Tag Archives: Justin Faulk

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Puljujarvi Trade Talk is Heating Up

Just before we get into these rumors regarding my favorite Finnish hockey player, I’d like to see Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland exercise even more patience with this deal. I feel like the rumored offers are getting a bit better as we come closer to the start of the NHL season and I wonder if they’d improve further the more he waits?

How’s he doing over there in Finland? Well, let’s take a gander at a couple of highlights.

I’m still holding onto the slim possibility that he returns to the Oilers… I think the new style of play that Coaches Tippett and Playfair are attempting to implement would really compliment Puljujarvi’s style of play.

Puljujarvi Trade Market Heating Up

A Montreal Canadiens blog is reporting that the Oilers offered up Jesse Puljujarvi for Artturi Lehkonen and Xavier Ouellet but it was rejected by Habs GM Marc Bergevin. Apparently there are quite a few teams interested in Lehkonen and Bergevin wants more in return for the Finn.

I get asking for Lehkonen, he’d be a good middle-6 forward for the Oilers, but the only reason I can think of for the Ouellet ask is that Ken Holland wants a guy on the AHL club to provide stability and leadership.

The Frenchman was drafted by Holland’s Red Wings in the 2nd round back in 2011 but Ouellet couldn’t force his way onto the Red Wings full-time and was eventually bought out. He then signed a two-way with Montreal in 2018/19 but didn’t spend much time there. He spent the majority of the year captaining their AHL club in Laval.

Don’t the Oilers have enough defensemen in Bakersfield now that Evan Bouchard has been sent down?

I can’t speak to the legitimacy of this blog but the rumors of the Canadiens being interested in Pulju have been non-stop for some time now.

Then there’s this…

Now, THIS is the kind of trade I’m talking about if the Oilers are looking to move Puljujarvi. Work something out to improve the team now, not a few seasons from now. By the looks of that 2nd line vs. Arizona last night, they could probably use a guy like Drouin instead of a Gagner or Nygard. Of course, a trade like this would require more than just Pulju. I’m just saying that a deal built around him and Drouin would be something worth investigating.

Fallout from the Justin Faulk Trade

Would you have traded Kris Russell, Kailer Yamamoto and a draft pick for Justin Faulk and another pick? Not that it was a realistic trade scenario, bringing Faulk in I mean. Bob Stauffer said on his radio show that Faulk wasn’t going to sign a long-term deal with a team in Canada…

Mind you, if there is a deal out there where the Oilers could upgrade their defense and the cost is Russell, Yamo, and a pick; I’d hope Holland is right in the mix.

I wasn’t expecting the St. Louis Blues to be the team that would trade for Justin Faulk. I thought they had a nice looking group of defensemen that didn’t need a lot of tweaking, but I guess I was wrong.

Doesn’t it feel like they overpaid for Faulk on both the trade and the contract? I mean, who pays a 35pt defender $9M (I know his AAV is $6.5M/yr) to play on the 3rd pair?

I hope getting sheltered on the 3rd pair and getting cherry TOI sees an increase in Faulk’s production or else this deal might be one the Blues regret.

Joel Edmundson will help out the Hurricanes’ back-end, shore up the defensive aspect and provide some sandpaper and toughness and Dominik Bokk gives the Canes ANOTHER nice-looking prospect who will percolate in Europe before joining the organization next season at the earliest.

From what I’ve read online, Carolina was looking for another right-shot winger for their system and Bokk helps fill that void, but my question is, does that take the Hurricanes out of the running for Jesse Puljujarvi?

Speaking of righties in Carolina! Julien Gauthier is apparently having a good camp so far but I’m still not convinced it’d be in the Oilers best interests to trade Jesse Puljujarvi for him.

What about this idea from Elliotte Friedman’s 31 Thoughts though?

Do you remember this player from the World Juniors last year? He made a bit of a scene after losing to the US in the semi-finals as the captain for Russia.

He’s a big centerman (6’3″ 212lbs) that’s been marinating in the Blues’ farm system for the last two seasons. Stats-wise, he hasn’t exactly hit it out of the park though,

  • 2017/18 – 67gp 6g 22a 28pts 72PIM -6
  • 2018/19 – 66gp 10g 14a 24pts 102PIM -28

At the time of writing, Kostin has six points in four preseason games. He was pretty average in his most recent performance vs. Dallas though. Perhaps he’s simply been lucky enough to square off against some inferior opponents to date and capitalized on that opportunity.

Look, the reality is with this player is that he’s got middle-6 center written all over him. He’s skilled, has a big body, plays physical, and he’s a passionate leader to boot. Then there’s the Russian factor… I know I know… It’s dumb. But for whatever reason, it’s a thing in Edmonton. If we’re lucky, the Ken Holland era will find a way to get rid of this supposed “curse”.

Do you think that this trade would’ve been made already had Colby Cave not stepped up?

Then we have this coming out of Vancouver,

Virtanen for Puljujarvi? I’m still a bit leary of this kind of trade. I like Virtanen when he’s on his game but that’s the thing, when is he on his game? Who would he replace on the Oilers wings if he were acquired?

What Happened in Russia with Craig MacTavish

Former Oilers head coach and GM Craig MacTavish’s coaching tenure in the KHL lasted a whole eight games before his club decided to cut ties with him. I haven’t been able to confirm if the dismissal was performed in person or over Skype but I was sent a DM regarding why he was let go.

If you listened to Oilers Now yesterday, you might’ve heard host Bob Stauffer comment on the firing. At one point he said that he knew MacTavish could be hard to work with sometimes and from what I’ve gathered from sources close to the team, MacTavish went into that KHL job very much in the same way Dallas Eakins came into Edmonton back in the day.

“He behaved like he was the smartest guy in the room.” is what I was told.

That’s too bad that it didn’t work out for MacT. Reckon he regrets bolting out of Edmonton so quickly after Holland was hired? Best wishes to him going forward.

What do you think about these new Puljujarvi rumors? It seems like the rumored returns for him have gone from MAYBE a 2nd round pick to players like Alexander Volkov and Julien Gauthier to Klim Kostin and Artturi Lehkonen. Could the return get even better with just a bit more patience? Maybe.

Let us know in the comments below what you think of it all!

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Oilers Poking Around Three Dmen + TPE Hockey’s September Top-31 for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft

Today Josh Morrissey signed a two-year bridge deal worth $3.15M per year to basically set the marker for Darnell Nurse and the Edmonton Oilers.

I can’t see Nurse is going to get much more than that. The Oilers have been holding strong at $3M and Morrissey’s deal might bring that up a bit but it certainly shouldn’t bring it anywhere near the $4M valuation that Anton Thun has of his client.

Then there’s this from our friend Bruce McCurdy replying to an excellent idea from Supernova:

Like I said yesterday on Twitter, I wouldn’t be surprised if Darnell Nurse was on the plane to Germany but he didn’t play because he missed all of or the majority of training camp because hi agent only sees short-term dollar signs.

Plan B

Chiarelli was asked if there was a “Plan B” the other day and he said yes. I imagine that plan includes sending out feelers on such defenders as Tyson Barrie, Justin Faulk, and the newly-minted free agent Jake Dotchin.

Jake Dotchin is a new one and I haven’t heard what really happened with him and the Lightning but he must’ve really stepped in it in order to get thrown on unconditional waivers. To be clear, as far as I know, his contract hasn’t been terminated yet. Dotchin has cleared unconditional waivers though so the next step is cutting Dotchin loose.

Hockey teams are usually pretty lenient and don’t want anything to do with NHLPA filing grievances on their players’ behalf. It’s a weird situation but regardless, I asked one of my sources what the deal was there and I was told that he’s a young guy and the Oilers like him.

Personally, I don’t see him as much better than Matt Benning and if we’re being truthful, wouldn’t it be more prudent to aim a bit higher than Jake Dotchin?

Max from TPE Hockey is back with his 2019 NHL draft prospect rankings for the month of September.

This time we threw in a little stat called “Age-Adjusted NHLe” and since most of the seasons haven’t started for these players, we’re using last year’s point totals to find our age-adjusted NHLe.

You can read about that here.

Draft eligible prospects don’t all play in the same league, and aren’t all the same age, so it doesn’t make sense to judge their statistics as if they do.

League/Age Adjusted Points Per Game can help us put all the prospects on even ground. To do this, we simply multiply the PPG of a player by two numbers: an age multiplier and a league multiplier. These multipliers adjust the PPGs of players to show how they would produce if they were all the same age, playing in the same league. In this case, that league is the OHL, the top Canadian junior league, and that age is exactly 17.

The numbers will look a bit odd, especially for the high-end players like Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko. I asked my friend Sam Happi (The Puck Authority and @DraftLook) about this and he said that the league translation factor, which is meant to represent the average player, doesn’t really do players like Hughes justice since they are so far above average. I’d also add to that that the competition from league to league can really vary. The SM-Liiga where Anttoni Honka and Kaapo Kakko play full-time is much more competitive than the USHL where Hughes plays most of his games or the BCHL where Alex Newhook plays.

So just keep that in mind when you’re looking at that. I do remember asking Rob Vollman about the USNTDP translation factor in Auston Matthews’ draft year and was told that since nobody makes the jump from that program to the NHL, there was no need to do up a factor for it… I imagine most people are using the USHL’s translation factor for the time being but I bet that’ll change in the future.

If you’d like a list of the translation factors for each league, click this link.

You can check out a little video before that and/or his previous summer rankings here.

1)  Jack Hughes C (USNTDP, USHL) – 179cm, 73kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 18pts)
The undisputed #1 pick will revolutionize whatever franchise drafts him. Jack Hughes is the brother of last year’s 7th overall pick, Quinn Hughes. Just like Quinn, Jack is an elite skater and reads the game better than anybody. Jack will spend this season with the USNTDP in the USHL. Hughes will rip up that league as last year he was the best player in the USHL at only 16.

2)  Kaapo Kakko RW (TPS Turku, Liiga) – 186cm, 82kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Kakko is everything you want in a winger. He’s a big guy but sacrifices nothing because of it. He’s quick on his feet and just as quick thinking. Kakko is ultra-skilled and has all the offensive talent to become an elite NHL winger. Whenever he’s on the ice everybody knows it, he stands out instantly.

3)  Anttoni Honka D (JYP Jyväskylä, Liiga) – 179cm, 77kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 17pts)
Brother of Julias Honka, Anttoni is already a star in the Finish pro league at 17. Honka spent last year in the pros on JYP playing 20 games with them. At the start of this season, Honka became a top pairing defenseman for JYP. He played in the Champions Hockey League and stood out every game.

4)  Alex Turcotte C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 88kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
The two-way center out of the USNTDP played in the shadow of Jack Hughes, but that doesn’t diminish his game. Turcotte is a high-intensity player that combines speed, size, and skill with great defensive capabilities.

5)  Alex Newhook C (Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL) – 180cm, 83kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 8pts)
Newhook is all about speed. He can zip into the offensive zone and great opportunities for his team. Newhook is mainly a playmaker, but he does have goal scoring ability. He’s also good in the defensive zone and competes very hard.

6)  Dylan Cozens C (Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL) – 191cm, 80kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 12pts)
The 2018 WHL Rookie of the Year is an all-around offensive player. Cozens is a big bodied center who is also very fast. He is mainly a goal scorer but does have playmaking abilities. Cozens has a sick release and super accurate shot.

7)  Kirby Dach C (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) – 192cm, 84kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Dach was a standout at the Hlinka tournament where he was the best draft eligible Canadian. He is a pure playmaker who can drive offense for any team he’s on. He uses his vision of the ice to open spaces for teammates and create scoring chances.

8)  Raphaël Lavoie C/W (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL) – 193cm, 87kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
Lavoie is the first player hailing from the QMJHL. He’s a big guy who is super dangerous around the net. That combined with his shot allowed him to score 30 goals as a rookie in the QMJHL. Lavoie went to the U18 World Juniors last season and scored 5 goals in 5 games. He also was taken on the U20 Summer Showcase roster for Canada.

9)  Bowen Byram D (Vancouver Giants, WHL) – 183cm, 81kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 6pts)
The Vancouver Giants pick is a player that can control every part of the game. His skating, passing, and vision allow him to dictate what happens when he’s on the ice. Byram is also great on the rush he uses his speed, lateral movement, and hands to work around defenders.

10) Peyton Krebs C/LW (Kootenay Ice, WHL) – 180cm, 78kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
The 2016 WHL 1st overall pick is a small playmaker coming out of Kootenay. Krebs is a lot like Johnny Gaudreau. Krebs is an elusive player who can easily avoid physical play. He also has good hands, speed, and a wicked wrister.

11) Vasili Podkolzin RW (Vityaz Podolsk U17, Russia U17) – 181cm, 75kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
Podkolzin exploded at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He led the tournament in points and goals playing with Russia. He showed his unbelievable highlight reel skill and clutch play. Podkolzin is super strong, and at top speed, he can’t be stopped.

12) Cole Caufield RW/C (USNTDP, USHL) – 168cm, 70kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 13pts)
The 168cm (5’6”) goal scorer is one of the most fun players to watch. Caufield was a goal a game with the U17 and U18 USNTDP teams. Caufield is electric but is written off because of his size. Even with his size, Caufield finished 2nd in points at the U17s only behind Jack Hughes.

13) Jakob Pelletier C/W (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL) – 175cm, 72kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 12pts)
Pelletier was statistically the best player coming out of the QMJHL. He is an all-around offensive player who can make plays and score. He also has all the skating abilities to make for a great NHLer.

14) Cam York D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 75kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
York is the star defensemen for the USNTDP. He played a lot with the U18 team and went to the U18 World Juniors. Even as a 16-year-old at the tournament he was the best defensemen for the Americans.

15) Ryan Suzuki C (Barrie Colts, OHL) – 183cm, 78kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
The 1st overall pick of the 2017 OHL Draft is one of the smartest players and best passers in this draft. He makes plays that no one sees coming, it’s almost as if he has eyes in the back of his head. Like his older brother Nick who was recently dealt to Montreal, he has a solid wrist shot that can pick a corner from the dot.

16) Mikko Kokkonen D (Jukurit, Liiga) – 180cm, 86kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 4pts)
Kokkonen has had a great start to his first season in the Finish pro league. He’s gotten two nice assists in his first two games. Kokkonen has been leaned on a lot by Team Finland in international competition. If Kokkonen can continue to produce in the Liiga he will fight for a top 10 spot.

17) Simon Holmström RW (HV71 J20, SuperElit) – 181cm, 78kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
We could be talking about Holmström tearing up the SHL right now. Unfortunately, he is currently out with an injury. He was brilliant in the U20 Swedish league as a 16-year-old but didn’t get to play internationally because of injury. He is the strongest candidate to rise as he gets more exposure.

18) Philip Broberg D (AIK J20, SuperElit) – 190cm, 90kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 6pts)
Philip Broberg was the breakout player of the Hlinka tournament. He showed his amazing speed and skill on the rush. At that tournament, Broberg looked easily like a top 5 pick. Although, there are concerns with Broberg’s game. He had trouble producing in league play and international play before the tournament. Broberg needs to prove he can do what he did in the Hlinka on a regular basis.

19) Trevor Zegras C (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 72kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 9pts)
Zegras is a dangerous player with the puck. He has stellar stickhandling, high caliber speed, and is very smart. He loves to rush the puck but sometimes turns it over in the neutral zone when doing this. His shot is also something to watch out for from the slot.

20) Tobias Björnfot D (Djurgårdens IF J20, SuperElit) – 183cm, 85kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
Björnfot has struggled a lot in international competition, but thrived in league play. This season he is starting in the U20 Swedish league and looks to try and crack the SHL roster for Djurgårdens. Björnfot is defiantly a player to keep an eye on this year.

21) Nils Höglander LW (Rögle BK, SHL) – 174cm, 84kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
While splitting time between the Swedish 2nd pro league and Swedish U20 league Höglander was on a point per game pace in the U20s before being moved up to the 2nd league. He is a primarily small and skilled player with a physical edge to his game, much like former superstar Theo Fleury.

22) Maxim Cajkovic W (Saint John Sea Dogs) – 180cm, 85kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 7pts)
The 1st overall pick is this year’s CHL Import Draft was put on the map after leading the U18 World Juniors in points per game and was second to Jack Hughes in points. Cajkovic is an offensive-minded player with all the tools to be a big-time producer in the QMJHL this year.

23) Marshall Warren D (USNTDP, USHL) – 180cm, 73kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 5pts)
Marshall Warren is a perfect all around defensemen coming out of the USNTDP. Warren is one of the best athletes in the draft too. His skating allows him to play a two-way game as he uses it to defend and great space in the offensive zone.

24) Arthur Kaliyev LW (Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL) – 188cm, 86kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 10pts)
The U17 leader the OHL in goals and points is the top American outside of the USNTDP. Kaliyev is an aggressive power forward who was an important part of the OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs.

25) Pavel Dorofeyev W (Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk, MHL) – 184cm, 74kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Dorofeyev is a dangerous goal scorer out of Russia. His shot is his best attribute, but he is also very skilled. He was able to play on the Russian U18 team last year which is very impressive because the Russian program is known to heavily favoring older players. Dorofeyev scored 4 points in that tournament.

26) Blake Murray C (Sudbury Wolves, OHL) – 188cm, 81kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 11pts)
Playing on a very weak Sudbury team Blake Murray managed to produce well for an U17 player in the OHL. Without much support on his wings Murray scored the 2nd most goals of U17 OHLers.

27) Dustin Wolf G (Everett Silvertips, WHL) – 183cm, 68kg 
Last year’s WHL break out goaltender has continued his great play into the WHL pre-season. Currently he is 3-0 with a .927 Sv%. Last year Wolf got some good time as the starting goaltender and managed to win the CHL Goaltender of the Week. The hit on Wolf is his size at only 183cm (6’0”). Wolf standout quality is his puckhandling. Last year at 16 he got 4 assists in 20 games. In my mind he is the best puckhandling goalie in junior hockey. For more info check out my full article on on Wolf and this year’s goaltending crop.

28) Matthew Boldy C/W (USNTDP, USHL) – 183cm, 79kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 1pts)
The American power forward is a monster in front of the net. Boldy also has very good playmaking abilities and offensive IQ. Boldy was unfortunately snubbed from being able to play with the U18 team at the USNTDP.

29) Albin Grewe C/RW (Djurgårdens IF J20, SuperElit) – 182cm, 80kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 7pts)
Grewe left a lot to be desired after last season with Djurgårdens J20 and international play. Despite this he broke out at the Hlinka and then has been great in the Swedish U20 league and is currently at a point per game pace.

https://twitter.com/NHLProspectsYT/status/1041496759195893760

30) Alex Vlasic D (USNTDP, USHL) – 196cm, 86kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 4pts)
Vlasic is an enormous shut down defensemen who plays a lot like Zdeno Chara. He uses his long stick to block passing lanes and has a booming shot. The cousin of the Shark’s shutdown defender Marc-Édouard Vlasic plays a lot like Marc-Édouard too.

31) Moritz Seider D (Alder Mannheim, DEL) – 192cm, 83kg (Age-Adjusted NHLe: 1pt)
The German monster playing the German pro league is one of the most interesting prospects in this draft. So interesting that I wrote an entire article on him.

https://twitter.com/NHLProspectsYT/status/1041500814676844545

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A New-ish Oilers Rumor + 6 Sleepers for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft

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The Oilers are getting into the news more and more these days and I’m loving it! That means we’re getting closer to the season and that I can look forward to the temperatures cooling off…

So today we’ve got a trade rumor that simply won’t die as well as six sleepers for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft from the new guy, Max!

After you…

A NEW-ISH TRADE RUMOR

Bob Stauffer, Lowetide, Kurt Leavins, and David Staples have talked about it recently.  We’ve briefly written about it here as well in the past week as well…

With the Oilers loading up on no.6/7 dmen and no.13/14 forwards, are they getting ready to trade a forward for a defender to replace the injured Andrej Sekera?

https://twitter.com/oilersfan1991/status/1032494649619898368

https://twitter.com/oilersfan1991/status/1032495766361669632

Justin Faulk has a modified no-movement clause that kicks in this year and with that comes a 15-team list. So basically he has told Carolina which teams he’s not interested in going to and which ones he is IF they decide to move him.

When we talk about what it’d take to acquire Faulk we first look at the return the Hurricanes got for Skinner and it was a shite return, let’s be honest. That said, I do not think that current Carolina GM Don Waddell had a whole lot to work with in that trade given Jeff Skinner was vetoing deals left and right.

I do think that he’s got a bit more flexibility with the Faulk trade. The only pressure he has is from his boss who isn’t interested in paying Faulk $6M a year to play 3rd-pairing TOI.

I’ve spoken on Twitter about the Oilers offering Zack Kassian and picks/prospects for Faulk and the reason being I believe that Kassian is really the only guy that Chiarelli is comfortable moving. Leavins has suggested Caggiula. Either way, a bottom-6 player from the Edmonton Oilers that plays a rugged style and might be overpaid slightly seems like the tender in which the Oilers are willing to pay for Justin Faulk.

If that is the case, they won’t get him. Toronto and Chicago both have the goods to give Carolina a much better offer.

Other things to consider:

  • How will acquiring Faulk affect the next expansion list for Edmonton?
  • Will the Oilers be over a barrel cap-wise sooner or later?
  • Are the Oilers really that desperate for Faulk?
  • Is Edmonton on Faulk’s “list”?
  • If those offers from Edmonton could “get it done”, why hasn’t the deal been made yet?
  • What happens when Sekera returns?
  • Would the Oilers be better off down a top-9 winger in a deal for Faulk or with the current roster as is?

Of course, Peter Chiarelli could offer Puljujarvi (god no…) or try and make a bigger deal with Nugent-Hopkins (I’ll hop on the fire Chia bandwagon if he moves RNH for Faulk straight across…).

Do the Oilers NEED Justin Faulk?

Thoughts? Please leave them in the comments below!

SIX SLEEPERS FOR THE 2019 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

My man Max is at it again! This time he’s offered up his six sleepers for the upcoming NHL entry draft in Vancouver next summer! Will the Edmonton Oilers get their hands on one of these beauties? Only time will tell but let’s dig in and see what Max has for us!

Follow him on Twitter @TPEHockey

Roman Basran – G (Kelowna Rockets, WHL) – 185cm, 78kg – 10GP – .926 Sv%

Basran started the 17/18 season playing youth hockey in the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League, but by the end of the season he was dominating the Western Hockey League. Basran’s stats portray a goaltender that could be an early round pick in the draft except he only played 10 games. In his short time in the WHL he registered his first shutout on a 38 save game. Basran possesses a lot of natural skill as he didn’t lace up the skates until he was 9 years old. We ultimately need to see more of him to decide what he really is, and if he continues his great play we are looking at a high-level prospect.

Josh Williams – RW (Medicine Hat, WHL) – 185cm, 84kg – 47GP – 11G – 9A – 20TP

After struggling last season Josh Williams as he was given restricted minutes on the bottom 6 for Medicine Hat, and didn’t do as well as most hoped. Although when playing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and international U17 camps where he got more opportunities he outperformed expectations. At the Hlinka, he scored 5 goals and an assist and displayed his hard shot and quick thinking. Williams possesses great speed, skill, and talent. If he can gain confidence and receive more opportunities then I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in contention for the 1st round of the draft.

Nick Robertson – C/LW (Peterborough Petes, OHL) – 175cm, 73kg – 62GP – 15G – 18A – 33TP

Robertson is one of the youngest players in the draft class being only 4 days off of the September 15th cut off. Much like Josh Williams, he struggled at the beginning of the season until, unlike Williams, he was given more opportunities to succeed in a bigger role. Robertson began to score more goals and display his true talent. He is known for his competitive drive, high-level skating ability, and hands to match. He exploded in the Hlinka tournament scoring a hat-trick against Canada showing that when given the opportunity he could perform.

Ville Heinola – LD (Ässät U20, Jr. A SM-Liiga) – 181cm, 79kg – 33GP – 3G – 14A – 17TP

This new age mobile defenseman is highlighted by his elite poise and two-way abilities. Heinola skates, handles the puck, and plays with unmatched poise. He’s calm and composed with the puck and in the defensive zone. Heinola played in the Finnish U20 league and looks to play in the pro league with Lukko next year. He’s flown under the radar all year but if he can crack the pro roster then he will surely get more attention.

Xavier Simoneau – C (Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL) – 167cm, 78kg – 61GP – 17G – 28A – 45TP

As a rookie playing for Drummondville, Simoneau played both the power play and penalty kill. He is a solid two way player with a lot of hockey sense. He’s regarded as one of the smartest players coming out of the QMJHL this year which is why he was played so heavily on the special team units. The hit on Simoneau is his size and is likely why he hasn’t gotten a lot of attention. As we see him more and people get past his size he will rise on everyone’s rankings.

Yaroslav Likhachyov – RW (Lokomotiv, Russia U17) – 180cm, 76kg – 22GP – 16G – 24A 40TP

Likhachyov is a highlight reel player that plans to play for Gatineau in the QMJHL. This year he was the 22nd pick in the CHL Import Draft after his stint playing in Russia’s U17 league. Likhachyov is known for his outstanding skill and talent with the puck. He’s got great hands and has the ability stickhandle with little space and get a shot off with his quick release. The hit on Likhachyov though is his skating and play away from the puck. His issue is that his feet can’t keep up with his hand. If he can work on his speed and complete game we are looking at a first round talent.

Do you have a sleeper for the upcoming draft? Let us know in the comments below!

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Oilers PTO Targets Revealed!

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Plan the parade! The troops are coming!

Today I was contacted by one of my sources with regards to the players that Edmonton is looking at offering PTOs to. They aren’t really huge surprises and if you’ve had your ear to the ground you probably know who they are already.

But before we get into who those players are I have to tell you first that the information I receive is just as likely to fail to materialize than come true. Treat it like water cooler talk at home or forum rumors online. If it comes true, great! You heard it here first and if it doesn’t, meh!

I was informed that the Oilers are looking for a veteran winger and a right-shot defender or a left-shot one that can play the right side.

SCOTTIE UPSHALL

The Alberta native is a left-shot right winger who brings a ton of NHL experience, defensive acumen and a gritty style. Upshall can help on the penalty kill, and formed a dangerous fourth line with new Oiler Kyle Brodziak when the duo was in St. Louis. (source)

It’s hard to put it any more plainly and clearly than Alex Thomas has above. I agree with near everything he’s said there about Upshall and if you’re a long-time reader of mine, you’ll know I have a thing for veterans on young hockey teams. Especially veterans who have been part of successful organizations. St.Louis hasn’t won any Stanley Cups but they have been part of the Stanley Cup playoffs in six of the last 7 seasons.

Last season Upshall started on a PTO with Vancouver if I’m not mistaken before signing a deal to go back to the Blues in St.Louis. While with the Blues he posted 7g 12a for 19pts in 63 games played.

I like Upshall because he can be a bit of a pest on the ice with his physicality. He stirs things up out there and I dig that. I also like the idea of the Oilers sending out a line of Upshall-Brodziak-Kassian.

BRANDON DAVIDSON

Is the third time a charm?

My source did say that the Oilers would be happy with a lefty who can play the right side and Davidson has done that for the Oilers in the past.

https://twitter.com/NHLbyMatty/status/1029518948184743936

Ol’ Matty isn’t one to part with his money so easily. So it’s a good indication that this rumor is probably close to true than not but don’t take it to the bank so fast. This is what Brandon Davidson said himself in an interview with the Lethbridge Herald recently,

“There has been some interest, for sure, from three or four teams at this point,” said Davidson. “We’re moving into August and you kind of want to have some security and know where you’re going. I’m at the point right now with a few teams that we’re going to start making some commitments and hopefully start a new chapter in my life. I’m really excited and ready for a new opportunity and ready to make this my own.” (source)

The portions I highlighted should be telling. Just because he’s training in Edmonton doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to sign there. He talks about a “new chapter” in his life and being ready for a “new opportunity”. To me, that sounds like things aren’t as sure as you’d think…

But let’s say that Davidson does sign a PTO and subsequently a contract with the Oilers. How would that affect the defensive pairings?

I didn’t have Andrej Sekera playing above Darnell Nurse this season so that would’ve made him the 3rd pairing left-shot defender with Kris Russell as his partner.

Klefbom/Larsson
Nurse/Benning
Sekera/Russell

That would’ve been a pretty tight group to go into the new season with. Now there are a few more questions but only on the bottom pairing, in my opinion, and I’m actually fine with there being questions at the no.6 spot on defense as that skater’s TOI shouldn’t have a massive impact on the game itself.

Could Brandon Davidson play there? Absolutely! In that article I linked to above he also said he’s working with a new skills coach and a new skating coach. This is good! You might remember Lowetide saying that he thought Davidson had a “hitch in his giddyup” last year and that’s why he didn’t play as well. Hopefully, the new coaches this summer sort that out for him. Especially if he’s to be an Oiler for 2018/19…

I asked about a timetable as to when these PTOs will be announced but I was told to closer to September, that nothing is happening right now, and that the Oilers are in “Study” mode, so to speak.

BONUS

I was also told that the Oilers might circle back to Justin Faulk but closer to the regular season. If you listened to Oilers Now today, Bob Stauffer explained that Faulk is due $6M this season and we know that the new owner is a bit frugal with his cash. I guess Oilers AGM Keith Gretzky is making more than the ‘Canes GM if that’s any indicator.

I inquired as to what the Oilers could be willing to pay to get Faulk and my source indicated that it wouldn’t be Nuge and that they might get away with giving up picks.

Now, given what Buffalo paid to get Skinner, draft picks seem more realistic. Also, it’ll depend on how badly the Hurricanes owner doesn’t want to pay a 3rd pairing defender $6M…

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!

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

The Draft Day Trade That Never Happened

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Top of the mornin’ to Y’all! Are you getting more excited as July 1st draws nearer? Or perhaps as an Oilers fan, you’re getting more and more nervous wondering what Chiarelli might do.

I think for me, I’m a bit anxious at the moment. I don’t truly feel that the Oilers are done altering the roster. I’d like them to be and the reason for that is their new plan of doing nothing or doing very little is working and I don’t want Chiarelli and his staff to deviate from that plan of action.

Kurt Leavins wrote a piece earlier that leans to the above a bit. I recommend you read it for sure.

BARGAIN SHOPPING FOR FREE AGENTS

So whether you listen to Bob Stauffer or you read Lowetide, it looks like the Oilers are going to have between $3.5M and $5M in cap room. Not a lot mind you but not insufficient enough to prevent the team from adding a few quality vets.

My personal favorites as you’re reading this are:

  • Austin Czarnik – RW – Little guy with skills up the wazoo.
  • Tobias Rieder – LW/RW – Not the cheapest option but an excellent 2-way threat.
  • Curtis McKenzie – LW – Sandpaper galore. A younger version of Matt Hendricks.
  • Marek Hrivik – C/LW – 6’2″ and too good to play AHL. Skilled bottom-6 option?

Reckon any of those players will come in under a million per year? Rieder for sure won’t. I don’t even know why he’d even be an option given they unsavory conditions in which they separated before. I’ve seen Duclair’s name pop up too and I don’t know if he’d be an option either. The kid is going to be on his 4th team before he turns 23.

THE RUMOURS

So as I present these to you, I need to preface this by saying, believe what you believe. I’m only a guy who happens to know someone within a professional hockey organization. I’m not an insider per se but I hear things and I like to pass them on to you. All of this could come true or none of it could and it’s more likely the latter because things change all of the time, as you’re about to read. My advice, treat this like water cooler banter and don’t take it too seriously.

  • The Oilers are looking into bringing Brandon Davidson back.
  • There was a trade on the table for the 10th overall pick… 10th overall to the Hurricanes for Justin Faulk

Man, could you imagine if Evan Bouchard hadn’t dropped to the Oilers? The repercussions of acquiring Justin Faulk could’ve been staggering because they would’ve definitely had to have made more trades just to become cap compliant…

What was the subsequent trade they would’ve to have made to get the cap in order I wonder?

The hockey gods did us a solid last weekend.

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