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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Darnell Nurse Contract Extension, Playing McDraisaitl, and Lavoie’s Future

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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Oilersnation

Help Me Understand: NHL, Hot Takes, and More
  • I don’t understand why some Oilers fans think playing Connor McDavid with Leon Draisaitl in the regular season is a bad idea.
    • Did you know that during the 2008 and 2009 regular seasons Sidney Crosby’s most common linemate at 5×5 in Pittsburgh was Evgeni Malkin. In those two seasons, Crosby played 1857 minutes and skated 709 minutes with Malkin. That is 38.1% of his 5×5 TOI with Malkin. The Penguins made the Cup Final both years, and in the playoffs, Crosby only played 10% of his TOI with Malkin.
  • I’m curious to see what the Dallas Stars will look like… What I don’t understand is their plan in goal.
    • I know Dallas plays a better team defence than Vancouver, but Holtby hasn’t been lighting it up the past four years. He has a combined .904sv% in that time, but has posted .897sv% and .889% the past two seasons. Is he clearly better than Oettinger and Khudobin? Will they send Oettinger to the minors so they can play Khudobin and Holtby? Or will they trade Khudobin?
  • It is interesting seeing how people classify Zack Kassian. I think the most accurate description of Kassian would to say he is frustratingly inconsistent.
    • I agree with those who say he is inconsistent, but to claim Kassian only has fourth line skill is inaccurate. In five of the previous eight seasons, his production was good, and in three seasons it was excellent at 5×5.
    • He offers a rare blend of size, speed, physicality and he has better hands than some suggest. He just needs to show it more regularly.

BLH’s Thoughts: The great thing about what Ken Holland and his pro scouts have done this summer is that they’ve managed to build a forward group that is extremely fluid and, in theory, that should be a great hedge against any worst case scenarios that may emerge. 

I believe this team will be fine for the regular season, it’s the post-season that Dave Tippett should be having an eye towards as the year progresses. Which players thrive in tight games? Who’s elevating their effort in key moments? As well as which individuals are disappearing when times get tough. 

As long as he pays attention to those thing, he’ll have a much clearer idea as to how his playoff roster should be constructed. 

Lowetide.ca

TRAINING CAMP HOPEFUL NO. 1: RAPHAEL LAVOIE
  • What will keep him out of the NHL? I’m no scout or coach, but he’ll need to keep his feet moving. Lavoie seems to land in the offensive zone and then reads the play, as opposed to pursuing the puck and keeping the play alive while using teammates. I don’t think that’s a fatal flaw, more likely a function of puck possession being easier for him in junior and his status as a pure scorer.
  • Is he good enough to eventually play on a line with McDavid or Draisaitl? Well, he’s a shooter so that aspect is attractive, but it’s too soon to project him to a skill line. We need to see him play the AHL at par, then dominate that level. He’s 6.04, 198 and can skate, so there are elements of a power forward here. The shot is golden, fantastic release on a heavy shot and he changes the release point late (via Scott Wheeler) to raise the degree of difficulty for the goalie, so that’s a feature of his game, but he has other dimensions.
  • What is the current depth chart at his position? I think his likely path is as a right wing, and my depth chart has him sixth (behind Jesse Puljujarvi, Kailer Yamamoto, Josh Archibald, Zack Kassian, Cooper Marody) and that’s outside the NHL for this season but a strong start in Bakersfield could get him a look.
  • Do you think he’ll make it? I think he has gaps in his game that will need to improve, but there’s too much talent to bet against with Lavoie. Wheeler’s article on the “shot-creation king” tells you how he’ll get to the NHL, and Lavoie’s improved play without the puck (when it comes) will convince the NHL coach to keep him there.

BLH’s Thoughts: There are many more questions that LT answers in his post, so click the link above and head over to read the rest. I just borrowed the ones I found the most intriguing personally. 

So, I’ve said from the get-go that Lavoie reminds me of Alex Chiasson, but he’s only had handful of games in the AHL and I can’t make a definitive judgement on him until after this upcoming season.

I mean, it really depends on what plans the Oilers have for this player, right? Do they seem him as a top-sixer or are their hopes tied to him being a goal-scoring 3rd liner who specializes on the power play? The answers to those questions will direct where his development is concentrated and we’ve got to keep in mind that the team has Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto already installed onto the big roster leaving Lavoie to hope that his progression steadily improves as the contracts of Zack Kassian, Josh Archibald, and Kyle Turris expire so that he can walk right onto the roster in a few seasons time. 

The Athletic

Team Canada summer showcase: U18 standouts and World Junior roster projection
  • RW Tyler Tullio: Tullio looked considerably stronger on his feet and that strength showed in his game, including in his wrister (which surprised me with its pop). He can wait too long to make his play, though, which slows things down because he’s not a skater who’s going to burn anyone. That put him into some tough spots occasionally.
  • C/W Xavier Bourgault: Bourgault looked really quick, flashing some straight-line acceleration on the backcheck and in 10-foot races. I was impressed by his change of directions with the puck, too. His skating has come a long way to become a real asset. I thought he played very well in the first two games and peaked in the final one with three points (one goal, two assists) as one of the best players on the ice.

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t see Tyler Tullio making the World Junior roster, it’s way too deep and if his showing at this camp was below par that means he’ll need to light up the OHL this year in order to get consideration. As for “Go-Go” Bourgault, he could be in tough depending on how many NHL teams release their eligible players. Team Canada will have skilled players in spades, so they’ll be looking for skaters who can excel without the puck too. 

Spector’s Hockey

NHL Rumor Mill – August 4, 2021

AZ COYOTES INSIDER: Craig Morgan reports Kessel’s trade status seems to change daily. He felt the club might be content retaining the winger this season with an eye on shopping him near the trade deadline. However, multiple sources claim Kessel’s representatives have approached Coyotes general manager Bob Armstrong requesting a trade before this season begins.

Honoring that request won’t be easy. Kessel would like to play for the Vegas Golden Knights but a source said they’re not interested in acquiring him. The Coyotes might have to remain patient as there isn’t much interest in the veteran winger around the league.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples wondered if the Oilers should make a pitch for Dallas Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin. The Stars need to move out a goalie and the Oilers need one.

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: “I think they’ve downgraded an entire letter grade on defence.” – Chapman

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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Oilersnation

Report: Edmonton Oilers were unable to land goaltender Darcy Kuemper due to discrepancy in offer

On the 31 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Oilers were right in the discussions, but the prospect they offered wasn’t as valuable to Arizona as Timmins:

  • “I think they lost out on Kuemper because whichever prospect they offered, and I don’t know who it was, Arizona liked Conor Timmins more than whoever Edmonton was willing to offer. And that is why Arizona went with that package.”

It’s pretty safe to assume the Oilers would’ve been willing to move their 1st round pick this year in the deal, and if they hadn’t I doubt they would’ve gotten so far into discussions with the ‘Yotes.

BLH’s Thoughts: Further to this, Bob Stauffer recently intimated that if Philip Grubauer hadn’t left Colorado for Seattle, the Oilers might’ve had both Kuemper AND Ryan Murray on their roster for the upcoming season. 

Copper N Blue (Jeff Chapman)

Finishing Touches?
  • Defence is going to be an especially volatile position this year, and I think there’s a fairly good chance there’s plenty of movement in and out of the lineup for players. Slater Koekkoek (850K cap hit last season) seems like a good candidate to return to the club if the Oilers want to add one more. If Erik Gudbranson isn’t on a club by the end of August, I think he’ll get a look from a couple of teams. Kris Russell (1.25MM this year) will be seen on the third pair (and maybe the second pair too).
  • Save for a depth defenceman, I think this is it. The Oilers got better up front this offseason. If they’re really crafty, they might be able to put three scoring lines on the ice. I think they’ve downgraded an entire letter grade on defence, and the goaltending is the same as last season. The, Oilers are going to once again rely heavily on their top six, and they’ll need a defence corps to hold it together enough to win some high scoring games. Getting another .920SV% season from Mike Smith would go far as well.

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t think they have to be crafty on their third line. The addition of Foegele coupled with Ryan McLeod’s progression (or Derek Ryan’s veteran savvy) and Kailer Yamamoto presents and enormous amount of scoring potential compared to recent 3rd line combinations that the team has trotted out in past years. 

There’s no way the defense has degraded to the extent Chapman is claiming. The don’t have a pure shutdown defender anymore, but Ceci and Keith are upgrades on Jones and Bear. Now, that might sound like an outstanding claim, but I’ll ask you this, would Ceci and Keith have been healthy scratches at any point last year if they were on the Oilers? Swapping those four skaters will eliminate some of the chaos that having young skaters in the lineup brings. 

As I’ve said before, the team might be done for the time being, but don’t discount them doing anything at the end of training camp when PTOs are ending and teams are needing to make tough decisions on training camp hopefuls with waivers in mind. 

NHLRumors.com

Ben Pope: With Marc-Andre Fleury and his $7 million cap hit saying yes to the Chicago Blackhawks, GM Stan Bowman may need to get creative to create room to fit in new contracts for Brandon Hagel and Alex Nylander.

They could look trade defenseman Calvin de Haan, forward Dylan Strome or goaltender Malcolm Subban.

Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Rumors and notes involving some of the top remaining free agents.

  • 1 Tuukka Rask – Has contemplated retirement before and after hip surgery in July, he’ll be out until January or February. He said back in June that he’ll only play for the Boston Bruins.
  • 2. Kyle Palmieri – Nothing has been announced but reports have him signing with the New York Islanders.
  • 3. Tomas Tatar – The Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken could have some level of interest.
  • 4. Casey Cizikas – May have a handshake deal with the Islanders. Drew interest from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Seattle Kraken, Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks.
  • 5. Jason Demers – 33-year old logged over 17 minutes per game last year.
  • 6. Marcus Johansson – Could be a good short-term signing for someone looking for a versitial forward.
  • 7. Nikita Gusev – Can play either wing and has received some interest. KHL is an option if he doesn’t find anything to his liking.
  • 8. Travis Zajac – It’s believed he has a deal in place with the Islanders.
  • 9. Sami Vatanen – 30-year old right-handed defenseman could be a good third-pairing defenseman for someone.
  • 10. Zdeno Chara – He’s in no rush to make a decision to play again next season or retire.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Bear/Foegele Trade, Anton Khudobin, and the Latest NHL Rumors

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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Oilersnation (Zach Laing)

Who will regret the Foegele-Bear trade more? Carolina or Edmonton?

 

On the 31 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had some interesting comments on the (Bear/Foegele) trade:

  • “Foegele is an interesting one because there was a ton of interest in Foegele. I heard Carolina was a little surprised by how much interest there was to the point where they said “are we kind of making a mistake here? Should we keep him?” but they couldn’t get a deal done and now Foegele has got one done in Edmonton.”
  • “The Bear thing surprised me because I really like Bear. I like him as a player, I think he’s still got room to get better. I realize you have to give quality to get quality, but Bear is the one more I wonder if Edmonton looks back on and says “I wished we coulda had that one over.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Laing goes on to say that he feels the Oilers will regret the trade because Bear will go on to have a long career as a top-4 defenseman and the Hurricanes will regret it because “it isn’t out of the question to see Foegele be able to grow into a top-six role”.

I’m still hearing some pro-Bear sentiment in those two predictions. Bear “will” go on to have a lengthy career as a top-four blueliner whereas “it isn’t out of the question” that Foegele will “be able” to “grow” into a top-six role… Why is Bear the one that doesn’t require growth but the older, more established Foegele is?

Here’s the thing though, we don’t really know what Ethan Bear is. He might not be a top-four defender. He’s had one real season where he proved he can handle the regular season rigors of playing against the NHL’s elite and this past season where he might have had excellent “chance” metrics, his real goal metrics tell us that the other team scored more when Bear was on the ice than when he wasn’t. 

So, maybe it’s the young defenseman that will be that one that needs to “grow” into his role because I don’t think there are any expectations that Foegele becomes a top-six winger from the Oilers. They’ve got Dylan Holloway, Rafa Lavoie, Carter Savoie, etc. who are currently being weighed down by that prognostication.

I think what sealed the deal from an on-ice perspective was that Bear had such a bad playoff performance vs. an extremely aggressive checking team in the Winnipeg Jets, the coaching staff and the team’s leadership core decided that it was Evan Bouchard’s time and even if Adam Larsson hadn’t have left, Barrie was coming back and that left no room for Bear. 

At the end of the day, instead of regretting the deal, quite a negative take to have by the way, what if both teams ended up being satisfied with the deal and no regret was to be had?

Cult of Hockey (David Staples)

Could Edmonton Oilers get even older (but better) in goal?
  • The Khudobin-to-Edmonton rumour mill is heating up, as Bruce McCurdy and I discussed on our Friday podcast.
  • Khudobin, 35, has two years left on a deal that pays him $3.3 million per year.
  • In the last two seasons, for NHL goalies who have played more than 2000 minutes, Khudobin has the 12th best save percentage, .918… It’s almost exactly the same as Connor Hellebuyck, Philipp Grubauer and Darcy Kuemper.
  • Dallas won’t be taking on Mikko Koskinen in any Khubodin trade. Edmonton would have to find a landing spot for the final year of the Koskinen contract at $4.5 million. Obviously Edmonton will have to add a sweetener to any team looking to take on that contract. Options for Koskinen might well include Buffalo, Ottawa and Arizona.
  • Maybe the general plan is to have Oettinger in the AHL for another year, Bishop on LTIR, and Khubodin and Holtby in the NHL, which would mitigate any need to force a Khubodin trade.

BLH’s Thoughts: If the deal makes sense to the Oilers, then maybe we could see something go down, but will have to be a lot of moving parts required. Holland has to find a team that is willing to take Koskinen’s ticket in full and that’ll probably require him sending some extra assets to get that done. Then he’ll need to use more assets to bring in Khudobin? Where are all these trade pieces coming from?

The Daily Goal Horn

NHL Rumors: Top 10 candidates likely to be traded this summer
  • Jack Eichel (BUF) – At this point, it is believed only the Rangers are still interested but will not overpay. There’s also reports indicating the Golden Knights may still try to figure out how to move out salary to acquire him. The Ducks are the only other team that has the assets and cap space to make a trade but they are not in on Eichel at the moment.
  • Vladimir Tarasenko (STL) – In a report from Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic, he listed nine of the teams that the unhappy Tarasenko will accept a trade to go play. They included the Lightning, Capitals, Islanders, Rangers, Flyers, Golden Knights, Panthers, and Bruins. At this time, the tenth team is unknown.
  • Evgeny Kuznetsov (WAS) – The 29 year-old pivot has three years remaining at $7.8 million AAV with a 15 team no move clause. He scored 29 points in 41 games this past season.
  • Alexandr Georgiev (NYR) – It sounds like Georgiev is interested in a change of scenery as a starter. The 25 year-old goalie could be part of a package that heads to the Sabres in an Eichel deal.
  • Ryan Strome (NYR) – As for Ryan Strome, the Rangers will not trade him unless they land Eichel or Kuznetsov. The Ottawa Senators are really interested and also the Seattle Kraken.
  • Vince Dunn (SEA) – The Seattle Kraken are overloaded on defense. What they need is a center, or a scoring forward. Vince Dunn did file for salary arbitration, and he’s a likely trade chip for Ron Francis.
  • Johnny Gaudreau (CGY) – Trade rumors have died down around Johnny Gaudreau, but there is still some speculation he could be moved.
  • Joonas Korpisalo (CBJ) – The Blue Jackets appear ready to give the #1 goalie role to Elvis Merzlikins. There was some rumors regarding Korpisalo and the Edmonton Oilers. Expect the Jackets to continue to shop him.
  • Phil Kessel (ARI) – Kessel, 33, can still produce and would give any offensively challenged team a boost. Last season, he scored 20 goals and 43 points in 56 games for the Yotes.
  • Christian Dvorak (ARI) –  The 25 year-old center has a current cap hit of $4.45M and scored 31 points in 56 games last season. The Bruins have been rumored to be interested.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Did Philipp Grubauer Ruin the Oilers’ Chances at Having Both Darcy Kuemper AND Ryan Murray on the Roster This Year?

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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Oilersnation

Tippett Has Offensive Options (Jason Gregor)
  • This past season Connor McDavid led the NHL in 5×5 scoring and Leon Draisaitl was fourth, but despite their dominance at five-on-five the Oilers top-six wingers did not produce very much. That shouldn’t be the case this season as head coach Dave Tippett has more offensive options to choose from than he, or any Oilers head coach, has had in 15 years.
  • I sense Tippett will use preseason to try multiple combinations, and because he has more proven wingers, he could revisit his most deadly combo of McDavid and Draisaitl. Kassian produced incredibly well playing with those two in 2019, and Yamamoto is also an option to play the right side with them.
    • Then he could run a second line of Hyman-RNH-Puljujarvi and a third line of Foegele-Ryan McLeod-Kassian.
  • For the first time since 2006, Edmonton will have legitimate competition in the top six, and even the top nine. I wouldn’t write off any of the 11 skaters I mentioned. Another name to watch is Kyle Turris. Turris has been working incredibly hard off the ice and I suspect Tippett will try him on the wing this season.
  • (Dylan) Holloway will be given an opportunity to show he is ready. Many scouts I’ve spoke with feel he could step in and play right away. But, unlike in previous seasons, the Oilers won’t have to give him a young player top-nine minutes if he isn’t ready.
  • With the new additions and high probability RNH and Yamamoto can produce more this coming season, Edmonton won’t have to rely on its defense to score as often. But if the D-men continue to score, the Oilers should be a top-five team in 5×5 offence.

BLH’s Thoughts: Dave Tippett doesn’t seem like the kind of coach who likes to experiment with his forward lines all that much. I feel like once he sets his mind on a combination, that’s what we’ll see on the ice. I mean, aside from Leon and Connor getting thrown out there in crucial situations from time to time. 

So with that said, we’re already hearing that Zack Kassian could get a shot in the top-six and that Kyle Turris may get a shot on the wing. I suppose that would mean that Kailer Yamamoto may start the year on a line with Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod. 

Lowetide.ca

ALL THE YOUNG PUNKS (NEW BOOTS AND CONTRACTS)
  • I always look at five on five scoring first when evaluating forwards. If a player is on the No. 1 line, it’s proper to expect 2.00 pts-60; second line 1.70+ and the final two lines should have a 1.50 pts-60 player or more in order to assure secondary scoring.
  • For defensemen, I look at Corsi five on five. You need the top two pairings to be at or over 50 percent.
  • Goalies? Five on five save percentage. Have to have a starter who is inside the top 15 among staring goalies across the leagues.

  • Line 1: It will be interesting to see if Tippett runs Kassian up here, I don’t see it working.
  • Line 2: Both wingers were unable to reach a satisfactory total. In both cases… A repeat from either man would force management to reassess.
  • Line 3: Foegele gives the team a winger who can score at five on five, plus move up the depth chart. Ryan had a season that isn’t likely to be duplicated (Khaira had the same issue) but he can help on the PK, faceoffs and hopefully aid the third line in not getting caved. Archibald needs to score more points, this line gives him a better chance.
  • Line 4: No one listed on the fourth line or as an extra had much going on offensively last year, but that has to change. Could Tippett run eight defenseman all year? I believe he might, as it takes care of the PK problem.
  • Pairing One: Nurse has a strong number overall, propped by McDavid minutes. Without 97, his Corsi five on five (44.6) is low. Tyson Barrie is also above 50 percent overall, but 45.9 away from McDavid.
  • Pairing Two: Keith has some strange Corsi totals, including a higher number (45.2) away from Patrick Kane than with him (44.3) last year. The most striking stat of all Corsi totals is Keith away from goalie Kevin Lankanen: He has a 61.5 percent Corsi away from him. Ceci played very well with Mike Matheson, a big puck mover with chaos in his game, don’t know what it means (49.1 percent Corsi) but Matheson is very mobile in case that becomes an issue.
  • Pairing Three: Evan Bouchard is the key here, he is likely to have several defensive partners over the year. Russell is going to play more than most believe, and Lagesson is in no-man’s land at this moment.
  • Goalies: Among goalies who played more than 1000 minutes in 2020-21, Mike Smith ranks No. 9 in five on five save percentage. Mikko Koskinen ranks No. 39 (.903). I will tell you there’s a larger than you think chance Koskinen will outplay Smith next year. 

BLH’s Thoughts: Bouchard is training with Darnell Nurse this summer according to Bob Stauffer and one has to wonder why other young Oilers  defensemen aren’t doing the same. It’s very clear that Nurse’s offseason efforts have paid massive dividends over the years and Bouchard is doing himself a real solid by accepting the opportunity to train alongside a specimen like Darnell. 

My optimistic predictions are that Evan Bouchard is on the 2nd pairing by Christmas, Mikko Koskinen will have better metrics than Smith but Smitty might have more wins, Zack Kassian will regain his old form playing alongside Leon Draisaitl, and Edmonton’s third line is going to surprise a lot of people (in a good way). 

Spector’s Hockey

NHL Rumor Mill – August 3, 2021

NBC SPORTS: Adam Gretz examines which teams can actually afford to trade for Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel. That means being able to absorb his $10 million annual average value for the next five seasons and possess sufficient young assets to meet the Sabres’ asking price.

The New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks top Gretz’s list. While the Kings have less cap space following the acquisitions of Viktor Arvidsson and Phillip Danault, Gretz feels that’s never stopped a team from dealing for a player it badly wants.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sheng Peng cites Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman quashing a rumor linking Sharks winger Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils. “Those were flatly denied to me,” said Friedman. “Someone said you’re way off, don’t go down that road.”

Peng also noted Friedman indicated the Sharks are believed to have an interest in Christian Dvorak. The 25-year-old Arizona Coyotes center has four years left on his contract worth $4.45 million annually… He also linked the Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers among those interested in Dvorak.

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

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Insider says Edmonton’s First Rounder in 2022 is IN PLAY for a Goalie!

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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Yesterday on Oilers Now (630CHED), host Bob Stauffer let the cat out of the bag a little bit with regards to the Edmonton Oilers’ plan when it comes to its goaltending for the upcoming season.

“I do believe, and I’m not sure who the goalie is, but I do believe the team would contemplate trading the 2022 first round draft choice in-season if they have goaltending challenges. It’d have to be a goaltender that would commit and sign here beyond next season.”

So this tells me that they’re looking at a netminder who will be a free agent at the end of next season. That could be a UFA or possibly an RFA, but here’s a realistic list of both for your pleasure,

  • Elvis Merzlikins, CBJ (UFA)
  • Joonas Korpisalo, CBJ (UFA)
  • Alexandr Georgiev, NYR (RFA)

That’s it. That’s the list because I can’t see the Avs not re-signing Darcy Kuemper and as cool as Marc-Andre Fleury would be, he’ll be 38 going into next season and as far as I know, the club wants a goalie that can grow with the current leadership core.

Now, there are younger RFA options like, Daniil Tarasov (CBJ), Jake Oettinger (DAL), Cayden Primeau (MTL), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF), Kaapo Kahkonen (MIN), and Vitek Vanecek (WAS), I’m just not confident that those clubs would be willing to move them plus the Oilers have their own stable of young netminders working their way up the ladder.

“I know we were having a conversation about (Joonas) Korpisalo the other day and I said if the Oilers sent Koskinen for Korpisalo, it was my belief that there’d be an expectation from Columbus, “Well, if we’re going to buy you guys that cap space (and what some might think is a lateral move) you’re going to have to give us something for that cap space.”, and that might be how Columbus sees things, I don’t think that there’d be a lot of appetite for that on Edmonton’s end.”

Yeah, so we now know that the Blue Jackets were trying to squeeze Ken Holland for Dmitri Samorukov AND a 1st rounder in order to take on that cap space. Edmonton’s not doing that.

“Now Merzlikins, we’re having a different conversation because he’s the better of the two goalies. Now we’re talking, would you give up an asset? I think long-term, Columbus is going to try and sign Merzlikins to a contract extension.

I think this is the one we’re going to be keeping an eye on all year. Just to see how Columbus starts because in April, it was very clear that Merzlikins was irate at the direction his club was going as he went on a little bit of a rant saying he was “tired of losing.” and how things were getting “embarrassing”… So, I’m not sure he’ll be looking to re-sign long-term with the Blue Jackets unless he sees some promise and even to that end, if he wants to win, wouldn’t he have a better chance in Edmonton alongside the best player in the world?

As for Georgiev, it doesn’t sound like he’s well respected in his own locker room… So that makes you wonder about that incident with Tony DeAngelo to some extent.

Anyways, I like Elvis, who do you like? Let us know in the comments below

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