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

Are the Oilers Up Sh*t Creek Without a Paddle if Adam Larsson Leaves Edmonton?

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 Lowetide.ca

LARSSON

  • Many on this blog were not in favour of signing Larsson, and many balked at my assertion that $4 million times four years would be required. Now? That may not be enough to get him. Larsson will be a unique free agent, a RH shutdown defender on the good side of 30.
  • The list of possible replacements isn’t promising. A quick glance at the free-agent pile gives up Mike Stone and dozens of other candidates who boil down to six levels of Dylan McIlrath. Not going to be easy. No sir.

TYLER BENSON

  • Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, Tyler Benson isn’t the next Ryan Smyth. However, the Oilers don’t know what he is yet, having deployed him in just seven NHL games.Josh Archibald can be replaced in free agency, Zack Kassian’s contract means he won’t be chosen and even if he was those dollars could be used elsewhere.Benson is a value contract, offers Edmonton a player at a position of weakness, and can make plays with depth linemates (shown with a lovely pass to Archibald for his only NHL point.

BLH’s Thoughts: If Adam Larsson finds a new home this summer, the Oilers will be up shit creek without a paddle unless a miracle occurs and they can find a way to sign Dougie Hamilton or get Rasmus Ristolainen in a reasonable trade.

I suspect Evan Bouchard will come out of the blocks like a bat out of hell but there’ll still be somewhat of a learning curve that every young defender goes through. Ethan Bear might be training harder than ever this offseason, but last season’s performance has raised questions within Edmonton’s coaching ranks, so he’ll be starting 2021-22 with that ball and chain locked to his ankle… 

What I’m trying to say is that the Oilers will be in for a challenging year if they have to rely on Ethan Bear and Evan Bouchard to marshall the club’s top-four on the right side. That said, there’s enough potential talent amongst that pair that it’s very possible they emerge as what everybody in the organization is hoping.

As for Tyler Benson, two regimes have thought it best he go down to Bakersfield to work on his game and he’s yet to impress them enough to get more than a handful of games in the NHL. He’s had numerous off-seasons to get his skating to an acceptable level and Jay Woodcroft even did him a solid by getting him on Bakersfield’s PK this past year in order to give him another skill that might get him a shot with the Oilers, but nadda! 

With Josh Archibald, the coach trusts him A LOT and therefor I cannot see the GM taking this player away from his coach in order to save a few bucks. On top of that, Archie hits, isn’t afraid of anybody, and is a good skater. 

I think the same goes for Kassian but instead of the coach trusting him, the players trust him and if Duncan Keith sees enough value in Kass to single him out in his first interview as an Oiler with positive words, the GM isn’t going to lose him for nothing. 

As I’ve said before, the time for experimenting with questionable NHL prospects is over. Connor has laid his foot down and has let it be known, it’s time to bring in some established NHLers who’ve been to the show and have won. 

From Spector’s Hockey

NHL Rumor Mill – July 17, 2021

THE ATHLETIC: Aaron Portzline reports the Columbus Blue Jackets are letting it be known they don’t have to trade Seth Jones this summer. They’ve set a high asking price, seeking a combination of young NHL players, prospects and draft picks. However, it doesn’t appear they’re getting any offers to their liking for the 26-year-old defenseman.

TVA SPORTS: listed six candidates for the Montreal Canadiens to pursue as a potential replacement for Shea Weber. The 35-year-old defenseman could miss all of next season recovering from various injuries.

Seth Jones topped the list, following by Edmonton’s Tyson Barrie and Carolina’s Dougie Hamilton. Edmonton’s Adam Larsson, Calgary’s Mark Giordano and Buffalo’s Rasmus Ristolainen rounded out the list.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal report Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby is drawing interest from the Seattle Kraken and other teams around the league. At least one team from the Eastern Conference and one from the Western Conference are believed among the suitors.

BLH’s Thoughts: Personally, I think holding on to Seth Jones until the trade deadline in order to create a season-long bidding war is a really decent plan. Especially if the offers are shite at the moment. 

Here’s an interesting question, what happens if Carey Price gets claimed by Seattle AND Shea Weber is done? That’s got to be close to $20M in salary that Marc Bergevin could use to bring in some really good hockey players. Dougie Hamilton might be a quiet dude, but could he be tempted to sign with the Habs for big money? What about Alexander Ovechkin? What about both?

I haven’t heard anything, but I do wonder if Braden Holtby would interest the Oilers. Oilers fans, could you get behind a Mike Smith/Holtby tandem for 2021-22?

From The Cult of Hockey (Kurt Leavins)

At the 11th hour, the Edmonton Oilers make their final plans for expansion: 9 Things
  • 8. There is no question Kyle Turris failed to live up to any expectations with the Oilers in Year 1. But I’ll give him credit: The guy never made any excuses and since has decided to spend the off-season in Edmonton training, in hopes of rebounding. I respect that. I hope he proves everyone (including me) wrong.

BLH’s Thoughts: If Turris can come back and have a rebound year, that would relieve some of the pressure that is on Ken Holland right now. In his last appearance with Edmonton, I do believe Coach Tippett had him playing wing, and there was an urgency in his game that I’d not seen all year. Now, that could’ve been because he was chomping at the bit to get back on the ice or maybe he was a tad embarrassed at being a healthy scratch, who knows? But I noticed the effort and I don’t imagine I was the only one. 

  • 7. Defenceman Ethan Bear is also back training in Edmonton. Between a contract distraction in 2020, COVID-related lockdowns that interrupted everything and a summer training regime in the Okanagan, Bear never really did get on track last year. So, Ethan is back to the scene of the off-season that led to his breakthrough 2019-20 campaign. I take that as a good sign.

BLH’s Thoughts: As I said earlier, the seeds of mistrust have already been sown with regards to Bear’s relationship with his coaches. He’ll need to have one helluva training camp in order to reverse that. Let’s hope this new (old) training environment rebuilds his confidence and gives him an extra gear to work with.

What I’m going to need to remember to keep an eye on in 2021-22 is how Edmonton’s coaching staff deploys him as his current deal will be expiring. 

  • 6. I think it was Jonathan Willis that first floated the possibility of Alex Chiasson as a late-Summer re-signing in Edmonton for the right price. The suggestion has merit. Through our Cult of Hockey Game Grades process, I charted many of Chiasson’s games closely. He regularly had a positive impact on games, very rarely a negative one, and he’s a good pro.

BLH’s Thoughts: Bob Stauffer has made mention now and then since the season ended that he could foresee a scenario where Chiasson returns on the cheap and I’m all for it on the condition that he’s not stealing Jesse Puljujarvi’s earned spot on the first unit PP. I think Pulju deserves a longer look as the net-front presence on the NHL’s best powerplay.

  •  4. There are some people who are convinced that Adam Larsson is all but locked up in Edmonton, too. SportsNet’s Mark Spector mused Saturday about a 4-year, $3.9m contract. I don’t disagree with him on the projected range on either salary or term. But I do get mixed signals on the status of the negotiation. Once source that would have an opportunity to speak with both sides in that negotiation thinks Larsson may in fact hit the UFA market, if for no other reason that to see which way the wind is blowing.

BLH’s Thoughts: Between Leavins and Stauffer, they’re afraid Larsson will have his head turned by another club and I get that fear-based opinion, but Adam has earned the right to go through the UFA experience and if he’s right for the Oilers, he’ll sign with them. If he’s not right for Edmonton, that’ll open up the door for somebody else. Simple as that.

Despite possibly leaving the team I support in a very precarious position should he leave, I’ll be happy for The Iron Swede as I’ve enjoyed his time as an Edmonton Oiler. I’d like him to stay, but if he signs with Edmonton, by the time he’s a UFA again, his career might be over, unless he’s the next coming of Ken Daneyko (a multiple Stanley Cup winner btw). 

With all of that in mind, Spector seems really confident that Larsson will be re-signing with the team. Enough so that he’s willing to put his professional reputation on the line. 

  •  3. News came on Saturday that the Dallas Stars had inked Miro Heiskanen to an 8-year, $68M extension. The AVV will be $8.45m. I would keep this contract in mind when it comes time for Edmonton to lock up Darnell Nurse on a long-term deal.
  • Tyler Benson I have time for. But we still don’t know what he is. Nobody does. And Benson’s relative lack of foot speed makes his ability to crack an NHL lineup suspect.
BLH’s Thoughts: Heiskanen is a bloody fantastic defender and he’s so electric and dymanic, one of the most entertaining hockey players in the entire league, for sure.
That said, Nurse is going to get $8M AAV or more on his next deal and he deserves it. I doubted him early in his career, but not any more. Nurse is the real deal and if he can keep up that 5v5 scoring rate, he’ll prove it even further. 
Edmonton will try to sell him on the future of the club and get him down to $7.5M though. Will Darnell take a “hometown” discount?
Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Could the Oilers be Looking at Alexander Edler

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: No last-minute deals before protected list finalized
  • So, the Oilers handed in their protected list Saturday afternoon for Seattle’s expansion, and are going with the same seven-forwards-three defencemen-one goalie route as they did when the Vegas Golden Knights were coming in four years ago. The lists will be announced Sunday.
  • Forward: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jesse Puljujarvi, Kailer Yamamoto, Josh Archibald and Kassian, over top farmhand Tyler Benson.
    • Kassian’s game didn’t measure up last season for his $3.2 million salary, in part because of a broken hand and a leg issue. But they need him to shoo the flies away from the stars. Archibald is their No. 1 penalty killer and hits everything that moves.
  • Defence: Darnell Nurse, Duncan Keith and Ethan Bear.
    • With Philadelphia trading for Nashville defenceman Ryan Ellis to play in their top pairing with Ivan Provorov, they’re likely out of the unrestricted-free-agent hunt for (Adam) Larsson.
  • Goal: Farmhand Skinner, not Mikko Koskinen, who has been vigorously shopped. He’ll be there for Seattle, who probably will take a pass.
    • Mike Smith is still unsigned and reportedly looking for starter money, not the $1.65 million, which included $150,000 in bonuses for games (20, 25 and 30) played.
  • The Leafs traded prospect Filip Hallander, a former second-rounder of Pittsburgh, and a seventh-round draft pick (2023) for centre/winger McCann ($2.9 million cap hit). Assuming the Oilers were interested, the cost maybe would have been second-round draft pick Raphael Lavoie and a seventh-rounder

BLH’s Thoughts: That’s a hefty price for McCann, who’s now on his 4th NHL team and is only 25yrs old. Ryan McLeod looks to me to be a McCann-type, do you see that comparison as well?

I have seen a lot of Twitter GMs behaving like spoiled brats over the last week or so and that only ramped up yesterday with the news that the Oilers would most likely be protecting Zack Kassian and Josh Archibald instead of Tyler Benson. Matheson lays the reasons out very clearly and anybody who’s played on a successful hockey team will understand those reasons. Also, Kassian is a much more valuable trade chip going forward. 

The question on my mind is, what would Benson bring to the Oilers that would make him more valuable to the team than Kassian or Archibald? Secondly, if you did come up with something, how do you know that for sure? You’re willing to take a flyer on a player who, despite being a leading scorer for his team this past year, was never a consideration for a call-up because his skating is below par.

With that in mind, what else is Benson going to bring to the table that would make the coaches think twice about playing two veteran NHLers over him?

The time for experimenting with young players has passed and as a fan of this club and as long as Ken Holland is at the helm, you’d best be prepared to part with young players and prospects going forward. 

From The Athletic (Allan Mitchell)

Lowetide: 5 players outside the NHL who could help the Oilers

 

Free agency gets all the attention (along with marquee trades), but it’s often the smaller names added by an NHL team who solve on-ice problems.

  • Boris Katchouk (TB) – If the Oilers are looking for a bigger winger who can play a physical game and has enough skill to stay in the lineup, Boris Katchouk carries that resume. His style and skill set are somewhat reminiscent of Patrick Maroon at the same age, and he is waiver-eligible this fall. Katchouk blossomed offensively in 2020-21 with the AHL Syracuse Crunch, scoring 11-23-34 in 29 games.
  • Dominik Bokk (CAR) – He is 21 and played part of 2020-21 with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. In 29 games, he scored 9-9-18 after playing several years in Sweden’s top league (SHL). He is a left winger but shoots right.
  • Max Gildon (FLA) – The Florida Panthers loaned prospect defenceman Max Gildon to the Oilers affiliate Bakersfield Condors for the 2020-21 season. It worked out well for all involved, especially Gildon, as he made the AHL All-Rookie team. In his first 10 games with the Condors, his on-ice goal differential was 18-6 (+12), and he sparked the offence with his pure skating skills and creative passing.
  • Ilya Konovalov – The Oilers drafted Russian goaltender Ilya Konovalov in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. He was already 21 and coming off a strong KHL season, with 45 games, 25 wins, a .930 save percentage and a 1.89 goals-against average. Edmonton’s goalie situation is in flux, so his timing is excellent. There are some interesting stats on Konovalov, and he could surprise as early as training camp.
  • Martin Frk (LA) – Frk’s main skill (shooting the puck) has enormous value and should be used on an NHL power play. It’s easy to imagine Frk’s cannon cashing in on cherry passes from Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl or Nugent-Hopkins. Frk has scored seven power-play goals in 204 minutes. That’s over two goals an hour with the man advantage. It’s an exceptional weapon.

BLH’s Thoughts: Interesting names for sure. My feeling is that Katchouk is going to get his shot this year once Tampa sorts out its wings. If he’s as LT describes him, wouldn’t he be a good replacement for Alex Killorn?

The Oilers should have an extensive book on Bokk considering he played for the same team as Joel Persson (Vaxjo) in the SHL and in the same league as Philip Broberg. Him being German and all, Leon Draisaitl might be able to contribute a word or two as well. Do the Oilers have room for him or I should ask, WILL the Oilers have room for him and what would the ask be for a player that has yet to make an impact at any professional level since being drafted in 2018?

Dave Manson works his magic again! The Oilers had best be careful or they’re going to lose their defenseman whisperer… Max Gildon had one good season, but there’s no reason to believe that he’ll be a better option than Dmitri Samorukov, Markus Niemelainen, Philip Broberg, or Matt Cairns. 

Konovalov is a really intriguing prospect for me. Those KHL numbers are really impressive and the feeling I get is that he’s going to push for the starting job in Bakersfield next season and be in consideration for the backup position in 2022-23. 

If the Oilers want Martin Frk, they could go out and get him tomorrow. He owns the hardest shot in ice hockey today, but obviously he’s missing some other key elements to his game or else he’d be a guaranteed top-six winger. 

From The Daily Goal Horn

NHL Rumors: Landing spots for Ryan Suter; Alex Edler hitting free agency; Braden Holtby on the move; and Vince Dunn
  • Teams looking for a leader and mentor for their blue-line will find (Ryan) Suter a very inexpensive and attractive option. Michael Russo of The Athletic notes that the St. Louis Blues already have interest in him. Other possibilities could include; the Avalanche, Islanders, Blackhawks, Penguins, and Lightning.
  • Yesterday, longtime Canucks defenseman Alex Edler informed them he will be testing free agency. If there’s a team who wants a stabilizing presence and has the ability to block shots, Edler could be a fit. Look for teams like the Lightning who may be bargain hunting after they clear cap space this summer.

 

BLH’s Thoughts: As an Oilers fan, I skip reading anything involving Ryan Suter, but when he’s brought up in podcasts, like the 31 Thoughts pod, I’m compelled to listen. What I heard is that the Kings and possibly the Predators and Panthers could have interest in Suter and there’s a thought that he plays his best when he’s pissed off and he’s really pissed off right now… 
Alex Edler is a name that I wouldn’t gloss over too quickly if I were an Oilers fan… Ken Holland loves his vets (especially Swedish ones) and the Oilers want to get bigger and they want to add more experience to their backend. Is 900+ games enough experience? There might be some interest from Edler’s camp as well given the proximity of Edmonton to Vancouver. 

 

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Will the Oilers be Forced to Explore the Trade Market for a LW?

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’ focus shifts to addressing forward depth and goalie tandem
  • Holland filled a need this week when he dealt for Duncan Keith to anchor his second defensive pair, and when/if he gets Adam Larsson signed, he’ll have a blue-line that stacks up pretty well. We predict that signing will occur shortly after the Expansion Draft
  • Zach Hyman or Jaden Schwartz?
    • Hyman is target No. 1, Schwartz No. 2, and after that, it might be time to explore the trade market for a Jake DeBrusk, Rickard Rackell or perhaps even a player like Detroit RFA Tyler Bertuzzi.
    • Hyman is seen as the right player for Edmonton: He has skill and can play alongside elite offensive players, but he is not a perimeter scorer, which the Oilers have in abundance. Hyman is seen as the exact type of responsible, close-in scorer needed to compliment a line with McDavid and a shooter like Puljujarvi.
    • The Wilcox, Sask. native Schwartz is seen as a less expensive alternative — a player who does everything well, but not one thing stellar
    • It is more likely that Edmonton will be looking at DeBrusk as a UFA a year from now.
  • The Oilers simply can’t rely on McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as much as they have… That puts Holland in the market for a third-line centre who can do all the things that expect of a competent 3C — win draws, kill penalties, check top lines — but generate some offence as well.
    • Well, Phillip Danault is the clear-cut favorite among free agent centres who can handle defensive responsibilities. But the same team won’t get Keith, Hyman and Danault. That’s a pipe dream.
    • Paul Stastny would work, but he is both 35 and coming off a $6.5 million AAV.
    • Former University of Alberta Golden Bear Derek Ryan. But he is likely to be left unprotected by Calgary, and as a Spokane, Wash., native there is a very real chance the Seattle Kraken make him an expansion pick.
  • Signing a 39-year-old Mike Smith isn’t a bad thing — as long as he has a partner who is up and coming, like a Chris Driedger, or Igor Shesterkin.
BLH’s Thoughts: My question regarding the future of the Oilers’ LW depth remains. RNH will be there for the next eight years presumably and possibly one of Taylor Hall, Zach Hyman, or Gabriel Landeskog, right? Then they plan to have Dylan Holloway on the roster at some point as well I assume. So where is Jake DeBrusk going to fit into that plan and why are they spending so much money on the LW?
Derek Ryan sounds like a very realistic target for the Oilers 3C position if they lose Jujhar Khaira to Seattle. Phil Danault, on the other hand, does not sound realistic at all. Elliotte Friedman thinks he’ll go to Columbus as they’re desperate for centers. 
Igor Shesterkin? Seriously? Maybe Spector knows something I don’t, but why would the Rangers move him over Georgiev aside from maybe pricing himself out of New York. 

From Spector’s Hockey

NHL Rumor Mill – July 16, 2021

AZ COYOTES INSIDER: Craig Morgan also reported the Avalanche has an interest in Kuemper. The netminder’s performance for Canada in this year’s World Championships improved his trade value after being sidelined by a knee injury in March. Morgan suggests shopping him to a contender for a late first-round draft pick, proposing Colorado, Carolina and Edmonton as possible trade partners.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m not really confident that the Oilers can land Kuemper out of Arizona. That being said though, Bob Stauffer has been talking about Christian Dvorak a bit this week as well as Lawson Crouse and to a lesser extent, Phil Kessel. 

From The Daily Goal Horn

Many teams calling Zach Hyman
  • According to the Toronto Star several teams have already reached out to Hyman’s camp. The Oilers, Flames, Bruins, Penguins, Canucks, Red Wings, and Panthers are all supposedly interested.
  • The 28 year-old Hyman is a UFA and will make substantially more than the $2.25 million AAV he earns now. Estimates have him looking at 7 years with an AAV around $5.5 million range. There is now talk that he could hit $6 million with this much interest in his services.
  • Edmonton was the first team reportedly interested in trying to make a trade for his rights in order to negotiate prior to him hitting the open market. GM Kyle Dubas obviously understands the high-level of interest which could facilitate a trade and sign so that Toronto can acquire a draft pick or prospect.

BLH’s Thoughts: What I would pay for Hyman’s rights and what Ken Holland will could be coerced into paying is probably miles apart, but I said yesterday (I believe) that if the Oilers could get Hyman to sign an 8yr deal with an AAV of no more than $5M, I could get behind that. I’m a stickler on that number, I don’t think it would be an honorable thing to do to pay an outsider more than Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. 

My personal feeling though is that Hyman signs with the Red Wings so that he can stay close to home. 

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Edmonton Oilers Talk: Landeskog, A 2021 Mock Draft, and the Skinny on Zach Hyman

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 Oilersnation (Zach Laing)

Is Gabriel Landeskog the top-six forward the Edmonton Oilers should be targeting?
  • Early Friday TSN’s Ryan Rishaug tweeted suggesting Landeskog “has to be a consideration for the Oilers,” and I definitely agree with him. In fact, I would prefer him to Hyman for a number of reasons.
  • The Oilers have a clear need for a winger to play alongside Connor McDavid and Jesse Puljujarvi, but both of these players come with significant price tags. I’d argue Landeskog might be a better fit than Hyman on the top line for the defensive value he provides.
  • All in all, the Oilers are likely going to be overpaying for a top-line winger. There’s negligible difference between both of their raw offensive production and if there’s one the Oilers would have to overpay, I’d probably prefer the Oilers go all-in on Landeskog. He’s been healthier over his NHL career and has leadership qualities as a long-time captain I think would be invaluable to the Oilers.

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t think there’s an argument to be made when the debate is Gabriel Landeskog vs. Zach Hyman. Everybody is going to pick the Swede, right? You pay what you get for and Landeskog, in my opinion, would be worth the extra fees on that ticket. 

Food for thought, we should keep in mind Ken Holland’s extensive history with Swedish hockey players… Lidstrom, Zetterberg, Franzen, Kronwall… 

From Lowetide.ca

LOWETIDE OILERS MOCK

I like to do this with the public lists (basically the Button and McKenzie) and then will rank those two plus Pronman, Wheeler and Red Line after the draft. Here is my list placed against the Button list, with my highest pick not on Button’s list being the Oilers selection at the designated number. Button’s list is only 75 deep, but we usually get a full deck and this year is such a wild draft one suspects a full boat again. My list is here.

  • No. 19 overall: LC Nikita Chibrikov, St. Petersburg. Small skill forward can stickhandle in a phone booth. Massive U18’s in Texas. He’s 5.10, 161 and a February 2003, he plays center and wing suspect he’ll land as a winger. Fast as lightning, one dimensional, will have to improve play without the puck.
  • No. 116 overall: RW Olivier Nadeau, Shawinigan Cataractes More bull than beauty, he is effective. Big power winger with plus skills, he works hard and has two-way acumen. Foot speed is just average, but he has great balance. I’m not sure if the Oilers will draft him but the QMJHL is loaded with good prospects and it’s possible we see Edmonton add someone from that league this year.
  • No. 180 overall: LW Eric Alarie, Moose Jaw Warriors 6.01, 196. Big PF with plus skill. Reports on his skating are good and no one is ranking him. What does that mean? He’s either going to be a draft steal or there’s something I’m missing about this player. I have him No. 24, I’ll be interested to see where he lands.
  • No. 186 overall: RC Ryder Korczak, Moose Jaw Warriors A top play-making center in the WHL. Good speed, elusive. This wasn’t a plan, drafting Moose Jaw Warriors, and he’s the opposite of Alarie (Korczak is small and plays with high energy. His scouting report is vaguely similar to Tyler Tullio.
  • No. 212 overall: LW Conner Roulette, Seattle Thunderbirds He has good hands/speed, has a sixth sense for offense. Aggressive and is dogged on the puck. I have him No. 32, this draft is nuts.

BLH’s Thoughts: Can’t see the Oilers going another year without drafting a defenseman and not considering a goaltender. I also think there might be an appetite to draft some players who’ll be heading to the NCAA so as to keep their rights for longer. So if you’re a draft geek, keep an eye on players out of the USHL, AJHL, and BCHL. There are also more European players heading to American colleges to ply their trade these days too. 

From The Athletic (Daniel Nugent-Bowman)

Source: Oilers talking to Zach Hyman’s camp; what he might cost and how he could fit with Edmonton
  • An industry source confirmed Thursday evening that the Oilers are one of the teams Hyman’s camp is speaking with about the possible acquisition of the winger’s rights. This was first reported by the Toronto Star’s Kevin McGran.
  • Many teams are expected to make a pitch for Hyman, not surprisingly since our Dom Luszczyszyn ranked him as the fourth-best player set to hit the open market… He slotted Hyman’s next contract to be at a $5.8 million AAV between four and five seasons.
  • A second industry source believes the Oilers are willing to offer Hyman that average salary on a long-term deal, and maybe more, perhaps as long as seven years. That term is the maximum permissible under the collective bargaining agreement.
  • Hyman could fit in nicely in the immediacy in Edmonton. The Oilers need at least one more top-six forward and Hyman has many skills the team is seeking, starting with five-on-five offence.
    • He contributed at a 60-point pace in each of the last two seasons with minimal time on the power play. 
    • Hyman has never finished with any of his five full NHL seasons with a goals-for percentage or expected goals for a percentage below 50 percent. In 2021, he managed a 52.3 CF%, a 66.7 GF%, and a 60 xGF%.
  • It’s worth noting that GM Ken Holland wants Dylan Holloway to take someone’s job, so it’s likely he’ll be battling a veteran on a cheap contract for that third-line spot. He said Holloway will only be on the team if he’s in the top nine.

BLH’s Thoughts: You can’t help but dig those fancies and 5×5 scoring, but is that enough to justify a long-term deal worth $6M/yr?

Another question I’m asking myself with regards to this potential acquisition is, what’s the plan for the future of Edmonton’s LW if they’ve got RNH and Hyman locked up for the next seven or eight years?

If Ryan McLeod is viewed as the club’s next 3C, are the Oilers projecting Holloway as his LW for the foreseeable future?

https://twitter.com/PJthe2nd/status/1416225694036598784

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Could Zach Hyman be the New Ryan Smyth?

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: Leafs’ Zack Hyman would be ideal fit at winger, but for how long?
  • He was the most noticeable player every game for the Toronto Maple Leafs when they took the Oilers to the woodshed in their three-game romp at Rogers Place this season. He would also provide some bite to their top six, something sorely missing.
    • “Zach is a smart player. Low maintenance, plays the same every shift, doesn’t complain. I’ve compared him to Jere Lehtinen. Very similar personalities,” said Button, who was in Dallas working for the Stars when Lehtinen was there.
  • So, do the Oilers offer Hyman more per year than they just paid Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on average ($5.125 million) over eight years? After all, Nugent-Hopkins is the longest-serving Oilers player, drafted in 2011.
    • “I think you would have to sit with Ryan and tell him what you’re trying to do with Zach and say it’s more than you’re making, are you OK with this?’’’ said Button.
  • The Oilers need Hyman’s grit, but can’t go overboard because they also need a third-line centre. Maybe another bottom six winger, like Joel Armia. Maybe a goalie.
  • With the Oilers in the hunt for Hyman, Holland also has to have a backup plan if he can’t get him. He has to be talking to St. Louis Blues winger Jaden Schwartz’s agent, too.
  • Restricted free-agent winger Dominik Kahun might be a one-and-done experiment after the expected chemistry with Draisaitl didn’t work last season. Chances of qualifying Kahun are less than 50-50.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’ve wondered in the past how Ken Holland could justify paying an outsider more than the longest tenured Edmonton Oiler. To me, only an incredibly ego-less human would be okay with that and maybe Nuge is just that guy. 

The secret for Hyman to win over the fanbase and the pundits in Edmonton, should he sign there, would be to find way to become a mash-up of Glenn Anderson and Ryan Smyth. Fans in that market absolutely love a player who will run through a wall to get a goal or to stop one. If his production drops off, they won’t mind that as long as the effort remains the same. It’s such a simple equation.

From Oilersnation (Bagged Milk)

Three Big Questions…
  • WHAT HAPPENS IF LARSSON DOESN’T RE-SIGN?

As much as I like both Ethan Bear and Evan Bouchard, having only those two guys and their limited experience locked up on the right side doesn’t exactly inspire confidence for a long playoff push, does it?

  • CAN HOLLAND REALLY TRADE KOSKINEN?

Not only am I anxious to find out which team will want to take a swing on Koskinen, I’m equally looking forward to the #SummerOfRage outcry that comes after the Oilers will be forced to retain salary but weren’t able to get Chicago to do the same in the Keith trade.

  • DUNCAN or DUNCAN’T?

As much as the intangibles he brings to the team and dressing room are nice, it’s also fair to wonder how much those will make a difference on the ice or even how much gas the two-time Norris Trophy winner still has in the tank despite all the talk of his incredible conditioning.

BLH’s Thoughts: If Larsson doesn’t re-sign, expect the Oilers to get in on somebody else, be it Rasmus Ristolainen, David Savard, Dougie Hamilton, or Tyson Barrie. They’re not going into the summer without a plan B. 

Of course they Oilers can trade Koskinen. They’ve been trying to for a couple of years now albeit to no success but there some teams with one goalie (ARI, SJ, TOR, DET)  or no goalies (CAR, BOS, BUF) under an NHL contract at the moment and I’d suggest those would be some candidates to take on Koskinen (salary reduced).

My feeling on Keith is that his impact will be subtle and that’ll piss off a lot of fans and pundits who will unrealistically expect a version of the player more akin to his career peak. What we’ll need to look out for is a flattening of the peaks and valleys that come with a younger team. How long will the losing streaks or the pointless streaks last? His technical skills will erode an a more exponential rate now, but the way he thinks the game won’t and if he can still skate better than most of the players in the league, he’ll be an impactful asset to the Oilers. 

From The Athletic (Daniel Nugent-Bowman)

What I’m hearing about the Oilers offseason 2.0: Adam Larsson and free agency? Who’s on the expansion list?
  • Larsson is expected to be a hot commodity in free agency — should he make it there. As noted, I’m told a team is willing to offer the defensive blueliner a five-year deal with at least a $5 million AAV in free agency. The Oilers theoretically could make such a deal work under their budget, but it might limit improvements to the roster in other areas.
  • The one thing Holland made clear is he won’t be making any type of side deal with the Kraken. He said he doesn’t want to pay a future asset or assets to alleviate any salary cap quandary.
  • Four possible RFAs — Jujhar Khaira, Dominik Kahun, Cooper Marody, and Theodor Lennstrom. These are the answers I got from a team source on those players: Khaira, undecided; Kahun, probably not; Marody, yes; Lennstrom, no.

BLH’s Thoughts: As far as my understanding goes, Larsson wants to be part of what Ken Holland is building in Edmonton, so I’d be a little shocked to see him go elsewhere just for another year on his contract. I think Philly is the team that is really hoping to get an audience with him so that they could find a partner for their uber-talented Russian defender Ivan Provorov, but are the Flyers closer to winning a championship than Edmonton and will that added TOI be more help or harm to Larsson’s game? The Metro division doesn’t look all that savory from a dman’s POV either… 

If Edmonton is expecting to lose Tyler Benson, they’re still going to need forwards for Bakersfield and Cooper Marody has proven to be a good teammate for young players coming up so far, so why not qualify him?

For what it’s worth, Bob Stauffer sounded very confident that Jujhar Khaira will be Seattle’s selection from Edmonton. 

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