Tag Archives: Adam Larsson

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

Edmonton Oilers Talk: Spector and Stauffer on the Future of Edmonton’s Defense

Two days ago on Oilers Now!, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector and Edmonton Oilers play-by-play colourman Bob Stauffer mused about defensemen Adam Larsson’s and Oscar Klefbom’s futures and how they might impact the Oilers expansion draft plans as well as how they might navigate their upcoming off-season regarding Tyson Barrie and Ethan Bear.

I’m going to transcribe some of what they said and comment on it for you below.

BS – Bob Stauffer
MS – Mark Spector

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

BS: It’s interesting with Oscar Klefbom because we’re having an expansion draft. So what do you do? Do you protect him if you’re the Oilers or conversely, do you expose him? This is where you’d need to know what the insurance is on that deal. If Oscar had the shoulder issue before the 7yr extension that would lend me to believe that the contract would not be insured and for the listeners who aren’t aware, usually, rough estimate, in hockey insurance picks up 80% of the money on a deal. 

So in Oscar’s case, we all know he’s a legit top-four NHL defenseman all day. If he’s available to the Oilers and you have Nurse and Klefbom as your top-two left-pairing defensemen next year, that’s a pretty good starting point, but there’s a question mark for me of do you protect him? Then the other part of it is, if you know he’s coming back and you definitely need Larsson back on the right-side because of what he brings (that shutdown presence), does that preclude you and take you out of the mix of re-signing Tyson Barrie?

BLH’s Thoughts: I think it’s very difficult to make this decision not knowing the full details of Oscar’s shoulder arthritis. Before he came over to North America to play, he had a significant shoulder injury and if it’s proven that that is where everything started, then Edmonton is kinda stuck paying out that contract if Klef decides not to play anymore. Maybe in that scenario, he’d be valuable because he could be placed on LTIR every year until the deal runs out and not only valuable to Edmonton but potentially to other teams too… 

Regarding Ethan Bear, this is what I know from watching him in the minors the last couple of seasons. When he’s good, he’s really good, but when his game is off, he struggles are very noticeable. But the one thing I come back to is that the Oilers do not have a player on their team that has the scoring potential of Tyson Barrie aside from Evan Bouchard and we might not see that for another two or three years. 

Now, it’s nice that the Oilers have all these young defenders coming, but they won’t be ready for, again, two or three seasons. By ready, I mean full-time proper NHL d-men that can have a positive impact on the ice. This team is right on the cusp of becoming a league powerhouse and going from an older d-core to a younger one will set that status back in my opinion. 

MS: It precludes Tyson Barrie from hitting a home-run here, I would say that to you. I think Ken Holland, at this point, has built his financial model around having Klefbom back. In the end, he’s a very good player on a very good contract. They may come out of surgery and plans may change but at this point, you’re trying to build the best team you can and imagine how good this team would be with a healthy Oscar Klefbom as a top-two guy on the left-side.

So, now you move on. There’s a lot of things here, Bob. Let’s say they go the 7-3-1 route in expansion and protect three defenseman, which is what you’d expect, right? You’re protecting Nurse and let’s say you sign Larsson before the expansion draft, which is highly likely, he’s going to say, “If I’m signing there, you’ve got to give me a no-move.” Now I’m protecting him and I’ve got one guy left here. If I sign Barrie I’m protecting Barrie and leaving Klefbom open. If I don’t sign Barrie, now he’s going to be UFA and who knows what’s going to happen? Do I protect Klefbom with the iffy shoulder or do I Ethan Bear? You know, it’s a real puzzle and Kenny Holland is the puzzle master, he’s going to have to figure it out. 

BLH’s Thoughts: Look, if it was me, I would do my best not to have any deals with my UFAs announced with the league until after the July 21st expansion draft was completed. I don’t know why the Oilers would officially re-sign them before that since free agency doesn’t open until 28th of July and with the draft plopped right in the middle of those two dates on the 23rd and 24th. 

So, in that scenario, Edmonton wouldn’t need to protect RNH, Larsson, or Barrie, right? They could put Nurse, Bear, and Lagesson or Jones on their list for d-men. Therefore, it’s not much of a puzzle and I’m kind of surprised Spector didn’t bring that option up. Unless I’ve got something all wrong with my understanding of the expansion draft rules…

BS: Just in terms of the difference between Barrie and Bear, basically, Barrie creates more offense but gives more up and Bear is actually the better 5v5 defenseman and he’s at a decent price point and I look at the Klefbom variable as potentially altering what could happen with Tyson Barrie because Klefbom can play on the powerplay, Nurse can play on the powerplay, and Oh, by the way, they have a potential right-shot option that they don’t have to protect in Bouchard. 

So, if they know Klefbom is coming back then you don’t need Barrie. I think we both agree, they definitely need what Larsson brings, do you agree?

BLH’s Thoughts: I agree on both points, that Barrie is surplus to requirements IF Klefbom is coming back and the Oilers need what Larsson brings.

Here’s my thing though, do you want Darnell Nurse skating 28 minutes a night? You don’t want to wear the guy down so that half way through his next long-term deal that’s paying him $7.5M or more he starts running into injury problems. Although, on the other side of the coin, if Klef is on the 2nd pair with Larsson, he’d be around to cover and then there’d be a guy like Caleb Jones or Philip Broberg to cover Oscar’s spot on the 2nd pair. 

What if Klef doesn’t come back though? I think you’ve got to consider keeping Barrie and moving one of Bear or Bouchard and then signing a depth right-shot NHL veteran as a no.7 blueliner. Maybe that’s Travis Hamonic or Sami Vatanen, who the Oilers have had interest in prior. Perhaps that’s Kevin Miller or Greg Pateryn too. 

MS: Oh, for sure and at a lesser number than, you know, he’s not going to be a $5M player. Larsson makes $4.1M right now, I’m not sure you’d have to pay him $4.1M on the next deal, not in this economy.

BS: I’m gonna tell ya, I think it’s going to be somewhere between $3.5M and $4M.

BLH’s Thoughts: Funny, at the beginning of the year, Stauffer was saying that Larsson would be willing to come back at a significantly lower AAV. I could be wrong, but I remember the number $2.5M being thrown around. Times have changed… That said, I love Larsson and would like to see him come back for another three or four seasons at around $3.5M. 

MS: There ya go. There’s a guy you get back at the same number, let’s say for fun. I’ve said this since you and I have known each other, every team I’ve covered that wins has that defenseman, right? They’ve got Matt Greene, they’ve got Brooks Orpik, or they’ve got Jason Smith, or they’ve got Rob Scuderi. You know, just keep going down the list, every good team has Ken Daneyko on it sitting there on the 3rd pair. When you’re down 3-2 late in the game he’s not playing but when you’re up 3-2 in the game, boy, is he ever playing and Adam Larsson is that guy for Edmonton. That is a component of a championship team that they have that isn’t that expensive and that they’ve got to keep. 

I’d absolutely fall over if Ken Holland didn’t manage to keep Adam Larsson on this team. 

BLH’s Thoughts: 100%. Ken Holland knows the value that a player like Adam Larsson brings to his team but he also understands that veteran NHL coaches love these kind of defensemen even more. 

Who’s winning the Larsson for Hall trade now?… 

Give us a follow on the socials!

Flames Suck. Click the pic and get a shirt.
This is how Pavel used to tell you who was #1 back in the day! Click the pic and grab a shirt or a mask!
Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: This is How I’d Improve the Oilers Defense

I’ve been sitting on this article for a few days now wondering how to present it and I’ve finally decided just to put it out there. Coherent thoughts be damned!

You see, this Edmonton Oilers team has come to that point in its development where it’s time to make some harsh decisions. The forward group is coming along and simply requires some experimentation and tinkering, but the core of the defense has been around for a solid three years, four for some and yet, there’s still a problem or two.

One, it has trouble defending effectively and consistently. Now, be that due to the inconsistent health at the top or having to go through the peaks and valleys of deploying players before they’re ready or they’re out of their leagues, it’s still an issue.

Two, it has lacked elite puck-movers in the top-four and will for at least one more season until the Oilers’ coaching staff is comfortable playing Ethan Bear on the top pair, Caleb Jones on the 2nd pair, and Evan Bouchard on the 3rd pair.

Get your “Stanley” today!

For today’s post, I want to just illustrate where the team is with their current trident (Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, and Darnell Nurse.) and talk about possible solutions following that.

Take a gander at this chart. It contains the relative “against” metrics for the Klefbom, Larsson, and Nurse at 5×5 (2000 minutes played minimum) from 2017/18-to-2019/20 courtesy of Natural Stat Trick. I used the relative form of the statistic to illustrate how that player as an individual impacted his team. In brackets, I’ll have that player’s league ranking amongst his peers.

Name CA/60 FA/60 SA/60 GA/60 xGA/60 SCA/60 HDCA/60 HDGA/60
Larsson -4.18 (48th) -1.02 (57th) -0.35 (72nd) 0.05 (82nd) 0.00 (80th) -.75 (51st) -0.3 (60th) 0.03 (90th)
Nurse 1.04 (104th) 1.28 (115th) 1.1 (118th) 0.05 (87th) 0.12 (116th) 0.81 (100th) 0.36 (99th) 0.2 (139th)
Klefbom 1.49 (65th) 0.68 (106th) 0.69 (67th) 0.31 (152nd) 0.03 (101st) 1.02 (117th) 0.07 (89th) 0.07 (73rd)

Feel free to bash your head into your keyboard now. There were only 168 skaters who played 2000 minutes or more in that time frame and the Oilers have their top-two left-shooting defenders ranking in the bottom third in a majority of the defensive categories? That’s a tough recipe for success.

Now, I was under the impression that Mr. Nurse was a good defensive defender. Boy, was I wrong. To put it politely, he is not. And now I’m starting to wonder why multiple veteran head coaches are always putting him on the ice with Connor McDavid? Wouldn’t they want a guy who can effectively move the puck to the best player in the world more often than not and give their team a better chance at scoring?

Sure, 25’s goals share numbers are high (.47 GF/60 using same parameters as above. Good for 22nd in the league) but surely we can attribute that to the amount of time he’s played with the Oilers’ best players. Well, some might say correlation doesn’t equal causation and to that I say, take him away from Connor and let’s see where that offense goes. Even the metrics tell us that Darnell needs McDavid more than McDavid needs Darnell and in Nurse’s defense, that’s how it goes for a lot of players.

Nurse is the WRONG defenseman to be sending out with McDavid. Connor needs defenders who can pass him the puck, not ones who can transport it by themselves. I can count the number of players on one hand who play for the Oilers who should be allowed to rush the puck through the neutral zone and into the other team’s end and Nurse is not one of them.

Aside from the goal share, what else will Nurse bring to the table that will contribute to the success of the team on the ice? Apparently, it’s not his defense. I used to think that his toughness was one of those things and he’s tamed right down over the years. I consider Adam Larsson and Matthew Benning to be much meaner players now.

So if he has trouble moving the puck, shooting on net, defending on the whole and winning the shot share, what the hell are the Oilers doing with him, and are they expecting him to get better? He’s twenty-five years old now and if there’s a time to trade the guy and get maximum value, it’s now. And if the club is afraid to deal him because it’ll piss off Connor, resign, because obviously they’re not prepared to do what’s best for the team. The caveat being, the return and replacement MUST upgrade the team. 

SMH Moment: Jason Gregor thinks the Oilers should only deal Nurse if they can get a true #1 defenseman and the odds of getting back a player that will make the team better are quite low.

#Yikes. That’s about as uneducated of an opinion as one can throw out there and I’ve thrown out some doozies over the years. Speaking of odds. What are the odds a local member of the media overrates one of the Oilers? Just asking for a friend.

Solution! Sign Erik Gustafsson. He’d be cheaper with substantially better offensive numbers as well as slightly better defensive ones, and a more effective puck mover. Boom! Done. Keep the Swedish revolution alive!

Name CA/60 FA/60 SA/60 GA/60 xGA/60 SCA/60 HDCA/60 HDGA/60
Gustafsson -0.42 (94th) 0.63 (98th) -0.6 (99th) -0.06 (63rd) 0.16 (132nd) 1.05 (111th) 0.46 (107th) 0.09 (109th)

As I said, the defensive stats (above) are on par with Nurse and Klefbom but the offensive ones (below) are far and away an upgrade on Edmonton’s two top lefties. This is three seasons worth and it’s not like Gustafsson was playing for a juggernaut.

Name CF/60 FF/60 SF/60 GF/60 xGF/60 SCF/60 HDCF/60 HDGF/60
Gustafsson 4.57 (26th) 3.66 (26th) 1.72 (37th) 0.81 (3rd) 0.26 (20th) 3.15 (15th) 1.6 (12th) 0.42 (6th)

As for Oscar, Brian Lawton was on Oilers Now last week and he expressed concern over the future of Klefbom’s health. Of all the players we’re talking about today, he’s played the fewest games since 2017/18 with 189/246. In fact, he’s only had one season where he’s played more than 66 games and that was back in 2016/17 when he put up season highs and played in every game.

His problem is he allows a lot of chances against doesn’t produce many himself. So how much is he really helping and/or hurting the club?

On the other hand, he eats minutes like a MFer and passes better than Nurse or Larsson. He’s more trusted and plays a very simple game. Health concerns aside, is he the one that needs to be moved? We can’t forget that he has one of the best contracts in the league either. A guy that plays as much as him should be making much much more than $4M a year.

Adam Larsson isn’t going to give you any offense. He’s paired up with Klefbom because Klef is the puck mover on that pair and they have good chemistry together. He IS capable of moving it up himself either by pass or by rush, mind you. I don’t think we’re breaking any news there, but he is the team’s BEST defensive defenseman and he’s right-handed. He plays 20+ minutes a night and these players are in demand. Unless you have a ready replacement or you get your socks knocked off with a trade offer, you keep him. If you’re worried about his back, don’t be. He’s missed more time with a foot injury in the past than one in his back.

Bob Stauffer pontificated on his show yesterday morning that perhaps Larsson would be willing to take a lower salary because he wants to extend his career and he sees that the kinds of players who play like him are becoming fewer with each season that passes by.

If that’s the case, you could sign him long-term and then slowly move him down the lineup as others graduate like Bear and Bouchard.

I’ll say this though. There is one reason you’d move the Iron Swede and that’s if he didn’t want to be there. Not saying that’s the case but his time in Edmonton has been overshadowed by the local populace’s infatuation with Taylor Hall and his father passing away. So, there’s a possibility there’s a bit of a dark cloud that hovers over him in E-Town.

The Conundrum

If the Oilers trade Klefbom, Nurse, or Larsson for help on forward, who is replacing them on the first pair? Are Nurse and Bear ready? Which forces us to consider who should be on the 2nd pair and would one of those players be ready to take on first pair minutes in the case of injury, sickness, or suspension? My sources tell me that as good as Caleb Jones’ numbers were, he needs one more year on the 3rd pair.

That being said, Would you move Nurse for Nik Ehlers and then sign Erik Gustafsson?

Click the pic and find the NHL94 player from your team!

Who I Want

There are three defenders that I absolutely love for the Oilers,

  • Vince Dunn (STL) – He’s a very mobile left-shot blueliner for St. Louis. He’s so agile and moves the puck extremely well. Dunn isn’t a puck rusher though, he’s a transitionary dman. Kinda like Ethan Bear but with the kind of edges that Quinn Hughes has. Not that good, but up there. He’s an RFA this off-season and there are rumblings out there that the Blues might have to move him if they want to re-sign Alex Pietrangelo.
  • Viktor Mete (MTL) – Mete isn’t as good on the edges as Dunn but he’s a fantastic puck mover in his own right. Not sure if the Canadiens would like to trade him since they’re lacking quality defenceman on their left-side.
  • Erik Gustafsson (CGY) – UFA this summer. He could be a good temporary solution as the team awaits the arrival of Philip Broberg. As we stated above, his contribution to the offense blows Nurse’s out of the water and his defense is slightly better.

The Blues are going to want to shed salary, so I imagine that they’d like to avoid taking on salary in a deal for Dunn should they decide they’re moving him and he’s only 23. They’re also set on forward for the most part. I’d have to guess they’d be looking for picks/prospects. I’d love to offer Athanasiou for Dunn but I’m not sure of that proposal’s realism factor.

Montreal will want to win now but would you offer Nurse and Puljujarvi for Domi and Mete?

The Leafs Rumors

Tell ya what. The Leafs need a rugged shutdown defender more than the Oilers need skilled forwards. I’d go as far as to say the Oilers need to upgrade the puck-moving and mobility of their defense more. I also believe that Edmonton has done enough to help other teams around the league and making Toronto a better club would be disastrous for the Oilers should the Leafs rebuild have success before Edmonton… Why help that team?

Yesterday morning, James Mirtle (The Athletic) and Bob Stauffer were having a discussion about the possibility of a Leafs/Oilers trade and the just of Mirtle’s thoughts were thus,

  • Adam Larsson might not be TO’s no.1 priority. They’re probably aiming higher.
  • Kapanen’s ceiling might be as a 3rd line penalty killer.
    • He has trouble playing with skilled star players because his read and react game isn’t at that level.
    • He’s a fantastic skater but doesn’t wow you with any other skill.
  • Andreas Johnsson plays better with the stars.
    • He’s better in the corners.
    • Has a better shot and makes small area passes better.
    • Grittier

I’m staying away from Kapanen if he can’t play with the likes of Draisaitl and McDavid. The Oilers have gone through a plethora of those players and there’s no sense in using assets to bring in another one.

Another thing, people have to get this through their heads, just because a player can skate in a line really fast does not make them a good fit for Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. They need wingers who are skilled and have the ability to work in the muck. It’s so simple.

If Andreas Johnsson is that guy, so be it. Just don’t trade Adam Larsson for him because Toronto wins that deal. They’ve got a handful of skilled Euros that are lining up to replace Johnsson when he’s traded but they have NOBODY on the right side of their defense.

Mr. Stauffer brought up four names on his show yesterday morning,

  • Bryan Rust (PIT)
  • Matt Murray (PIT)
  • Braden Holtby (WAS)
  • Tyson Barrie (UFA)

Keep an ear out in the future regarding those players. Tyson Barrie has been linked with the Oilers for a long time as has Bryan Rust. Last summer there were Puljujarvi/Rust rumors flying and this year I’m hearing that Holland will be looking to upgrade the wingers with experienced players who know both ends of the ice. My sources have told me that the Oilers will be targeting Holtby if cap room can shake loose. If the Oilers want Barrie, it’ll have to be at the cost of Adam Larsson though.

In the end, I’d move Nurse for a good winger (Ehlers/Rakell/Bertuzzi/Vrana) and then sign Gustafsson. I’d leave Klefbom and Larsson for one more year and then make a decision on that pair then. The hope is that by upgrading the passing/playmaking ability of the group with the addition of Gustaffson, Jones, and eventually Bouchard, they’ll be playing less in their own zone and as a result, the against numbers will improve.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Elias Pettersson’s nickname is “Alien”. Here’s a shirt to celebrate it! Click the image to buy one!
The one time it’s okay to be a JERK! Grab this shirt while supplies last!
What a hilarious phrase! Click the pic to get yours today!
Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Elliotte Friedman’s Latest Oilers Rumors

The 31 Thoughts podcast dropped last night and in it included a fairly lengthy section on the Edmonton Oilers where co-hosts Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman gave their opinions on what Connor McDavid’s team might do this off-season.

Some of the topics covered:

  • Andreas Athanasiou
  • Edmonton’s lack of scoring support against Chicago
  • Jesse Puljujarvi
  • Holland’s Patience
  • Could the team explore trading Oscar Klefbom or Adam Larsson?
  • Who might come in to replace Mike Smith?

You can listen to the full pod at the end of this post. Skip ahead to 1:01:45-ish to get the Oilers content.

So starting with Andreas Athanasiou. The prevailing thought from both hockey pundits is that he’ll be a cap casualty. The Oilers may very well walk away because they’re afraid of being beat in an arbitration hearing. Friedman did point out that AA could accept the team offer during the arbitration process though but I’m not sure why he’d do that unless he thought he was going to lose.

My guess is they’ll look to move on from him and recoup draft picks.

As for Puljujarvi, according to Marek, he was told that things were very close to being done but Friedman had heard that that wasn’t the case at all. As he stated in his latest post on Sportsnet, he said that the team might’ve thought things were close but the player didn’t.

Another point that was added by Friedman was the Oilers were looking to sign him to make it easier to trade him but Puljujarvi wanted more control over where he was going. Perhaps he wasn’t going to sign unless he knew where he was going.

The two also felt that JP’s peers from his draft class are establishing themselves in the NHL and maybe the best thing for Jesse would be to get over to North America and play.

This is something I agree with. Another year in Finland is not something I would consider best for his development or career trajectory. Had he moved to the KHL or the SHL, then I could understand because there’s an element of increased difficulty there in addition to immersing himself into another country and culture.

Jeff Marek asked about Mike Smith and the pair had pondered earlier in the pod on the number of goalies that are going to hit the market this off-season. It’s possible that some might have to sign for less because there are more chairs than people to sit in them.

Friedman offered up the names of Thomas Greiss and Anton Khudobin as players he could see signing in Edmonton.

I’m not sure about these guys, to be honest. They both make a fair chunk of cash, right? Khudobin ($2.5M) and Greiss ($3,33M) and they’re both 34 years old… They are solid netminders though. I reckon if Holland could get them for closer to $2M/yr, that would be the best-case scenario. Otherwise, perhaps finding a trade to fill the need might just be the way to go.

Finally, there was lots of chatter about what Ken Holland could do with the defense. Friedman noted that he thinks Holland will be patient and that he won’t move his young defenders, specifically naming Darnell Nurse as he’s not an older player and he’s part of the leadership group.

They did mention Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson mind you.

The Klefbom/Krug rumor came up and then the bearded wonder mused, “Edmonton and Toronto, to me, look like potentially natural trading partners.” as well as “I really do believe Holland isn’t going to move his young D. So where’s the fit?”

I do concur that it looks like Toronto is going to muscle up this off-season but the targets still have to be able to play.

Now, the Leafs have Morgan Reilly, Jake Muzzin, Travis Dermott, and Rasmus Sandin on their left-side according to Mr. Friedman. That would lead one to believe that Adam Larsson could be the target for Toronto but how would that leave the Oilers?

They’d have Bear, Benning, and Bouchard as their natural right-shot defenders available in addition to Kris Russell and Caleb Jones who can both play their off-side. Would you be comfortable with that set-up going into 2020/21 if Larsson could net the team Andreas Johnsson or Kasperi Kapanen?

In my mind, if the Leafs and Oilers really want to shake things up, make the Nurse/Nylander trade.

It’s my belief that Nurse’s mean streak is slowly losing its luster as he grows older so that part of his game is becoming less impactful and his contribution to the offensive part of the game is predicated upon playing with Connor McDavid primarily. Take him away from 97 and the offense dries up. So what are you left with?

I don’t think that Edmonton needs to get younger on the back-end. In fact, they could benefit from getting older and a veteran left-shot blueliner that excels at defending and puck-moving is a lot easier to find than not.

I’d argue that the Oilers would be a better team, a deeper team if they traded Nurse for Nylander and added Erik Gustafsson to fill in on the 2nd pair. But that’s just me. If the team is worried about a physical presence, don’t trade Larsson and/or sign Derek Engelland…

It really all goes back to Friedman’s belief that Ken Holland won’t be making any panic moves but he will look to improve the netminding and the wings.

It’s going to be an interesting fall for all of the Canadian NHL teams… I talked to a gentleman who covers the Canucks and he agreed. “Very busy!” he added.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Get your “Stanley” today!

 

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

2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM62: Oilers @ Kings – 3P2W – Latest Trade Rumors and Rumblings

The Edmonton Oilers have turned up the heat on this year’s trade deadline since we last chatted here. Last time around we were talking about Tyler Ennis and now some more names have come up, but let’s talk about this game tonight before we get into the rumors.

LA played last night, so they could come out flying and then peter out hard. It’ll be up to the Oilers’ defense to stand strong during the King’s push and for the forwards to take advantage of any opportunities afforded them early on. McLellan’s boys haven’t been scoring much and they got their only goal against the Avs on a penalty shot yesterday, so this could be a prime chance for Holland’s men to really get on LA and keep them down.

Now, Jonathan Quick played last night so I’d assume Cal Petersen will start this one and depending on how cynical you are, you might be happy about getting the backup or you might be a tad wary since the Oilers have made some pretty bad goalies look good in recent history…

I like Edmonton’s chances tonight but with that said, the Kings still have the likes of Drew Doughty and Dustin Brown playing for them and they aren’t the most honest of hockey players in the league. Knock on wood, I hope the Oilers come away from this one without any additions to the IR.

THE RUMORS

First off, I want to let you know that I’ve been posting a few more of the things I hear over at our BLH Instagram page lately. I feel like my website’s server has let us down a bit too much this year so I’ve been releasing some stuff on the IG platform. Please, head over there now and follow our account if you haven’t already!

I talked with my sources last night and finally had a nice long conversation so I can let you in on a bit more this morning.

  • Jesse Puljujarvi: Not too long ago Edmonton Journal veteran scribe Jim Matheson asked Oilers GM Ken Holland about Pulju and GMKH said that he wasn’t shopping him and nobody was asking. Well, I believe the reason for that is that the Oilers intend on trying to bring him back into the fold. The GM and head coach really want to work with him and on no less than three occasions this year the Oilers have sent representatives to Finland to speak with the young lad. Puljujarvi felt hurt from the last regime (Chiarelli/McLellan/Hitchcock) and that’s one of the main reasons he stayed in Finland this year aside from wanting to get his mojo and love for the game back. I’ve said this to many people who’ve asked, if there’s any person who could convince Jesse to return, it’d be Ken Holland and to add to that, I don’t think JP wants to spend another year in Finland. GMKH did say he wanted to go fishing in those waters in an interview with Bob Stauffer last week, did he not? “Those waters” being Europe. If you’re wondering what kind of impact he could have, look no further than that of Martin Necas’. I believe Puljujarvi could be a 30-40pt winger starting next year.
  • Anton Slepyshev: Speaking of players lighting it up in Europe. My source said he expects Slepy to be in camp next season. The 25-year-old Russian left because the management and coaching couldn’t get their shit together and now that the KHL will be implementing a salary cap next season there might be a solid exodus of players heading to NA, including Anton. It sounds like he’s fine with a bottom-6 role too.
  • James Neal: We heard Bob Stauffer and Sportsnet’s Mark Spector talking about Neal possibly going on LTIR to shake loose some cash and to avoid giving that 3rd round pick to Calgary from the Lucic trade last week on Oilers Now. Well, there’s some serious consideration being given to this option.
  • Tyler Ennis: This one is basically done barring the Sens backing out. Just a few more wrinkles to iron out. What I was told is that Ennis is possibly the player that will go up with McDavid if this deal goes through. Personally, I’m not sure if that’s a good plan or not… Has Ennis ever been a top-6 player? Is an add like this going to be more David Desharnais or Sergei Samsonov?
  • Mike Green: Hold up on this trade is money/picks. Detroit is willing to retain but this will have to be a hockey deal. Money will have to go out from Edmonton in order to bring this player in. I like this sort of trade for Edmonton though. You can never go wrong with more vets of Green’s caliber.
  • Andreas Athanasiou: My source said AA has NEVER been a target of the team and Holland hasn’t asked about him. The feeling is Athanasiou wouldn’t fit the Oilers’ team dynamic right now. We’ve heard the term “lone ranger” thrown around with him and I was told he’s a bit too “self-contained”. So I’d say that the Oilers are looking for players who are good in the locker room and easy to coach.
  • Oilers Heading Out: It sounds like Toronto and Carolina made some inquiries as to the services of Jujhar Khaira and Matt Benning (TOR), as well as, Kris Russell (CAR). The Maple Leafs are shitting the bed right now and might be looking for a shakeup of sorts. Khaira and Benning have been connected to the Leafs for over a year and because Toronto is in a bit of a bind, I think the Oilers are probably asking for Kasperi Kapanen there. I can’t see them getting the Finn but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Caleb Jones has made Russell redundant at this point.

Three Players to Watch for the Kings

  • #11 Anze Kopitar – According to Dailyfaceoff.com, Kopitar has 8 assists in LA’s last five games. No goals though. He’ll always be a threat whenever he’s on the ice, right? Leon Draisaitl, no doubt, will be seeing a lot of Kopitar this evening as well.
  • #42 Gabe Vilardi – There was a time when folks thought this kid’s career was in doubt but he’s worked his ass off to come back and make a go of it. : might be this generation’s Jason Allison. Not the fastest or best skater by any means, but he is a helluva playmaker with elite vision.
  • #29 Martin Frk – Frk and his hardest shot in pro hockey will be something to keep an eye out for. Was once the property of Ken Holland’s Red Wings. He’s been up and down throughout his entire career but LA is horrid right now and since trading Tyler Toffoli, they could use him on the pro team. Edmonton has to be careful not to let him get an open shot because he could actually start hurting guys with a clapper that hard. Lord knows, the Oilers don’t need any more bodies on the IR.

Three Players to Watch for the Oilers

  • #73 Ethan Bear – It finally sounds like Ethan Bear is going to be QB-ing the Oilers’ first unit PP… Finally. It was basically his bread and butter in junior and the AHL so I have not idea why it took Coach Tippett so long to come to the conclusion that he should be the one running that unit, not Darnell Nurse.
  • #89 Sam Gagner – Gags took a bit of shot during the Minnesota game that had him clutching his shoulder/chest. So I’m not sure how healthy he is right now, but the reason I have him as a player to watch is that I feel like the next player in our list here will be playing and Sam will be his linemate.
  • #97 Connor McDavid – The Oilers didn’t send Colby Cave back to Bakersfield for nothing. I think the Captain is coming back tonight and that will bode well for this team. I mean, I’ve nearly puked watching the team try to gain entry into the other team’s zone during a PP since he was out. It’s so apparent that they need him there but it won’t hurt to have him 5×5 either.

No lines have been posted yet. It’s the day before the trade deadline and as I said above, some players might be sitting out in lieu of a deal. Keep your eyes and ears peeled and that should give you a good idea as to who is possibly heading out. I do expect Mike Smith to be in the net though and for the forwards to basically be the same as they were against Minnesota.

The Next Ten Games (61-70)

  • vs. Minnesota Wild (28-24-7) – Edmonton is 0-2 against the Wild this year and it’s about time the Oilers beat Bill Guerin’s boys. (WIN) LOSS
  • @ Los Angeles Kings (22-34-5) – I have to say, the Kings are a dangerous team right now. They have nothing to lose and can spoil a lot of teams’ seasons. The Oilers have won 2/3 this year against their old coach but Connor McDavid might be back in this one. Keep an eye out to see if anybody out of the ordinary is sitting for this one because the next day is the trade deadline. (WIN)
  • @ Anaheim Ducks (24-29-7) – Last time out the Oilers put up six on Dallas Eakins’ Ducks. I expect Edmonton to equal that this time around and who knows how the roster will look as this is the game that follows the trade deadline. (WIN)
  • @ Vegas Golden Knights (32-22-8) – The Golden Knights record might hover around Edmonton’s but I feel like this team is a bit better on paper plus this is the second game in a back-to-back. (LOSS)
  • vs. Winnipeg Jets (32-25-5) – Big Buff sank this team when he decided he wasn’t going to play but the Jets have stuck in the race the whole season pretty much. You have to love the heart! (LOSS)
  • @ Nashville Predators (29-23-7) – I think the Oilers can sweep the season series with Nashville. The Preds defense isn’t what it used to be and there seems to be a bit of a dark cloud floating over the team at the moment. Pekka Rinne has hit a wall too… (WIN)
  • @ Dallas Stars (35-19-6) – Edmonton and Dallas have each won one game-a-piece against each other this season so far. This will be the rubber match and I like Dallas here. (LOSS)
  • @ Chicago Blackhawks (26-26-8) – Going into Chicago to play the Blackhawks is never an easy task and the Oilers have always had a tough time winning in the Windy City. (LOSS)
  • vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (30-19-3) – Edmonton is 21-8-0 at home vs. Columbus all-time. It’s hard to argue with those numbers, right? On the other hand, John Tortorella has his team right in the running for a playoff spot in the East. This game should be a war of attrition to see who comes away with the two points. (WIN)
  • vs. Vegas Golden Knights (32-22-8) – I like Edmonton’s chances at home against the Golden Knights. History tells us they have a better chance at beating them in Edmonton than in Vegas. (WIN)

(Standings as of February 21st, 2020)

What does Kassian 3:16 mean to you? Click the pic above and get this design today!
Hey Flames Fans! Neal with it! Click the pic above and grab this beauty!
Hockey players are the toughest athletes on the planet. Click the pic and purchase this shirt right now!
Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM52: Oilers @ Flames – 3P2W – A Trade the Oilers Mustn’t Make!

Well, here we are for round four of the Battle of Alberta. The Flames have already taken the season series with their win just a few days ago, but the Oilers have a lot to play for and could really throw a wrench into Calgary’s playoff plans.

Speaking of playoff plans, are the Arizona Coyotes going to fall out of the race? Their goalies can’t seem to stay healthy and the status of their best defender is up in the air… Might they turn around and flip Taylor Hall if things continue to go poorly for them?

Getting back to the Oilers/Flames game tonight, I reckon there’s still some score-settling to be done. Leon took that massive slash from Tkachuk in OT and the McDavid/Giordano “hockey play” most likely will be re-visited. I’m not sure if Monahan will want to have a talk with Archibald as well. Then there’s the Rittich “Stick Flip” celly to boot and the full-on swing he took at Alex Chiasson that went unpunished as the ref stood right there to make sure Chiasson didn’t retaliate…

The rivalry couldn’t be hotter right now.

A Trade the Oilers Mustn’t Make

A bit of chatter recently about the defense of the Oilers and who should be sacrificed in order to usher in the Evan Bouchard era. Not surprisingly Kris Russell and Adam Larsson are at the forefront of those talks but Matt Benning is someone that has come up as well.

It’s obvious why Kris Russell’s name is in there. He’s getting passed by Caleb Jones on the depth chart, his TOI is decreasing, and his $4M per year is simply too much to pay a depth defender. That said, the word around Edmonton is that his contract might be problematic with regards to trading him.

Do the Oilers want to pay $2M or more for a 6/7 defender next season? That’s where they are sitting with Mr. Benning. As good as he has been, they have a decision to make because ideally, Evan Bouchard should be on the 3rd pair across from Caleb Jones next year.

Now, I would trade Matthew Benning before I’d even consider moving Adam Larsson. The Iron Swede provides Edmonton with something no other player in their organization can provide. A tough-as-nails right-shot shutdown defender who’ll do anything to stop the opposition from scoring. Of course, when you’re this type of defender there tends to be a lack of offense and for me, I’m 100% okay with that. He’s so important to the Oilers’ PK and also the play of Oscar Klefbom.

The worst trade Ken Holland could make would be to trade Adam Larsson before the 2020 NHL entry draft. As we witnessed against the Blues last night, when playing heavy teams, you need to have an element of that toughness in your own lineup to counteract what the opponents are throwing at you. It can’t all be rookie defenders who are undersized but pass well. The post-season is a different beast where defenders like Larsson thrive and the moment Edmonton does trade him, they’re back looking for that same player… Again!

I’d argue that Edmonton should keep Benning and Russell for the time being as well for the depth on defense going into the playoffs instead of trading for it like most teams do. But if there’s an option to upgrade, you have to do what you have to do. Coach Tippett likes lefty/righty d-pairings mind you.

It’s Time to Re-Sign

I talked to my main source last night to see if there was anything going on with regards to the trade market and I was told the Oilers are always talking but that they are working very hard to get Riley Sheahan and Josh Archibald signed to new contracts. No numbers as of now but I think something will emerge sooner than later.

These two have come into Edmonton and done a bloody good job in their roles. Even when Archibald’s has changed as he was moved to the top line with McDavid, he was still as effective. They’ve been a MASSIVE part of the team’s revamped penalty kill. I’d like to see these players re-upped for another two to four years, you? Let me know in the comments below!

F*ck Tkachuk! Click the link and grab one of these beauties!

Three Players to Watch For the Flames

  • #58 Oliver Kylington – This guy was a treat to watch in the last edition of the BoA. His skating is both smooth and powerful. And to think, he was on the trade block this year. I think Calgary would be nuts to move this guy with how young he is and how well he moves the puck.
  • #13 Johnny Gaudreau – He’s been an absolute non-factor for Calgary against Edmonton in the last couple of BoA games. It really hasn’t been his year, I wonder if he wakes up for round 4?
  • #88 Andrew Mangiapane – This little guy broke out of his slump with a brace (two goals) in the last match-up between these two teams. He’s quite the goal-scoring predator and the Oilers will need to be aware of him and stay within a stick’s length so he doesn’t… burn them again. Thank you! I’ll be here all week!

Three Players to Watch For the Oilers

  • #97 Connor McDavid – That attempted trip from Mark Knee-ordano will most definitely still be at the forefront of Connor’s memory and I expect him to exact revenge in the form of goals. Many many goals.
  • #6 Adam Larsson – Arguably played his best game of the year last night. I’ll be looking to him to provide some more of that Swedish muscle against Calgary tonight. I can’t believe people are considering trading him… SMH.
  • #56 Kailer Yamamoto – This guy just keeps producing. Did you see that pass he laid out for Leon for the game-winning goal last night? He’s in Edmonton to stay folks! Time to grab a jersey me thinks!

Edmonton’s lines aren’t quite up yet and I can’t even speculate as to what they’re going to look like since Tyler Benson and William Lagesson didn’t play last night. I’ve asked around with various sources close to the team and nadda. I think James Neal will still be out with a foot injury and it’s probably safe to say that Mike Smith will get the call in net since Mikko Koskinen played the previous evening against St. Louis.

I think what I’ll do is give you MY projected lines and we’ll go with that if you don’t mind.

Archibald-McDavid-Kassian
Nuge-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Benson-Sheahan-Russell
Gagner-Haas-Chiasson

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Bear
Jones-Benning

Smith
Koskinen

The Next Ten Games (51-60)

  • vs. St. Louis Blues (31-12-8) – I’m not 100% sold that the Oilers will be focused on this game seeing as they play Calgary the next night. They have played well against the league’s best this season at times though. Can McDavid and Draisaitl beat the Blues in this one like they did at the All-Star game? (WIN) WIN
  • @ Calgary Flames (27-19-6) – If you thought last night’s game was fun with all the fights and cheap shots, this game is going to be bonkers. It always seems to be in Calgary. Losing three times to the Flames and that post-game celly by Rittich will be eating away at the Oilers. They’ll be doing their damnedest to bring home the two points. (WIN)
  • @ Arizona Coyotes (26-21-5) – The Oilers put up a touchdown on the Coyotes right before their bye-week and I don’t imagine that sat well with Taylor Hall and co. That said, they’re on a bit of a slump in their last ten (4-5-1) and Edmonton is flying high as of today (6-2-2). On the other hand, just when the opportunity presents itself to the Oilers they usually take the night off. (LOSS)
  • vs. San Jose Sharks (22-26-4) – Man, this Sharks team is bad. With Vlasic, Karlsson, and Burns on the back-end no less… Can you believe the Golden Knights fired Gerard Gallant to hire San Jose’s old coach? I think this will be a scheduled win for McDavid’s boys. Watch out for shenanigans from Evander Kane and Timo Meier. (WIN)
  • vs. Nashville Predators (23-19-7) – Since the Preds hired NJ’s old coach, they haven’t been scoring much and that’s not a good sign when you go into Edmonton. Couple that with Pekka Rinne’s game falling right off of a cliff and the Oilers should be able to walk away with two points. (WIN)
  • vs. Chicago Blackhawks (24-21-6) – The Hawks are coming on as of late and I think they could pull this one off in Edmonton. Maybe Drake Caggiula does the ex-Oiler thing and scores. (LOSS)
  • @ Tampa Bay Lightning (30-15-5) – This will be a fine test for the Oilers. Tampa has found their stride at the right time and are looking very dominant. Might we see another ex-Oiler in Pat Maroon score or drop the flippers? I expect McDavid to be flying in this one. (LOSS)
  • @ Florida Panthers (28-16-5) – This match-up is going to be a fun one. The Panthers have some really fun players to watch like Huberdeau, Barkov, and the very underrated Vincent Trochek. Which Sergei Bobrovsky might we see if he gets the call though? (WIN)
  • @ Carolina Hurricanes (29-18-3) – It’s hard not to like what they’ve build in Carolina. Andrei Svechnikov is already a scoring phenom at 19-years-old and it’s hard to overlook the wonder Finns (Aho/Teravainen), right? How will this team be sans Dougie Hamilton though? Can the Oilers sweep back-to-backs again? (WIN)
  • vs. Boston Bruins (29-10-12) – Edmonton goes from one team who doesn’t lose in OT to a team that seemingly only loses in OT. The Oilers gave the Bs a pretty sound beating last time they played and we’re close to the trade deadline here so I’m not sure what the rosters will look like. I like Boston for this one though. (LOSS)

(Standings as of January 20th, 2020)

What does Kassian 3:16 mean to you? Click the pic above and get this design today!
Grab this sweet Nintendo parody shirt! Click the image above!
Click the image above and get this sweet Leon’s parody shirt!