Tag Archives: Los Angeles Kings

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

2023/24 Edmonton Oilers GM33: Oilers @ Kings – 3P2W – Can Edmonton Crown the Kings?

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

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

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

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Random Pontifications

  • Tonight’s game is going to be a good one. I like this challenge for the Oilers and I feel it’s very similar to the one the Rangers gave them.
  • Prior to that New York game I had the Rangers taking the game easily because they were simply deeper at every level and I reckon LA, while not having as much depth as New York, are a very difficult challenge for Edmonton due to its scoring depth, solid defense, and above average goaltending.
  • I don’t know who’ll be in net for Los Angeles as of the time I’m writing this but I hope it’s Cam Talbot. I like games with good storylines and Talbot vs. the Oilers is a good one considering how badly he wanted out of town when he was traded.
  • Toss in the McLellan chapter too. I didn’t like the McLellan era Oilers much and I like the McLellan era Kings even less but you have to give him some credit. LA was kind of on downswing when they hired him and he’s turned that ship around lickety split.
  • I’m going to predict that Ryan McLeod’s streak comes to an end tonight. Just a hunch but he’s been punching above his weight class for a bit too long and I reckon the Kings will bring him back to Earth.
  • That said, his line should line up well against LA. It’s big, fast, and physical.
  • Los Angeles’ blueline isn’t as strong as it once was. I think the secret to its success is its simplicity. They don’t much around but with that said, they don’t do a lot of blocking either… Shot volume and net front presence could be a key point for Edmonton tonight.
  • Another key to the Oilers success tonight will be containing LA’s attack and hitting them on the counter. The Kings have fantastic scoring depth throughout all four lines and Edmonton needs to suffocate that offense and kill it with a hard counter.
  • The Royal Road best look like the Henday at rush hour or else players like Fiala and Kempe are going to feast all over it.

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Three Players to Watch for the Bad Guys

  • #11 Anze Kopitar (14g 19a 33pts) – The Kings have slowed down slightly in December but Kopitar keeps producing. He’s got 4g and 8a in his last ten games and more recently he’s accrued two goals and four assists in his last five. How this guy continues to put up points at his age really points to how good he really is. I think the Kings had eyes on PL Dubois replacing Kopitar at some point with that trade but at the moment the long-time King has his “replacement” centering the 3rd line…
  • #12 Trevor Moore (17g 9a 26pts) – How in the world does this guy have 17 goals already?… Will he be this year’s Cy Young recipient?
  • #8 Drew Doughty (7g 11a 18pts) – Doughty always manages to find a way to get himself involved vs. the Oilers. He thrives on hunting their young forwards who dare come down his wing and making them pay for that decision. But it’s not only that, I feel like he continues to get his name on the scoresheet against the Oilers and the more important the goal, the more he shows up. He’s clutch in that regard when the silver and black meet the copper and blue.

Three Players to Watch for the Good Guys

  • #97 Connor McDavid (12g 33a 45pts) – He’s still smarting from missing that wide open net vs. San Jose and will be burning red hot to try and score tonight. In 28 reg. season games against LA he’s got 15 goals and 21 assists.
  • #14 Mattias Ekholm (8g 23a 31pts) – He’s got five assists in his last five games and is Edmonton’s leading point producer on their blueline in that time. This evening’s contest will be a great challenge for him because the Kings’ are scoring very well throughout their entire lineup.
  • #91 Evander Kane (13g 10a 23pts) – Only two goals in his last ten games whilst putting up 29 shots in that time. This is how it is with Kane. Holland didn’t trade for him to solidify Edmonton’s two-way effectiveness, he was brought in to upgrade the team toughness, its physicality, swagger, its shot volume, and to add to its goal scoring. With all of that that you’ve got to go through his peaks and valleys. What doesn’t waver though is his in-game “game”. He’s still out there banging and making sure nobody takes liberties against his teammates.

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

(3/22/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors: “Elliotte Friedman said that the Ottawa Senators will be listening to teams inquiries about…”

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Erik Gudbranson (OTT), Darcy Kuemper (ARI), Ryan Getzlaf (ANA), Mikael Granlund (NSH), and more!

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

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

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

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

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

NHL Rumors and Speculation

Satiar Shah: The best-case scenario if the Vancouver Canucks were to trade Tanner Pearson would now be to get a conditional draft pick for him if he’s healthy enough to move before the trade deadline.

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman said that the Ottawa Senators will be listening to teams inquiries about their pending unrestricted free agents including Artem Anisimov, Ryan Dzingel and Erik Gudbranson.

Sportsnet: The Montreal Canadiens have a deep prospect pool and plenty of draft picks. GM Marc Bergevin did a lot this past offseason and he’s said he may not do much. Friedman says that Bergevin is never afraid to make a deal.

“The thing about Bergevin is he’s unafraid and he’s shown that this is an enormous year for the Canadiens with all of his actions so far… So what he’s selling, not everybody is buying. He’s got a lot of picks, he’s got a lot of good players. He said he won’t use things like that to alleviate his cap burden, but if he wants to do something big, there’s probably nobody in Canada that’s more capable of doing it than Bergevin is.”

The Athletic took a look at some potential trade candidates for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both James Mirtle and Jason Siegel listed their top five trade targets, focusing exclusively on forwards.

Siegel’s List Mirtle’s List
Alex Iafallo Mikael Granlund
Taylor Hall Kyle Palmieri
Filip Forsberg Tanner Pearson
Rickard Rakell Bobby Ryan
Matt Nieto Eric Staal

Honourable mentions include Nick Foligno, Adam Henrique, Darcy Kuemper, Mattias Ekholm, Jamie Oleksiak, and Dmitry Kulikov.

Shug McSween (nhltraderumors.me) believes the Los Angeles Kings have two forwards who are very likely to be traded, Alex Iafallo and Dustin Brown.

On Iafallo: The 27-year-old versatile forward is a pending unrestricted free-agent and drawing the most interest of Blake’s hockey team. So far this season he’s recorded seven goals and 19 points in 27 games and can easily jump into a top-six or top-nine forward group on a contender. Last season he finished with 43 points and has shown he’s capable of producing on a nightly basis. Iafallo is making $2.45 million this season and team’s interested include the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins.

On Brown: Brown is battle tested, a proven winner and has outstanding leadership qualities, most playoff bound teams would love to have him. The 36-year-old veteran has one season left on his contract for 2021-22, making $5.6 million on the cap. A steep number for sure, however with the resurgence of 13 goals in 27 games this season, some team’s may be willing to pay it. If the Kings retain salary, their return gets even bigger, it’s likely this is the case if a trade transpires. Teams interested include the Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche and Boston Bruins.

The Fourth Period is reporting that the Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs have been talking about goaltender Jonathan Quick as of late,

According to multiple sources, the Los Angeles Kings have spoken with the Maple Leafs about Quick. At this point, a move does not sound imminent, but the option appears to be available if Toronto decides to pursue it in the next three weeks.

There’s a belief out there that if Andersen isn’t severely injured, he (and his $5 million cap hit) would be sent to the Los Angeles, upon which Kings GM Rob Blake can hold on to him for their own playoff run until he hits the open market as a UFA in the summer or flip him to another team before the deadline – the Carolina Hurricanes had interest in him in the off-season.

Assuming this actually plays out and the Kings take back a portion of Quick’s deal, acquiring him takes care of Toronto’s starter’s role for the next two seasons at a lower cap figure… It also creates slightly more space for another add up front, which Dubas is trying to do ahead of the April 12 trade deadline.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Ben Pope reports Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman is “actively having conversations” regarding trade possibilities with other clubs as deadline day approaches. Bowman suggested he could be a buyer and seller. He’s seeking players who can be a part of the club’s future but won’t ship out players he feels can be part of their long-term plans.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: David Schoen reports the Vegas Golden Knights are unlikely to make moves before the trade deadline. They’ve made big splashes during the last two deadlines by acquiring Mark Stone and Robin Lehner but GM Kelly McCrimmon believes his club is in a different position now. He also pointed out his club has limited salary-cap space.

Sportsnet’s Luke Fox listed Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf, Buffalo’s Taylor Hall and Eric Staal, Columbus’ Nick Foligno, New Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri, Minnesota’s Mikael Granlund and Los Angeles’ Alex Iafallo as his top-seven pure rental targets for the Leafs.

TSN: Frank Seravalli considers the following clubs as “soft” buyers: Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Oilers need either a scoring left-winger or a second-pairing left-shot defenseman but they aren’t interested in rentals or moving draft picks.

Sources: Spector’s Hockey, NHLTradeRumors.me, The Athletic, NHLRumor.com, NHLTradeTalk.com, The Fourth Period,

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

(3/16/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors: Hall to the Oilers? Gaudreau to the Maple Leafs?

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Rasmus Ristolainen (BUF), Josh Manson (ANA), Johnny Gaudreau (CGY), John Klingberg (DAL), and more!

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

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

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

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

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

NHL Rumors and Speculation

Eric Duhatschek (The Athletic) recently listed off ten teams that MUST make a trade by the April 12th trade deadline this year. Here are some of the more interesting snippets of what he said in that article,

  • Buffalo Sabres – “Maybe the most intriguing player on the Sabres outside of Eichel is defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, 26, with this year and next left on a contract that pays him $5.4 million.”
  • Nashville Predators – “The Predators also have a long list of reasonable rentals (Granlund, Haula, Richardson) or players with reasonable term (Cousins, Borowiecki, Kunin, Calle Jarnkrok) that they could move. Duchene and Johansen likely are owed too much money ($8 million apiece) and have too much term remaining on their contracts to elicit anything more than lukewarm interest, unless two teams can get reasonably creative.”
  • Anaheim Ducks – “The most attractive bit of trade bait is Josh Manson, 29, a right-shot defenseman earning $4.1 million for this year and next, but someone who has had a difficult time staying healthy. But when he is, Manson is a tough, edgy player to play against.”
  • Boston Bruins – “There are some defensive upgrades that they could conceivably manage… Options that would fit the bill on a shorter-term basis include Ryan Murray from the Devils, David Savard from Columbus, Jamie Oleksiak from Dallas and Montour, from the Sabres.”
  • Colorado Avalanche – “If the Stars were to fall out of contention, wouldn’t it be something if the short-term solution in Colorado turns out to be Anton Khudobin? Other more realistic options: Jonathan Bernier from Detroit or Antti Raanta from Arizona, who put on a goaltending clinic vs. the Avs last Wednesday night.”
  • Toronto Maple Leafs – “The Predators’ Granlund has been linked to the Leafs in some speculative circles, but repatriating Josh Leivo would be an inexpensive insurance policy and someone such as Boone Jenner, 27, at $3.75 million for this year and next might be a nice fit as well.”
  • Minnesota Wild – “If (Bill) Guerin wants to be bold, he could dangle Matt Dumba on the market, given that if he doesn’t move Dumba either at the deadline or just before the expansion draft, he’s got a protection issue.”
  • Calgary Flames – “If they do fall further out of contention, it’s possible they’ll be sellers but other than Bennett or a depth piece such as Leivo, it’s hard to see a lot of major moves in Calgary until the offseason.”
  • Detroit Red Wings – “(Jonathan) Bernier, as an insurance policy on a contending team, probably has the greatest value here, unless they legitimately start listening on Mantha.”
  • Ottawa Senators – “The Senators can expect to get calls on their UFAs and maybe even a few signed players, such as Chris Tierney, Connor Brown or Austin Watson. Is it just me or does Watson seem like a Darryl Sutter type of player?”
  • New Jersey Devils – ” if the Devils can judiciously sell at this year’s deadline, they’ll be in a position to spend, spend, spend going forward – at a time when everyone else will be trying to shed, shed, shed salary. They will be worth monitoring, a team that could be genuinely impactful at the deadline.”

Scott Burnside (The Athletic) has written about six NHL trade deadline deals he’d like to see this year. Here are some clips of what he posted,

  • Buffalo Sabres trade Taylor Hall to Edmonton Oilers – “The Sabres would have to eat half of Hall’s $8 million salary and the return would be negligible, maybe a mid-range pick and a mid-range prospect… But maybe the Oilers sweeten the pot if the Sabres took Neal off their hands…
  • Calgary Flames trade Johnny Gaudreau to Toronto Maple Leafs – “The Flames will likely have to eat some of Gaudreau’s $6.75 million salary as well as likely take back some salary possibly in the form of Alex Kerfoot… a first-round pick in either this year’s draft or next and another solid pick plus a prospect like Timothy Liljegren.”
  • Arizona Coyotes trade Darcy Kuemper to Colorado Avalanche – “Perhaps adding Francouz, whom goaltending experts believe has NHL starter capability, plus perhaps a second-round pick for Kuemper is the smart play for the Coyotes.”
  • Los Angeles Kings trade Dustin Brown to Pittsburgh Penguins – “The Kings might eat some of that depending on what kind of piece gets sent back. Given the overloaded state of the Pittsburgh blue line maybe there’s a young defensive bauble that satisfies the Kings end of things.”
  • Dallas Stars trade John Klingberg to Philadelphia Flyers – “What would it cost? Plenty. A package that includes a first and maybe a second-round pick plus one of the Flyer’s top young offensive prospects.”
  • Los Angeles Kings trade Jonathan Quick to Carolina Hurricanes – “As for a return, at this stage of his career and given Quick’s contract a late-round pick or lower-tier prospect is likely all it would cost Carolina. Pretty small exposure for a possible big-time return on investment.”

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(3/6/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors Quick Hits Edition

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Jack Eichel (BUF), John Gibson (ANA), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (ARI), Tom Wilson (WAS), and more!

Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp think the Calgary Flames have a better chance at the playoffs this year than the Oilers. Read about that here. 

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

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

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

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

NHL Rumors and Speculation

  • Jon Vogl (The Athletic) – Buffalo Sabres forward Taylor Hall says that he maintains interest in remaining with the Sabres and signing an extension with the club. We could see a short to mid-term deal (3-4 years) and below the $8M range.
  • Chad DeDominicis (Expected Buffalo) – The Buffalo Sabres have inquired about the availability of Anaheim Ducks franchise goalie John Gibson. They inquired about Gibson in the off-season and one month into the season but the Ducks said they weren’t interested in moving him at that time. If available in the off-season, expect the Sabres to be in on him.
  • Jim Matheson (Post Media) – Believes that gritty Toronto Maple Leafs winger Zach Hyman is exactly what the Edmonton Oilers are missing. He wonders if the Leafs can afford to keep him. Winnipeg Jets centerman Adam Lowry would be another Oilers target.
  • Nick Goss (NBC Sports) – The Boston Bruins should be the first team to contact the Buffalo Sabres if Jack Eichel is made available due to their aging centermen core. However, the Bruins should say no if the ask is for David Pastrnak or Charlie McAvoy.
  • Jimmy Murphy (Boston Hockey Now) – The Boston Bruins need an experienced left-shot d-man. Murphy believes that the Bruins should revisit the off-season trade discussions with the Arizona Coyotes about sending defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to Boston.
  • Dan Kingerski (Pittsburgh Hockey Now) – Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ron Hextall and Director of Hockey Ops Brian Burke both seem to want to add toughness to the team after the Tom Wilson incident. Anaheim’s Nick Deslaurier, Ottawa’s Austin Watson, and Detroit’s Luke Glendening could all be potential targets.
  • The Fourth Period – The New Jersey Devils are yet to have contract talks with any of their upcoming ten UFAs. The Devils UFA list includes Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac, Nikita Gusev, Sami Vatanen, and Ryan Murray.
  • Adam Gretz (NBC Sports) – If the Sabres traded Jack Eichel to the Los Angeles Kings or the New York Rangers, he believes the offers would look like this:

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(2/27/21) BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors Quick Hits Edition

BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Elias Pettersson (VAN), Chris Driedger (FLA), Marc Bergevin (MTL), John Tortorella (CBJ), and more!

BLH has some ideas for the Oilers lineup card. Check those out here!

NEW: Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp think the Calgary Flames have a better chance at the playoffs this year than the Oilers. Read about that here. 

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

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

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

NHL Rumors and Speculation

  • Pierre LeBrun (TSN): reports that the Seattle Kraken are probably keeping their eyes on Florida Panthers goaltende Chris Driedger as he’ll likely be an expansion draft casualty.
    • When Claude Julien was hired by the Montreal Canadiens, it was believed by many that Gerard Gallant was the backup option on GM Marc Bergeving’s list.
  • Mike Johnston (TSN): Says that this will be Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin’s last coaching hire. The next firing will be his own and he’s certainly aware of that.
  • Darren Dreger (TSN): There was a rumor of a Jonathan Quick Trade going around recently, but the Los Angeles Kings quickly denied it.
    • The Pittsburgh Penguins were in the market for a goaltender a few weeks ago, but things are unclear on that front at this point.
    • John Tortorella is the next head coach that could be on the hot seat.
    • Nothing new on the status of Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews as of late.
  • Thomas Drance (The Athletic): Prior to Elias Pettersson switching agents and joining Quinn Hughes at CAA, negotiations had been virtually nonexistent between the Vancouver Canucks and their two franchise players.
  • Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet): Buffalo has made defenseman Brandon Montour available. He will be a UFA this summer.
    • There were reports out of Russia last week that the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings were chasing Damir Zhafyarov, but they’re not the only teams according to Friedman.
    • Chances of the NHL entry draft being delayed took a turn for the worse last week. The biggest issues were rights retention, service years for arbitration/free agency, unsigned players drafted from CHL re-entering in two years, etc.
    • The Arizona Coyotes have considered dealing for Vancouver Canucks winger Tanner Pearson if he becomes available, but there’s no indication that he is or will become available. Vancouver hasn’t put him on the trade block but if he does head there he’ll be a priority for Arizona.

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This is how Pavel used to tell you who was #1 back in the day! Click the pic and grab a shirt or a mask!
Classic Captain Wendel taking care of business once more! Click the pic and grab a shirt for yourself!