Tag Archives: Anaheim Ducks

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

2023/24 Edmonton Oilers GM33: Oilers @ Ducks – 3P2W – “…no buyer makes more sense than Edmonton.” Says Insider

Hey y’all! Welcome back for another season of Edmonton Oilers hockey! I’m BLH and I’ll be giving you the skinny on today’s game!

If you’re new here and are wondering what 3P2W means, well, it stands for Three Players to Watch and seeing I’m as lazy as I am, I figured we’d shorten it to 3P2W.

So with that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about what’s been going on lately in the Oilogospehere and then get into the player’s I’ve put under the spotlight for today’s matchup!

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Random Pontifications

If we’re imagining a world where Pittsburgh is both trading Guentzel and retaining salary, no buyer makes more sense than Edmonton. This would be an elite-level upgrade to a team already spilling over with elite forwards, and it would give the Oilers a natural shoot-first winger who could play alongside Leon Draisaitl. It’s an intriguing thought. This is clearly another all-in year for the Oilers, who have found traction after their early-season struggles but will need a shot in the arm in the second half. – Chris Johnston, The Athletic

  • What’s that going to cost Edmonton? Holloway, a couple of prospects and a 1st? But Guentzel is a UFA too… So that might actually bring his price down but maybe not considering the lineup of teams that will want to get in on his services.
  • Happy New Year!

The BLH Instagram account is growing like crazy! Three weeks ago when we started to get it back going we were at a shade over 1900 followers and now we’re gunning for 2000. So please, head on over and give us a follow as we’re posting exclusive content over there that won’t be published here or on our Twitter page.

Three Players to Watch for the Bad Guys

  • #11 Trevor Zegras (2g 2a 4pts) – Four points on the season so far and I’m not hearing the peanut gallery chirping the Broberg selection much these days.
  • #77 Frank Vatrano (16g 9a 25pts) – 118 shots this year so far according to Daily Faceoff! 16 goals to go with it… Not too shabby for a depth winger.
  • #6 Jamie Drysdale (1g 2a 3pts) – Hasn’t played a lot but this kid’s got so much potential it’s gross.

Three Players to Watch for the Good Guys

  • #37 Warren Foegele (5g 9a 14pts) – He’s looked well alongside Leon. I like that his give-a-shit meter never runs out but at the same time I’d like to see him get a pair of hands. If Edmonton doesn’t trade him at the deadline (or sooner), would you be interested in re-signing him and if so, at what cost?
  • #10 Derek Ryan (3g 5a 8pts) – I feel like he’s due here. He’s been busting his ass for a while now with no reward and an opponent like Anaheim should offer a few chances for Edmonton’s bottom-six.
  • #25 Darnell Nurse (5g 7a 12pts) – How he fares going up against the likes of Zegras and McTavish will go a long way into determining the potential outcome of this game. Will we get “calm and composed” Darnell or will we get “ice the puck at all costs” Darnell? I like how he’s playing this year but he’s still at risk for stupid plays with the puck on a nightly basis. It usually just comes down to if the other team can capitalize on them.

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

2023/24 Edmonton Oilers GM20: Oilers VS Ducks – 3P2W – Oilers Lose This One and They’re Ducked…

Hey y’all! Welcome back for another season of Edmonton Oilers hockey! I’m BLH and I’ll be giving you the skinny on today’s game!

If you’re new here and are wondering what 3P2W means, well, it stands for Three Players to Watch and seeing I’m as lazy as I am, I figured we’d shorten it to 3P2W.

So with that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about what’s been going on lately in the Oilogospehere and then get into the player’s I’ve put under the spotlight for today’s matchup!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Random Pontifications

  • On tonight’s game, it’s a wonderful opportunity to start turning this sinking ship around for the Oilers as Anaheim has lost five in a row. Three of those losses where by only one goal and the other two they allowed 5+ goals.
  • But as every Oilers fan knows, the club never makes it easy for itself when it comes to these gimme wins.
  • So at the end of the night, we’ll either get 2pts or we’ll get some more trade rumors! It’s a win-win for everyone.

From Spector’s Hockey:

Caleb Kerney (The Hockey News) noted recent rumors linked the Oilers to Philadelphia Flyers netminder Carter Hart. He thinks the only way the Flyers would agree to move Hart to Edmonton is if the Oilers sent them Stuart Skinner as part of the return. He suggested adding a first-round pick, a second-round pick, one or two top prospects and a roster player along with Skinner in the deal.

  • Sweet Jesus! That’s a whole lot of giving for a goalie, even if he can stop pucks like he’s dodging ex-wives. I’m not saying Flyers GM Daniel Briere is nuts, but he might need to cut back on the hallucinogens. – BLH

In his latest mailbag segment, Eric Duhatschek was asked what he would do if he were the general manager of the Edmonton Oilers and the club missed the playoffs this season.

Duhatschek feels there are three paths here. One is Draisaitl stays long term, the second sees him depart as a UFA in 2025 and the third is moving on after trading him for the best possible return.

If Draisaitl agrees to stay, the goaltending would be the priority.

 

  • Oh, look at these Oilers, figuring out their existential crisis. First off, let’s make Draisaitl feel loved, like he’s the last piece of chocolate in a broke man’s candy jar. If he’s game and Edmonton’s ready to throw cash at him like it’s confetti, then, by all means, let’s assume our goaltending isn’t akin to herding cats on ice.
  • Now, if Draisaitl’s giving them the “it’s complicated” status, then let’s turn it into a dramatic breakup. Auction him off to the highest bidder, let potential suitors court him with promises of a brighter future. Because, clearly, the Oilers need more toys – assets, prospects, maybe a genie lamp to fix their ongoing problems. And if this means upsetting McDavid, well, tough love, buddy, it’s the NHL, not a tea party.
  • Lastly, there’s the option of blowing it all up. Bye bye Connor, bye bye Leon, Darnell and Nuge, the team is yours. Do as you see fit. Hopefully the boys in charge would be able to secure the services of a top notch goalie in this scenario or they might be looking down the barrel of another handful of 1st overall picks.

The BLH Instagram account is growing like crazy! Three weeks ago when we started to get it back going we were at a shade over 1900 followers and now we’re gunning for 2000. So please, head on over and give us a follow as we’re posting exclusive content over there that won’t be published here or on our Twitter page.

Three Players to Watch for the Bad Guys

  • #91 Leo Carlsson (6g 3a 9pts) – Anaheim’s 1st rounder this year had a slow start but he’s picking up steam game-by-game. Carlsson is very smooth offensively, he’s got a good shot, he’s clever with the puck, his IQ at both ends is stellar, and because of all that he’s centering Anaheim’s top line. Not sure how well he’ll down across from McDavid or Draisaitl tonight, but either way he’s somebody you’ll need to keep an eye on even if it’s just for entertainment value.
  • #23 Mason MacTavish (10g 11a 21pts) – This freight train has arrived. What an absolute tank MacTavish is. He reminds me of Mark Scheifele in that he’s the kind of pivot that can contribute at both ends of the ice and eventually in all situations. I say eventually because he’s only a couple of years into his career and not getting much time on the PK so far, but he will soon. Three goals and two assists in his last five games FWIW.
  • #34 Pavel Mintyukov (1g 10a 11pts) – Man, the kids are alright in Anaheim, eh? The 10th overall pick in 2022 and he’s already playing nearly 19 minutes a night for the Ducks. Not only that but he’s producing very well for a rookie. When I watch him he appears to be a bit of a hybrid dman in that he’s got the skills to be a high-end offensive defender but at the same time he plays the body and gets in the muck. Just the kind of defender that gets under the skin of a Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.

Three Players to Watch for the Good Guys

  • #18 Zach Hyman (10g 9a 19pts) – I feel like tonight is going to be a good one for Hyman. Kane, Nuge, and Connor hammered the Caps in the last game. I don’t see anybody on Anaheim’s defense that is going to give him a hard time aside from maybe Gudas.
  • #37 Warren Foegele (3g 5a 8pts) – This guy has been working his ass off lately. He’s due.
  • #28 Connor Brown (0g 0a 0pts) – Oh boy… $3M going right down the drain next season on this gamble. In order for him to make good on that contract he’s going to have to score 40pts in the remaining 62 games. F*ck me… At least he’s a good guy though and he works hard.
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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL

2021-22 Edmonton Oilers G3 Previews: Oilers Vs. Ducks

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, and TSN just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

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Edmonton Sun

  • The Ducks had the worst power play in the history of the NHL last season, or at least since they began keeping power-play statistics in 1977, converting on just 8.9% of their chances.
  • After being swept out of the playoffs in the first round in 2018, the Ducks have missed the playoffs the past three years. They had a 17-30-9 record last year.
  • The Ducks rebuild will be centred around forward Mason McTavish, who was selected third overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
  • The Oilers have scored on three of their six opportunities in two games. Last season, the Oilers led the league with a 27.6% efficiency. The year before they led with a 29.5% rating.
  • Mike Smith has started the first two games in goal for the Oilers and could get the call again against the Ducks… He has given up four goals in his first two games this year and has a .953 save percentage.

Anaheim’s Projected Lineup

Adam Henrique – Trevor Zegras – Rickard Rakell
Maxime Comtois – Ryan Getzlaf – Troy Terry
Mason McTavish – Isac Lundestrom – Jakob Silfverberg
Nicolas Deslauriers – Benoit-Olivier Groulx – Max Jones

Hampus Lindholm – Jamie Drysdale
Cam Fowler – Josh Mason
Josh Mahura – Kevin Shattenkirk

John Gibson
Anthony Stolarz

Edmonton’s Projected Lineup

Leon Draisaitl – Connor McDavid – Jesse Puljujarvi
Zach Hyman – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Kailer Yamamoto
Warren Foegele – Derek Ryan – Zack Kassian
Brendan Perlini – Devin Shore – Kyle Turris

Darnell Nurse – Tyson Barrie
Duncan Keith – Cody Ceci
Slater Koekkoek – Evan Bouchard

Mike Smith
Mikko Koskinen

BLH’s Thoughts: So the big question tonight will be, can the Edmonton Oilers win a game that they’re expected to win handily? It’s been a problem for them for a while and teams who win Stanley Cups, they don’t lose games to teams they’re expected to beat on the regular. Anaheim is a beatable team right now I feel. 

Oilersnation

  • This is the Edmonton Oilers 42nd NHL season. They have only started a season 3-0 six times and tonight they will try to make it seven.
  • Tonight is the first of 14 games where the Oilers will face a team on the second half of a back-to-back. Tonight is a game they should win. They are a more skilled team. They’ve had two days off between games and the Ducks played last night.
  • It is interesting to note that while the McDavid line has outscored teams thus far, their possession numbers aren’t great, sitting at 43.8SF%, 42.98xGF% and 36.67SCF%.
  • The Ducks are 2-1 so far and they’ve only allowed five goals in three games… They’ve had great goaltending thus far.
  • We could see a lot of shots on goal tonight as the Oilers have allowed the second most shots against/game at 42.5 and the Ducks are third at 40/game.
  • The bottom six has done a good job of drawing penalties thus far. Derek Ryan, Warren Foegele, Kyle Turris and Colton Sceviour have all drawn penalties.

BLH’s Thoughts: Until game 10 of the season, I’m not going to take many stats too seriously and considering the quality of competition that Edmonton is going to be facing until the 11th of next month when they play Boston, results should be taken with a slight grain of salt. 

Now, I’m not saying every win is a fluke and every loss is BS because it’s so so important that the Oilers win as many games early on in the season so as to give them a little bit of cushion later in the year. I just feel like cherry-picking stats early in the year is meaningless for the most part. 

BLH’s Three Players to Watch

I’m sad we might not be able to see McTavish, but the Ducks have plenty of young talent on display that should give the Oilers some trouble. 

I suspect the regular suspects will be flying, your McDavids, Draisaitls, Rakells, Getzlafs, and so that’s why I like to suggest that you watch some of the more under the radar players. Although, I’m not sure how you can call some of these guys “under the radar” when they’re projected to be future all-stars, but it is what it is. 

Anaheim
  • #44 Maxime Comtois – After leading the team in scoring last year, Comtois has started strong again with 3pts to start the year. He’s a tenacious winger with fantastic hockey IQ.
  • #46 Trevor Zegras – Elite skill and the player Edmonton Oilers fans love to throw out there when Philip Broberg’s name pipes up. Is it too far to say that Zegras could be a Steve Yzerman-type? Maybe that’s too much, but what about a Doug Weight comparable?
  • #34 Jamie Drysdale – Remember when the Ducks had Scott Niedermayer and they were winning Cups? Drysdale is that guy. He’s so smart on the ice and his skating is flawless, to add to that, he’s already playing top-pair minutes with Hampus Lindholm… I don’t think he’s even 20 years old yet and tied with Cam Fowler and Kevin Shattenkirk for the team lead in defense scoring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5AYlq2FRd8

Edmonton
  • #13 Jesse Puljujarvi – Can Pulju score for a third straight game? It’s something work keeping an eye out for…
  • #75 Evan Bouchard – According to Daily Faceoff, Bouch only has three shots on net this season… I think the game is going to be a bit more open and that might lend itself to Evan’s more offensive instincts. 
  • #37 Warren Foegele – It’s time we saw a goal for McLovin’. You can’t say he hasn’t been working his ass off so far and I like his chances considering the opposition. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRRErDEd7_Y

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

(3/21/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors: “One name I’m intrigued by, provided the Kings wanted to move him, is…”

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Tyson Barrie (EDM), John Gibson (ANA), P.K. Subban (NJ), and more!

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

This is not the kind of news Edmonton Oilers fans will like.

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

NHL Rumors and Speculation

Greg Wyshynski (ESPN): Says that there are six teams who MUST nail the upccoming NHL trade deadline,

  • Anaheim Ducks: They should honestly tear this thing down to the concrete and prospects. For me, that would include exploring a Hampus Lindholm trade in the offseason and moving goalie John Gibson either now or in the offseason.
  • Boston Bruins: Jake DeBrusk’s name has been mentioned for a while as trade bait for bigger fish, and he’s a desirable target at just a $3.675 million annual cap hit that runs through next season. He also strikes you as someone with the Tyler Seguin-esque ability to level up his game in a new locale and make whatever deal the Bruins include him in become “The DeBrusk Trade” within two seasons.
  • Carolina Hurricanes: Adding a center would seem paramount. The question is whether that center should be the Buffalo Sabres‘ Eric Staal — a reunion of franchise player and franchise that is seemingly being willed into existence by fans and media lately.
  • Nashville Predators: Obviously, Ekholm is a deadline bounty waiting to happen. The 2019 Jake Muzzin trade between the Kings and Maple Leafs has been held up as a comparable windfall, and that delivered Carl Grundstrom, Sean Durzi and Toronto’s first-round pick in the 2019 draft to Los Angeles.
  • Philadelphia Flyers: Another reason for the defensive letdown is that the Flyers still haven’t replaced Matt Niskanen on their blue line… They could also bring in Manson from the Ducks, but his offense hasn’t been anywhere near consistent in the past three seasons.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs: One name I’m intrigued by, provided the Kings wanted to move him, is Alex Iafallo. A 27-year-old pending unrestricted free agent, he costs $2.425 million against the cap and is as comfortable killing penalties as he is playing in the top six. Plus, Dubas and Kings GM Rob Blake have done some nice business in the Muzzin and Campbell trades before.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Vancouver Canucks have decided to hold off on becoming sellers now that they’ve climbed back into the Scotia North Division playoff race. They want to see how things play out and as a result has slowed things down in the trade market. The Columbus Blue Jackets are another club holding off after battling back into the postseason.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks points out P.K. Subban is having a pretty good season with the New Jersey Devils. Subban has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $9 million. Brooks suggests he’d be a good option for clubs seeking a right-side defenseman if the Devils agreed to pick up half of his cap hit.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports teams have shown an interest in Arizona Coyotes winger Conor Garland. He doesn’t believe it’s a move the Coyotes want to do but perhaps they’d consider it for the right price if it allows them to restock.

NBC Sports: San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson is now on record with the exact direction he’s going to take his hockey club and it’s not going to make star defenceman Erik Karlsson any happier.

  • “For very simple reasons. We were gonna reset,” Wilson said when asked why the Sharks weren’t buyers over the offseason. “That meant giving our younger player the opportunities. That’s the mode that we’re in right now. You want the Patty Marleaus, the Stef Noesens, the Marcus Sorensens, but you want opportunities for our young players to play. That is the mode that we’re in. We wanted to make sure that we replenished our system in the draft and that’s why we used all nine of those picks. We didn’t use those picks to go get players from the outside.”

Ken Campbell (The Hockey News): Had this to say with regards to Edmonton Oilers pending UFA defenseman Tyson Barrie,

  • “It’s pretty clear that if and when Barrie sits down with the Oilers, he’s going to have to adjust his expectations. If he wants to remain in what has turned out to be a great situation and be part of a team on the rise, he’ll likely have to sacrifice both money and term and take a hometown discount for an organization to which he has only one year of service. If not, he’ll sign for better terms somewhere else and be playing for his fourth team in four years.”

Adam Gretz (NBC Sports): Believes the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, and Boston Bruins are the most likely landing spots for Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm. 

  • “There is a lot to like about the Jets due to their forwards and goaltending, but the defense is still in need of some extra help. This team is screaming for a player like Ekholm. The North Division is wide open for the taking, and for as big of a lead as Toronto jumped out to it is not invincible out of that group. Somebody from that division is going to reach the semifinals. The Jets have the forwards and goaltending. They need the defense.Toronto is a logical choice given the seemingly “all in” mindset for this season, but given their current struggles they might need to address the goaltending issue before the defense. That is the concern right now.Boston has the salary cap space to make a play for a top defenseman at the trade deadline but given how much their secondary scoring has hurt this season.”

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

(3/21/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors: MOCK TRADES!!!

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring some trade proposals courtesy of The Athletic that include players like Jake DeBrusk (BOS), Jeff Skinner (BUF), Anthony Mantha (DET), Jack Eichel (BUF), and more!

Is Leon Draisaitl’s excellent two-way presence just a mirage? One Edmonton pundit says they may very well be, BLH says not so fast. Read about it here.

A new name in the rumor mill for Oilers fans! Check out who it is here.

Could Tyson Barrie be trade bait for the Oilers? Read about that here.

This is not the kind of news Edmonton Oilers fans will like.

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

NHL Rumors and Speculation (and Mock Trades)

Harman Dayal of The Athletic (mailbag): Says that the Vancouver Canucks could target some players like Warren Foegele (CAR) or Ryan Graves (COL) in expansion draft trades as their respective teams find a way to complete their protection lists.

Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey NOW: Wonders if the Penguins might try to pull off a more drastic trade now with Evgeni Malkin on the IR. He also speculates that Pittsburgh might have interest in Luke Glendening and Bobby Ryan (DET), Erik Haula (NSH), Cody Eakin (BUF), or Ryan Dzingel (OTT).

Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey NOW (mailbag): Is of the belief that the Boston Bruins are in desperate need of some scoring and has thrown out names like Taylor Hall (BUF), Rickard Rackell (ANA), and Kyle Palmieiri (NJ). He warns though, those players may have a buyer beware tag on them.

Shawn Simpson: The Ottawa Senators should be looking to find a Marc Methot-type partner for Thomas Chabot this offseason.

Sportsnet: Chris Johnston said that Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames may not be that active at the trade deadline. The Winnipeg Jets have already made a big move but are a wild card team.

Kevin Bieksa (Sportsnet): Says the Tyson Barrie should do whatever it takes to stay with the Edmonton Oilers,

“When you’re a free agent, you gotta find a team that’s a good fit for you. … You look at it with Barrie, it’s just a good fit. The way he plays, he likes to handle the puck, he likes to be offensive, jump in the play, he’s good on the power play, he’s a right hand shot, which is also important for McDavid and Draisailt. He checks a lot of the boxes, he’s having a lot of success.”

Here are SOME of the promised mock trades courtesy of The Athletic!

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

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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!