Welcome to another episode of Stauffer Says… Where we recap some of the things that the host of Oilers Now!, Bob Stauffer, has said that should bring our ears to attention as fans of the greatest hockey club in the world!

So, over the last two days The Stauff has mentioned the following players:

• Mike Richards (Left-handed centre, UFA)
• Cody Franson (Right-handed D, BUF)
• Adam McQuaid (Right-handed D, BOS)
• Nail Yakupov (Left-handed RW, EDM)

I haven’t been through all of today’s episode yet but I wanted to bring this stuff up first and if Spector has something notable to mention, I’ll write another article entitled, “Spector Says!”…

The Oilers Defence (August 30th Episode)

“I’m going to be very interested to see how a Klefbom pairing with Adam Larsson could maybe play 20 minutes a game and be the Oilers top pairing, then move everybody else down in a spot that they belong. Maybe Sekera plays with Fayne on a second pairing. Maybe Davidson playing with Darnell Nurse on the third pairing.

And who knows, maybe there may be another addition. Specifically on the right side.”

BINGO BANGO!

This is following the show from Monday where he talked about Adam McQuaid and then subsequently had Bruins beat writer, Joe Haggerty, as a guest on the same show. Maybe it’s nothing though.

I asked my insider about McQuaid and it said that Chiarelli “likes him” but that’s it. Of course Chiarelli likes him, he’s definitely a Chia-type player and the team does need a righty for the third pairing but wouldn’t Eric Gryba be a cheaper option if they were looking for a stay-at-home blueliner? McQuaid makes $3M per year, does he not?

BUFFALO SABRES (August 30th Episode)

“The Buffalo Sabres are an org. that was hoping to get Jimmy Vesey, they did not. They were quite upset at the fact that they did not get Vesey and they do need some scoring…”

Stauffer then talks about the Evander Kane situation but adds this,

“…Buffalo needs some help scoring on the wing. So, who is to say? Do I think Cody Franson could be had by trade? Absolutely.”

So we’re back on the Franson train. I’ve always liked his size and skating ability and the year he decided to shoot the puck he did well. For whatever reason, he’s gone trigger shy recently and this is a sentiment that is shared from my source. Oilers like his size but figure he doesn’t shoot the pill enough.

Stauffer added this to the Franson comments,

“They’ve got another guy named Casey Nelson, who came in late last year, who could come in and probably play third pairing minutes and that might make a guy like Franson; who really was, frankly, not deployed in the manner where he would be successful because he didn’t get a lot of 1st unit powerplay time in Buffalo last year. That might make a guy like Franson expendable. So, maybe they could use a little bit of offense. 

Well, do the Oilers have anything they could potentially move offensively? 

Back to Nail Yakupov, right? Now that being said, I don’t know if I would do Yakupov for Cody Franson straight up. I think the Sabres would be prepared to move Franson for, frankly speaking, relatively little and I think at this stage; you look at that. 

You may not even have to give up Yakupov to get Franson but would Franson be a good short-term 1-year thing.”

I reckon this is just Stauffer pontificating on different options. If the Oilers wanted Franson, they could get him but I wonder; how different are the values for Franson and Yakupov at this point?

NAIL YAKUPOV

When I asked about Nail Yakupov I was told that he will be with the team until around the trade deadline. Sometimes radio guys just need something to talk about and Yak is an easy topic to go on. I was also told that there HAVE been offers on Yak but nothing to the Oilers satisfaction to date. As a person, the Oilers love him, but he hasn’t produced to the level expected of him and there are some in the Oilers organisation that believe that Jesse Puljujarvi is already better than him.

As a person, the Oilers love him, but he hasn’t produced to the level expected of him and there are some in the Oilers organisation that believe that Jesse Puljujarvi is already better than him. So I imagine that places Puljujarvi on the 2nd line with Nuge and Yak on the third line with Draisaitl if we’re contemplating line combos.

Now the kicker… Nail is going to have a great year because that’s what the majority of players have in contract years and the fact that he wants out will motivate him even more. This is a perfect storm for Edmonton because they need to move him or risk losing him for nothing at the expansion draft. Even if he does have a 60 point year, his time in Edmonton has been soured and he’ll be looking for major skrilla if said breakout does occur.

McDavid, Nurse, Reinhart, and Draisaitl are all going to need new contracts sooner than later and that plays into things as well.

A 3rd rounder is what I suspect the Oilers fetch for him if not more.

MIKE RICHARDS (August 30th Episode)

“In terms of a potential centre, I know there’s been lots of names bandied about. I would prefer to go with a guy that’s a little bit younger on a PTO….

We talked about Dominic Moore and Cody Hodgson a couple of days ago here and since then Moore has signed on with the Bruins. But Stauffer does talk drop Mike Richards’ name…

“If I were Mike Richards and I’m looking to jump start things. If I were a player like that, that to me might the scenario where I can beat out Anton Lander for a spot in Edmonton. My guess is that Mike Richards might have an opportunity with a couple of other organizations as well.”

I asked my source about Richards and it said that Richards “might” come and that Chiarelli will look at him IF he can help the team at the third line centre position.

I’m not completely sold on Richards. I watched him get his ass handed to him during the Pens/Caps playoff series and I sort of soured on him but as Brendan Ullrich pointed out, Richards came in half way through the season and it’s possible that may have had an impact on his performance. Then again, one of the concerns with Richards coming back was his ability to keep up…

As for Anton Lander, I’ve been told that he’d best have the best training camp of his career or else he’ll find himself in the AHL for the remainder of his contract.

GRIFFIN REINHART

On the August 29th episode of Oilers Now! Bob Stauffer was talking about Griffin Reinhart and it sounded like because of Reinhart’s contract and its bonus structure, that he’d be in Bakersfield to start the year. But as Bob says, he’s a left-shot that can play the right point. That has to count for something. But if the Oilers have Draisaitl, Puljujarvi, McDavid, and Nurse all on the big team; that’s a lot of bonus going on.

Would the Oilers be willing to move on from Griffin Reinhart in fear of losing him at the expansion draft do you think? Or will there simply be better players available on the Oilers roster for Las Vegas to take?

Personally, I still think he’s going to come good for Edmonton but I’m an eternal optimist and one has to ask himself, who does Reinhart beat out for a spot on the Oilers roster next year or the year after? Darnell Nurse would have to fall into a wood-chipper for Reinhart to beat him out. Sekera looks to have his spot cemented and unless Oscar Klefbom has his foot amputated, he looks to be sorted.

I want to say Reinhart could just go over to the right-side but it seems as if the Oilers are hell-bent on getting the lefty-righty pairings done up.

Would you move him? Because the more you look at his situation, it gets worse and worse. Ethan Bear is coming soon. Matt Benning was just signed. What about Jordan Oesterle and Joey LaLeggia? Will Dillon Simpson finally come good for the Oilers? Zayat Paigin is burning up the KHL right now and this Niemelainen fella playing in Saginaw, how long until he’s playing in the Bake? David Musil anybody?…

Peter Chiarelli might have to buck up, admit mistake and move on from Reinhart sooner than later.