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Elliotte Friedman: “One GM said Thursday that he’s hearing more and more from players that they prefer not to play in Canada.”

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!

From The Cult of Hockey (Kurt Leavins)

Zach Hyman: The perfect player-type to help the Edmonton Oilers reach the next step?
  • Zach Hyman doesn’t have the flash of some of his current and (potentially) future Oilers teammates. But on a club often accused (and so, I might add) of having too many of the same type of player Hyman would be one “of these things that’s not like the other” in Edmonton. His skill comes along with an abundance of sandpaper and a nose for the tougher areas of the ice surface. And he’s very good defensively. Very.
  • If Hyman joins them in a regular shift, plus a Power Play and a PK, then you quickly start to recoup value on the dollar: A 20+ minute a night man who is on the ice in the final minute of a game whether you are a goal up or a goal down.
  • Chris Kunitz was 29 when he joined the Penguins in 2008. Over the course of his stay he reeled off 4 consecutive 20-goal seasons including 35 in 2013-14 and was a part of 3 Stanley Cup Championships.

BLH’s Thoughts: I have a feeling that as soon as Hyman signs on the dotted line with Edmonton, Jesse Puljujarvi’s time on the first unit PP will officially be over and there is a part of me that wonders if perhaps after a couple of seasons of getting his numbers alongside McDavid if Holland will look to “cash in” on him instead of re-sign him.  

From the Edmonton Sun (Jim Matheson)

Goalie Sebastian Cossa would create buzz as first-round pick for Oilers
  • They have Edmonton Oil Kings goalie Sebastian Cossa very high on their list, along with agitating left-wing shooter Brennan Othmann, who played in Switzerland this winter with the OHL shut down because of COVID-19.
  • In their first-round area, they also have rangy right-winger Oskar Olausson, who played on Sweden’s world junior team last Christmas here) or any of three Quebec League forwards—Zach L’Heureux, Zach Bolduc or Xavier Bourgault.
  • With no second or third-round picks, maybe they trade back from 20 for a later first-rounder and somebody’s second-round selection. Then you’ve got Swedish winger Simon Robertsson whose dad Bert played briefly here or maybe Shane Doan’s son Josh, a forward off to Arizona State.

BLH’s Thoughts: If you check the Oilers’ website in their 2021 draft area, you’ll find the names of the players they’re looking at in the first round. They have profiles posted for Cossa, Othmann, Aatu Raty, Francesco Pinelli, and Fabian Lysell.

The names I’ve heard most often are Cossa, Olausson, Lysell, Othmann, and this week, Raty. So since the goalies will be gone by then, it’ll be a forward and I’ll be honest, they may want to go with Jesse Puljujarvi’s old Karpat teammate. Aatu Raty is solidly built, he’s got speed, the hands on this guy are lightning fast, and he’s got that skip Eric Lindros had when he was building up speed. To me, he’s got a bit of a Mark Scheifele look, but I watched him early on in the season too, so things might’ve changed since then. 

From Lowetide.ca

ZACH HYMAN
  • The numbers I pay attention to (and have for years) suggest Zach Hyman is a solid target for the Oilers. The two concerns are AAV and term. I think Oilers fans will be able to live with the AAV (a little over $5 million) and it sounds like an eight-year deal so that’s going to mean a buyout down the line.
  • Holland is gathering as much talent as he can, and is willing to give term in exchange for lower cap. I don’t think we’ll see four additions to the roster, but three is possible.

Hyman vs elites five on five: 300 minutes, 46.7 percent of his overall time. 53.8 DFF%, 5.68 DFFRel, 17-6 goals.
Hyman five on five pts 60: 2.14
Hyman five on five pts 60 without Matthews: 2.01
Hyman five on five Corsi pct: 52.6
Hyman five on five shot differential: 54.0
Hyman five on five goal differential: 66.7
Hyman five on five expected goals: 60.0

BLH’s Thoughts: I have my reservations about this player too, but it’s important to realize he’s not being brought in to be the next Jari Kurri. I think the best we can anticipate for with him is something close to Chris Kunitz, like Leavins and Stauffer are saying, or maybe even Ryan Smyth. He’s a heart and soul kind of player, so what I’m hoping is that Hyman wins over the fanbase with his work rate and he stays relatively healthy for five years. If he can do that, the blue collar fans in Edmonton will grow to love him when he’s scoring and when he isn’t. Even the analytics types who are writing him off already.

From Sportsnet (Elliotte Friedman)

Blackhawks pushing for Seth Jones, Ryan Suter nearing decision
  • According to several sources, Chicago and Columbus are taking another run at a Seth Jones trade…What the two teams are trying to do is find common ground without including either of them (Dach/DeBrincat); finding another mix of Chicago’s young players, prospects and high draft picks.
  •  Ryan Suter is a popular man. Possible he makes his decision by Monday. Among interested parties: Boston, Colorado, Dallas, Florida and the Islanders.
  • A unique, but valuable case could be newly-minted Stanley Cup champion David Savard, because word is he’s more willing than some of his peers to consider Canadian destinations. One GM said Thursday that he’s hearing more and more from players that they prefer not to play in Canada. “It’s a real thing,” he said, mentioning taxes, social media and tighter pandemic restrictions.
  • Vancouver has stepped-up efforts to find a landing spot for Braden Holtby. I think there’s a lot of this going around the NHL these days, but word is the Canucks have given his representatives permission to aid in the search.

BLH’s Thoughts: That part about the players not wanting to go to Canada because of the taxes, SOCIAL MEDIA, and tighter pandemic restrictions should hit fans in Edmonton incredibly hard. 

The Oilers have a hard enough time getting players to come in from other markets but there’s a very loud portion of that fanbase who haven’t been helping at all. They complain and berate players who Edmonton is looking at and then do the same when the players they do have are having a tough go. 

The whole “fan how you want to” is a complete crock of shit. If you’re a supporter of the club, SUPPORT IT! It’s not just about the money you spend to go to the games or buy the merch, you have to put yourselves in the shoes of the athletes. How would you like it if a thousand people took to social media and rated your performance at work and made it extremely difficult to go out in public? There are so may hypocrites that’ll pump out the mental health promos and initiatives and then shit all of the players, coaches, scouts, and GM of the club online… WTF?… 

As a SUPPORTER, you’ve got to ask yourself, how can I help the team? Am I helping it by going on Twitter and calling player X a piece of shit or player Y a useless hockey player? Would I be a better partner to the club if I found more productive and positive ways to show my frustration? 

It’s a pipe dream, I know. The mob will always mob… 

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Edmonton Oilers Trade Talk: “There’s No Way Holland Can’t Address That Position!”

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!

From the Edmonton Sun (Jim Matheson)

Oilers Notes: With Larsson gone Ristolainen could be target
  • Holland now needs a like-minded, hard-to-play-against shutdown right D to replace Larsson.
  • A trade makes more sense, like Buffalo’s Rasmus Ristolainen, 26, ($5.4 mil cap hit), great work ethic, is tired of losing, with the caveat he’s UFA next summer. Holland has checked in on the Finn who has played 542 games; it would cost him a good prospect and a fairly good draft pick, most likely.
  • Or he could look at Colorado’s right-shot Erik Johnson, 33, who makes $6 million for two more years there but if the Avs would eat $2 million each year, that’s $4 million (Larsson) out and $4 mil.
  • If they are going the free-agent route, then David Savard, who won a Cup ring in Tampa and plays exactly same style as Larsson. But half a dozen teams will be bidding for Savard, 31.

BLH’s Thoughts: Weird, it was just yesterday that somebody on this site was saying the team was talking to the Buffalo Sabres…

I love the idea of getting Ristolainen. It flies in the faces of the computer boys and he’s a better version of Adam Larsson, in my opinion. Not only is he a mother f*cker to play against, but he puts up points AND he’s been doing it on a shitty team in Buffalo nearly his whole career.

The Sabres don’t have any NHL goalies on their roster right now, so wouldn’t it make sense to send them Mikko Koskinen, Dmitri Samorukov, and a 1st round pick to get The Finnish Ivan Drago?

I’ll reiterate that I think John Klingberg from Dallas is another option and might even be more or a realistic one given his salary is in the same range that Ken Holland set aside for Larsson.

From The Oilers Rig (Alex Thomas)

Oilers Won’t Go “Big Game Hunting” For Adam Larsson Replacement
  • Holland knows that he’ll need to replace Larsson. He also knows it is unlikely that he’ll be adding a star rearguard to do it. Those dreams of Dougie Hamilton signing with the Edmonton Oilers? Let’s put those to bed right now. It’s unfortunately not going to happen.
    • “We won’t be big game hunting on the backend if you’re talking about an eight-million-dollar defenseman,” Holland said at his pre-draft media availability on Thursday. “Part of what I have to factor in is, obviously, Darnell Nurse is an unrestricted free agent. In a flat cap, whether the cap is $81.5 (million) next year or $82.5, I look at the players on our team right now. Ethan Bear is a restricted free agent a year from now, Jesse Puljujarvi is an unrestricted free agent a year from now, Darnell Nurse is an unrestricted free agent a year from now. I just can’t go out and spend all this money.”
    • “The big game hunting is going to be term. It’s not only going to be cap numbers, it’s going to be big term. Internally, I have to make sure I have some money set aside that’s going to come off the books as I look towards the summer of ’22. We will not be in big game hunting mode on defense.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Man, I’m glad Holland put that silly idea to rest. The amount of “smart” Oilers fans on Twitter who thought that the Oilers could go after Dougie Hamilton now that Adam Larsson’s dollars were available was staggering.

Sure, on a spreadsheet you could make that happen, but not in the real world. There’s a human element to all of this that hockey fans, smart or otherwise, fail to get a grasp on. There are prior relationships that need to be considered as well, so it’s not just about setting up a meeting and throwing handfuls of money at a guy. There has to be a fit on so many levels and not just for the upcoming season either, the ramifications of signing a long-term deal, in the city of Edmonton no less, reach far and wide.

Dougie Hamilton and the Oilers are not a good fit, in my opinion. If you want point production and a player that actually looks alive on the ice, bring back Tyson Barrie, the league’s highest scoring defenseman from last year.

From Sportsnet (Mark Spector)

Oilers’ Ken Holland in win-now mode as pressure grows from all sides
  • It is time for your Edmonton Oilers to take the next step. Sure, they’ve moved from doormat to 12th place in the National Hockey League, to 11th under your watch — but they haven’t won a playoff series.
  • You’ve got about $8 million in cap space from those two Swedes. “Get out there and replace them,” the fans are saying.
  • The emotional fans wanted you to sign Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and you made him an Oiler for life. But when you sign Hyman to an almost identical contract you’re going to get crushed.
  • Every player whose name arrives at Central Registry as part of an NHL transaction, you should have been in on. Every player you are in on, you’re an idiot for even considering him.
  • He simply can’t come back with Mikko Koskinen as a backup to a 39-year-old Smith. There is no way he can’t address that position.
  • Holland will exercise a buy-out shortly, more likely on James Neal than Koskinen, but maybe both. He won’t qualify Dominik Kahun, who he’ll wave goodbye to, or Jujhar Khaira, who he’ll try to re-sign at a lesser number.

BLH’s Thoughts: Well, as they say, if you spend your time listening to the fans, you’ll soon be sitting with them.

I do like this piece from Spector though. It’s clear that he’s getting tired of the ultras in Edmonton and good on him for having the brass balls to write about it in this tone.

That said, he is right about the Oilers having to get on their horse now. Holland has the green light and he needs to light up the opposition this summer. Getting some real competitive types like Duncan Keith and Zach Hyman will definitely help, but I think there’s still some room to add a real SOB to the lineup. Your Nazim Kadri, Yanni Gourde, Brendan Lemieux, Antoine Roussel sort of player. Somebody that’ll feature on the PK as well as play a very unique role for the team because they don’t have enough players who pull others into the game, if you will. Could that be Kailer Yamamoto? That’d help.

From Spector’s Hockey

NHL Rumor Mill – July 22, 2021
  • TORONTO STAR: If Hyman agrees to terms with the Oilers, his rights could be traded to Edmonton before the free-agent market opens on July 28. It’s believed the Leafs would want draft picks in return. The winger has drawn interest around the league, with one offer (not from the Oilers) said to be as high as $7 million annually. Hyman is only interested in playing for a contender.
  • SPECTOR’S NOTE: The reason for the sign-and-trade is for the Oilers to get an extra year on the contract. Teams can re-sign players to a maximum of eight years. Unrestricted free agents from other teams can be signed for no more than seven years.
  • Whoever the general manager is that’s offering Hyman $7 million should be fired at once. The winger’s a good player but he’s not worth $7 million per season. With some GMs apparently succumbing to auction fever already, Hyman’s going to make a lot of money on his next contract.

BLH’s Thoughts: Is that extra year worth the draft pick? Edmonton is going to save around 400k/yr by doing the sign-and-trade? Why do it? Keep the asset and save yourself some trouble down the road. I guess Holland could save about $3.2M if he does it but in the grand scheme of it all, I don’t know if it’s the best use of his futures.

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Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Ullmark, Hyman, and a Stroll Down Memory Lane

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!

From Sportsnet (Mark Spector)

Oilers’ potential long-term deal with Zach Hyman not pretty, but necessary
  • In an effort to keep the Annual Average Value as low as possible, Holland is planning to offer Hyman maximum term. That move defines trying to win a Stanley Cup in the nearer future, as the lower AAV will leave Holland more cap space with which to build.
  • As a free agent suitor, Edmonton can sign Hyman to a maximum seven-year deal, which would come in with an AAV of around $5.5 million.
  • But if the Leafs — who can not afford to sign Hyman — trade him to Edmonton, then Holland can offer an eight-year deal with an AAV of closer to $5.125 million — exactly the deal signed by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on June 29.
  • But if you are someone who expects Holland to go for it at every opportunity — someone who is constantly reminded of the wasted seasons of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — then these are the kinds of things you had better come to accept.
  • At this time, the Oilers are believed to be the decided front runners in the race to sign Hyman.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m not 100% on board with the Hyman signing, at all. BUT! If the Oilers can keep that AAV down to around $5M, I can accept it. I feel like if they structure the deal so that there’s less of a financial impact down the road, it will allow the team to transition him down the lineup with RNH to create an excellent veteran 3rd line. 

That said, I’m still very concerned about the bottom-six and now with Adam Larsson leaving, the defense is going to go through a bit of a facelift. I’m also very curious as to how Ken Holland will choose to deal with the netminders. 

From the Edmonton Sun (Jim Matheson)

Edmonton Oilers hoping to net new deal for Mike Smith soon
  • No NHL goalie helps out his defencemen like Mike Smith, who loves to play pucks, but it’s also about bucks for the Edmonton Oilers unrestricted free-agent, who could be getting a two-year deal.
  • “Obviously, he had a great year. He brings a lot of dimensions to our team,” said Holland. “I like his leadership. He’s got a swagger to him, a presence, and he’s like a third defenceman with his ability to move the puck,” said Holland.
  • “I don’t believe he can play as much (75 per cent of the starts from February on) as he did last season,” said Holland
  • Smith had a 2.31 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 32 games last season.
  • Was that an anomaly at his age, or can he put up terrific numbers once again? His birth certificate says 39, but he’s one of the fittest guys in hockey, like newcomer Duncan Keith on defence. Smith has the body of a 29-year-old, but goalies still get hurt.
  • Smith’s teammates love him. He’s brash, but backs it up. He’s a leader without a letter on his jersey. He wants to play every game, he gets mad when he loses. He’s competitive as all hell.
  • So, Holland wants him to return; there’s no goalie out there in free agency or available in a trade who would have the same impact with his teammates as Smith today.
  • If they go to free-agency, Buffalo’s Linus Ullmark, who turns 28 on July 31 and has played 111 games, could be the No. 1 target.
  • They’ve been shopping Mikko Koskinen, who just turned 33, with no takers at his $4.5 million price tag, even if the Oilers were to eat a portion of the one year he has left…But right now, the market for Koskinen seems non-existent.
  • Holland needs a goalie in the 26- to 28-year-old range to play with Smith, then take over. That would likely come in free agency, although he could try and trade for Tristan Jarry ($3.5 million) in Pittsburgh or Joonas Korpisalo ($2.8 million) in Columbus.
  • Ullmark might be the best bet. He has had ankle issues but over his last 54 games over two seasons in Buffalo, he has a .916 save percentage on a poor team.

BLH’s Thoughts: Put me down for Team Ullmark! I’ve got no problem bringing Mike Smith back for two years though. Two million dollars isn’t a back breaker and there are no bonuses on that contract, it’ll be a deal that can be buried in the AHL if need be, and most importantly, he can still play the game. I think it’d be a different story had he been a starting goalie for his entire career and his workload was heavier earlier in his career, but with his work ethic and attention to health, Smith could be a unicorn of sorts. Meaning, he might be better late in his career than he was in his late-20s.

It’ s not unheard of and I’m a little surprised the fanbase is so shook given the success of the last greybeard that did it for the Oilers. Dwayne Roloson ring a bell to anyone?

Anybody else notice that Elvis Merzlikins’ name isn’t coming up anymore… For obvious reasons, but I wrote before that I’d be surprised if he was moved after the unthinkable tragedy involving his good friend and teammate. Teams will have concerns over his mental health and Ideally, you’d think he might want to step away for some time to heal. 

From Oilersnation (Zach Laing)

The Edmonton Oilers had H.O.P.E. Now, they have nothing.
  • A decade ago, the Oilers had H.O.P.E. Now, there’s nothing left of it.
  • Hall, Omark, Paajarvi, and Eberle presented the Edmonton market with a new hope. Now, 10 years later, the last link to H.O.P.E. departed.
  • Nonetheless, Larsson marked the last link to those original four players and was connected via Taylor Hall and the famous 2016 one-for-one trade. The Hall trade tree was simple and died with Larsson leaving.

BLH’s Thoughts: Nothing says Oilers fan like living in the past, am I right? All joking aside, the entirety of Zach’s post here is an entertaining look down memory lane as he goes over the individual trade trees from the H.O.P.E. boys. 

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Long-Time Oilers Beat Writer: “A Barrie Signing Almost Assures a Bear Trade.”

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!

From Sportsnet (Mark Spector)

Larsson’s departure leaves Oilers questioning how to proceed on defence
  • Perhaps it was just time for an Oilers career that began as the disappointing return for Taylor Hall to come to an end. Time to leave a city where Larsson had experienced some personal success, but also tragedy when his 50-year-old father Robert passed suddenly on a visit here three years ago.
  • Here, players experience the same fishbowl as Toronto, but without the location or amenities of The Big Smoke. It’s cold, it’s far away, and outside of hockey the winters are long.
  • Whatever the reason, Edmonton just lost their best shutdown defenceman, a year after losing Klefbom. Those are two major blows to the program.
  • A Barrie signing almost assures a Bear trade.
  • Maybe you leave Barrie alone and go after UFA defenceman David Savard, a straight-up replacement for Larsson who would pair nicely with Keith on a second unit
  • Or spend less money and term on Travis Hamonic, with the idea that Bouchard will be able to play second-pairing minutes halfway into the coming season.
  • Either way, the hole left by Larsson can not be filled by an offensive-minded defenceman. Bouchard is too young and inexperienced to project into that role, and Bear simply is not that player.

BLH’s Thoughts: So for all those analytics types that are always harping about how much skill the Oilers don’t have in their lineup, adding Tyson Barrie and not trading away Ethan Bear should have them as hard as rocks, right? 

I think if it were me, I’d pivot off of Zach Hyman and move to replace Larsson ASAP. I’d contact the Buffalo Sabres and the Dallas Stars to see what the asking prices on Rasmus Ristolainen and John Klingberg are and then find somebody else for McDavid’s LW. 

Bob Stauffer says that somebody is going to shake loose in Boston now that the Bruins are set to sign Taylor Hall to a 4yr deal. Maybe that means Craig Smith or Jake DeBrusk, but those two I’d definitely consider as targets for the Oilers first line. 

From The Cult of Hockey (David Staples)

Top 10 consolations for Edmonton Oilers fans jilted by Adam Larsson choosing Seattle

10. The Islanders lost John Tavares and haven’t skipped a beat.

9. At least the Dallas Stars also lost Jamie Oleksiak to Seattle.

8. Hey, Tyson Barrie still loves Edmonton.

7. Alex Edler, Jani Hakanpaa, Travis Hamonic, Mark Pysyk, David Savard are all free agents and defensive d-men, right?

6. At least it wasn’t Chris Pronger asking for a trade today.

5. Plenty of ice time and opportunity for Evan Bouchard, Ethan Bear and Dmitri Samorukov.

4. At least the Calgary Flames also lost Mark Giordano to Seattle.

3. It’s about time for Larsson’s wonky back to start acting up again, right?

2. Hey, Mike Smith still loves Edmonton.

1. At least it wasn’t Wayne Gretzky sold out of town today.

BLH’s Thoughts: Expect the unexpected, right? I mean, when one door closes, another opens up and it wouldn’t shock me in the slightest if Evan Bouchard and/or Dmitri Samorukov made us all forget about Adam Larsson next season. I feel very good about both of these young defenders and if I’m not mistake, I think they’re both 22yrs old, so they should be about ready to step in and make an impact. 

Personally, I’m disappointed that The Iron Swede has decided to leave the Oilers, but from that I’m hearing, I’m really glad for him that he’s landed in a spot that he feels will make him a happy human being because that’s what’s the most important thing. 

From Oilersnation (Jason Gregor)

What Does Losing Larsson Mean?
  • It clearly wasn’t about money as he signed a four-year deal with a $4m AAV. That was fair market value.
  • Money wasn’t the main motivator, nor was playing closer to home as he is from Sweden. So why did he leave? There are many factors.Weather.
    A new challenge.
    Living by the Ocean.
    His best friend Oscar Klefbom won’t be returning.
    His father, Robert Larsson, died in Edmonton while visiting Adam in 2018. His mother has only visited once since. It was tough.
  • How did he feel in the organization? He was well respected by his teammates. I was told as late as yesterday he was in communication with them and said he still might re-sign.
  • I’ve had players leave Edmonton and tell me how their new team did little things that mattered, like car services, arranging things for their family, making players feel important and welcome and overall communication.
  • when a player opts to leave and money isn’t the main focus the organization needs to look within to see if it could have done anything different.
  • Losing Larsson will hurt, but if his departure crushes this team then they weren’t that good to begin with.
  • They have the cap space to sign Dougie Hamilton. It is worth taking a swing, albeit unlikely they land him. David Savard would be the best option as a top-four defensive-minded RD. They will look at Travis Hamonic. They’ve been in communication with Tyson Barrie who is still under contract with them until next Wednesday.
  • Dmitri Samorukov is training in Edmonton. He’s 22 and has played one season in the AHL and another in the KHL. He will come to camp and push for job on left defence. Don’t sleep on him making a strong push to make the team.

BLH’s Thoughts: What I was told was that Larsson wanted to get away from the pressure cooker fishbowl that is Edmonton. He loved playing for the Oilers and he loved his teammates and coaches, but Edmonton wasn’t an easy place for him to be in.

That said, I did have a source from the west coast wonder what the hell he was thinking. So some people get why Larsson would move on to a new experience with the Kraken and some are truly miffed at his decision. 

The way I see it is that the fanbase and the media in Edmonton can really be a bunch of evil mother f*ckers and there’s no escape once you’re there. Larsson didn’t have a choice about going to the Oilers, he was part of an unfortunate trade and he put on a brave face the entire time he was there. So you’ve got to give credit where it’s due and I will place blame where it’s due too.

When a player leaves a team Jason Gregor thinks placing some of the blame on the market and its media is a cop out and I’ll tell you straight out, that’s a bunch of bullshit. If he doesn’t think that the media and the fans of a team can drive a player out and/or prevent a player from coming in, he’s not been paying attention and he’s delusional PLUS he’s absolving himself from any sort of accountability as well as his peers in the scrum, how convenient.

And if you don’t believe me, find out how many NHL players have Edmonton on their no-trade lists even though the club has the two best forwards in the NHL on its team and is clearly on an up-trend. Not convinced? Go over the annals of Edmonton’s recent history and count how many players have asked to be traded. 

Now, don’t get things misconstrued, I’m not saying the fanbase and the media are the sole reasons for these things because they aren’t. Edmonton as a locale can’t compete with the majority of other NHL cities, it’s not even close. So that factors in too and that means it takes a special soul to agree to come and spend multiple years with the Oilers. 

Who wants to help me welcome Zach Hyman to the club?

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Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Holland in Discussions with the Sabres, Stars, and Bruins?

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!

From the Edmonton Sun (Rob Tychkowski)

TYCHKOWSKI: Losing Larsson for nothing a tough blow for Oilers
  • On a day they were expecting to lose a prospect or mid-level piece, the Oilers were left gasping for air from a massive body blow before the expansion draft even took place.
  • This wasn’t a case of the Oilers being outbid, either. Larsson, signed for a very reasonable $4 million a year, money the Oilers could willingly match and even exceed. They had multiple offers on the table of varying term and salary, and he passed.
  • It has to be a bit unnerving when a veteran player who was part of the leadership group, someone with intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the team and the organization, decides he wants to leave.
  • The Oilers, who boasted a reasonably good back end last year, are now in a very difficult position with only Darnell Nurse, Ethan Bear, Kris Russell, Evan Bouchard, William Lagesson and newly acquired Duncan Keith signed for the upcoming season.
  • That isn’t a blue line that will take a team very deep in the playoffs.
  • They need to guard against a panic move, overpaying an older player out of fear of being left standing at the alter when all of the top UFAs have signed elsewhere. That’s where organizations can run into long-term trouble.
  • If one core leader walked away, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that another one might. That could send the whole house of cards tumbling down, so it would be in Edmonton’s best interests to starting winning right now.

BLH’s Thoughts: Tych is right, that defense isn’t one that’ll take a team deep into the playoffs, but it is one that will take the team TO the playoffs. Mark my words, Evan Bouchard is going to blow the doors off of the league next season and the Oilers are going to bring someone in to help with the departure of Larsson. 

I’ve been told that Edmonton has been talking to the Sabres and the Bruins and that Sam Reinhart’s name has been thrown about. The speculation is that the Oilers have their first rounder, Tyler Benson, Ethan Bear, and depending on the return, Kailer Yamamoto in play. 

From The Athletic (Daniel Nugent-Bowman)

The Oilers must act fast to address their hole on defence after Adam Larsson signs with the Kraken
  • How did this happen? And where do the Oilers go from here?
  • A source with knowledge of the negotiations said the Oilers’ last four-year offer made this month was for more money than Seattle’s. They had previously offered $3.9 million per year in June but upped the ante. They were also willing to give Larsson a five-year contract; though the salary on that term is unclear, it’s believed to be for a lesser AAV.
  • “I don’t know his reasons why he decided to go,” Oilers GM Ken Holland said. “I know it wasn’t about money. I’m disappointed he’s gone.”
  • An Oilers source said, however, they wouldn’t have had any protection issues had Larsson signed before last Saturday’s roster freeze. That would have required the Oilers to make a side deal with the Kraken to discourage them from selecting one of their veteran rearguards or go with an eight-skater format and possibly try to block off a forward.
  • The top right-shot pending free agent defencemen are Hamilton (expensive and not expected to sign in Edmonton), David Savard, Jason Demers, Travis Hamonic, Sami Vatanen and Jani Hakanpaa. The trade market doesn’t appear to be very robust.
  • “Give us a chance to do whatever we’ve got to do and then you can ask those questions once you see what’s finished,” Holland said about replacing Larsson.”
  • Holland basically has a week to 10 days to recover from the blow. If he can’t, this once-promising offseason could result in a disastrous knockout.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’ll say this though and it’s going to sound cryptic, but Ken Holland isn’t going to sit around and cry over the fact that Larsson’s gone. He’s saying to the fanbase to give him a chance do his job and judge him on it later.

I can tell you the Oilers are working on something right now and I am of the belief that they’re in the process of acquiring a notable addition to their defense. The kind of move that might leave you picking your jaw up off the floor. #expectheunexpected 

I wasn’t given any names or teams, but I wonder if John Klingberg would make sense for the Oilers. The Oilers could really use a RHD now that Larsson is a Kraken and Klingberg has one more year left on his contract worth $4.25M. There’s also the connection between Jim Nill and Ken Holland to consider as well as the constant rumors connecting Seth Jones to Dallas. If I recall correctly, Jones just had a home built in Dallas and they’re most likely looking to acquire cheaper assets like Ethan Bear or other futures to save some skrilla for Caleb’s big brother. 

Doing this deal would still allow the Oilers to bring in a Hamonic, Gudbranson, Hakanpaa, or Bogosian too… 

From The Cult of Hockey (Bruce McCurdy)

Zach Hyman in Edmonton, Oilers talking possible sign-and-trade deal with Leafs — NHL insiders
  • [Darren] Dreger on TSN talking Hyman: “We know that there is communication with the Edmonton Oilers. What is this deal going to look like? There are some who believe that it could reach upwards of 6, 7 years, maybe north of $40M believe it or not.”
  • Chris Johnston: “With Zach Hyman in Edmonton visiting the #oilers today, as @JasonGregor reported, there remains a possibility of a sign-and-trade scenario with the #leafs that could get him a max eight-year term.”
  • Elliotte Freidman on Sportsnet Central: “Thursday the freeze ends at 1pm Eastern. I think you could potentially see a Zack Hyman deal in Edmonton, and we’ll see if Toronto makes a trade with them so Hyman can get the eighth year and Toronto can get a draft pick out of it. The Maple Leafs are a little short on draft picks.”
  • Should Hyman come to terms on an extended deal as now expected, he and RNH would project to fill top six spots on the left side for the foreseeable future. What opportunity that leaves for up-and-comers on the port side like Dylan Holloway, Raphael Lavoie and Tyler Benson is an open question.

BLH’s Thoughts: Ken Holland is all about forcing his young players to beat a veteran out of a job. So I’m not worried about Lavoie and Benson per se because at some point Josh Archibald and Zack Kassian will move on and a guy like Lavoie will slide right in. Benson’s future is most likely on Edmonton’s 4th since it looks like Edmonton will have Hyman, RNH, McLeod/Holloway in the top-9. Dylan Holloway is being projected long-term as a center, most likely a 3rd line center and at this point, there’s no competition there. 

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