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

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Puljujarvi Being Showcased? Plus 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship Group B Preview

Say It ain’t so! According to Boston Bruins beat writer Jimmy Murphy, Jesse Puljujarvi’s name is making the rounds amongst GMs. He has the Bruins, the Canadiens, and the Flyers as teams to keep an eye on with regards to organizations who could have interest in our big Finnish winger.

I’ll say this, I will be right pissed off if the Oilers deal away Pulju. He’s this close to putting it all together and he’s only 20. He will be a value contract on his next deal regardless and they Oilers need as many of those as they can get.

That being said, when I was thinking about the things Ken Hitchcock has been saying about Jesse, what he sees, how he’s going to use him, or what Puljujarvi needs to do; I wondered to myself if those are the same things he said when Nail Yakupov was traded to St. Louis when Hitchcock was coaching there.

Listen to that interview and tell me the overriding theme is very similar to what Hitchcock had to say when the Oilers recalled Jesse.

Now, don’t get me wrong please! I’m not comparing Pulju to Yak. I know a lot of fans see Jesse and think that since he’s been over here for three years and hasn’t found traction statistically that there’s a bit of Yakupov in him but they’re not alike at all. Jesse likes to practice. He enjoys challenges. And most important of all, he’s a 200-ft player already.

All I’m saying is that I see similarities in how Hitchcock approaches this sort of scenario.

Getting back to the teams Murphy has connected to Edmonton here. I think that if we’re going to talk about this, we might as well discuss what we’d expect if the Oilers were dumb enough to move Puljujarvi.

  • Montreal – My source subtly mentioned Brendan Gallagher’s name in talks the other day, so that’s my line in the sand. You never know if the Habs are thinking how nice the next 15 years would look with a Kotkaniemi/Puljujarvi tandem running wild on the Atlantic Division.
  • Boston – I talked about Bruins GM Don Sweeney being in Edmonton here and the rumors of a Nuge/Krug+DeBrusk trade making waves here. I don’t like that trade necessarily but a package deal built around Pulju and DeBrusk kinda makes sense.
  • Philly – There are quite a few names that I like on the Flyers but I don’t feel like they’re a fit for the former World Junior MVP. They’ve got Voracek and a soon-to-be UFA in Wayne Simmonds on their RW already. Unless one of those guys is coming back (not sure how given the salary cap), I can’t see the Flyers being a viable option. I do however like Ivan Provorov and Shane Gostisbehere.

As you can see, I value Puljujarvi very much. Some might say too much but everybody has a player to whom they really like apart from the big names and Jesse is that player for me.

Bottom line here is the Oilers, for once in their bloody lives, have to work with a prospect, Jesse Puljujarvi in this case, and mold him into the force we all know he’s got the potential to be.

That said, it’d be so Oilers if they did move on from him after a shade over one full season in the NHL and not even one in the AHL.


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2019 World Junior Hockey Championships Group B Preview

Finland | Last Year: Quarters Loss | Projection: Gold

This Finnish team is going to be very interesting. They have a few players that are questionable for attending the tournament that could be game changers. Kristian Vesalainen wasn’t named to the preliminary roster, but he’d likely be the top Finnish player. It could be because of his situation with where he’s playing. He played a while for Winnipeg but is now in the KHL. Eeli Tolvanen and Urho Vaakanainen are the other two. Both are players that have seen some NHL action, and we aren’t sure if their NHL teams will release them. Neither were named to the preliminary roster either. Also, Vaakanainen is on injury reserve for a concussion and is reportedly ill with the flu. If these guys come to the World Juniors it would make Finland the top contender for gold by quite a bit for me. I’d expect that Vaakanainen doesn’t go and Tolvanen and Vesalainen do.

Aleksi Heponiemi | C/W | Kärpät Oulu | Florida

As a 19-year-old he Finland’s top league, Liiga, Heponiemi has dominated the competition. The 2017 Florida 2nd rounder leads all U23 players in points per game. The playmaking center or wing is playing with Kärpät alongside his partner in Rasmus Kupari. The two have combined to be one of the most effective young duos in Europe.

Last season, Heponiemi played for the WHL Champion Swift Current Broncos. He was well over 2 points per game that season and made the Finnish World Junior team too. Without a few guys that may not be sent to the tournament, we can expect Heponiemi to take a first line role with Finland.

Rasmus Kupari | C | Kärpät Oulu | Los Angeles

Heponiemi’s partner is right with him in terms of dominance in the Finnish league. He stands with about a .8 points per game rate. Kärpät has had two reliable youngsters putting them on the board night in and night out. Kupari is also another returning player from last year’s squad. He is another guy that will share the first line duty. It seems as if Kupari will take the center role rather than Heponiemi, but both can play center.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | G | Sudbury Wolves | Buffalo

The starting goalie will no doubt be the Sudbury standout and Buffalo 2nd rounder. Last season might have been a rough one for Luukkonen as he couldn’t keep a spot in Finland’s top league and had a tough World Juniors, but Finland fully expects him to be a top-tier goaltender for them this time around. Despite the rough go in last year’s tournament, Luukkonen was still their starting goaltender. After that tournament, he was taken 3rd overall in the CHL Import draft by the Sudbury Wolves. He’s so far had a great season so expect him to come into the tournament ready to compete for the title of top goaltender.

Kaapo Kakko | C/W | TPS Turku | 2019

Kaapo Kakko is the player to watch for Finland. The clear number two prospect for the coming draft has separated himself from the rest of the class. The rising star out of the TPS Turku system is the projected 2nd center behind the Kupari-Heponiemi duo. Only those two sit ahead of him in Liiga U20 scoring. You know when he is on the ice and immediately makes the average viewer go “Who’s that guy?” He’s physically imposing, powerful, and very skilled.

Whoever misses out on Jack Hughes will not be disappointed with what they get in Kakko come draft time.

Anton Lundell | C/W | HIFK | 2020

The only 2020 prospect other than Alexis Lafrenière at this tournament is Anton Lundell. My 3rd ranked prospect for 2020 is currently playing in the Liiga in his draft minus one year, something very few prospects can do. Despite being a 2020 prospect, Lundell produced at a strikingly similar rate to Kakko. Lundell is averaging around a half a point per game while Kakko has around a 0.65 to 0.70. What Lundell is doing is truly amazing. While I hate when people say this because it feels like it’s said every year, Lundell would be a number one or two pick in any other draft. The 2020 draft is absolutely stacked and I could see teams getting top three talents as late as the number nine or ten pick.

The Draft Eligible Defensemen

This Finnish squad is projected to have up to four draft-eligible defenders. Of these, I consider three to be top 20 players and likely to make the team.

The top two are Anttoni Honka and Mikko Kokkonen.

Honka is currently playing in the Finnish 2nd league as he’s had a slow start to the season so far. Last year Honka was squaring up to be a top three pick and had a comparable season to Dallas’ rookie standout Miro Heiskanen. Although, this year he has been arguably worse than last season. Even with that Honka is still a great player and is a shoo-in to be on this team.

Kokkonen is the next guy and another likely guarantee to make the team as he has a great season with Jukurit in the Liiga.

The other player that I’d expect to make the team is Lukko’s Ville Heinola. Heinola is an all around great defender with some dynamic skating abilities.

The last guy is Lassi Thompson of the Kelowna Rockets our in the WHL. Thompson is having a breakout season with the team and has an outside shot at a role at the 6th or 7th defender.

USA | Last Year: Bronze | Projection: Bronze

The Americans look to replicate the success of the 2017 team that won gold against Canada. With the two star Hughes brothers and top players returning from last year it’s certainly possible. This US team has great depth in every position. Breakout players like K’Andre Miller and Evan Barratt further solidify this squad. While I have them as my pick for bronze the prospect of them going for gold is not far off.

Quinn Hughes | D | U of Michigan | Vancouver

My pick for the American’s top player and captain is the returning Quinn Hughes. Hughes has surprised everyone this season with his NCAA dominance. Of all players eligible to play in the World Juniors, Hughes is top 3 in scoring as a defenseman. He’s on a huge point streak that currently spans 10 games where he has 14 points. As a 19-year-old he’s hovering around 3rd in scoring for all defenders in the NCAA. Quinn Hughes not only looks to be the United States’ best player, but he’ll have his eyes on the MVP as well.

Evan Barratt | C | Penn State | Chicago

The NCAA’s leading scorer is probably the most overlooked player on this team. The 2017 Hawks’ third-rounder has had an unexpected breakout season with Penn State. His collegiate career has so far been a major success after his time with the Development Program. Barratt has always been a great playmaker, but recently he’s begun to put some pucks in the net. Barratt will likely start the tournament as the third center behind Jack Hughes and the returning Ryan Poehling. Although as the tournament goes on expect him to prove he deserves a better role.

Josh Norris | C/W | U of Michigan | Ottawa

The San Jose pick recently dealt to the Senators in the Erik Karlsson trade is eyeing a top role with the Americans. Norris is a triple-threat player that can score, pass and play defense. Norris leads the Univ. of Michigan in scoring.

In 2017, at the U18s, he was the key piece in their gold medal run. This year, he looks to replicate that success at the U20 level.

Spencer Knight | G | USNTDP | 2019

Since Illya Samsonov in 2015, we haven’t seen a goaltender hit the top 20 in the draft. Spencer Knight looks to break that mold. Knight has not only been great at U18 and junior competition but also in collegiate crossover games. Against colleges, he’s stood up to players half a decade his senior. Last year as an underager he played at the U18 World Juniors where he stole the starting spot from an established goaltender in Drew DeRidder.

Spencer Knight deserves a chance at this tournament, and he still has two more years of eligibility after this year. Whether he’ll be the backup or the starter is still up in the air.

Jack Hughes | C | USNTDP | 2019

Jack Hughes is Jack Hughes, what’s there left to say about him? He’s destroyed the U18 competition where in one tournament he scored 16 points in just 4 games. The clear 1st pick in 2019 is in a class of his own. You get the point, he’s going to the tournament and he’s going to dominate. Bob McKenzie recently compared him to Mitch Marner.


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Sweden | Last Year: Silver | Projection: Fourth

This Swedish team is all about defense. No other team has the star power or depth on the blue line that Sweden does. The problem is that up front and in net, they lack quality. Olle Eriksson Ek is their best bet in net. At forward, they have a possible star in Isac Lundeström who’s spent some time in the NHL, but their forward crop is thin this year.

Isac Lundeström | C | San Diego Gulls | Anaheim

He might only be 19 and the 23rd overall pick in last year’s draft, but Lundeström already has 15 games of NHL experience. Being the only player with NHL games under his belt he’s the leader of this team. Lundeström is going to have to be the main offensive producer upfront without much supporting talent.

Erik Brännström | D | Chicago Wolves | Vegas

At almost a point per game in the American League, nobody is doubting Brännström’s ability. His offensive capabilities are like no other defender at this tournament. Brännström is the definite number one defender for Sweden, and will likely face off with Bouchard and Hughes for the tournament’s top defender.

Adam Boqvist | D | London Knights | Chicago

After a tough, but short, adjustment period to the North American game; Boqvist is showing himself to be the best of the best in the OHL. Boqvist is one of the most dangerous players with the puck in this tournament. He can rush the puck like few at this tournament and can shoot like nobody his age. Boqvist will keep any team on their toes when he’s on the ice.

Nils Höglander | C/W | Rögle BK | 2019

The only draft eligible, non-overager, named to the original preliminary roster is Nils Höglander. Philip Broberg was added in case Timothy Liljegren couldn’t play due to injury, but I don’t consider him to be in real contention for the roster. Höglander, although, is a likely pick on a Swedish offense in need of depth.

Höglander is a feisty forward that some have compared to that of Theo Fleury. He would serve as a really good fit for a fourth line role on the team.

Samuel Fagemo | W | Frölunda HC | 2019 (overager)

Many people in the prospect world were shocked when Fagemo went undrafted in 2018. He was one of the better players in the SuperElit (Swedish U20 league) and got some time in the SHL. This season he’s proving NHL teams wrong by dominating the SuperElit and now is playing a big role in the SHL. Fagemo is on a mission to prove himself and get drafted. Expect Fagemo to be at his best to get himself come June.

Slovakia | Last Year: Quarters Loss | Projection: Ninth

With the Slovakian team, there isn’t a bunch to talk about and less to go in-depth about. They do have one high-level player on the team, that being Martin Pospisil who is the 2nd leading USHL scorer as of this writing. Other notables include the 2019 eligible Maxim Cajkovic who led the 2018 U18 World Juniors in points per game. Also, the Vancouver Giants’ Milos Roman is another player to keep an eye on. Every once in a while we see a team that can upset a big team like the US, but it’s not often.

Kazakhstan | Last Year: Promoted | Projection: Relegated

Kazakhstan is another team without much to talk about. They do have a dynamic duo of two of the top five leading MHL (Russia U20 league) scorers. Sayan Daniyar and Artur Gatiyatov played a huge role in getting this Kazakh team the promotion to the top division of the World Juniors. The x- factor for Kazakhstan could be their team chemistry. Almost all players on this squad play for the same team in the MHL, Snezhnye Barsy Astana. The others, for the most part, play on the same team in Kazakhstan’s men’s league. Only one player on the team doesn’t play in Kazakhstan.

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Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Lowetide’s Oilers Trade Prediction

On Nov.28th, famed Oilogosphere icon Allan Mitchell aka Lowetide made this prediction on his morning show,

This next couple of weeks is going to be very important for the Edmonton Oilers for lots of different reasons.

Number one, they’re very close to being in a playoff spot but now what you wanna do is you wanna get there because if on December 26th you wake up and you’re in 3rd place in the Pacific and you’ve got a two point lead over the 4th place team, it’s not an assurance you’re going to make the playoffs but you’re in it; and at that point or sooner, I expect the Edmonton Oilers are going to make a trade. 

BOOM SHACKA LACKA! (OG NBA Jam fans will remember that)

Now, I haven’t heard any rumblings from those that I hear from but Lowetide has started out well here and the scenario he paints makes a lot of sense. I wonder, however, what might happen if they’re more than two points ahead of the 4th place team or even in second place in the Pacific if they’d still go ahead and make a trade.

Let’s continue with more of LT’s prediction now because this is where things start to get good.

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… and it’s going to be for a scoring right-winger. It’s likely going to be for a player who can play with RNH and move up and also be a part of the PP. I said on my blog today Bill Guerin, well he’s not out there. 25-year-old Bill Guerin, if he does exist, he’s not coming via trade in the middle of the season.

Bill Guerin was a beauty back in the day and it’s a shame he didn’t spend more time as an Oiler.

So LT reckons the Oilers will go after a scoring right-winger eh? I’d love to know what teams are looking to rid themselves of that kind of player this season and no doubt, this is the kind of player that might make some nice scratch.

Earlier in the year, you might’ve guessed that the Rangers would be auctioning off their best players to the highest bidder but they’ve been solid so far. Same with the Ducks but they’re fighting for the Pacific Division lead right now and probably aren’t looking to shake that roster up so much.

Lowetide didn’t stop. He had more to say on the topic,

The Edmonton Oilers need a piece there. I guarantee Ken Hitchcock has already identified it. We’re going to find out how much pull Hitchcock has because as a coach he sees what he has, he sees what he doesn’t have and now he knows what he needs and I bet you he’s already asking for it.

It’s my understanding that Hitch has a lot of pull. I mean just look at how quickly Jesse Puljujarvi was brought up and how fast Chris Wideman was brought in. Plainly put, Chiarelli is at the coach’s beck and call.

He didn’t come here to finish in 10th place in the conference. He didn’t come here to finish just outside the playoffs. He came to make the playoffs and you need that piece. 

Right-handed shot. Powerplay guy. Rugged enough and fast enough to play the Hitchcock system. That player’s on the way.

I believe this as well. 66-year-old Ken Hitchcock is living a dream right now and there’s no way in Sam’s green Hell than he’ll let it turn into a nightmare. There’s so much on the line for him it’s not even funny.

I wrote a post over at The Hockey Writers pontificating on where or not the Oilers and Blues would get together on a deal involving Vladimir Tarasenko. It was not long after Elliotte Friedman had made mention of how the Blues have not always been happy with Tarasenko’s play since he signed the big deal.

I would be flabbergasted if Peter Chiarelli found a way to acquire Vladimir Tarasenko. He’d be a near perfect fit for what the Oilers are looking for but at what cost, right?

Mitchell had his thoughts on what the price might be to acquire this missing piece,

The first round pick is going. 

Puljujarvi doesn’t have the kind of value that people think he does nor does Kailer Yamamoto and you’re not trading Evan Bouchard. So it’s the 1st round pick. 

If the Oilers could get away with sacrificing the 1st round pick in the 2019 draft lottery protected and bring in that volume shooting righty, that would be some magic.

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This is all fine and dandy that we’re talking about the Oilers going out and picking up a right winger for Nuge’s line but there’s just one thing. Where would that leave Jesse Puljujarvi?

You could move RNH to left-wing and Leon to center on the 2nd line and leave Pulju there and that would be a pretty damned good line, right? Then the new guy could go up to McDavid’s line but then you’d be left with Alex Chiasson playing the off-wing with Connor or on the 4th line.

The other option would be to move Jesse to the Spooner line but if you’re going to do that, you might as well trade him or send him back to Bakersfield. I imagine the newly acquired Valentin Zykov will feature on that line at some point too.

Two other players that might get left out in the cold here are Jujhar Khaira and Drake Caggiula. Caggiula had Drew Doughty in his pocket the other night and I think he’s a player that the Oilers should try to hold on to. As for Khaira, I love how he uses his strength to protect the puck and he’s been showing flashes of brilliance but on the other hand, he’s been wildly inconsistent this year.

My guess would be that Jesse and the 1st rounder would go out in exchange for the player that Lowetide is describing and from the picture LT is painting, he could be talking about the following players,

  • Brendan Gallagher (MTL) – A right-shot local boy who shoots like there’s no tomorrow, plays massive TOI on the PP, is rugged, and can finish. What’s not to like?
  • Josh Anderson (CBJ) – Big frame. Will fight anybody. Can skate, shoot, hit, pass, etc. Might be the closest thing to Bill Guerin in 2018 that the Oilers can get their hands on. He’s also on a cheap deal but would Columbus part with him?
  • Travis Konecny (PHI) – I have Konecny on here because I feel like Philly is going to blow things up. I like this player because he’s quick and the Oilers don’t have a lot of quick players per se. He also draws a lot of penalties.

What I did was look for volume shooters who play RW, are a right-shot and spend a bit of time on the PP. An unforeseen bonus that popped up was that none of those players have clauses that would prevent their current teams from moving them.

I don’t know if I’d pay Puljujarvi AND a lottery protected first round pick for anybody aside from Brendan Gallagher on that list though.

What do you think about Lowetide’s prediction? Let us know in the comments below and enjoy the Oilers/Golden Knights game tonight!

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

Oilers Sorted For The Summer?

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I’m not a huge fan of summers, they’re hot and humid in Taiwan. Most mornings it’s 30 degrees Celsius or more by 10 am and there’s a good chance you’ll be changing your clothes two or three times a day if you spend any amount of time outside. Add to that the afternoon thunderstorms that don’t really bring the temperature down and just make everything wet. Fall is the time to be here when it gets a bit cooler and a tad more comfortable.

Another reason I don’t really fancy the summertime is that after Canada Day, not a lot goes on in the hockey world. There are some development camp highlights and if I recall correctly, the Ivan Hlinka U18 tourny is in the summer but most of the big name free agents are snatched up in the first few days of July and then the leftovers take forever to find a team to sign with.

Now, as an Oilers fan, most of our business is done with apart from Leon Draisaitl’s contract and now it’s time for prognostication, and recollection to take hold of the summer.

So I’d like to hit on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins future a little bit and perhaps talk about the signing of Jussi Jokinen and its affect on Puljujarvi if that’s cool.

THE NUGE

We were chatting a bit about what the future holds for RNH this summer on Twitter recently. I’m of the belief that he’ll be moved eventually in the same way Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle were, in cost-cutting trades. UNLESS a dman like Tyson Barrie or Justin Faulk become available.

But that brings us to another point,

Ms. Marginet you are a wise one!

So what do the Oilers do here? What if a Tyson Barrie or a Justin Faulk come available and the ask is simply Nugent-Hopkins? That’s a no-brainer, right? Yes and no.

Yes because having that offensive puck-moving dman would sure help out the offense that much more.

But dealing RNH too early could handicap the Oilers down the middle. Nuge is the 3rd best center on the team and dealing him for a defender would give us too many defensemen and not enough centres with experience.

I mean, yes, they could bring up somebody from the AHL to play 4th line and move Letestu to the 3rd line but Marky Mark isn’t getting any younger. The Oilers could sign a free agent as well or trade for a centre by using one of their excess defenders. A complicated scenario nevertheless.

I think the Oilers did a fair-to-midland job last season with the D group they had and currently have. It’s obvious that the PP runs through the forwards down low with the odd one-timer coming from the point. Is that a good plan going forward? An argument could be had that it isn’t.

Next summer will be the time when Nugent-Hopkins is moved I believe. McDavid’s $100M contract kicks in and a whole slew of players will be looking for renewals. Those including Pat Maroon, Darnell Nurse, Matt Benning, Drake Caggiula, Anton Slepyshev, and Ryan Strome. You could add Mark Letestu to that group as well.

I don’t believe any of those players will warrant mind-boggling raises in the vein of Draisaitl but they’ll dig into the cap regardless. Moving Nuge will help to alleviate that pressure.

So where does Nuge go?

That probably will be decided by Matt Duchene and where he doesn’t go. Most rumors have Montreal as the leading candidate for RNH and I can’t argue with that but it’d probably mean that the defenseman we want won’t be in the return.

Brendan Gallagher is the player I believe would be the asked return for Nugent-Hopkins. He’s a right-winger, he scores, he plays a very gritty game (Chiarelli’s favorite), and he’s contracted for another 4 seasons @ $3.75M.

Bergevin would definitely try to get Edmonton to take Plekanec but Montreal needs a top 6 centre and RNH would definitely fit the bill.

In the end, I don’t think that there’s any pressure on the Oilers to make any unnecessary moves this summer. Chiarelli can afford to sit on what he has for a few months into the season and guage what he needs to do around the time Andrej Sekera is to come off of the injured reserve.

JUSSI JOKINEN

Well, we did tell you that Speedy Turtle was reporting that a JJ was coming to Edmonton yesterday, then the site crashed… Meh, sh*t happens.

Anyways, Jokinen is an Edmonton Oiler for the upcoming season and as we’re told from the Oilers themselves, he’s a utility player that can play both wings and a dusting of centre if need be and we all know how much Coach McLellan loves his forwards who can play across the line.

I like that he could be a 50pt to 60pt player in a middle-6 role. He’ll help on both the powerplay and the penalty kill. I’m not jumping for joy over the signing but I understand it. He’s a player that can help on many different fronts on the ice and off of it. Specifically with Jesse Puljujarvi.

Pulju will be handed the keys to the Lambo next season and it’ll be up to him to take that Italian beast and ride the living crap out of it but it’ll be Jussi Jokinen in the passenger seat guiding him on that highway to hell.

I said this yesterday on Twitter but I don’t believe that Puljujarvi’s language barrier was the biggest problem last season even though McLellan/Chiarelli used it as one of the reasons for Pulju’s performance at the NHL level.

  • JP was the youngest player in the NHL and the AHL. That’s a much bigger reason to take into consideration and I believe that was THE biggest reason. Immaturity, inexperience, culture shock, and playing in the best hockey league in the world being the other reasons.
  • The Oilers had Pakarinen on the NHL roster and his English is fine.
  • The Oilers had Jere Sallinen on Bakersfield (AHL) last season. I don’t think we heard a peep out of him though but Puljujarvi had a productive rookie season in the AHL, no?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgYx3HIRLq4

Understanding the language is important, don’t get me wrong, for over a decade I’ve had the job of teaching English to kids and adults here in Taiwan. I’ve also ran hockey practices here in Taiwan and I play hockey on a team with no other foreigners. I’m not saying I’m an authority on the matter but I feel like I can’t speak from experience on both sides of the coin.

Hockey isn’t brain surgery. We like to think it is but it’s mostly systems, ironing out mistakes and praising the correct actions. Take out a whiteboard and some markers and you can get most messages across. If not, use the time off-ice to get the point across.

It’s part of the coaching staff’s job to parlay their messages to every player regardless of nationality. It’s part of the management staff’s job to make sure that their players are learning the team’s systems and the native language off-ice by using ESL programs and tutors, and lastly, it’s part of the player’s job to do the work to get to know the team’s systems and to study the language whenever possible but if the teachers (coaches/managers) are doing a poor job, it’s hard for the students (players) to reach their full potential in the most minimal time possible.

What I will say though is that just by living in an English speaking environment, he’s a step ahead and his acquisition of the language will be accelerated through everyday interaction.

I mean if that language barrier was that bad of a problem for JP and the Oilers coaching staff last season, I feel terrible for those Russians/Czechs that came across in the 70s, 80s and 90s with not even a base level of English. If I remember correctly, Jagr has said that he didn’t know a lick of English when he came, he did pretty well I’d say.

From a possession standpoint, Puljujarvi did pretty well last season in his limited time in the NHL. He could hold his own but the offense wasn’t coming and I think that was hard on fans when they saw his fellow rookie countrymates over in Winnipeg and Carolina lighting it up.

So the point I’m trying to make is that Jokinen wasn’t brought in to be Puljujarvi’s translator like maybe a Matti Hagman to Jari Kurri. That’ll be a portion of the job but not the main part. Jokinen is going to show Puljujarvi the NHL ropes that Iiro the Hero apparently couldn’t last season.

All of that being said, in 2017/18, I truly believe that Puljujarvi will show us why he was ranked no.2 in his draft year for so long. Funny thing is, he’ll still be one of the youngest players in the league. At least he’ll have Uncle Jussi to help out 🙂

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

Lowetide’s Forward Targets for the Oilers

2 Comments

Just as I did yesterday with Lowetide’s defense targets for the Oilers, I’ll do the same today with his forward targets for the Oilers but I’ll add one more to make a nice round 30!

So if you haven’t read the previous post on the defensemen, I’ll let you know what I’m doing here.

Basically, I’m taking a list made up by the Legendary Lowetide (you can find that here) and I’m just simply commenting on each player but with the added bonus of another name inserted by myself based on what I’ve been reading or hearing from my sources.

    1. LC Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche. Please please please Baby Jesus.

I’d love me some Matt Duchene as well but he would cost something in the range of RNH+Klefbom, surely.

    1. RC Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche. UFA 2023. Would cost the moon.

Not sure why LT would have this name on his list. Would love him but ZERO chance he gets moved ahead of Duchene or Barrie.

    1. RC Tyler Johnson, Tampa Bay Lightning. RFA 2017. 56 points per 82 games.

An interesting option for 2C if the Oilers decided to move Leon to RW on a permanent basis. Tampa has their work cut out for them. Who stays in FLA? Palat, Drouin, or Johnson?

    1. R Justin Williams FREE AGENT (80gp, 24-24-48). Luxury.

I could see the Oilers having major interest in Justin WIlliams but I have a feeling he’d be happy to stay out East with Ovechkin and the Caps. They’re still a very strong team. Reminds me of the 90’s Red Wings right before they became a Stanley Cup winning powerhouse.

    1. R T.J. Oshie FREE AGENT (68gp, 33-23-56).  Not affordable.

This boy be demanding major skrilla. I’m betting if he’s not a cap in 2017, he might be a Golden Knight. But an Oiler? No, not unless they can find a taker for both Nugent-Hopkins AND Jordan Eberle whilst bringing in minimal $$$ on the return.

    1. R Patrick Eaves FREE AGENT (79gp, 32-19-51). Volume shooter!

Here’s a player the Oilers were in on at the trade deadline. I like that he’s a tad older and I love that he shoots the lights out. He’s got that compete that McLellan and Chiarelli love too. Then there’s the beard… Epic!

    1. LC Martin Hanzal FREE AGENT (71gp, 20-19-39). Has to be high priority.

If the price is right, Martin Hanzal will be an Oiler. But I have a feeling Montreal could get in on this one. Perfect 3C for almost any team.

    1. L Evander Kane, Buffalo Sabres (70gp, 28-15-43). Buy low power forward.

I think if the Oilers were going to buy low and sell him off in the summer, he’d be a good candidate for acquisition. Shoots, hits, fights, and he has rockets on his skates. Just not sure about the “other stuff”.

    1. RC Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers. Averages 46 points per 82gp.

Having just picked him up by the Rangers for Derrick Brassard. New York shouldn’t be moving him on so quickly. He had a pretty strong playoffs I thought.

    1. C-R Ryan Strome, NY Islanders (69gp, 13-17-30). Rumors.

The brother of McDavid’s BFF. Can’t go wrong there. He’d be cheap and he’s still young.

    1. LC Vladimir Sobotka, St. Louis Blues. Signed to a nifty $3.5 million times two.

Sobotka to the Oilers used to be an annual rumor. I dig this player. Skilled enough to be a middle 6 floater. Can play wing or or centre. Doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

    1. R-L Thomas Vanek FREE AGENT (68gp, 17-31-48). Offensive option.

Numbers folks will tell you to look away from the inconsistent production and hockey people will tell you that he’s a tad lazy. 3rd line wing and PP1 option doesn’t sound bad to me if he’s on a cheap ticket.

    1. L Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey. Splendid KHL season, he’s coming back.

Pipe dream. Not as fast as he once was and he’ll be expensive but he’s got an epic shot and he put the Devils on his back and took them to the finals in 2012. Personally, I reckon he should just play the regular season out with the Devils, get reaclimated to the NHL, then have the Devils trade him for a better return at the deadline.

    1. R Radim Vrbata FREE AGENT (81gp, 20-35-55). Scorer.

If Vrbata could come in on a cheap deal like he has been doing as of recent, I’m all for the Oilers adding him.

    1. LC Nick Bonino FREE AGENT (80gp, 18-19-37). Two-way C.

I wouldn’t mind having a Nick Bonino filling in at 3C so as long as the Oilers aren’t paying him over $3.5M per year. I’d probably prefer a Brian Boyle to be honest.

    1. R Brett Ritchie, Dallas Stars (78gp, 16-8-24). Shoots the puck a lot.

Big boy. Would be interesting to see him lined up across from his brother Nick when the Oilers meet Anaheim in the playoffs again. I don’t see him as anything more than a bottom 6 winger though and the Oilers sure have enough of them.

    1. R Jaromir Jagr FREE AGENT (82gp, 16-30-46). Now 70, still going.

Jags is probably set to spend the rest of his career in the Eastern Conference if he wants to play until he’s 50. Still effective but slower than molasses. I wonder if Chiarelli would want him again, Jagr had 9pts in 11 games after being acquired at the deadline in 2012/13 and then he added another 10 assists in 22 games in the playoffs as the Bruins lost to Chicago.

    1. R Sam Gagner FREE AGENT (81gp, 18-32-50). PP savant.

Fans love a comeback story and now that Gagner’s role in the NHL has changed, he’s really taken to it. The Oilers could use another bottom-6 forward with some skill. A better option than Pakarinen.

    1. R Kris Versteeg FREE AGENT (69gp, 15-22-37). What he brings has value.

Versteeg would probably not be welcomed with open arms in Edmonton by the fanbase but he’s a veteran player who can float throughout the lineup. The Oilers know what they’d have in him from last year’s training camp. I would not be opposed to Edmonton adding him.

    1. R Ales Hemsky FREE AGENT (15gp, 4-3-7). Still brilliantly creative.

I wonder how much Hemmer has left in the tank. Is he a better option that Puljujarvi?

    1. RC Derek Ryan FREE AGENT (67gp, 11-18-29). Fine utility player.

The Oilers really wanted to pick Grant up at the deadline but Carolina’s ask was too much. He’d be a perfect utility forward.

    1. LC Dominic Moore FREE AGENT (82gp, 11-14-25). PK and FO option.

Excellent veteran option but I believe the Oilers would get even slower by adding Moore and that’s not what they need.

    1. R Drew Stafford FREE AGENT (58gp, 8-13-21). Chiarelli type.

Stafford has been on the Oilers radar for so many years but none of the many GMs have been able to pick him up. I’m not sure why. He has trouble staying healthy and he doesn’t score very much.

    1. LC Brian Boyle FREE AGENT (75gp, 13-12-25). He is on their list.

Another player the Oilers tried for at last season’s trade deadline. He would’ve been very helpful in the Anaheim series when the Oilers centres were getting worked on the faceoff dot.

    1. R Brett Connolly FREE AGENT (66gp, 15-8-23). Inexpensive scoring on RW.

Disappeared in the playoffs and is nowhere near my list of players the Oilers should have an eye on. Good regular season in 2016/17 though.

    1. R Jarome Iginla FREE AGENT (80gp, 14-13-27). He can still shoot the puck.

Iginla is going to be mayor of Calgary someday unless he signs in Edmonton.

    1. L Patrick Sharp FREE AGENT. Depending on health and price.

I wonder what the price point would be on Sharp. I love his experience, he’s grittty, he scores, and he adds more leadership to a young team.

    1. R Tyler Pitlick FREE AGENT (31gp, 8-3-11). Finally emerged, could return.

One more year in Edmonton is what Pitlick deserves. He was playing like a beast before his injury last season. I’d like to see one more year before cutting bait. I wonder if he’s an option for Vegas.

    1. R Jordan Weal FREE AGENT (23gp, 8-4-12). Eastern Pitlick.

I honestly don’t know much about this player. LT says he’s the Eastern Pitlick but I’m not sure if that refers to playing style or injury history or what.

My no.30 is left-handed center/wing Alexander Galchenyuk.

The Habs are trying to deal the 6’2″ 205lb RFA like mad. He hasn’t been able to fit into their system over in Montreal and they feel it’s time to move on from him. He played 61 games last year and put up 17 goals and 27 assists for 44 pts.

I feel like Montreal has had their eyes on Nugent-Hopkins for quite a while and they have around $22M in cap space going into next season, so they’d definitely be able to fit him in.

I’m torn between Galchenyuk and Gallagher as the return I’d prefer from the Habs for RNH. On one hand, how can you not love the way that Brendan Gallagher plays the game? He’s a throwback player in some senses and would really add another element for the Oilers’ opposition to deal with but then we look at Alex Galchenyuk’s production.

  • 2013/14 – 31pts in 65gp
  • 2014/15 – 46pts in 80gp
  • 2015/16 – 56pts in 82gp
  • 2016/17 – 44pts in 61 gp

Compare that with Nugent-Hopkins’ stats in that time frame and keep in mind that Nuge had already played two partial seasons by Galchenyuk’s rookie year. The two aren’t separated by many points…

  • 2013/14 – 56pts in 80gp
  • 2014/15 – 56pts in 76gp
  • 2015/16 – 34pts in 55gp
  • 2016/17 – 43pts in 82 gp

Where would he fit in on the Oilers though?

Being as the Canadiens couldn’t figure out where to deploy him, that could also be a point of bother for the Oilers. He’s brutal on the faceoffs (career FO% of 45.5%), so I’d have to imagine he’d play the off-wing. Perhaps lining up on the right side.

If that scenario were to carry out, the Oilers would need a 3C and they’d need to be committed to having McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on their own lines. This might result in having Eberle beside Draisaitl and Galchenyuk alongside McDavid for a period of time depending on how much the Russian-American would sign for and if Eberle was even on the roster.

I think any scenario where Jesse Puljujarvi can be eased into his role on the Oilers is a good one for me and the one above would do just that.

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

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