This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, and TSN just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

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Cult of Hockey

Edmonton Oilers summon up a better effort, but not a better result in 4-1 loss to Wild: Cult of Hockey Player Grades

• PHILIP BROBERG. 3. Was too passive and allowed too much gap on the 2-0. Caught in no-man’s land in front on the 3-1. That leaves him -2 in 10:18.
• MIKKO KOSKINEN . 4. That 1-0 goal can’t go in. Yes, his D-man was guilty of soft coverage on the play. But if Koskinen is on his post that puck doesn’t cross the line.
• DARNELL NURSE . 4. The shot-shares suggested Nurse had a terrific game, 38-12 All-Events, CF 76%… But in the end 2 of his own errors resulted in Minnesota goals.
• KAILER YAMAMOTO . 4. 0 shots. 0 hits. 0 points. Not near enough impact on the game for a 2 ^nd line RW riding shotgun with the league’s leading scorer.
• DEVIN SHORE. 5. A good 2 ^nd period back-check. A couple hits. Looked rusty but effort apparent.
• MARCUS NIEMALAINEN . 5. Solid performance. 3 hits. A block. Was beat once for a dangerous 1 ^st period chance.
• RYAN McLEOD . 6. The 3 ^rd line performed quite well, on-balance. Got the puck deep and created some effective zone time. Had 3 shots.
• RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS . 6.  Nuge set up Draisaitl for a point-blank chance. Maybe the best player on his line. But also shoulders some of the blame for the sputtering PP on which he played 8:02!
• JESSE PULJUJARVI . 7. The best Oilers skater. Puljujarvi potted his 8 ^th by smartly backing higher into the slot and then hammering home the pass from McDavid for the 2-1. Had 4 shots in all.

BLH’s Thoughts: I have to say, that’s the most energy I’ve seen this team come out of the gates with in a long time. Somebody would probably have to remind me the last time the Oilers start was that hot. It’s a shame that Darnell Nurse, one of the strongest players in the league, couldn’t outmuscled the Wild forward and I’m still wondering what Koskinen was doing? Who sprayed his pads with Pam cooking spray? The guy damned near slid into the corner trying to cover that post. 

The third line was all over it last night. A really great game from them as they finally provided the speed, energy, and power we’ve been looking for. I’d love to know what the motivation was so we can get that every game!

See more

mcdavid skates around for a while and finds puljujärvi.

2-1 wild. pic.twitter.com/AQVTQJAg8u

— Hockey Wilderness (@hockeywildernes) December 8, 2021

What did I say about Pulju? I said he was finding the soft ice and getting chances, but they simply weren’t going in. I also noted that his effort never waivers and he nabbed himself a gorgeous Gino from the slot. Brett Hull would’ve been proud of that one. 

A caller called into Reid Wilkins’ post-game show and talked about the Oilers bottom-six lacking some hunger, some desperation, and I look at Kurt Leavins’ grade for Kailer Yamamoto and wonder to myself, “How does a guy who can’t produce any points on a line with the league’s leading scorer stay hungry?”

But it’s not only for Killer, he’s just the most obvious because Tippett won’t move him off that line. For the rest of the team though, what’s it going to take to get some urgency in their games?

Don’t get me wrong, I was really impressed with the amount of pressure Edmonton put on the Wild last night. THAT’S the kind of game plan I’m talking about! It was a really fast game, back and forth, but I don’t know how many teams are going to play the Oilers like that… Regardless, it should be Edmonton that is dictating the style of game that will be played on a nightly basis. They shouldn’t be feeling their way into games and then making a plan from there… 

Sportsnet

• A 9-1 start followed by a 7-7 stretch. A lull that is inevitable in any 82-game season, yet one that makes you wonder: Which record is the real Edmonton Oilers, the 9-1 or the 7-7?
• Leon Draisaitl, once on a 50-goals-in-50-games pace, has now gone five games with just one goal.
• Edmonton is trying to prove it isn’t a two-man team, but the Oilers are not convincing anyone of late. McDavid and Draisaitl have combined for just (2-3-5) points in the past three games, and Edmonton has five goals to show their efforts.
• The Oilers are mired in a funk. Now we learn how — and behind who — they manage to dig themselves out.

BLH’s Thoughts: We know who’s going to dig this team out of this funk… His name rhymes with Bonner McSavit… 

Actually, just watch the team turn it around once Ceci comes back to stabilize the defense. 

The Hockey Writers Rumors

• According to Nick Kypreos, “Sounding like Marner could be out of the @Leafs line up longer than expected.” Both Marner and defenseman Rasmus Sandin have been added to injured reserve. The team has called up Alex Steeves, Kristiāns Rubīns, and Alex Biega from the Marlies.
• As per a report by Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion talked to goaltender Matt Murray and his agent Rob Hooper over the phone on Friday. While Dorion wouldn’t talk about the details of that conversation, he did say that Murray would eventually be back with the Senators at some point this season.
• NHL insider Frank Seravalli has Joonas Korpisalo at the top of his trade bait board and writes with Elvis Merzlikins on a five-year contract extension, it’s just a matter of time before Korpisalo is moved.
• At the end of this season, the Montreal Canadiens will have 10 players as part of the roster who will have contracts that are valid for at least three more seasons. According to Jonathan Bernier of TVA Sports, those are the players to watch if the Canadiens choose to undergo a rebuild.

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, and TSN just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

• Youtube: Beer League Heroes Channel
• Twitter: @beerleagueheroe
• Instagram: @beerleagueheroes
• Facebook: Beer League Heroes

Oilersnation

Philip Broberg, Markus Niemelainen and the Edmonton Oilers young defencemen

• Philip Broberg, William Lagesson and Markus Niemelainen all have been forced to play some fairly significant minutes for three players with minimal pro hockey experience.
• Broberg, 20, has likely been the best of the trio.
  • He’s appeared in seven games and with him on the ice at 5×5, the Oilers have been doing well.
  • They control 53.13 percent of the shot attempts, and 46.12 percent of the expected goal share.
  • The Oilers have scored two goals with him on the ice, while giving up eight.
• Niemelainen, 23, is the next on the list to talk about. At 6’6, he’s laid 16 hits in just three games played.
  • The Oilers defence has been soft to play against and Niemelainen is a player who forces opponents to have their head on a swivel. That’s a good thing.
  • Small sample size of just three games, but at 5×5 the Oilers have controlled 48.39 percent of the shot attempts and 51.18 percent of the expected goals.
  • Niemelainen has been on the ice for no Oilers goals, but on for two goals against.
• Lagesson is an interesting case. At 25-years-old, the Oilers likely know what they have in him — a middle-of-the-road seventh defenceman who can fill in admirably in a pinch.
• This year, things have been better but again, we’re looking at a five game sample size.
• At 5×5, the Oilers have controlled 54.76 percent of the shot attempts, 66.67 percent of the goals, and 50.44 percent of the expected goals.
• …the Oilers still have a number of good players in the system. Beyond the aforementioned trio, guys like Dmitri Samorukov, Michael Kesselring, Philip Kemp, and Filip Berglund will all be knocking on the door soon, too.

BLH’s Thoughts: Tell ya what, Broberg hasn’t been the best of the trio, it’s been Niemelainen. The challenges and rigors of the NHL are starting to hit Broberg hard and his game is falling off a cliff. Edmonton needs Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci to come back quickly to get this train back on the tracks. 

Neemo doesn’t move the puck or skate like Broberg, but Phil doesn’t bring the physicality like Niemelainen either. I reckon seeing as the Finn is three years older than the Swede, that plays a factor when it comes to on-ice maturity and decision making. 

The Athletic

Oilers may find inspiration from 1993-94 Detroit Red Wings

• The 1993-94 Detroit Red Wings were an offensive dynamo who were a little below average defensively. The team was strong at centre, building a young and complete defence and boasting a young goalie who would play a depth role in the team’s championship in 1997.
• What did Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch do in 1993 to bring the Cup closer?
  • Ilitch had determined removing Bryan Murray from his coaching position was the way forward…
  • Ilitch was impatient because the team was exiting the playoffs early each spring, a scenario that haunted Murray when he coached the Washington Capitals in the 1980s.
• Who are the current candidates who have the reputations of Bowman and Arbour in 1993? They don’t really exist.
  • One former Red Wings player who gets plenty of play when discussions about prospective head coaches in waiting occur is Lane Lambert.
  • Another is Jay Woodcroft, coach of the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.
• Finding another Lidstrom is an impossible dream, but identifying players who can impact the game offensively and defensively while playing big minutes will be key.
  • Edmonton needs Broberg or similar to offer support for Nurse, replacing what Oscar Klefbom did before his injury.
  • The club also needs Bouchard to continue to develop as a useful player in all game states.
• In 1985, Ilitch instructed Devellano to sign the seven biggest college names that year to contracts. It was an unheard-of strategy, but Detroit signed five of seven: Adam Oates, Ray Staszak, Dale Krentz, Chris Cichocki (currently an Oilers pro scout) and Tim Friday.
  • Edmonton won’t land that kind of haul in any college free-agent signing season… One player worth tracking is Omaha-Nebraska forward Taylor Ward, son of former NHL player Dixon Ward. His size and skill would make him an attractive target.

• Holland is in his third season with the Oilers, and at 66 may be looking at candidates to replace him in a few years.
  • The top replacement candidate is assistant GM Keith Gretzky, himself a candidate for the role in 2019 when Holland took the job. 
  • Bill Scott would be another internal candidate, his role as an assistant general manager and cap specialist increasingly important with each passing year.
  • Brad Holland, the general manager’s son, worked for NHL hockey ops and the Toronto Maple Leafs before joining the Oilers as a pro scout in 2019.
• Daryl Katz purchased the Edmonton Oilers on July 2, 2008. Next Canada Day, he will have been the owner of the club for 14 years minus one day.
  • Mile Ilitch purchased the Detroit Red Wings on June 22, 1982. His team won its first Stanley Cup under his watch on June 7, 1997. He had been owner for just shy of 15 years.

BLH’s Thoughts: After ten games in the ’93/’94 season, the Detroit Red Wings had a record of 3-7. After twenty games it was 8-10-2… They finished the year 46-30-8 (yup, 84 game season) and then they lost in seven games to the upstart San Jose Sharks who were lead by a couple of Russians named Igor Larionov and Sergei Makarov. 

The previous season, Detroit had 103pts and even had a 10 game stretch in Nov/Dec where they couldn’t only muster two wins. In the playoffs, the Red Wings were beat out in the first round by Wendel Clark and his Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games. 

So, if our Oilers are anything like the Red Wings, we should be about ready to see them hit their stride. Also, maybe we shouldn’t get too down in the dumps when the team has a tough stretch as we know, even the best teams go through some rocky weeks.

You know who brings the reputations of Bowman and Arbour? You’re not going to like this, but Joel Quenneville. It wouldn’t shock me if some whispers started to get out regarding when his unofficial suspension is set to end and they begin to get loud enough, maybe we’ll see him reinstated. 

Look, the NHL’s lack of morality goes back decades. Winning is winning and a whole lot of old rich white guys will do whatever it takes to get their organization to the top and the fans will go along with it. The NHL sending it’s best to China for the Olympics as a live advertisement to procure future investment opportunities should be proof enough… 

For what it’s worth, Scotty Bowman is the greatest coach in NHL history and he didn’t get that title because he was a “nice” guy who did everything by the book and I’m not talking about the rule book… 

The Daily Goal Horn

• The Rangers are rolling lately with 10 wins in their last 11, so there’s absolutely no urgency to get something done soon. Drury will bide his time, especially when it comes to a middle six winger. Many speculate they are waiting for Vegas’ pending UFA Reilly Smith to be become available… As for a veteran third pair defenseman, I still feel that Mark Giordano is on their radar. However, Larry Brooks is speculating that Montreal’s Joel Edmundson could be a good fit.
• With the firing of GM Jim Benning, it’s unlikely that interim GM Stan Smyl is going to make any rash trades. First off, the ownership believes that the talent is there and wants to give it room to show itself under Boudreau.
• Unlike the Canucks, the Flyers are aging and looking worse by the game. Mike Yeo made his debut last night as well and Philadelphia continues to be a mess in their own zone as the Avs spanked them 7-5… At some point, moves will need to be made and pending UFA Claude Giroux is going to be a good place to start. Other veterans that will be unrestricted this summer are Keith Yandle, Rasmus Ristolainen, Justin Braun, and goalie Martin Jones.

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, and TSN just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

• Youtube: Beer League Heroes Channel
• Twitter: @beerleagueheroe
• Instagram: @beerleagueheroes
• Facebook: Beer League Heroes

Oilersnation

Get After It

• The Oilers have started slowly and played from behind far too often this season. The five-on-five play hasn’t been what it needs to be. And, despite new personnel, Tippett isn’t getting the kind of production and contributions he needs from his bottom-six group of forwards.
• With the record the Oilers have, they’ve built in some margin to lean on while waiting for Warren Foegele and Zack Kassian et al to provide Tippett’s top-six forwards the offensive bump and support they looked capable of providing early on.
• Other than the top six, the rest of the forwards haven’t given Tippett enough to work with.
• Foegele had a couple of goals in his first seven games. While he wasn’t going to score at that rate all season, he hasn’t been bringing the energy and physicality you need from your third line.

BLH’s Thoughts: 16 games without a goal now for Mr. Foegele. You’d think if the coach wanted to get him going, he’d throw him out with Connor and Leon for a spell. Then again. Yamamoto has 6pts all year I think and he’s spent 99% of his time with The Hart Foundation, so who knows what’s going through Tippett’s mind with regards to player deployment. 

Now, with all of that in mind, the third line had one helluva game against Minnesota. I was happy to see them start the game because I knew what they could bring to the start of a game and that’s speed, energy, power, and something to prove. When the pundits are talking about how good Edmonton looked, a lot of that is because of Foegele, McLeod, and as weird as it sounds, Kassian. They showed some desperation. 

Lowetide.ca

• The Edmonton Oilers have to do something about their five-on-five goal differential. I know, I know, we’ve discussed it a time or two before, but the scene of the crime remains the old Moreau-Marchant-Grier stomping grounds.
• How can Dave Tippett crawl from the wreckage? I think Derek Ryan needs a break, Ryan McLeod has earned the No. 3 line role and Nuge could run at times in the middle with Tyler Benson moving up the depth chart to third line, with Warren Foegele taking the skill minutes. Something like Hyman-McDavid-Puljujarvi, Foegele-Draisaitl-Yamamoto, Benson-Nuge-Kassian. 

BLH’s Thoughts: As I suggested yesterday and intimated above, Foegele should see some time in the top-six, if anything, just to get an idea of how he’d fit in case Nuge or Hyman go down. What do the Oilers have to lose by making that move? Pat Maroon, Zack Kassian, and I think Milan Lucic to an extent, all discovered some unrealized potential (and point production) playing alongside Connor McDavid. 

So when the team is enthralled in a three game losing streak and is 7-7-0 in it’s last 14 games, why not try something completely different? 

Spector’s Hockey

• TVA SPORTS: Jonathan Bernier examined which Montreal Canadiens players with long-term contracts could be traded if executive VP of hockey operations Jeff Gorton decides a rebuild is in order.
  • Bernier believes Carey Price should be traded. While he has a no-movement clause, he might lift it for an opportunity to join a Stanley Cup contender.
  • Defenseman Jeff Petry likely won’t want to be part of a rebuild.
  • Bernier also suggests shopping wingers Brendan Gallagher and Joel Armia and defenseman David Savard.
• THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan Kennedy reports former Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin is said to be high on the Vancouver Canucks’ list of candidates to replace Jim Benning as general manager.
• NBC SPORTS BOSTON: D.J. Bean observes it’s becoming increasingly likely the Bruins will sign goaltender Tuukka Rask once he’s ready to return to action next month. Doing so, however, would mean demoting Jeremy Swayman to the minors as Linus Ullmark has a no-movement clause.

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, and TSN just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

• Youtube: Beer League Heroes Channel
• Twitter: @beerleagueheroe
• Instagram: @beerleagueheroes
• Facebook: Beer League Heroes

Edmonton Sun

OILERS NOTES

BLH’s Thoughts: Peaks and Valleys, right? Niemelainen is having an awesome start and now the NHL’s rigors are starting to settle in for Broberg. 

When Cody Ceci comes back this week, would you pair him with Niemelainen and give them the role of shutdown d-pairing? And when Duncan Keith comes back, would you have him on the third pairing if Neemo is still playing well?

Lowetide.ca

• Man, I feel bad for Ryan, he’s having a ghastly season and it could mean the end of his NHL career. I don’t know if Tippett can play him again. He’s 3-16 at five-on-five goals and they go in from the moon as soon as he steps on the ice.
• One thing we can’t answer is this: WHY does this keep happening with third- and fourth-line centers?
• Is it because they don’t play enough, is it because the ice time is tailored to 97 and 29? I don’t know.
• However, in the two seasons previous to this one, Ryan was 49-36, plus-13 at five-on-five.
• My answer has been erosion, but he’s one season removed from 18-12 goals five-on-five.
• It could be Ryan, but I think the role asked of these men going back to Mark Letestu is just too much. Too much sitting followed by too much ask. Has to be. Can’t prove it.

BLH’s Thoughts: “Too much sitting followed by too much ask.”… Makes sense to me. So what kind of player do you put in that role if it can’t be an older vet or a spry young rookie? Will the team be forced into trading above value for or over-signing somebody in their prime to play third line center?

Personally, I think Ryan McLeod’s future is 3C but he’ll need a couple of more competent and self-motivating wingers. For example, I know this probably is out of the question, but I’m talking about players like Zach Hyman and Jesse Puljujarvi. These two never take a night off and always bust their ass, the puck doesn’t always find them, but you’re never questioning their work ethic. Tyler Benson has been like that this year too as has Colton Sceviour. Problem with those two is that they’re probably better off on the 4th line considering the Oilers most likely need some wingers with more of a tendency to produce on the third line. 

Ya know, I wouldn’t be opposed to trying Hyman on the third line and Foegele on the 1st line for a short time to see what happens. Or what about Foegele, Nuge, Hyman for a period? Put Leon and Jesse with Connor, Yamo with McLeod and Sceviour, and Benson with Ryan (or Turris) and Kassian?

I’m just spitballin’ here. Trying to find a solution to this team’s lack of drive. 

What would you do with the roster sans making a trade?

The Daily Goal Horn

• Luongo Next Canucks GM?: Stan Smyl is now the Interim General Manager with Ryan Johnson being named Interim Assistant GM… Several names have already been bandied about, including veteran executive Jeremy Rutherford…  as soon as Benning was let go one named leaped to the top of my list – Roberto Luongo.
• Islanders Woes Continue: Two names that the team has been attached to are Sharks forward Evander Kane and Canadiens defenseman Ben Chariot. Lamoriello will need to move some salary out in the process and also get some help from a third party to fit these two in under the cap.

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, and TSN just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

• Youtube: Beer League Heroes Channel
• Twitter: @beerleagueheroe
• Instagram: @beerleagueheroes
• Facebook: Beer League Heroes

Cult of Hockey

Will the Edmonton Oilers ever escape the Belanger Triangle at checking centre?

•  The Belanger Triangle was a snide nickname for former Edmonton Oilers checking line centre Eric Belanger and his two wingers on any given night, a reference to their abysmal record when it came to scoring goals, forechecking, backchecking and keeping pucks out of the Oilers net.
• The biggest busts in terms of weak performance and acquisition cost? Here’s my Top Ten.

BLH’s Thoughts: The fellas at The Cult of Hockey has a profile for each player listed above if you’re curious about why they’re on the list and what their history is with the Oilers. 

This whole thing where Edmonton goes out and picks up bottom-sixers who’ve performed fairly well before joining the Oilers but then shit the bed with the copper and blue, it’s quite the conundrum. It could be argued that finding a third line that is effective might be more of an accomplishment than developing a goaltender from within…

That said, Ryan McLeod and Dylan Holloway might be central pieces to Edmonton’s third line for the next couple of years and if I had my way, Kailer Yamamoto would be on that line too because I think he’s more suited for a role on that line than he is on one with Draisaitl and RNH. 

Oilersnation

Slow Starts are Exposing the Oilers

• Everyone in Oilersnation knew this was coming. It has been discussed for weeks. I wrote about the Oilers’ poor starts in mid-November. It has been an issue since early November, and this weekend it cost them two games.
• In the past five seasons, only five teams have finished the season with a points% above .500 when allowing the first goal.
• The Oilers are 7-7 when allowing the first goal and they are 9-0 when they score first.
• I don’t blame the head coach. He isn’t on the ice.
• Losing two consecutive games for the first time this year will get their attention much more than finding ways to win despite a slow start, which has been the case for the past few weeks.
• Zack Kassian, Warren Foegele, Derek Ryan, Kailer Yamamoto need to be more consistent 5×5.
• …for many stretches this season they haven’t got enough contributions from complementary players. And not just points. But effort and commitment.
• Their next four opponents are all top-13 in points% with Minnesota, Boston, Carolina and Toronto coming in the next nine days.

BLH’s Thoughts: Here’s a thought, why not start the game with a bang? Grab your best center (Draisaitl) and have him flanked by the two most physically aggressive forwards (could be any four of Benson, Sceviour, Kassian, Foegele, or Hyman) on the team with instructions to flatten two guys on the other team within the first minute of the game. 

Now, a penalty might occur, but a shift like that will get everybody into the game and if it’s at home, the crowd would definitely love it. I’m willing to risk a penalty to get my team going off the bat. 

I’d follow that shift up with McDavid, Puljujarvi, and Nuge, then go McDavid (double-shift), Draisaitl, Yamamoto, and after that, Foegele, McLeod, Sceviour. Benson, Ryan, Kassian could then have their turn. 

I’d want a hit and a shot on every shift if possible. No getting fancy with the playmaking, just a straight forward old-school game of hockey and wave after wave of physicality, forechecking, and attack until a goal has been scored or a TV timeout. Once one of those has happened, then we can go back to regular lines and the old game plan.

So, who makes the call as to who starts the game and how the lines are rolled? The coach… 

Dave Tippett might not be the one playing, but he certainly influences its flow. 

I just think that whatever the team is trying to do isn’t working anymore. They started the year 9-1-0 but have gone 8-6-0 since then, so there’s a malfunction at the junction. 

Spector’s Hockey

• DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk and St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko topped Frank Seravalli’s list of 15 trade targets that are in play or will be in the months leading up to the March 21 trade deadline.
• Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl is fourth on Seravalli’s list as the Leafs will need to shed some salary when sidelined goalie Petr Mrazek is ready to return to the lineup. 
• New York Rangers winger Vitali Kravtsov is fifth on the list. Seravalli observed the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens were among the interested parties. With former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton now in control with the Canadiens, he wondered if Gorton might make a pitch for Kravtsov, who he drafted in 2018.
• Florida Panthers winger Patric Hornqvist, Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller, Chicago Blackhawks forward Dylan Strome, Vegas Golden Knights winger Reilly Smith and Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust check in at numbers six through 10 on Seravalli’s list.
• Anaheim Ducks winger Rickard Rakell, San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl, Arizona Coyotes winger Phil Kessel, Chicago Blackhawks forward Henrik Borgstrom and San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane fill spots 11 through 15.