According to Igor Eronko, a journalist that covers Russian hockey for Sport Express, the Oilers SR VP of Hockey Operations, Craig MacTavish has signed on to coach Lokomotiv of the KHL for the next two seasons.
Craig MacTavish signed a 2-year deal with Lokomotiv of the KHL. Another option for the head coach position was Kari Jalonen
I’ve said previously that the word that was passed on to me was that there was a slight chance Craig MacTavish could stay on and run the Oilers AHL team but I guess after meeting with Ken Holland, the new GM thought it would be better for the two parties to go their separate ways. I do wonder if that means Keith Gretzky will be given MacTavish’s old job as overseer of the Oilers’ AHL team as that is something I’ve also heard from sources in the past?
I do expect to hear others leaving the club as Ken Holland puts his stamp on it. The more prominent names I’d figure to be heading out include Bob Green, Scott Howson, and Duane Sutter. Maybe that happens closer to June. 30th mind you.
Save for a stint coaching in the AHL, MacT had been with the Oilers since 1999! Hellva run I say. It’s too bad they couldn’t seal the deal in ’06.
In Locomotiv, they’re getting a man with a decade plus of coaching experience. MacTavish will join up with former Edmonton Oiler Anton Lander.
So good luck to the last man to play helmetless in the NHL!
A nod to those old nWo shirts from WCW wrestling. The oBc: Old Boys Clubs shirt is something every hockey/wrestling lover would enjoy! Click the image above to get yours today!Click the image above and get this sweet Leon’s parody shirt!Click the pic and grab a 16-bit McDavid tee!
This morning Igor Eronko tweeted (below) out that longtime Oilers tweener and AHL superstar Anton Lander has agreed to terms with KHL club AK Bars and will start next season. According to thearticle‘s google translation, he’ll be one of the highest paid foreign players in the KHL. The article also said that nothing would be announced until the end of the season.
Back in October, a list was published on Sportsnet here and it detailed the 30 highest paid players in the KHL. The highest paid “foreign” player was Mikko Koskinen at $1.3M per year. So I guess that means Lander get a slight raise from his $987k that he makes here.
It’s too bad. I really liked Anton Lander and it’s a shame that his wheels never got that upgrade because the heart was there and he was quite good on the defensive side of the puck. Can’t forget about those faceoffs either as he was one of the best draw takers on the Oilers.
The Swede only mustered up 4pts in 22 games this season for Edmonton but a mind-blowing 46pts in 31 games for the Oilers farm club in Bakersfield.
Awwww yeeeeaaaah! What’s up! It’s your Psychedelic Pspaceman, the Electric Cowboy, a.k.a. Kosmic Burrito back with a hot fire mixtape fo’ that azzzzz….
What? No? My bad, wrong trip….ugh this is so awkward now. I better go take off my M.C Hammer pants.
Hey BLH’ers, it’s been a few minutes since we chilled, and I’m excited to be back here in the Beer League Heroes Universe! What I’ve got cooking in the Kosmic Kitchen today is a healthy mixture of random thoughts and different trips that I’ve been on. Bon appetit!
Man, has this guy been magical or what? Ok Ok, minus that Buffalo game and Talbot has been money so far. After a slow and rough start last year, he has erased any doubts in my mind of that becoming a reoccurring trend this season. First off, though, congrats to the brand new Daddy! Twins as well! Wow, that makes his start to the season that much more impressive to me. I’m a father myself, I have three sons aged nine, eight, and five. But I could not imagine having to handle two newborns at once, AND being an NHL netminder. So that is why my hat is tipped to you, Papa Cam. Twins, and a great run so far.
As of today, his stat-line looks like this: He has a GAA of 2.31 which is tied for 20th in the league, and he sports a SV% of .927 which places him 15th in the league. He’s played in 11 games and his record is 7 W’s, 3 L’s, and 1 OTL. I think it’s safe to say that he’s cementing himself as a true Number One netminder in the NHL. My only fear is that we’re going to have to give him a rest soon, and eventually have to give The Monster his turn in net. DUN DUN DUNNNN…
ICYMI, @Pitty687 already has a career high in goals this season, sniping three through the first five #Oilers games. pic.twitter.com/1nkqEOM698
To quote the incomparable Mr. Gord Downie, “It’s been a long time running. It’s well worth the wait”. I think this can apply to Tyler Pitlick, who looks like he has finally arrived. But for how long, though, right? I mean yes, he is filling a 4th line role quite admirably, but they have some dudes coming back from injury sooner or later (IE: Hendo, Pakarinen, & Caggiula). And hockey is a business, right? But Pitlick for sure has my backing. I love this guy; he hits anything moving, has blazing speed, and his tenacity for the puck is fantastic. After all the setbacks that he’s had from injury, *knocks on wood* I hope that this is finally the year that he gets to play a full season. He’s been great so far and his work ethic is incredible. I’ll even step out on a limb here, if Pitlick can play a full season and was actually bumped up to 3rd line minutes, I think that he could score 15+ goals and possibly add another 15+ helpers. Like I said, he’s been dynamite in his role so far this season. I for one hope that he sticks it out all year. I can’t help but root for the underdogs, I mean, I am an Oilers fan right? So far this season, he has posted a stat-line that looks like:
11GP 3G 1A 4P 0 +/- (he’s on track for 21 goals at this point, can he maintain that pace? Probably not)
Considering he only has seven points in his entire NHL career (all of 38 games played), this is a fantastic start to the year for him. The Oilers have benefited from a healthy Pitlick in the lineup, I’m sure we can all agree on that. I for one would rather see Pitty stay in the lineup than Hendo or PakMan. But that’s just my opinion
Taylor Hall text to Jordan Eberle: congrats on being the new whipping boy bud.
Is Ol’ Man Eberle getting a bit grumpier as time passes? Seriously, though, is it just me or has this guy’s “board play” vastly improved this season? I’ve made a point to literally try and watch every game this season, and so far it’s been mission accomplished. Yes, I am married with kids, so I know that some dudes are probably like, “He’s lying! Every game and he has a wife and kids! How does he do it?”. Easy, my wife is mad cool and I live in Toronto, so my kids are usually in bed during most games. So back to Oscar the Eberle, from my view on the couch it looks like he’s definitely worked on his board game in the offseason. He’s playing a way more physically confident game this year than any other season that I can recall, which isn’t a whole lot since my mind has subconsciously erased many bad Oilers memories. But his attack on the forecheck has also kicked up a notch, and me likey! I don’t know if this is a result of the addition and influence of Milan Lucic, if it is something that Jordan set out to work on this offseason, or if it’s just happening with his “old age”. But I hope that Eberle keeps it up all year. Up until this point, he has a stat-line that goes a little something like this:
11GP 3G 4A 7P -5+/- (I’d definitely like to see some more goals from Eberle)
At the very start to the still-young season, I thought that Lucic was playing a strong, physically dominant game. But his play as of late has lacked that edge, most specifically I’m thinking of the Toronto game. Man, they could have used his muscle during those 60+ minutes in the 6ix. But I’ll touch on that game a bit later on. All I’m saying is, they signed Looch to lead, bang, score, and intimidate/police the ice. I hope that version comes back, and real soon! I have no worries that he won’t return. But a “physically quiet” Looch is an ineffective Looch, and that’s the version that has been hitting the ice recently. Milan’s stat-line is looking alright to start the season:
11GP 4G 3A 7P 0 +/- (he’s on pace for 30 goals at the moment, that I can’t complain about)
If MacT were still in charge, Kris Russell would have a 6 year contract ready for him at the end of the game.
— B.L.H. (Edmonton Oilers Enthusiast) (@BeerLeagueHeroe) October 27, 2016
Is the Russell Honeymoon Over?
To say that this is a hot topic amongst the Oilers blogging community, would be an absolute understatement. Hot? More like a smoldering inferno of molten hot lava, burning within the Universe’s most active volcano. It’s the perfect scenario for the old “Analytics VS Non-Analytics” argument, FOR REAL!
Straight up though, I love analytics. I think that they add so many other dimensions to how we can track a player’s performance, flow of the game, etc… But with that being said, I am not going to pretend that I understand every advanced stat or even what goes into how these geniuses track them HaHa! That’s why I’m extremely happy that I work with the man, G-Money. Whom I personally believe is one of THE BEST in the Analytics/Advanced Stats world. I usually ask G any kind of analytical question that I have, or how a player’s advanced stats looked after a game. The man is named “Money” for a reason people.
So onto my Russell trip, the beginning of the season I thought he was looking pretty decent and playing a well-rounded, strong game. I was (unrealistically) wishful that he put some of his analytic woes behind him for good. But his play since around game five or six (somewhere around there) hasn’t been that great, it has kind of dropped off. Which has only added more fire for the analytics side of the argument. Plus, you can just clearly see that he isn’t playing that same strong game that he displayed through the first five or six. Hmmm, I think that history shows you which player we’ll see for the rest of the season. Don’t get me wrong, he’s fearless to put his body on the line and block all those shots. I also like his speed, and willingness to play the puck and move it up ice. But I think it’s a “what you see, is what you get” type of thing from here on out. But here’s to hoping that he proves me wrong for the Oilers sake. Currently, Russell has a stat-line that looks like this:
11GP 0G 3A 3P 6+/-
Did Hell Freeze Over? And No! I’m Not Talking About Another Eagles Reunion Tour!
Anton Lander scored a goal…what the what? My mind is blown…that is all.
10GP 1G 2A 3P 4+/- (Seriously, Anton Lander scored and is on pace for eight goals!)
Nazem “The Rat” Kadri and the First Installment of McDavid VS Matthews
First off, I’ll give credit where credit is due. The Toronto Maple Leafs did a decent job of shutting down Connor McDavid and they did it using a “Layered Defense” system. It wasn’t just Nazem Kadri himself. But let’s be honest, he did a great job of playing that annoying, pesky, “Esa Tikkanen” type of shadow role. He was very Esa-esque that night.
But back to the “Layered Defense”, the first layer was obviously Nazem, and then the second layer was most commonly Morgan Reilly. The third layer, and the one that the infamous Toronto Media wasn’t talking about was the great game by Frederik Andersen. All they talked about was Nazem Kadri’s defensive coming out party. Yes, the Leafs played Connor annoyingly well, but also look at that game this way, they faced an insanely hot Freddie Andersen that night. He stopped 44 out of 46 shots….PURE FIRE! So I think that was what really shut Connor and the rest of the team down.
But back to “The Rat”, why the bloody hell didn’t someone like I don’t know, ummm, Milan Lucic go and push him around, intimidate, or even face wash him and talk some smack for Pete’s sake? Dude, it was so infuriating watching his antics take place. It’s not just Looch’s fault either, ANYBODY should have stepped in and put an end to this Rat pushing around their captain. Like honestly, what the what? They better not let that kind of crap take place again.
So I think that was what really shut Connor and the rest of the team down HaHa. But back to “The Rat”, why the bloody hell didn’t someone like I don’t know, ummm, Milan Lucic go and push him around, intimidate, or even face wash him and talk some smack for Pete’s sake? Dude, it was so infuriating watching his antics take place. It’s not just Looch’s fault either, ANYBODY should have stepped in and put an end to this Rat pushing around their captain. Like honestly, what the what? They better not let that kind of crap take place again.
What it’s Like Living in the “Center of the Hockey Universe” and Not Be a Leafs Fan
Annoying HaHa…as I’m sure that you are all aware, the Toronto Sports Media is absolutely bonkers! I’m almost convinced that MLSE owns TSN, and SportsNet. HaHa! But seriously, thank goodness for the internet and live streaming, the NHL Centre Ice package, Android boxes, and alternative media. But living here also has it’s perks, I can visit the Hockey Hall of Fame whenever, and enjoy the Raptors and Blue Jays as well. Not to mention that 90% of my friends are Leafs fans, and we LOVE talking smack with each other. Before McDavid got drafted, it was next to impossible for me to find some Oilers gear to buy around here. I had to do my shopping online.
Well ladies and gentlemen, thanks for tripping with me again! Until next time, stay trippy my friends!
As always, you can chat and follow me Twitter @kosmicburrito
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As we sit in our comfy chairs awaiting the next move that will solidify the Edmonton Oilers roster a tad more, we’re forced to speculate. And so today I want to chat a bit about the rumblings I’ve heard regarding some roster moves that could be in the works.
FOREWARNING
*As I say with almost every post like this, believe me or not, it’s up to you. I’m not Dreger, McKenzie, Rishaug, or Stauffer for that matter. I’ll tell you what I hear and you can take that as bullshit or you can believe it. It’s no skin off my ass either way. But don’t be rude about what you read. That’s all that I ask from you as a reader.
I write, you read.*
HURRY UP BURNABY JOE!
The title of the post gives it away but it’s my belief that the Oilers are biding their time and waiting on the results of the Tyson Barrie arbitration hearing which will take place on July 29th.
Nothing new here but it looks like the Avs are in for the same culture shifting move that the Oilers themselves took part in when they traded Taylor Hall to the Devils for Adam Larsson. Speculation has calmed down as of late but right around the draft Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene were thought to be available.
Now nothing has been released to say that aren’t still on the block and there’s nothing I’d love more than to see two of Landeskog, Duchene, or Barrie become Oilers but that’d be a deal done in my dreams. Besides, could you see the Oilers parting with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle, and/or Leon Draisaitl to get, say, Barrie and Duchene or Barrie and Landeskog?
But an Eberle for Barrie deal could very well be on the table depending on the outcome of said hearing.
MINOR MOVES AND THE DEFENSE
Brandon Pirri is still on the Oilers radar and from my understanding he’s got the Oilers on his radar as well but this is a move that would surely be dependent on Edmonton moving Yakupov.
Earlier this week we talked about a deal that would send Yak to Florida for right-handed dman Alex Petrovic. This was quickly quashed by some pretty big names in the media and very quickly I might add (almost too quickly to not have a modicum of truth to it).
Pirri has amassed 80 points in 166 games played. Not bad for a guy that can’t seem to find a permanent home the last three years and is yet to be signed this offseason.
Brandon Pirri has been mentioned by Bob Stauffer in the past on his show, so his name should be of no real surprise to those following the Oilers closely.
I’ll tell you why I think this would be a good fit for the Oilers.
Cheap, bonus-laden contract.
Pirri wants to find a place to put his roots down in. He can score at the NHL level, there’s no doubt about that but after playing on three teams (Chicago, Anaheim, and Florida) in three years, the 25-year old will be looking for something solid, something the Oilers can offer.
He can float in the middle six and contribute on the PP.
He’s got a history that tells us he can produce.
He’s averaged 135 shots over the last two years and a 13.15% shooting percentage. Compare that with Yakupov, whose had an average of 159 shots and a shooting percentage of 6.8% over the last two years… Efficiency leans towards the former 2nd round pick in 2009 on this one.
The caveat to those stats is that in 2014/15 Pirri put up 22 goals in 49 games with Florida and had a 15.4% shooting percentage… That’s extremely high. His career shooting % is 13.6.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmWkd0u67ss
Griffin Reinhart and Darnell Nurse to start the year in Bakersfield.
This would be a rare smart move on the Oilers behalf. Neither dman are ready for the pro game and putting them in the position to not only be good players but to dominate is something I am definitely in favour of.
James Wisniewski is still an option for the Oilers.
The Oilers are using Wisniewski as their backup plan in case any deal with Barrie falls through. I’ve been told it’s down to term not money.
*NEW* Anton Lander is being actively shopped.
I’m not sure how the Oilers could ever think they’ll get any more for him that Yakupov right now. Lander has completely fallen off of the cliff and if anything he’s suited for a 4th line role on the wing. If he was right-handed this might be a different story but would he pass through waivers another time? If so, the Oilers might want to explore the European loan route as they did a couple of seasons ago with Jesse Joensuu
*No reason to get skeptical or anything but the Oiulers have not had great success with players from Finland named Jesse… Niinimaki, Joensuu… I hope to the hockey gords that Puljujarvi is different…*
Don’t get me wrong, I really like Anton Lander because he works his ass off, unfortunately it’s not translating. I wish it would because I’d hate to see him go to a team like Detroit and find his mojo again because you gotta wonder if he’s still got the potential to be a Frans Nielsen-type? He’s not THAT old.
*Last One* Remember when Jim Matheson asked Peter Chiarelli about Yakupov’s trade request at the draft and PC told him there was no trade request from Yak or his agent? A lot of us wondered what Chiarelli was talking about… Well, as it turns out and from what I’ve been told, there’s something to it.
Nail might’ve been upset at not getting top 6 minutes…
To that I say, he should’ve performed better on the ice and in the practices.
I’m going to butcher the fack out of this quote but a player of some importance (and forgive me for not remembering who) once said that he got paid to practice and games were just the cherry on top.
FURTHER TO THAT…
The Oilers have about $9 million left in cap space. Would they add both Wizniewski AND Barrie if it were possible? Could they? How would that affect Mark Fayne? One would think that he’d be moved ASAP, right? His contract you couldn’t have sitting in the pressbox nor would you want to.
But having Larsson, Barrie, and Wisniewski would take care of the right-handed puck-moving defenceman problem once and for all AND it would let the Oilers send Reinhart and Nurse to Bakersfield with no risk attached.
As we all should know by now, it is silly season and hockey rumours are bound to find their way into our timelines more often than not. Take what you read here or any other place with a grain of salt and use your own judgement.
Let me know what you think about all of this speculation in the comments below!
One more day to get in on our Beer League Heroes Teepublic Sale! Tees are only $14 and I made a special Beer League Heroes shirt to commemorate it!
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It’s always the paradox when critiquing any aspect of the Edmonton Oilers. If you criticize the goaltending, the question arises: Is it really the goaltending or the sloppy D that gives up grade A chances? Is the bottom six so un-productive? Or would their numbers improve if they had a Defense that could get them the puck? Looking for a solution in this tail chasing exercise always comes to the same conclusion: The Oilers need to make a meaningful trade to get an efficient puckmover for their blueline.
The question is timing, and if there is enough of a sense of urgency to trade a valuable asset now, or continue to develop their current crop of young D. However, with Justin Schultz’s potential a bit hazy, sooner, rather than later, should be the order of the day. But who should be the target? Looking for an established top four defender is not easy. For proof of recent failed attempts, simply look to Oiler’s farm team or pressbox where a couple of failed free agents reside.
The problem is, teams don’t trade their top pairing defencemen, so you need to gamble on a player that’s on the rise, or target a team that has a surplus of D, that could lead them to cap trouble if they don’t make a decision. Following that logic, the Oiler’s should consider the St. Louis Blues, and offensive D-man dynamo, Kevin Shattenkirk.
To identify why Shattenkirk might be available, you only have to look at the St. Louis Blues’ success in drafting, developing, and acquiring d-men. Joel Edmundson is a 2nd round draft-pick from 2011 who will be an RFA this summer and is playing on the top pair with Alex Pieterangelo. Pieterangelo was acquired via the draft in 2008, 4th overall, and anchors the top pairing.
In the 3 spot there is veteran Jay Bouwmeester partnered with towering 3rd round revelation, Colton Parayko, who has been having a solid season to this point and (with Shattenkirk injured) has slid into the four spot on the depth chart. This puts the St. Louis Blues in the driver’s seat as far as their blueline personnel goes. Shattenkirk will be a UFA in 2016 – 17, but they have options. With the young D-corps they have, they don’t need to mortgage the farm to keep him, in reality, they can let him walk. But why let a legitimate top four defender walk when they can gain an asset?
For Shattenkirk, this is a bad situation. If he continues to lose ice time to Parayko his stats will suffer, and that won’t help his case leading up to free agency two seasons away. Alternatively, If he played out his contract in Edmonton, he would be playing on the top pairing all the time, feeding the likes of Mcdavid and Hall, making a 60 point plus season a very real possibility.
Could Edmonton Make a Deal Work?
For Edmonton, Shattenkirk would be a very nice fit, and solve more than a couple of problems on the Oil blueline. The book on Shattenkirk is decent defense, and exceptional offense. He reads plays well, has a powerful point shot, sends out accurate passes to his forwards, and quarterbacks the powerplay as good as anyone in the league. He has registered 40 points or more in three of his last four seasons including 44 points in 56 games last year. If he had played the full season he would have set the standard for offense from the D that season. Currently, the Oilers don’t have a defenseman that can do all those things consistently and wish they did.
How Might a Potential Deal Look?
There is no rush for St. Louis to trade Shattenkirk, but as early as December they will likely be identifying needs for the playoffs. If Parayko continues to fit in well on the Blueline, and there are no major injuries, they may be looking for a deal. Do the Oilers have assets to help them? Currently the Blues are being hard hit by the injury bug. Paul Stastny, Jaden Schwartz, Steve Ott, and Patrik Berglund are all in the infirmary. They could use some depth and support there. The Blues are always looking for more value and draft better than most, so a high pick might be worthwhile too. Since they are losing a D-man, a defensive prospect in return might be worthwhile. So my initial offer would be:
2016 first round pick plus Anton Lander for Kevin Shattenkirk
This is where things get risky, more for the Oilers than for the Blues. At their current pace, the Oilers will likely again be in a high percentage lottery position and with American born phenom Auston Matthews the potential prize, that would be a lot to lose.
However, from another perspective, the Oilers aren’t likely to finish that low in the draft selection. Even in their current funk I would see them drafting somewhere in the 6 to 8 spot. Drafting there should be enticing enough for the Blues. And would the Oilers be willing to give up a first rounder for a proven commodity? At this stage I would think so.
Including Anton Lander may be an overpay but would be of interest to the Blues as they could use reinforcements on a long playoff run, especially one so proficient in winning face-offs. And in return, the Oilers receive an offensively gifted defenseman who wouldn’t look so over his head in a top pairing spot like Sekera or Schultz.
Speaking of Schultz, Shattenkirk’s arrival could allow the Oilers make a definite decision on that player. Playing the two on separate pairings, it would make sense that by the trade deadline they could either trade Schultz for some kind of asset, or walk away from him at the end of the season. Either way, a trade for Shattenkirk could go a long way to solidifying a still shaky D.
But could the Oilers pull this off without giving up any part of their core? I would think so, simply because the Oilers forward corps doesn’t match well with what the Blues are looking for, and, while Shattenkirk is an upgrade, he’s not a true number one, and therefore wouldn’t warrant the return of our top four fourwards. Whether Chiarelli can pull a deal like this off is another question, but its a question worth asking.
