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

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Which Young RW Would You Move for Vladimir Tarasenko?

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 ESPN

Grading the Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers on the Duncan Keith trade

The Edmonton Oilers acquired Chicago Blackhawks veteran defenseman Duncan Keith and prospect forward Tim Soderlund on Monday in a trade for defenseman Caleb Jones and a conditional 2022 third-round pick, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Which side comes out ahead in the deal? We grade both GMs here:

Edmonton Oilers: D+

For the Oilers to have acquired a player at this age, with this decline, without any semblance of cap relief from a team with limited options to remove that contract from their own cap, is frankly negligent.

Even if Keith has more left in the tank than the metrics would indicate, and even if his experience and intangibles are an asset to the locker room, bailing the Blackhawks out of this contract without any salary cap relief to the acquiring team is just specious management.

Chicago Blackhawks: A+

To get anything of value for Keith at this point is a win for Chicago.

The conditional pick favors the Blackhawks, too: The conditional third-round pick becomes a second-round pick if Edmonton wins three rounds in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs and Keith is among the top four Edmonton defensemen in total ice time through those rounds.

BLH’s Thoughts: Whenever Wyshynski has an opportunity to lace into the Oilers, he’s never been one to back away. That being said, I do have to agree with him in that the Oilers were in a very good position to win this trade outright, yet chose not to and that makes me very curious what other moves Ken Holland has loaded up for after the expansion draft… 

The grade given to Holland is fair, but let’s wait until next summer or the summer after that and revisit this trade to see how it’s panned out. I’d be willing to bet that it won’t be as bad as it is today.

From Oilersnation (Robin Brownlee)

Everybody Has One…

A handful of people think Holland gave up too much by sending Jones and a draft pick to Chicago, especially since Keith had asked Bowman for a trade. On top of that, and this is what really grinds critics of the trade, is Holland is taking on a $5.5 million AAV with no salary retained. Unless I’m missing something, Holland had the hammer and he didn’t use it. He overpaid to make this deal.

I fall into that last camp. I don’t know how the trade is going to play out, nobody does for certain, but I do know Holland paid full freight for a 38-year-old player when it looked like he had all the leverage in the deal but didn’t use it

I’m not really concerned about losing Jones. He went from prospect to suspect in my mind last season when he was made a healthy scratch by coach Dave Tippett, who didn’t have enough confidence in the kid to play him at times.

I’m not concerned that the wheels have fallen off Keith…

While leadership and experience are intangibles some people have little use for because it can’t be charted or measured, I see value in it – as long as Keith can still walk the walk out on the ice.

What I do know is having Keith in the line-up instead of Jones makes the Oilers better right now. What I do know is Holland over-paid. As for the rest, there is no choice but to wait.

BLH’s Thoughts: Pretty fair assessment from Brownlee. I do feel almost exactly the same way. I also feel like this is only the beginning as I’m hearing that the feeling amongst those in the know is that Ken Holland is going to be very active this summer and this Duncan Keith trade may very well be the first domino to fall… 

From NHLRumors.com

Flames linked to Eichel, Taraseko and Rakell

The Fourth Period: The Calgary Flames have interested in Buffalo Sabres Jack Eichel.

Flames GM Brad Treliving is also believed to be looking for a top-winger that can score. They’ve been linked to Vladimir Tarasenko (Blues) and Rickard Rakell (Ducks).

It’s still believed that the Sabres and Flames continue to talk Eichel.

Contract extension talks with Johnny Gaudreau started this past week. How those go could also come into play with any future moves.

Teams that should be after Tarasenko

Adam Gretz of NBC Sports: Teams that should be calling the St. Louis Blues about Vladimir Tarasenko include the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Seattle Kraken and the Nashville Predators.

Long shots to land Tarasenko include the Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins and New York Islanders.

BLH’s Thoughts: So, if Edmonton should be in on Tarasenko, which RW would  you be more comfortable trading, Jesse Puljujarvi or Kailer Yamamoto? 

It doesn’t really matter because those other teams Gretz is mentioning have a lot more assets to move than Edmonton. For example, Nashville could trade Filip Forsberg for the Russian or the Rangers could move Pavel Buchnevich plus picks or prospects. The Oilers aren’t really in the same boat as those two teams, in my opinion. 

With that in mind, Tarasenko does have a Stanley Cup ring on his finger and we know now that Ken Holland will pay a premium for those guys… 

From The Fourth Period

OILERS EVALUATING GOALIE MARKET

The Edmonton Oilers had another conversation with Mike Smith’s camp on Friday about a new contract, and as the two sides try to hammer out a deal, Oilers GM Ken Holland is also exploring the trade market.

The Oilers recently tabled a multi-year offer but it sounds like the dollars were lower than what Smith was expecting. His side was expected to counter, at some point, and that could have been part of yesterday’s discussion.

As those negotiations continue, Holland is assessing the trade market for another veteran goaltender. It sounds like adding a goalie via trade may have more to do with replacing Mikko Koskinen, should the Oilers buy out the final year of his contract, than it does replacing Smith.

BLH’s Thoughts: A multi-year offer for Smith?! Man, Holland is really trying to piss off his fanbase and I’m here for the whole show! I love it! 

Duncan Keith and Chris Driedger are represented by Edmonton-based player agent, Gerry Johansson, any chance the trade Holland just made has an impact on where Driedger is playing next season?… 

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Does the Keith Acquisition Make a James Neal Buyout Easier to Execute Now?

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 trade for Blackhawks Duncan Keith to strengthen blueline

The Oilers are giving up defenceman Caleb Jones, who would likely have been left unprotected in the Seattle expansion draft, and a third-round 2022 draft pick

Now, the Oilers might buy out Koskinen even as they try and re-sign Mike Smith to a new deal.

Keith’s game isn’t what it used to be, but he’s long been one of the NHL’s fittest players, much like Oilers goalie Mike Smith, so his birth certificate might not be a factor. Plus, he won’t be the first pairing left defenceman with the Oilers. Darnell Nurse has that role, and Keith can slide in with Adam Larsson in a second pairing when he likely re-signs. He’s an unrestricted free-agent.

The addition of Keith gives the Oilers what they sorely need. A player who has won before, and not just once. Three times with the Blackhawks. In 2015 he was also the playoff MVP and won the Conn Smythe trophy.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse will be giving this a two-thumbs up.

BLH’s Thoughts: That last point is the real kicker. The fans may disagree with the addition of Keith, but this trade isn’t for the fans, it’s for the club and no matter what you say or how many pretty graphics and spreadsheets you throw at me, there’s not one that will convince me that the Oilers aren’t better today than they were yesterday. 

From The Athletic (Daniel Nugent-Bowman)

‘This isn’t an exact science’: How Ken Holland’s overpay for Duncan Keith limits the Oilers’ offseason options

Oilers general manager Ken Holland had the hammer this offseason and didn’t use it to his advantage.

The Oilers were never going to get Keith easily. This is a Chicago franchise icon and its minutes-played leader in 2021. The Oilers were always going to have to give up something.

It’s the money the Oilers took on in the deal — roughly $4.5 million for next season — that’s perplexing and could hinder the Oilers in their offseason planning.

Not only that, but there are real concerns about Keith’s on-ice abilities. He turns 38 on Friday and his advanced metrics haven’t been good for quite some time.

His expected goals percentage hasn’t cracked 50 percent since 2016, Chicago hasn’t outscored opponents with Keith on the ice since 2017, and the team has been out-attempted with Keith skating in each of the past three seasons.

Of course, Keith hasn’t played for a quality team during that time. Chicago has qualified for the playoffs just once in the past four seasons…

A team source said earlier this month that acquiring Keith and his full cap hit would all but preclude the Oilers from retaining Larsson and Tyson Barrie. Holland disputed this Monday, saying he still has money set aside for Larsson’s next contract.

Holland has roughly $10 million in cap space for next season after Keith comes aboard and Jones heads to Chicago, according to CapFriendly.

There isn’t nearly as much money to work with after bringing in Keith.

BLH’s Thoughts: The tone of that post makes me feel like DNB was a tad upset at how Holland reacted to his question about the Oilers not getting Chicago to retain salary on the trade. The Stanley Cup winning GM really put the young journo on the spot for really the first time since he’s starting covering the Oilers and it was kind of uncomfortable to listen to. Although, it could be said that some of the replies Holland gave in that media avail were cringeworthy as well. 

I’m paraphrasing here, but championship winning GMs like Ken Holland, Brian Burke, or Lou Lamoriello have said in the past that if there’s a guy out there you think your team needs, you go get him and deal with the rest later. If that’s a player you think will push your team to the next level, pay the price and move things around down the line. 

Today, the Oilers are a better club than they were yesterday. Fact. They had the cap room to make this trade, so why not? If there’s a feeling that the free agency market is going to favor the GMs this year and Ken Holland thinks that he’ll be able to fill some of the holes in his lineup at somewhat of a reduced rate, it’s his responsibility to swing when the pitch presents itself. 

From Sportsnet (Mark Spector)

Hip to hate Oilers’ Keith deal, but the veteran defenceman can still play

No salary was retained by the Chicago Blackhawks, though a pertinent aspect of this deal is that the Oilers only owe Keith $3.6 million in actual salary over the next two seasons, despite a remaining cap hit of $5.5 million annually for two seasons.

The Blackhawks win the deal financially. Edmonton, in trouble with Oscar Klefbom’s injury situation, makes this trade to win on the ice right now.

I get it — fans could care less about owner Daryl Katz saving some cash. But managers — and owners who have lost millions these last two seasons — care a lot. And that salary savings may make a Neal buyout more tenable. If that happens, there’s the cap space fans wanted.

If you are someone who decried the fact that Holland wasn’t “all in” at the last trade deadline — that he must be “all in” as long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are in their prime — then you should like this deal.

One more thing: If not Keith, Holland needed to sign a second-pairing LD as a free agent. That would come with much more term than two years.

Finally, you have to remember that building a team in Edmonton isn’t the same as in other markets. When you get a player like Keith — or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — who wants to be here, that has major value.

Keith wants to be here, and Edmonton needs experience, some winning pedigree, and to fill a big hole on left defence.

BLH’s Thoughts: Those are all fantastic points made by Spector. I don’t even know if anything more has to be said, to be honest. 

I guess if I had to add anything, I’d say that the most important part of what Spector said there relates to the potential buyouts of James Neal and/or Mikko Koskinen. Even though Darryl Katz has always been committed to giving this club everything he could financially, losing $50M last year hurts and maybe his appetite for a buyout or two isn’t there. 

For me, the money doesn’t bother me. I think the club will find a way to open up some cap space elsewhere so that they can carry on with an offseason that I believe will be game-changing for the franchise. Maybe that means moving Kassian for a pick or using someone like Tyler Benson in a trade to get the other team to eat salary on a player Edmonton likes.

Now, If this deal works out for Edmonton, there’ll be a shit ton of people with egg on their face and even more who’ll owe Ken Holland an apology. If it doesn’t, Holland will have to wear it. 

From Twitter

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Lowetide has the “Perfect” LW for Connor McDavid and He’ll be Available Next Month

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

Edmonton Oilers “juggling multiple balls” as they re-evaluate goaltending position

In a Friday 31 thoughts column from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, he noted the Oilers are looking at different options.

  • “In goal, it sounds like they are juggling multiple balls, from Mike Smith to someone younger.”

From the outside looking in, it seems to be “Oilers or bust” for the goaltender.

The Oilers have a few things working in their favour this offseason: they have lots of cap space, a decent amount of moveable assets, a desire to get better, and some available goaltenders that could make the team better.

Ilya Konovalov could also surprise people in his transition to North America. All in all, these next few weeks are going to be really interesting to see what happens.

BLH’s Thoughts: The Konovalov kid really is a bit of a wildcard, isn’t he. He could come in and really make things difficult for the Oilers if he has a great camp and Holland has already brought somebody in. 

You know what we might see? We may very well see the goaltending position sorted out very close to the beginning of the 2021-22 season. What I mean is that Holland could still re-sign Mike Smith but wait and get more of a feeling on the Russian netminder and the market for Mikko Koskinen before committing to a more permanent situation. 

From NHLRumors.com

Trade and free agent options for the Devils

Corey Masisak of The Athletic: The New Jersey Devils could use some help on the blue line. There are some teams who could be looking to trade one before the expansion draft so they don’t lose someone for nothing.

Some potential pre-expansion draft trade options include Connor Clifton (Bruins), Colin Miller (Sabres), Nick Leddy (Islanders), Cal Foote (Lightning), Jake Bean (Hurricanes), Travis Dermott (Maple Leafs), Vince Dunn (Blues), and Mathew Dumba (Wild).

Other trade options could include Dougie Hamilton (Hurricanes), Seth Jones (Blue Jackets), Rasmus Ristolainen (Sabres), Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler or Josh Manson from the Ducks, Ryan Ellis or Mattias Ekholm from the Predators

BLH’s Thoughts: The Devils have that extra 1st rounder from the Islanders this year and $35M in cap space, they should be gunning for a Matthew Dumba or a Rasmus Ristolainen. I think the Ducks want a first round pick and they’re looking to package Rickard Rakell and Josh Manson to get the best return possible. 

Either way, NJ has to get on their horse sorting this roster out because next season they’ll have two forwards from their NHL roster contracted past 2021-22, Nico Hischier and Andreas Johnsson, two defensemen (Damon Severson, Jonas Siegenthaler, and goalie MacKenzie Blackwood. 

From NHLRumors.com

Vegas Golden Knights on the hunt for Jack Eichel

Dan Kingerski of National Hockey NOW:  Again, Vegas needs a number one center in the worst way as Peter DeBoer has soured on Cody Glass. That leaves Chandler Stephenson as their number one center and this does not sit well with the Golden Knights apparently.

So, naturally, Vegas is looking around for options. One of them happens to be Jack Eichel. Now, the Buffalo Sabres’ center still expects to have surgery on his neck at some point. Teams have explored Eichel’s medical records and Vegas, despite that, is still sniffing around.

Kevyn Adams wants as many as four to six pieces for Jack Eichel. This is even with the circumstances surrounding the Eichel injury. Teams do not care. They feel that they are getting an all-world hockey player.

BLH’s Thoughts: At this point, I fully expect Jack Eichel to be playing for Vegas next season, don’t you? They’ll have to sell off some players for pennies on the dollar, but they’ve shown an ability to do just that in the past to get their guy since joining the league.

What’s to stop them from moving Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, Max Pacioretty, and Marc-Andre Fleury this summer and opening up $24M in cap space?

From The Athletic

Lowetide: 10 free agents for the Oilers to target this offseason

This is a fantastic year for quality free agents. Here are the 10 names that a hard-target search reveals are the best available candidates for Edmonton in its current situation.

1. Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes

If there’s one move Holland could make that would send fans the message that now is the time to win, signing Dougie Hamilton would be it.

2. Linus Ullmark, Buffalo Sabres

Linus Ullmark led the woeful Sabres to a 9-6-3 record when he played for the team in 2020-21; the team went 6-28-4 without him. Ullmark’s save percentage at five-on-five in 2020-21 (.937) put him in the top five in the category and kept Buffalo in every game. He is 27, the cap hit shouldn’t cost the moon.

3. Taylor Hall, Boston Bruins

At five-on-five, he can push the river, he is able to transport the puck from his own zone into the opposition end and set up an offensive sequence all by himself.

4. Blake Coleman, Tampa Bay Lightning

As an option for McDavid’s left wing, Coleman is perfect. His speed, two-way ability, aggressiveness everywhere and legitimate skill make him a going concern across all 200 feet.

5. Adam Larsson, Edmonton Oilers

Last season, Puck IQ marked him playing over 300 minutes (over 30 percent of his overall minutes) and winning the possession battle (Dangerous Fenwick is smart Corsi) by a 53.7 percent total.

6. Brandon Saad, Colorado Avalanche

He has size, speed and two-way acumen. He isn’t a driver like Hall but a top-level complementary winger (similar to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) with a pristine resume.

7. Jake McCabe, Buffalo Sabres

Puck IQ has him playing big minutes against elite competition for the past several years and performing well in those minutes during the past two seasons.

8. Tomas Tatar, Montreal Canadiens

There’s a perfect storm brewing with this player, and Holland’s history with Tatar could benefit Edmonton.

9. Zach Hyman, Toronto Maple Leafs

His ability to play basically any role required of a forward (all three positions, all three game states) and dogged determination make him an attractive player for any team.

10. Ryan Murray, New Jersey Devils

He should be able to provide solid performances over the next year or two until the young defenceman can push him down the depth chart.

BLH’s Thoughts: Helluva list put together by LT here. I love what I read about the Swedish netminder Ullmark. It’s very hard to argue against the Oilers bringing in a goalie who was top-5 in the league at 5v5 despite playing for a team as bad as the Sabres. 

I do wonder if Edmonton could get not only a Taylor Hall or Zach Hyman but also a Tomas Tatar or another mid-level free agent. It’s really going to depend on Holland’s sell job with these guys.

Bob Stauffer (630CHED) is really pushing the notion that there’s not a lot of money out there and if players wait too long, they risk getting left out in the cold like Mike Hoffman has in the past or Pat Maroon, for example. 

Stauffer is good acquaintances with some very high profile agents as well as NHL execs around the league, so he may or may not have an inside track on this kind of info. *wink*

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Have You Heard Bob Stauffer’s Latest Trade Suggestion for the Oilers?

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 Spector’s Hockey

LATEST ON MATTHEW TKACHUK

THE ATHLETIC: Hailey Salvian recently weighed in on the trade speculation swirling about Matthew Tkachuk this summer. One rumor linked the Calgary Flames winger was linked to St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko.

Salvian also cited colleague Jeremy Rutherford indicating sources saying the Blues had an interest in Tkachuk but it would take more than Tarasenko to pry him away from the Flames. That’s if Tarasenko would waive his no-trade clause to go to Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. Both sides could be waiting to see how this season shakes out before negotiating a long-term deal. He’s entering the third season of a three-year, $21 million contract. He’ll earn $9 million in actual salary this season, which could be what he’ll seek as an annual average value on his next deal.

BLH’s Thoughts: Calgary won’t be moving Sean Monahan because he’s having surgery this summer and the recovery will bleed into the beginning of next season. So that leaves them the option of moving Johnny Hockey or Matthew Tkachuk, doesn’t it?

I suppose they could keep everybody in tow until next season and really ramp up the pressure, but if Calgary eats shit again next year, do you think ownership is going to keep Brad Treliving around and not move Darryl Sutter back up to the GMs position?… 

I just think that Treliving, in order to save his job, would need to pull off one helluva trade AND find a way to make it to the conference final at least next season. Unlikely is that scenario in my books. 

SHARKS SHOPPING LEBANC

THE ATHLETIC: Kevin Kurz reports multiple sources said the San Jose Sharks are ramping up trade talks with other clubs. Kevin Labanc, Radim Simek and Dylan Gambrell are being dangled as the Sharks seek a “hockey trade” in which they get players in return. They’re also hoping to land draft picks. General manager Doug Wilson wants to upgrade his goaltending and add a third-line center.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The decline in Lebanc’s production could be tied to the change in the Sharks’ system under Boughner. He tallied six points in 10 games for Team USA at this year’s World Championships. Perhaps playing with a deeper club or one with a more offensive style would be better suited to his type of game. His contract could be an issue with the cap remaining flattened for 2021-22.

BLH’s Thoughts: Normally, I’d say the Oilers should look into acquiring LaBanc, but I’m not sure he’d be a fit for what the club is looking for in their top-six. 

Radek Simek, on the other hand, might be a decent depth option for Edmonton and he only makes a shade over $2M. Good things have been said about this player in recent years. 

Don’t be shocked if you hear Jason Gregor talking about one or both of these players in the future since his nephew plays for the Sharks. 

From Oilers Now ft. Mark Spector

On the Oilers’ Desire to Get More Experience in the Lineup

  • “You can’t win with all old guys and you can’t win with all young guys… Not if you want to win. It has to be a mix.”
  • “The Oilers need better veterans. Their plus 26yr old players, they need better players in those roles.”

BLH’s Thoughts: YES! Please! Holland can’t be signing older guys who can’t play and that have never gone through the war that is getting all the way to the Stanley Cup final or played multiple years in the playoffs. 100% there’s value in an veteran who knows what it takes once the regular season is over. Every season we see it be that your Barclay Goodrows, Corey Perrys, Kyle Cliffords, Joe Pavelskis, or your Paul Byrons. 

On Adam Larsson

  • “I’m not concerned (that he’s yet to re-sign with the club). The Oilers dearly want Adam Larsson back. They absolutely value this player.”
  • “Ken Holland had a really good relationship with Brad Stuart back in the day in Detroit and he covets Adam Larsson.”
  • “There’s a couple of things in play here, maybe if the Keith deal is still alive and you and I would agree, if Keith comes to town he’s going to be Larsson’s partner, maybe there is a handshake deal here that says, ‘Look, if we can get Keith, we won’t sign you until after the expansion draft.’ and that makes everything better for everybody. You’d have to protect Keith if you got him.”
  • “This is a chance for him to really explore. So I’m not saying he goes out and explores and doesn’t come back to Edmonton. I think he wants to play here, that’s what he says. I think he’s got a good opportunity, he’s an important part of the team, he’s a major leader on this team, but I would say to you that he’s, no doubt, enjoying the ride letting in unfold, and I think if it was your son or your client, you’d advise him to do the same thing.”

BLH’s Thoughts: If Adam Larsson decided to sign elsewhere, it would be a punch to the gut for this team. He’s really that old battle axe on Edmonton’s back end. Not that he’s old or anything, but he’s a trusted warrior that has the respect of his teammates. Everybody knows that he’ll go to war for them and to lose that kind of player would hurt. 

With that in mind, there will be options on the market to replace him with if need be. It might cost the Oilers some assets, but Ken Holland is not up the river without a paddle here. The Wild have to decide what to do with Matt Dumba, what are the Sabres willing to take for Rasmus Ristolainen, would David Savard be willing to head north? 

At the end of the day, I hope that Adam comes back to Edmonton and carries on this journey to the Stanley Cup with the Oilers. Ken Holland loves this guy and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’d make it worth Larsson’s time. 

On What Ken Holland’s Doing with the Oilers

  • “Here’s one thing that the fans should know about what Ken Holland’s doing with all of these players including RNH, he’s trying to build this winning team. Everybody can’t have every dollar that they want.”
  • “Every guy Holland talks to he’s trying to get them to take a little less and be part of a potential Stanley Cup winner and that includes Adam Larsson. Could he get $5M elsewhere? Maybe, but he’s not getting it here and if he wants to be part of this thing, he’s going to have to say to Ken Holland, ‘I’m not going to pick up the phone on Seattle, I’ll let you make a deal with Keith, and I’m going to sign on our agreed upon number when the expansion draft is over.'”. 

BLH’s Thoughts: This is the exact same blueprint he used in Detroit in the late 90s and 2000s. It worked then and I don’t see how it could fail today. It’ll really depend on the character of the players on the Oilers and those that are interested in joining the Oilers. There will be no room for prima donnas in this plan… 

On James Neal

  • “I did speak to Pat Morris (Neal’s agent) last night at some length, and he’s not been informed of an imminent buyout but he speaks like the agent of a guy that wouldn’t be very surprised if a buyout happened.”
  • “Nobody’s buying anybody out before the expansion draft. Before you buy anybody out, don’t you make a play with Seattle first?”

BLH’s Thoughts: Spec makes a good point there. Until teams know what their options are regarding the players they’d like to buy out, it’s best to hold on to them until their opportunities have been exhausted.

So if this means Ken Holland is working on a trade for James Neal, my ears are perked. Will he pay the same high price Toronto did to get rid of Patrick Marleau? Christ, I hope not. You kinda hope that if that option is being entertained that the Oilers would just trade him for somebody else’s headache and hope for the best. 

Bob Stauffer’s Suggestion re: Edmonton’s Goaltending

  • “I’m going to give you another name because there might be a fit for Edmonton and that’s Georgiev with the Rangers. Only because the Oilers have Zack Kassian and we know the New York Rangers were in Edmonton during the course of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Rangers were the team that watched Tom Wilson throw them around.”
  • “Zack Kassian, sometimes players in those roles need to be moved along every three or four years.”
  • “I personally think that if you knew what you were going to get out of Kassian every night and it was consistent and you know he could be a pretty effective player. I just wonder whether or not something like that might make sense.”

BLH’s Thoughts: A texter also suggested Pittsburgh’s goalie, Tristan Jarry and I think there’s something to that. With that in mind, which GM is going to trade a young starting goalie straight across for Zack Kassian? I can’t see either Chris Drury or Ron Hextall going for that, so the deal would need to be expanded and that’s where Edmonton could end up losing the trade.

If you ask me though, I do not mind the idea of Georgiev and his $2.45M salary for the year coming to Edmonton. He’ll be an RFA when his deal is up but the qualifying cost won’t be prohibitive.

He’s 25, his agent was once that of Leon Draisaitl’s, but nor he or Jarry’s numbers are very flattering. Plus they’re not the biggest netminders in the world (Georgiev is listed at 6’1″ and Jarry 6’2″).

I guess I can give the Russian the benefit of the doubt playing for a young team like the Rangers though. What’s Jarry’s excuse?

Spector’s on Stauffer’s Trade Suggestion

  • “It does make sense. Kassian is such a quandary for Oilers fans and Oilers management. We all know what he looks like when he’s doing what you want him to do and he’s so effective and if you get rid of Zack Kassian, I get it, I know all the reasons you might do it. He’s on an old economy contract, he’s making more than he should be making, but the first thing you’re going to try to do is to try and find someone to fill Kassian’s role.”
  • “The Oilers need to get bigger, not smaller, but they also need a goalie here and hopefully whether it’s the Rangers, whether it’s Driedger (FLA), Whether it’s a Merzlikins (CBJ), what you want is a youngish guy with Mike Smith. A guy that doesn’t have to be your no.1 the minute he steps in the door, but a guy that if he comes in and earns the job, you don’t mind looking at 39yr old Mike Smith and saying, “Mike, you’re the backup now.”. 
  • “To me, the Oilers won’t be completely better losing Zack Kassian, even though we all know that he’s been mailing it in for too long.”
  • “The gotta find big players and to get rid of their biggest roughest one might not be the place to start.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Kassian has three more years left at $3.2M/yr and yes, he’ll be overpaid if he spends all that time in Edmonton’s bottom-six and sans any special teams TOI. But as I’ve said before, come playoff time when the rink shrinks and the refs put the whistles away, Kass is going to be a very valued player…

Stauffer on a Texter’s Suggestion of Arizona’s Lawson Crouse

  • “That’s a good suggestion. Lawson Crouse kills penalties, he’s 6’4″, he’s 220lbs, he can skate. He’s not as tough as Kassian, he’s a better penalty killer than Kassian is. We know Arizona is up for grabs too.”

BLH’s Thoughts: I think to say he’s not as tough as Kass is a bit of an understatement. Crouse isn’t afraid to drop the mitts, but from the fights I’ve watched online of his, I wouldn’t say his ability to chuck knucks strikes fear in the opposition. I’d love to know if he’s as physical as Kassian too because I’m not too sure he is. If you’ve been lucky enough to watch a number of Coyotes games over the years, please let me know on line (@beerleagueheroe) and tell me if Crouse is Kassian-lite or if he could legitimately fill the role that Kass has in Edmonton.

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Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Quotes from Elliotte Friedman on Taylor Hall, Zach Hyman, and the Latest on Duncan Keith

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 Copper ‘N Blue

What Will Darnell Nurse’s Next Deal Look Like?

Darnell Nurse will play the last of a two year deal in 2021-22, a deal worth 5.6MM. What will a new deal look like?

The deal that pops at me is Thomas Chabot.

Chabot signed the big one in 2019 after a 55 point season. Chabot’s deal was 8×8, and I really think there’s a good chance that’s what Nurse’s deal ends up at or around. Chabot’s back half of the deal is equipped with a NMC beginning in 2024-25. Chabot is the heart and soul of the Senators defence, and nearly half his time on ice is played against elite comp.

 I think the Oilers are eager to sign Nurse to a long term deal and get into free agency this year knowing where they stand in the cap space game, and if we’re to believe anything said by the club recently, I think they’d like to do this within the next couple of weeks.

I’ve got Nurse at 8 years at somewhere between 7.5MM and 8MM AAV for eight years.

BLH’s Thoughts: Nurse’s camp is going to come to the negotiations with a shit ton of ammo this time around and the Oilers are going to have to pay a dear price to keep their no.1 dman. I think $8M/yr is the minimum as to what the Oilers might be able to get him on UNLESS he decides to do the same route all of his peers in the Oilers leadership group have already gone. Meaning, will he take a discount like RNH, McDavid, and Draisaitl have?

Personally, I think Nurse loves being an Oiler and he’s happy to play out his career in Edmonton. My belief is that he takes a ton of pride being part of the club and I reckon he’d be open to taking less and going along with Ken Holland’s plan to build a winner by asking his big boys to accept lower annual pay in return for more term. 

From NHLRumors.com

Coyotes could have a much different look next year

James O’Brien of NBC Sports: Could the Arizona Coyotes use their salary cap space to go after some pending UFAs instead of another rebuild? They have over $30 million in projected cap space.

BLH’s Thoughts: I dunno. They seem pretty hell bent on clearing cap space and to be honest, it wouldn’t shock me if the club went through another ownership change. The latest group couldn’t have gotten in at a worse time. 

The question with these owners is, are they going to be willing to rebuild this organization the right way or will they try to rush it? If they played the market right, they could take a stab at getting Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, and Matthew Tkachuk over the next number of years and add them to a stable of fantastic prospects accumulated through the draft in that time… 

The Maple Leafs will make changes, but how significant will they be?

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman last week on how significant changes could be for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

  • “I do think there’s going to be changes. How many more shots do you have with this group on ice and around the organization? Does this not seem like the point where the Raptors traded DeRozan for Leonard? I think we’re there. I don’t know if they’ll do something like that this year, but I think they’re running out of chances to go out with this group.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Is it just me or is it kind of early to be retooling the roster in Toronto. They’ve got the majority of what they need already in Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Nylander, Reilly, Muzzin, Brodie, etc.

Why does that group need to be broken up? Why can’t a management team as smart as Toronto’s apparently is figure out a way to make it work?

In my opinion, the team is lacking the kinds of players who’ll run through a wall to score or stop a goal. Some might call it “heart”, I just don’t see a Wendel Clark or Doug Gilmour on that roster and it can’t just be Wayne Simmonds going out there giving the opposition the stank eye and saying some mean words. The Maple Leafs need someone who can play AND provide some energy. A Ryan Getzlaf-type, if you will. 

From Oilers Now ft. Elliotte Friedman

Latest on Duncan Keith

  • “I do think that it’s kinda getting to the point where the Oilers want the Blackhawks to make a decision. I think the Blackhawks have asked for some pieces that Edmonton’s not willing to do. I think we’re in a situation here where if Chicago does want to do this, it might be down to one team they can do it with. I could be wrong, but I think Edmonton is the team right now and I think the Oilers are saying ‘OK, do we wanna get a deal done or not?’.”
  • “I don’t think Edmonton is willing to discuss Ethan Bear. I don’t think they’re willing to discuss (Ryan) McLeod.”
  • “They’ve probably been working at this for ten days, at least, now, maybe even a little bit longer. I think Edmonton just wants to know if this is going to get done.”

On Zach Hyman

  • “He won’t be back in Toronto. It doesn’t seem like things are going to fit.”
  • “We’ve long speculated that Edmonton could be a team (interested in Hyman)”

On Taylor Hall

  • “Put it this way, I think Hall is looking for a little bit of term, maybe not eight years, but a few, maybe three or four years. I thought he would stay in Boston, I’ve heard that’s not a guarantee and I think he might test the market to see what’s out there.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Things have become very quiet on the Duncan Keith front and I wonder if that means the two teams are truly trying to get something done. I think the media was used to put some pressure on the Blackhawks and now the two teams are burning the midnight oil before their expansion draft protection lists need to be in later this week.

Hyman and Hall are absolutely on Edmonton’s list and if I had to make an educated guess as to which one is most likely to sign in Edmonton, I’d say it’s the one who’ll sign for the cheapest, term be damned, and if that’s Hall for seven years, cool. That’s probably a better bet than Hyman as both players head into their mid-30s. 

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