Tag Archives: Kris Russell

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

2019/20 Edmonton Oilers: New Rumor PLUS Bakersfield and Edmonton Add Roster Flexibility With New Signings

The signings are coming in fast and furious these days as the Edmonton Oilers and Bakersfield Condors keep some key players in the fold, in addition to adding some fresh new talent out of Sweden. Bakersfield Condors Re-Sign Two Vets

Assistant GM Keith Gretzky did the parent club a solid by getting veteran Condors Brad Malone and Luke Esposito to sign two-year extensions with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate. The key to these deals being that they’re AHL contracts and will not count against Edmonton’s 50-man limit thus giving Ken Holland some more room to work with when the time comes.

Similar to a player like Josh Currie (also a UFA and someone I expect the Oilers to re-sign given his significance to that team and the community), Malone and Esposito are very important to Jay Woodcroft’s team as they are highly-regarded and well-respected minor league players who will no doubt have a very positive effect on the younger players that will be playing in Bakersfield for the next couple of seasons like Raphael Lavoie, Kirill Maksimov, Ryan McLeod, Evan Bouchard, and Dmitri Samorukov.

Gretzky has been busy this off-season with signings. Since the AHL season was put on hold he’s signed Liam Folkes (RW), Janis Jaks (D), Devin Brousseau (F), and Blake Christiansen (LW).

Here are some notes on Brad Malone and Luke Esposito courtesy of BakersfieldCondors.com,

BRAD MALONE (stats) – 30 years old, 6’2″, 217 lbs., Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada

  • A veteran of 583 professional games combined between the NHL and AHL
  • Over three seasons with the Condors, he has recorded 89 points (34g-55a) in 148 games
  • Was in the midst of his best AHL season in 2019-20 with 31 points (13g-18a) in 49 games
  • Led the Condors in the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs with 13 points (5g-8a) in 10 games
  • Has served as an alternate captain during his Condors career
  • Appeared in 199 NHL games with Colorado, Carolina, and Edmonton

LUKE ESPOSITO (stats) – 26 years old, 5’10”, 183 lbs., Andover, Massachusetts

  • Has played 150 AHL games over three seasons (two with Bakersfield) and has 57 points (15g-42a)
  • Led the 2019-20 Condors with two shorthanded goals
  • Second on the 2019-20 Condors with two game-winning goals
  • Went to the Calder Cup Playoffs in his first two AHL seasons (2019 w/BAK, 2018 w/GR)
  • Two-time ECAC Champion at Harvard University (2017, 2015) and was named to the 2017 ECAC All-Tournament Team

Lennstrom and Haas Sign with Oilers

You had to know something was going to drop given how much chatter there was going on with regards to Gaetan Haas last week on Oilers talk radio and this week the Swiss forward took a 10k paycut to sign a one-way one-year deal worth 915k with the club.

I talked about it earlier, but I really like having Haas on this team. It’s probably a bit silly to say given his nationality but he really is a bit of a Swiss army knife on the ice and possibly even more so going forward. I wonder if he might get some time on the second powerplay unit (a place he was well familiar with during his time in the Swiss league) given his ability to tip pucks as well as more time on the second penalty-killing unit.

That said, before any of that happens, he needs to get stronger and better on the faceoffs. He’s got the speed, the skills, and the processor to play the NHL game but he gets knocked around out there quite easily and loses battles that he should be winning. A bit of added strength and a sturdier core would go a long way I believe.

At the moment, Haas is back in Switzerland with his significant other recuperating from finger surgery awaiting instructions from the team.

Last time I spoke about Teddy Lennstrom I said that it was my belief that he’ll be depth for Edmonton’s AHL team in Bakersfield and I still believe that even with the news that was passed on to me yesterday.

Unless Ken Holland is thinking of shaking up his defense in a major way, I can’t see Lennstrom beating Oscar Klefbom, Darnell Nurse, Caleb Jones, William Lagesson, or Dmitri Samorukov for a spot on the Oilers defense patrolling the left side. Right now, Bakersfield has Samorukov as its sole left-side defender because we’re under the impression that Philip Broberg will be staying in Sweden for another year and that William Lagesson will be on the Oilers roster unless Edmonton trades him or is okay with losing him via waivers next year. Keegan Lowe and Brandon Manning are UFAs.

RUMOR

I was told, Kris Russell‘s time as an Edmonton Oiler could be coming to an end when the 2019/20 NHL season is concluded.

Ken Holland will be looking to move the veteran defender in a cost-cutting move and there is possible interest in the shot-blocking king from teams in the Eastern Conference.

Now, Russell as a M-NTC, NMC in his current deal and will need to pass on a 15-team trade list before the season starts. He’ll only be making $1.5M in real money next season but will be a $4M cap-hit for the team acquiring him.

Maybe a team like Ottawa would take a swing at him given that they’ll need to hit the cap floor. Plus they’ll have 39-year-old Ron Hainsey turning UFA and his last deal was worth $3.5M and the Sens aren’t going anywhere fast (even if they do win the draft lottery and select Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfield).

The Sens also have a shite ton of draft picks to part with and speaking of teams with lots of draft picks who like gritty older defenders, the Montreal Canadiens intrigue me as another possible option. I reckon Rusty would be an upgrade on Xavier Ouellet and Brett Kulak and the Habs would only have to give up one of their three 4th round picks or one of their two 5th rounders.

I’m just speculating on trade partners and I would venture to say that anything else that’s being posted on the socials is just the same. With that in mind, anything could happen between now and whenever NHL teams are allowed to make trades again.

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2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM62: Oilers @ Kings – 3P2W – Latest Trade Rumors and Rumblings

The Edmonton Oilers have turned up the heat on this year’s trade deadline since we last chatted here. Last time around we were talking about Tyler Ennis and now some more names have come up, but let’s talk about this game tonight before we get into the rumors.

LA played last night, so they could come out flying and then peter out hard. It’ll be up to the Oilers’ defense to stand strong during the King’s push and for the forwards to take advantage of any opportunities afforded them early on. McLellan’s boys haven’t been scoring much and they got their only goal against the Avs on a penalty shot yesterday, so this could be a prime chance for Holland’s men to really get on LA and keep them down.

Now, Jonathan Quick played last night so I’d assume Cal Petersen will start this one and depending on how cynical you are, you might be happy about getting the backup or you might be a tad wary since the Oilers have made some pretty bad goalies look good in recent history…

I like Edmonton’s chances tonight but with that said, the Kings still have the likes of Drew Doughty and Dustin Brown playing for them and they aren’t the most honest of hockey players in the league. Knock on wood, I hope the Oilers come away from this one without any additions to the IR.

THE RUMORS

First off, I want to let you know that I’ve been posting a few more of the things I hear over at our BLH Instagram page lately. I feel like my website’s server has let us down a bit too much this year so I’ve been releasing some stuff on the IG platform. Please, head over there now and follow our account if you haven’t already!

I talked with my sources last night and finally had a nice long conversation so I can let you in on a bit more this morning.

  • Jesse Puljujarvi: Not too long ago Edmonton Journal veteran scribe Jim Matheson asked Oilers GM Ken Holland about Pulju and GMKH said that he wasn’t shopping him and nobody was asking. Well, I believe the reason for that is that the Oilers intend on trying to bring him back into the fold. The GM and head coach really want to work with him and on no less than three occasions this year the Oilers have sent representatives to Finland to speak with the young lad. Puljujarvi felt hurt from the last regime (Chiarelli/McLellan/Hitchcock) and that’s one of the main reasons he stayed in Finland this year aside from wanting to get his mojo and love for the game back. I’ve said this to many people who’ve asked, if there’s any person who could convince Jesse to return, it’d be Ken Holland and to add to that, I don’t think JP wants to spend another year in Finland. GMKH did say he wanted to go fishing in those waters in an interview with Bob Stauffer last week, did he not? “Those waters” being Europe. If you’re wondering what kind of impact he could have, look no further than that of Martin Necas’. I believe Puljujarvi could be a 30-40pt winger starting next year.
  • Anton Slepyshev: Speaking of players lighting it up in Europe. My source said he expects Slepy to be in camp next season. The 25-year-old Russian left because the management and coaching couldn’t get their shit together and now that the KHL will be implementing a salary cap next season there might be a solid exodus of players heading to NA, including Anton. It sounds like he’s fine with a bottom-6 role too.
  • James Neal: We heard Bob Stauffer and Sportsnet’s Mark Spector talking about Neal possibly going on LTIR to shake loose some cash and to avoid giving that 3rd round pick to Calgary from the Lucic trade last week on Oilers Now. Well, there’s some serious consideration being given to this option.
  • Tyler Ennis: This one is basically done barring the Sens backing out. Just a few more wrinkles to iron out. What I was told is that Ennis is possibly the player that will go up with McDavid if this deal goes through. Personally, I’m not sure if that’s a good plan or not… Has Ennis ever been a top-6 player? Is an add like this going to be more David Desharnais or Sergei Samsonov?
  • Mike Green: Hold up on this trade is money/picks. Detroit is willing to retain but this will have to be a hockey deal. Money will have to go out from Edmonton in order to bring this player in. I like this sort of trade for Edmonton though. You can never go wrong with more vets of Green’s caliber.
  • Andreas Athanasiou: My source said AA has NEVER been a target of the team and Holland hasn’t asked about him. The feeling is Athanasiou wouldn’t fit the Oilers’ team dynamic right now. We’ve heard the term “lone ranger” thrown around with him and I was told he’s a bit too “self-contained”. So I’d say that the Oilers are looking for players who are good in the locker room and easy to coach.
  • Oilers Heading Out: It sounds like Toronto and Carolina made some inquiries as to the services of Jujhar Khaira and Matt Benning (TOR), as well as, Kris Russell (CAR). The Maple Leafs are shitting the bed right now and might be looking for a shakeup of sorts. Khaira and Benning have been connected to the Leafs for over a year and because Toronto is in a bit of a bind, I think the Oilers are probably asking for Kasperi Kapanen there. I can’t see them getting the Finn but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Caleb Jones has made Russell redundant at this point.

Three Players to Watch for the Kings

  • #11 Anze Kopitar – According to Dailyfaceoff.com, Kopitar has 8 assists in LA’s last five games. No goals though. He’ll always be a threat whenever he’s on the ice, right? Leon Draisaitl, no doubt, will be seeing a lot of Kopitar this evening as well.
  • #42 Gabe Vilardi – There was a time when folks thought this kid’s career was in doubt but he’s worked his ass off to come back and make a go of it. : might be this generation’s Jason Allison. Not the fastest or best skater by any means, but he is a helluva playmaker with elite vision.
  • #29 Martin Frk – Frk and his hardest shot in pro hockey will be something to keep an eye out for. Was once the property of Ken Holland’s Red Wings. He’s been up and down throughout his entire career but LA is horrid right now and since trading Tyler Toffoli, they could use him on the pro team. Edmonton has to be careful not to let him get an open shot because he could actually start hurting guys with a clapper that hard. Lord knows, the Oilers don’t need any more bodies on the IR.

Three Players to Watch for the Oilers

  • #73 Ethan Bear – It finally sounds like Ethan Bear is going to be QB-ing the Oilers’ first unit PP… Finally. It was basically his bread and butter in junior and the AHL so I have not idea why it took Coach Tippett so long to come to the conclusion that he should be the one running that unit, not Darnell Nurse.
  • #89 Sam Gagner – Gags took a bit of shot during the Minnesota game that had him clutching his shoulder/chest. So I’m not sure how healthy he is right now, but the reason I have him as a player to watch is that I feel like the next player in our list here will be playing and Sam will be his linemate.
  • #97 Connor McDavid – The Oilers didn’t send Colby Cave back to Bakersfield for nothing. I think the Captain is coming back tonight and that will bode well for this team. I mean, I’ve nearly puked watching the team try to gain entry into the other team’s zone during a PP since he was out. It’s so apparent that they need him there but it won’t hurt to have him 5×5 either.

No lines have been posted yet. It’s the day before the trade deadline and as I said above, some players might be sitting out in lieu of a deal. Keep your eyes and ears peeled and that should give you a good idea as to who is possibly heading out. I do expect Mike Smith to be in the net though and for the forwards to basically be the same as they were against Minnesota.

The Next Ten Games (61-70)

  • vs. Minnesota Wild (28-24-7) – Edmonton is 0-2 against the Wild this year and it’s about time the Oilers beat Bill Guerin’s boys. (WIN) LOSS
  • @ Los Angeles Kings (22-34-5) – I have to say, the Kings are a dangerous team right now. They have nothing to lose and can spoil a lot of teams’ seasons. The Oilers have won 2/3 this year against their old coach but Connor McDavid might be back in this one. Keep an eye out to see if anybody out of the ordinary is sitting for this one because the next day is the trade deadline. (WIN)
  • @ Anaheim Ducks (24-29-7) – Last time out the Oilers put up six on Dallas Eakins’ Ducks. I expect Edmonton to equal that this time around and who knows how the roster will look as this is the game that follows the trade deadline. (WIN)
  • @ Vegas Golden Knights (32-22-8) – The Golden Knights record might hover around Edmonton’s but I feel like this team is a bit better on paper plus this is the second game in a back-to-back. (LOSS)
  • vs. Winnipeg Jets (32-25-5) – Big Buff sank this team when he decided he wasn’t going to play but the Jets have stuck in the race the whole season pretty much. You have to love the heart! (LOSS)
  • @ Nashville Predators (29-23-7) – I think the Oilers can sweep the season series with Nashville. The Preds defense isn’t what it used to be and there seems to be a bit of a dark cloud floating over the team at the moment. Pekka Rinne has hit a wall too… (WIN)
  • @ Dallas Stars (35-19-6) – Edmonton and Dallas have each won one game-a-piece against each other this season so far. This will be the rubber match and I like Dallas here. (LOSS)
  • @ Chicago Blackhawks (26-26-8) – Going into Chicago to play the Blackhawks is never an easy task and the Oilers have always had a tough time winning in the Windy City. (LOSS)
  • vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (30-19-3) – Edmonton is 21-8-0 at home vs. Columbus all-time. It’s hard to argue with those numbers, right? On the other hand, John Tortorella has his team right in the running for a playoff spot in the East. This game should be a war of attrition to see who comes away with the two points. (WIN)
  • vs. Vegas Golden Knights (32-22-8) – I like Edmonton’s chances at home against the Golden Knights. History tells us they have a better chance at beating them in Edmonton than in Vegas. (WIN)

(Standings as of February 21st, 2020)

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2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM52: Oilers @ Flames – 3P2W – A Trade the Oilers Mustn’t Make!

Well, here we are for round four of the Battle of Alberta. The Flames have already taken the season series with their win just a few days ago, but the Oilers have a lot to play for and could really throw a wrench into Calgary’s playoff plans.

Speaking of playoff plans, are the Arizona Coyotes going to fall out of the race? Their goalies can’t seem to stay healthy and the status of their best defender is up in the air… Might they turn around and flip Taylor Hall if things continue to go poorly for them?

Getting back to the Oilers/Flames game tonight, I reckon there’s still some score-settling to be done. Leon took that massive slash from Tkachuk in OT and the McDavid/Giordano “hockey play” most likely will be re-visited. I’m not sure if Monahan will want to have a talk with Archibald as well. Then there’s the Rittich “Stick Flip” celly to boot and the full-on swing he took at Alex Chiasson that went unpunished as the ref stood right there to make sure Chiasson didn’t retaliate…

The rivalry couldn’t be hotter right now.

A Trade the Oilers Mustn’t Make

A bit of chatter recently about the defense of the Oilers and who should be sacrificed in order to usher in the Evan Bouchard era. Not surprisingly Kris Russell and Adam Larsson are at the forefront of those talks but Matt Benning is someone that has come up as well.

It’s obvious why Kris Russell’s name is in there. He’s getting passed by Caleb Jones on the depth chart, his TOI is decreasing, and his $4M per year is simply too much to pay a depth defender. That said, the word around Edmonton is that his contract might be problematic with regards to trading him.

Do the Oilers want to pay $2M or more for a 6/7 defender next season? That’s where they are sitting with Mr. Benning. As good as he has been, they have a decision to make because ideally, Evan Bouchard should be on the 3rd pair across from Caleb Jones next year.

Now, I would trade Matthew Benning before I’d even consider moving Adam Larsson. The Iron Swede provides Edmonton with something no other player in their organization can provide. A tough-as-nails right-shot shutdown defender who’ll do anything to stop the opposition from scoring. Of course, when you’re this type of defender there tends to be a lack of offense and for me, I’m 100% okay with that. He’s so important to the Oilers’ PK and also the play of Oscar Klefbom.

The worst trade Ken Holland could make would be to trade Adam Larsson before the 2020 NHL entry draft. As we witnessed against the Blues last night, when playing heavy teams, you need to have an element of that toughness in your own lineup to counteract what the opponents are throwing at you. It can’t all be rookie defenders who are undersized but pass well. The post-season is a different beast where defenders like Larsson thrive and the moment Edmonton does trade him, they’re back looking for that same player… Again!

I’d argue that Edmonton should keep Benning and Russell for the time being as well for the depth on defense going into the playoffs instead of trading for it like most teams do. But if there’s an option to upgrade, you have to do what you have to do. Coach Tippett likes lefty/righty d-pairings mind you.

It’s Time to Re-Sign

I talked to my main source last night to see if there was anything going on with regards to the trade market and I was told the Oilers are always talking but that they are working very hard to get Riley Sheahan and Josh Archibald signed to new contracts. No numbers as of now but I think something will emerge sooner than later.

These two have come into Edmonton and done a bloody good job in their roles. Even when Archibald’s has changed as he was moved to the top line with McDavid, he was still as effective. They’ve been a MASSIVE part of the team’s revamped penalty kill. I’d like to see these players re-upped for another two to four years, you? Let me know in the comments below!

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Three Players to Watch For the Flames

  • #58 Oliver Kylington – This guy was a treat to watch in the last edition of the BoA. His skating is both smooth and powerful. And to think, he was on the trade block this year. I think Calgary would be nuts to move this guy with how young he is and how well he moves the puck.
  • #13 Johnny Gaudreau – He’s been an absolute non-factor for Calgary against Edmonton in the last couple of BoA games. It really hasn’t been his year, I wonder if he wakes up for round 4?
  • #88 Andrew Mangiapane – This little guy broke out of his slump with a brace (two goals) in the last match-up between these two teams. He’s quite the goal-scoring predator and the Oilers will need to be aware of him and stay within a stick’s length so he doesn’t… burn them again. Thank you! I’ll be here all week!

Three Players to Watch For the Oilers

  • #97 Connor McDavid – That attempted trip from Mark Knee-ordano will most definitely still be at the forefront of Connor’s memory and I expect him to exact revenge in the form of goals. Many many goals.
  • #6 Adam Larsson – Arguably played his best game of the year last night. I’ll be looking to him to provide some more of that Swedish muscle against Calgary tonight. I can’t believe people are considering trading him… SMH.
  • #56 Kailer Yamamoto – This guy just keeps producing. Did you see that pass he laid out for Leon for the game-winning goal last night? He’s in Edmonton to stay folks! Time to grab a jersey me thinks!

Edmonton’s lines aren’t quite up yet and I can’t even speculate as to what they’re going to look like since Tyler Benson and William Lagesson didn’t play last night. I’ve asked around with various sources close to the team and nadda. I think James Neal will still be out with a foot injury and it’s probably safe to say that Mike Smith will get the call in net since Mikko Koskinen played the previous evening against St. Louis.

I think what I’ll do is give you MY projected lines and we’ll go with that if you don’t mind.

Archibald-McDavid-Kassian
Nuge-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Benson-Sheahan-Russell
Gagner-Haas-Chiasson

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Bear
Jones-Benning

Smith
Koskinen

The Next Ten Games (51-60)

  • vs. St. Louis Blues (31-12-8) – I’m not 100% sold that the Oilers will be focused on this game seeing as they play Calgary the next night. They have played well against the league’s best this season at times though. Can McDavid and Draisaitl beat the Blues in this one like they did at the All-Star game? (WIN) WIN
  • @ Calgary Flames (27-19-6) – If you thought last night’s game was fun with all the fights and cheap shots, this game is going to be bonkers. It always seems to be in Calgary. Losing three times to the Flames and that post-game celly by Rittich will be eating away at the Oilers. They’ll be doing their damnedest to bring home the two points. (WIN)
  • @ Arizona Coyotes (26-21-5) – The Oilers put up a touchdown on the Coyotes right before their bye-week and I don’t imagine that sat well with Taylor Hall and co. That said, they’re on a bit of a slump in their last ten (4-5-1) and Edmonton is flying high as of today (6-2-2). On the other hand, just when the opportunity presents itself to the Oilers they usually take the night off. (LOSS)
  • vs. San Jose Sharks (22-26-4) – Man, this Sharks team is bad. With Vlasic, Karlsson, and Burns on the back-end no less… Can you believe the Golden Knights fired Gerard Gallant to hire San Jose’s old coach? I think this will be a scheduled win for McDavid’s boys. Watch out for shenanigans from Evander Kane and Timo Meier. (WIN)
  • vs. Nashville Predators (23-19-7) – Since the Preds hired NJ’s old coach, they haven’t been scoring much and that’s not a good sign when you go into Edmonton. Couple that with Pekka Rinne’s game falling right off of a cliff and the Oilers should be able to walk away with two points. (WIN)
  • vs. Chicago Blackhawks (24-21-6) – The Hawks are coming on as of late and I think they could pull this one off in Edmonton. Maybe Drake Caggiula does the ex-Oiler thing and scores. (LOSS)
  • @ Tampa Bay Lightning (30-15-5) – This will be a fine test for the Oilers. Tampa has found their stride at the right time and are looking very dominant. Might we see another ex-Oiler in Pat Maroon score or drop the flippers? I expect McDavid to be flying in this one. (LOSS)
  • @ Florida Panthers (28-16-5) – This match-up is going to be a fun one. The Panthers have some really fun players to watch like Huberdeau, Barkov, and the very underrated Vincent Trochek. Which Sergei Bobrovsky might we see if he gets the call though? (WIN)
  • @ Carolina Hurricanes (29-18-3) – It’s hard not to like what they’ve build in Carolina. Andrei Svechnikov is already a scoring phenom at 19-years-old and it’s hard to overlook the wonder Finns (Aho/Teravainen), right? How will this team be sans Dougie Hamilton though? Can the Oilers sweep back-to-backs again? (WIN)
  • vs. Boston Bruins (29-10-12) – Edmonton goes from one team who doesn’t lose in OT to a team that seemingly only loses in OT. The Oilers gave the Bs a pretty sound beating last time they played and we’re close to the trade deadline here so I’m not sure what the rosters will look like. I like Boston for this one though. (LOSS)

(Standings as of January 20th, 2020)

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Are the Oilers About to Make a Trade?

I find it quite interesting that the Edmonton Oilers have sat Jujhar Khaira for an entire week while playing Sam Gagner and Patrick Russell instead. My impression of his importance to the team was that he was an integral part of their penalty-killing unit but it seems that’s not the case. I mean, if you’ve been watching the games you might find that he’s looked disengaged for the most part, save for five days in November. For Oilers fans, I believe we’ve conditioned ourselves to Khaira’s career of peaks and valleys in hopes that he might actually break out of it and choose one or another ignoring the fact that maybe he’s not what we’ve hoped he is or could be.

He’s 196 games into his career and I’m not seeing any signs that he’ll be anything more than a 4th line player. In 42 appearances this year he has six goals and two assists and is -35… He’s 25-years-old and the kids on the farm are passing him by.

Don’t get me wrong. I really like Jujhar. He is smart, plays an honest brand of hockey, he hits, fights, he’s got some slick hands and a really good shot when he uses it. He plays the game the right way and he sticks up for his teammates. If the Oilers decided to keep him around, that would make sense to me. Heavy players are valued come playoff time and I know he has suitors across the league who’d claim him in an instant if he hit the waiver wire and the Oilers don’t have anybody like him in their system under an NHL contract who could come in and replace him seamlessly.

So, since we’re coming up on the Oilers bye week, I figured I’d get in touch with some of my sources to see what’s going on and the consensus is that Edmonton IS sitting on a trade right now and the belief is that it’ll be one of Jujhar Khaira or Sam Gagner getting moved after the all-star break which is next weekend.

My feeling is that Ken Holland will be trying to open up some contract space with these deals. That could mean dollars (reducing their cap hit) or the number of contracts under the 50-man limit.

We know that Edmonton could move Khaira tomorrow for a small/skilled bottom-six forward tomorrow because we’ve been told so. As for Gagner, he’s making too much money to be a part-time player for the Oilers.

There has to be the Tyler Benson consideration as well. He’s lighting up the AHL again this year and he’ll be called up after the bye-week/all-star break. Therefore, there must be a roster spot available for him in order to do so.

Could all of this coincide with the Oilers re-signing Caleb Jones to a new two-year deal yesterday? It might. Think about it. It’s out there that the Anaheim Ducks will take on salary if the team sending the contract to them will also include a prospect. If the Oilers are looking to move Gagner, wouldn’t it make sense to throw in a guy like William Lagesson if they’re not intending to use the player? Especially with the impending return of Matthew Benning?

Another player I’m convinced will move is left-shot defender Kris Russell but it could cost the Oilers a bit more since he’s still got another year after this one remaining on his contract at $4M per season. I don’t know if they’ll be able to move the cap hit, to be frank. It all really depends on what can be done with Gagner and/or Khaira, in my opinion? If those players can be traded for picks or prospects or a player with a lower cap-hit, that could make things more flexible for a Russell trade. Meaning, one option is that they could take on a player with a higher cap-hit but shorter contract in exchange for the Caroline Cowboy.

Personally, I don’t feel that the club would feel the absence of Khaira or Gagner as much as they might Russell in the playoffs. Say what you will about the Southern Alberta Starfish, but he brings it and puts it all on the line for his team and in the post-season, he brings massive value that way and the gentlemen in the Oilers locker room think very highly of that skill.

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

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BLH Trade Rumors: Oilers, Sabres, Flames, Leafs, Wild, etc.

Oilers Most Likely to be Traded This Season

Jonathan Willis reckons that the Oilers have at least three players who are solid candidates to be traded this season. Matt Benning, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Kris Russell, in Willis’ opinion, are the likeliest options to be moved due to the fact that Benning is both useful and expendable, Russell being a reliable veteran presence with to offset a team going through a youth movement, and Puljujarvi’s growing value due to age (21) and how well he’s performing for Karpat in the SM-Liiga. (The Athletic)

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BLH’s Thoughts: I have a feeling that there will be a trade in the new year but I’m not sure if it will feature any of these players. Should the Oilers continue on the pace they’re currently on, I don’t think they’ll want to sacrifice their veteran defenseman going into the post-season. If anybody gets moved, it’s Puljujarvi, but there’s a part of me that wonders if Holland is playing the long game with him in hopes that he can get the big Finn to change his mind and return to the Oilers. 

Teams Who Need an Early Season Trade

Lyle Richardson recently blogged about five teams who could use a trade to shake things up because their campaigns have started off in a rather pedestrian manner.

Richardson cited Eric Francis, Darren Dreger, James Mirtle, and Elliotte Friedman who all commented on potential trades between the Calgary Flames and the Toronto Maple Leafs that included names like Tyson Barrie, Travis Hamonic, and TJ Brodie. (source)

BLH’s Thoughts: Are any of those players really going to make a real difference for either team. Calgary’s stars are shooting at ridiculously poor percentages and the Leafs simply need a shakeup. Hopefully, the firing of Mike Babcock brings that because I feel like the playoffs are better with Toronto in them. Even if they only last one round. 

Then the man behind Spector’s Hockey moved on to a trade proposal from ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski where Puck Daddy threw out the idea of a Tyson Barrie plus sweetener to Pittsburgh for Justin Schultz.

BLH’s Thoughts: That sweetener would have to be a helluva player I’m thinking. I get that Jultzy has had some injury problems but what if Tyson Barrie is no better in Pittsburgh than Toronto? I just feel like Sheldon Keefe might have better luck with Barrie if he gets some time with him. From an Oilers point of view though, Tyson Barrie would look good on their blue line as a rental…

It’s widely known that the Buffalo Sabres have a surplus of defenders on hand and are looking to make a trade. Richardson suggests that there could possibly be a deal to be made centered around defender Rasmus Ristolainen where the Sabres would send him to Vegas for one of Jonathan Marchessault or Reilly Smith.

BLH’s Thoughts: Interesting proposal. Not sure about Marchessault moving but Smith for Ristolainen is an intriguing idea. 

Wild GM Gauging the Market

Directly from Richardson’s main site, there’s a bit talking about what the Minnesota Wild are up to. Elliotte Friedman has reported that Bill Guerin is working overtime to assess the market on his roster.

It’s been rumored Wild forwards Kevin Fiala, Ryan Donato, and Joel Eriksson Ek are available. They probably don’t have much value in the trade market. Fiala and Eriksson Ek have shown some improvement of late, but likely not enough to entice a lot of interest. (source)

BLH’s Thoughts: As an Oilers fan, Kevin Fiala would be a player to keep an eye on. In my opinion, he would be a great addition to the Oilers middle-six forwards. If we’re talking Puljujarvi though and I’m Ken Holland, I would try to take advantage of the fact that Minnesota’s first-rounder from this past draft, Matthew Boldy, is having a real tough go in his first season at Boston College with only 1 goal in 11 games. I’d be finding out what the price is for Boldy AND Fiala. 

Team Canada Names Coaching Staff for Spengler Cup

The Team Canada coaching staff for the upcoming Spengler Cup has a familiar feel to it for Oilers fans. Former head coach Craig MacTavish, ex-teammate and hall-of-fame defender Paul Coffey, as well as Vegas Golden Knights Director of Hockey Ops Misha Donskov will guide the Canadians through the annual tourney that will run from Dec. 26th-31st this year.

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t really have any feeling for this tournament to be honest. But it seems like MacTavish and Coffey are really trying to get back into the coaching game. I wonder if Seattle will be keeping a close eye on one or both of them? 

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