also has one of the better slapshots out there, but then again, how many shutdown defenders get a chance to use their clappers these days?

Regardless, I wonder if he goes back to the Oil Kings and fills one of their 20yrd slots and then joins Bakersfield (if he’s signed) at the end of the season.

5. Expect the Oilers will add at least 1 more veteran depth D-man between now and training camp. They’re probably looking to spend Trevor van Riemsdyk money ($950k). Two primary names to keep an eye on are Slater Koekkoek and Jordie Benn.

BLH’s Thoughts: I think you’ve got to go with Koekkoek here, don’t you? Benn is a battler but so is KK and he’s a better all-round defender too. $950k would be a raise for him too.

4. The Oilers have signed LW Brendan Perlini to a 1-year, 2-way deal at the league minimum ($750k). This didn’t happen overnight. It was a culmination of a conversation that started around the 3^rd week in May…
Dave Tippett was his head coach when Perlini broke in and scored 14 & 17 goals his 1^st 2 seasons before things veered off course. This has “project” written all over it. But if Perlini can return to his former self and play (3-4LW)? That would make Ryan Nugent-Hopkins an easier 2-3C option and take some pressure off Ryan McLeod.

BLH’s Thoughts: The risk/reward ratio here is really good. At worst, Perlini helps the Condors scoring and at best he’s playing with the Oilers utilizing his size, speed, and shot. What’s not to like?

3. I expect the Oilers would like to see Bouchard graduate up the RHS to pair with either Duncan Keith or Darnell Nurse by the end of the year. We all know Bouchard’s pedigree. But from what I’m told, the Oilers are particularly thrilled with Bouchard’s work off the ice It’s that combination of skill and commitment is why they bet on him in particular on the RHS.

BLH’s Thoughts: If Bouchard can stay healthy, he’s going to make the fanbase forget all about Ethan Bear. Although, it’s going to be hard when Ethan is doing stuff like this on his time off,

https://twitter.com/debmack__/status/1424506680604336130

2. Some don’t like the Nurse deal. But if you don’t re-sign him you will have to replace him. Doing that internally is time consuming and filled with uncertainty. Doing so through free agency almost always comes with a limited selection (including whether those players want to play in Canada) and inflated prices. Doing it through trade costs valuable assets (see the Ethan Bear deal). It makes way more sense to keep your own.

BLH’s Thoughts: The internal option is out of the question and free agency would present some challenges unless you think Hampus Lindholm or Morgan Rielly would come in, but even then, how much are you paying those two compared to what Nurse just signed for?

I think a debate could be had about what Nurse could be traded for though and I’ll maintain that I think Ivan Provorov, who’s played similar TOI as Darnell for Philly in recent years and is younger (and signed for four more years and about $3M cheaper), could be had. As a tough a rugged man of color, Nurse would have ridiculous value to Philadelphia as he fits the city’s and the team’s identity.

I don’t know, that’s just me fantasy GM-ing, though. I’m just not willing to buy that you couldn’t trade him and get a good player back.

Lowetide.ca

Here’s how I see the battle royale going during training camp.

Josh Archibald will return as a utility forward, he fills the same role Jimmy Roberts filled for those old Habs teams in the 1970’s (except he doesn’t play defense). He could land on any line, will PK like a demon, and be out there late in games when the team is up by one goal. I could see him getting another contract during the year or shortly after the season.
Ryan McLeod played 10 games at the end of the year and looked fast and good, but he needs to post some offense…
Devin Shore has penalty killing on his side but his five on five results were so poor he’s vulnerable…
Tyler Benson is out of options and can help the fourth line with his passing and offensive creativity. He isn’t guaranteed a job, but will get a look in training camp…
Kyle Turris is in a tough spot and fighting for his NHL career right now, all kinds of reports that he’s stayed in Edmonton this summer to train. If training was the issue, that’s great, but in my opinion the problem is he’s far better on the wing and the Oilers didn’t have enough skill to give him a strong set of linemates. We’ll see.
Cooper Marody was qualified, that must mean the organization has plans for him…
Brendan Perlini is the new man, and has good speed and size on his resume. I think he starts in the minors.
Dylan Holloway is likely headed to Bakersfield, but could be back soon…

BLH’s Thoughts: My bets are on Archibald, McLeod, Turris, and Shore making this team this fall. Holloway and Perlini should make it to Bakersfield pretty seamlessly but for how long, I don’t know.

Marody and Benson will need waivers and I wonder if Holland has a deal in his back pocket involving Benson. There’s enough interest in him out there that the Oilers may just use him to recoup a draft pick or nab themselves a goalie.

Marody might get claimed on waivers if he’s put on them but, in my opinion, that’ll sting the Oilers like losing Pontus Aberg did.

Spector’s Hockey

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – August 8, 2021

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Jimmy Murphy recently reported NHL sources confirmed Bruins general manager Don Sweeney remains open to acquiring a center but the trade market has gone stale in recent days. For now, the club intends to use Charlie Coyle as their second-line center after David Krejci announced he’s returning to the Czech Republic to finish his playing career.
- Recent speculation suggests Sweeney could use winger Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Jakub Zboril as trade bait to land a center. The Bruins had serious trade discussions with the Arizona Coyotes regarding Christian Dvorak over two weeks ago but those talks hit a stalemate.
THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple recently speculated the New York Islanders could turn to the trade market to fill the gap on the left side of their defense corps after trading Nick Leddy to Detroit.
- He listed Seattle’s Vince Dunn, Anaheim’s Hampus Lindholm, Chicago’s Calvin de Haan, Columbus’ Vladislav Gavrikov, Carolina’s Jake Gardiner, Nashville’s Mattias Ekholm, Anaheim’s Cam Fowler, Winnipeg’s Nathan Beaulieu and New Jersey’s Damon Severson as possible trade targets.

BLH’s Thoughts:

The Daily Goal Horn

NHL Rumors Roundup: Latest on Brady Tkachuk contract; Jack Eichel; Phil Kessel; and Kevin Fiala

TSN’s Shawn Simpson is reporting that there’s no progress to speak of towards a new deal. “What was told to me by someone close to the (Brady) Tkachuk camp, is that Brady loves the crew in Ottawa,” he explains. “But he’s totally waiting to see if ownership is willing to spend what it takes to deliver a Cup team.”
I find that hard to believe considering the Rangers are the only known team to have made a legit offer (on Jack Eichel). However, this is the way contract and trade negotiations are played. Where information changes from day-to-day and even hour-to-hour.
Per Craig Morgan via Spector’s Hockey, Kessel’s agents asked the Coyotes to trade him before the season starts. It’s also being reported that he would like to play in Vegas but as of right now the Golden Knights are not interested. Most likely due to their limited cap space.
- Some other teams that might look to deal for Kessel are the Seattle Kraken, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Minnesota Wild.
In a rare move, the Minnesota Wild opted to exercise their club option for salary arbitration with Kevin Fiala.
- So why did the Wild opt to file when the player did not? With the uncertainty on Kaprizov, this will at least ensure that Fiala will be under contract for the start of camp and not a hold out.
- Due to it being club elected, after the arbitrator’s award, Fiala can pick the term, which would likely be two years so he can become a UFA.
- …the Wild may opt to trade Fiala knowing that he will most likely walk away at the end of the deal.

BLH’s Thoughts:

Edmonton Sun (Van Diest)

The Hockey Writers (Parsons)

The Athletic (Willis)

The Daily Goal Horn

Oil on Whyte (Mallon)

Oilersnation

Lowetide.ca

The Hockey Writers (Swane)

Oilersnation (Brownlee)

NHLTradeRumors.me (DeRosa)

Oilersnation (Laing)

Lowetide.ca

ProHockeyRumors.com

The Cult of Hockey (Leavins)

Spector’s Hockey

The Daily Goal Horn

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