Tag Archives: Taylor Hall

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BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors and Ramblings PLUS 2020 Draft Talk w/@Keithfries

The Latest on Tayor Hall

Chris Johnston from Sportsnet is saying that it could take 3-4 pieces to acquire Hall and that the Colorado Avalanche appear to be the front-runners for the former league MVP.

“The feeling in the industry … is that the Colorado Avalanche are the favourites right now pushing to try to get Taylor Hall; perhaps as soon as the Christmas break, which starts Dec. 19,” Johnston said.

Scribes out of Colorado are split on the idea of bringing Hall in. Mike Chambers (Denver Post) said Hall would be the perfect addition to Nathan MacKinnon’s left-wing but Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater reckons re-signing Hall could offer problems when it comes time to re-up the Avs’ other big guns like MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog, and Cale Makar.

BLH’s Thoughts: The Oilers have just recalled defenseman Caleb Jones and sent struggling Swedish dman Joel Persson back to Bakersfield (AHL). It’s odd because Jones and Persson had just swapped rosters very recently, this tells me that Jones is possibly being showcased for the Devils. Is that for a Taylor Hall trade? Possibly. I think that there’s a different line in the sand for each team that is asking about Hall and Edmonton’s is the one that Chris Johnston is talking about above since they’re unwilling to include Philip Broberg or Evan Bouchard in a trade. If I had to guess what those pieces might be, I think that Jesse Puljujarvi, Caleb Jones, a conditional first-round pick, and a player who is on a larger contract but is expendable (Gagner, Manning, Chiasson, Russell?), would be who the Oilers are content to send over for Hall with 50% retention on his salary. 

Long-term, is Jones in the Oilers plans? We know Puljujarvi isn’t and what are the odds that the first-round pick becomes a better player than Hall? This sort of deal clears out a bit of space for Ken Holland to continue his re-vamping of the Oilers roster and I am of the belief that Hall would sign a contract with the Oilers that would be considered “team-friendly” and at a discount. Think what Leon Draisaitl makes which is $8.5M last I checked. 

Galchenyuk Soon to be an Ex-Penguin?

Elliotte Friedman has reported that Nail Yakupov’s BFF is on the outs in Pittsburgh and the Buffalo Sabres are interested. The upcoming UFA has absolutely hit the skids since being dealt from Montreal for Max Domi last year and even playing him on the wing with mega stars like Sid Crosby and Evgeni Malkin hasn’t helped.

“I do think Buffalo was one of the teams that looked at him,” Friedman said during the Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada. “I’m sure there’s more. But Galchenyuk is someone who could be finding a new home.”

BLH’s Thoughts: Some might say that if you can’t score on Sid’s wing, who can you score with? It’s not easy to play with elite players, even for skilled wings like Galchenyuk but this player is on his third team in a year and that leads me to believe there’s something else going on. When his own GM is saying that there isn’t a fit for him on Malkin’s wing and that he’ll have to work very hard just to get into Pittsburgh’s top-12, that’s a good indication that things aren’t working out. Might they send the former 3rd overall pick to Buffalo for former Pen, Conor Sheary? 

Could the Rangers move Buchnevich and/or Howden?

In the post below, Rangers beat writer Larry Brooks muses about the futures of forwards Pavel Buchnevish and Brett Howden.

Buchnevich is a taffy-pull for Quinn. The winger is simply not physically engaged consistently enough to warrant the minutes and assignments his skill-set would otherwise merit. It has been a year-plus of cajoling from the coach and a year-plus of intermittent responses from the player. If the 24-year-old Russian cannot get top-six and power-play minutes, then it is probably better for all concerned that he play elsewhere.

And if Howden is going to continue in a fourth-line role in which he can expect a ceiling of 10 minutes a night, it is probably best for both the center’s development and the organization that he join Andersson in Hartford. Howden has three assists in his past nine games and five points (one goal, four assists) in his past 20 contests.

BLH’s Thoughts: This is a scene from a movie Oilers fans have witnessed far too many times before. Rushing young players before they’re ready and/or not putting them in a position to succeed. 

Look, if the Rangers don’t want Buchnevich, I’m sure they’d find a trade partner in the Oilers. The big Russian would look wonderful alongside one of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He had over 20 goals last year and Edmonton is starving for offense aside from 97 and 29.

Quick Hits

  • Sizing up the backup goalie market. Oilers fans will probably want to read this. (source)
  • Are Sami Vatanen (NJ) and Andreas Athanasiou (DET) available? (source)
  • Should the Islanders be in on Taylor Hall? (source)

2020 NHL Draft Talk with Keith Fries

Breaking Down Craig Button’s Top-5

(1. Alexis Lafreniere, 2. Quinton Byfield, 3. Cole Perfetti, 4. Yaroslav Askarov, 5. Hendrix Lapierre)

I’m not going to completely obliterate Button’s recent top-5 ranking as 3/5 prospects listed are also in my own top-5. But, I will say I am 100% certain that neither Cole Perfetti nor Hendrix Lapierre should be in this conversation.

There seems to be a consensus top-3, in Alexis Lafreniere, Quinton Byfield, and Lucas Raymond. Then, when you factor in elite-level talents like Anton Lundell and Yaroslav Askarov, that top-5 fills up rather quickly. So why does Button feel like Perfetti and Lapierre are in that discussion? First off, I can’t answer for the man. However, my educated guess is that he’s leaning toward the market he’s selling to – Canadians. One gripe I have with Canada-based scouting services and/or pundits are their leanings in-favor of homegrown players, rather than simply ranking the best prospects in their rightful spots. Such is the case, here, as both Perfetti and Lapierre are (realistically) more mid-to-late first-rounders. What further baffles me about this list is how Button was one of the first analysts to jump on Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz as premiere, international, prospects, well-over a year ago, yet they’re both completely absent from his list.

Rankings that Make Sense; Rankings that Don’t

I thought listing Tim Stutzle (7) and Jamie Drysdale (8) in the top-10 – and notably in the back end of the top-10 – was really accurate. They’re definitely in that draft stock category of, ‘’Ok, now that the first wave of talent has been selected, who’s the best available prospect on the board?’’ Additionally, having Justin Sourdif at 18 was reasonable. His high-end skating should keep him in the running for a pick within that range.

Where Button lost me was, as I mentioned above, having Hendrix Lapierre (5) in the top-5 and not Lucas Raymond (6). But, what’s even more whacky is seeing Anton Lundell at 13 and Noel Gunler at 28. Lundell, as my rankings show, is a highly-regarded prospect in most circles and seen as a guaranteed top-10 selection. Some might even make the same claim for Gunler. But, no one – and I mean NO ONE – will let Lundell slip to 13. Getting back to Gunler… If a team snagged him at 28, we’re talking about one of the biggest steals in NHL Draft history!

“He has Dylan Holloway at 12, do you see him creeping into the top 10?

Holloway isn’t in my top-10 but one could certainly the argument as to why he should be. When you look at how well he’s performed on such a talented U. of Wisconsin team, especially as an underager, it’s easy to see why he’s in that 10-20 range. 12 actually isn’t a bad place to be for Holloway, as a team selecting there may be a consistent playoff bubble team who could use his services sooner-than-later to make that push into the post-season. Furthermore, I think NHL clubs are really seeing the value in sending a high-end prospect to the NCAA for a year-or-two. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him crack the top-10, though, as anything really is possible.

Who the Oilers Should Select from Button’s List?

With Edmonton currently as the third-best team in the NHL standings, at this point, it looks like the Oilers won’t be selecting until late, on night one. Button currently has Ottawa 67’s’, Jack Quinn, at the 29th-overall spot, but, I’m going to include the players from 27-31. These would be Lukas Reichel (27), Noel Gunler (28, as mentioned above), Yan Kuznetsov (30), and Ryan O’Rourke (31).

For myself personally, seeing Lukas Reichel as a first-rounder (in Button’s eyes) puts a huge smile on my face. I absolutely love this kid and would be ecstatic to have him in the Oilers organization – largely so I could watch him during his stint with Bakersfield. However, as I said earlier, if Gunler’s still sitting on the board you’d be hard-pressed not to pull the trigger on drafting him. Either would be a solid pick, but I’m going to lean toward Gunler simply for draft stock reasons – a prospect I feel should be in the top-10.

Antonio Stranges to Edmonton

Start pounding this drum, now, Oilers fans, as Stranges has solidified himself as one of this draft’s best skaters available. The Oilers could definitely stand to add some more speed to their depth chart and Stranges certainly fits that bill. In fact, his offensive success is largely from his pace of play. He can quickly hit the jets and separate from trailing defenders, much in the way that Connor McDavid does. If both were to play on the same line, we’re easily talking about the fastest 2-on-none breakaway in the league. Fortunately for Edmonton when it comes to Craig Button, Stranges doesn’t appear AT ALL in his top-62 ranking. Meaning, if Edmonton really has their eye on him, they could grab him in the second-round, even while picking at #60.

If the Oilers could walk away from the 2020 NHL Entry Draft with both Noel Gunler and Antonio Stranges, it doesn’t matter who they select in rounds 3-7 as these two will give Edmonton a high draft grade on their own.

Thanks for joining me, Heroes. Until next time, cheers!

Fries TOP-20 

  1. Alexis Lafreniere
  2. Anton Lundell
  3. Quinton Byfield
  4. Lucas Raymond
  5. Yaroslav Askarov
  6. Tim Stutzle
  7. Noel Gunler
  8. Alexander Holtz
  9. Marco Rossi
  10. Jamie Drysdale
  11. Cole Perfetti
  12. Jaromir Pytlik
  13. Justin Barron
  14. Jeremie Poirier
  15. Alexander Nikishin
  16. Kasper Simontaival
  17. Lukas Reichel
  18. Antonio Stranges
  19. Justin Sourdif
  20. Hendrix Lapierre
Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL

2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM32: Sabres @ Oilers – Three Players to Watch and a Comment on Taylor Hall

Does anybody else feel like we’re going to see some riverboat gambling in tonight’s game with the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres? It’s Ralph Krueger’s return to Edmonton and I just get the feeling that he’s going to want to put on a show. Plus Buffalo just played last night and lost a 6-5 nail-biter in OT to the Canucks. I hope the Oilers give him a video tribute and in it, they find a way to incorporate a Skype call from Nail Yakupov.

Taylor Hall

This morning Kurt Leavins (The Cult of Hockey) posted his weekly 9-Things article and in it he said this,

1.Lots of teams have been kicking tires on the New Jersey Devils’ Taylor Hall. But don’t think that clubs are just dipping their toes in the water. Despite it not even being mid-December yet, at least 3 NHL teams have already had extensive conversations with the Devils General Manager Ray Shero. All 3 of those organizations are in the Western Conference. Sources outside of Edmonton have confirmed to me that those teams are: The Colorado Avalanche, the Arizona Coyotes and the Edmonton Oilers. That does not mean to suggest that those 3 are the front-runners. It’s probably too early for that, although it’s fair to assume that the Av’s may be. It is also entirely likely that there are more teams “in there pitching” than just those 3. But my job isn’t to guess. I only report what I know.

And all 3 clubs that I know have had talks have different strengths and weaknesses in terms of organizational depth, cap space, etc. Colorado, for instance, has had a self-imposed cap situation. The Oilers are quite tight to the salary cap. And Arizona doesn’t have the depth on defence that either Colorado or Edmonton could offer in a trade. Help on the blueline is what New Jersey covets the very most.

The Oilers could give NJ exactly what it wants in Darnell Nurse. A dicey proposition I’d add, but Caleb Jones and William Lagesson are ready to go in Bakersfield and they offer an upgrade in the puck-moving dept. You might ask, what about the hole left in the intangibles department should Nurse get traded? Well, I can’t remember the last time Darnell dropped the mitts of absolutely hammered anybody or even gave someone the gears in the corners, to be honest. This season, I’ve been more impressed with his ability to skate the puck out of his own zone. So, if you’re worried about Edmonton’s grit factor decreasing should Edmonton walk away from their young dman, don’t. He’s tough, no doubt about that but today’s game is seeing less and less of this every season and more and more of the smart puck-moving defender. An area where I still feel Nurse lacks. Good thing he’s got Ethan Bear as his partner…

I’m of the belief that Colorado would make an exception to its self-imposed cap in the event that there’s a very good chance that they’d be competing for the Stanley Cup. I think there’s a better-than-slight chance that the Avs are going to be in the running for the NHL championship this year and for many years to come. Maybe Bowen Byram is the guy they move? Elliotte Friedman said last week on Oilers Now that they aren’t interested in moving Samuel Girard… So that sort of sets the table, doesn’t it?

I’m a little perplexed that Victor Soderstrom isn’t considered the kind of defensive prospect that NJ would covet. If it’s true that the Devils are going after Bowen Byram, then why wouldn’t they consider Soderstrom (9pts/15gp in the SHL this year), Kyle Capobianco (near a point-per-game defender in the AHL), or bear with me, Jakub Chychrun?

If you’re the Devils, which package sounds more enticing?

  • Edmonton: Nurse+Gagner+Puljujarvi for Hall+Wood w/salary retained
  • Arizona: Chychurn, Merkley, 1st rounder for Hall w/salary retained
  • Colorado: Bowen Byram for Hall

That Edmonton proposal is risky in that it’d be imperative that Ken Holland gets Hall’s name on a contract extension. I suppose the alternative would be to flip Hall’s rights at the draft if nothing can be agreed upon, but that’s a hard pill to swallow after sending those assets away.

Where ever Hall goes, word is, he won’t be signing in-season and that’s really the hold-up, eh? If I’m a GM, I’d be wary of giving up any blue-chip prospects or high-end draft picks for a rental unless I’m Colorado or maybe the Islanders.

The Next Ten Games (31-40)

  • vs. LA Kings (11-16-2) – A pissed off Oilers team will make short order of the Kings in this rubber match. (WIN) WIN
  • vs. Buffalo Sabres (13-10-5) – No Dahlin for Buffalo but Jack Eichel is on a tear. Captain Jack will get his points but his team will not. (WIN)
  • vs. Carolina Hurricanes (16-11-1) – Carolina is too deep for this Oilers team plus Andrei Svechnikov is making a mockery of the NHL as a 19-year-old. (LOSS)
  • @ Minnesota Wild (13-11-4) – The Oilers seem to have trouble against teams like this for whatever reason. Immaturity in the club maybe? (LOSS)
  • vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (13-13-4) – The Leafs defense is soft like a Wendy’s Frosty but they’ve got the kind of offense that could really tear open the Oilers. It’s a toss-up for me but I’ll say Edmonton takes it. (WIN)
  • @ Dallas Stars (15-11-3) – Tough match-up for Edmonton here. Dallas already beat them once this year but that was when they were struggling. Now that they’re playing well, will the Oilers’ mindset going into this one be different? (WIN)
  • @ St. Louis Blues (18-6-6) – Edmonton’s been performing very well against the league’s top teams. I don’t expect that to stop in St. Louis. (WIN)
  • vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (15-9-4) – The first game of a back-to-back at home and the Oilers are one up on Crosby’s Pens. Pittsburgh is going through one hell of an injury crisis mind you but as we’ve seen, the Oilers have failed to take advantage of these situations in the past. (LOSS)
  • vs. Montreal Canadiens (12-10-6) – I feel like the Habs usually give Edmonton a hard time when they come to town and their team is a lot better than their record tells us. (LOSS)
  • @ Vancouver Canucks (14-11-4) – I like the Oilers chances against Vancouver here and it’s the last game before the Christmas break. (WIN)

(Standings as of December 5th, 2019)

Three Players to Watch for the Sabres

  • #68 Victor Olofsson – This kid can rip it! If he gets any time and space with the puck in Edmonton’s zone, watch out for his shot. Playing first line LW right now with Eichel and Reinhart.
  • #9 Jack Eichel – 10pts in his last five games. He’s feeling it right now, so the Oilers will have to be very careful when he’s on the ice.
  • #55 Rasmus Ristolainen – Absolute beast with a cannon from the point. He also gives zero f*cks when he’s on the ice. If you’re caught in the trolley tracks, it doesn’t matter who you are, he’s going to let you have it. I love the way this guy plays.

Three Players to Watch for the Oilers

  • #44 Zack Kassian – With Ristolainen in the lineup for Buffalo, I can’t say how glad I am to hear that Kassian will be lacing up the skates for the Oilers. His physicality has been missed.
  • #93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – The secondary scoring hasn’t been amazing this year but you can really feel the impact RNH has on the lineup when he’s not there.
  • #36 Joel Persson – He’s going to have some space tonight I feel and with that, we might see the best of what he has to offer.

The lines below will not be the ones you see tonight. Neal and Klefbom were having maintenance days when DNB posted these lines from practice yesterday.

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BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors and Ramblings: Hall, Gostisbehere, Puljujarvi, and More!

The Jesse Puljujarvi Trade that Fell Through

The Athletic’s Rick Dhaliwal reported recently that a trade between the New York Rangers and the Edmonton Oilers broke down about a month ago. The only details given where that Puljujarvi and struggling Swedish center Lias Andersson were included. Dhaliwal also pointed out that the Canucks were not interested in the player despite the encouragement from a portion of the Vancouver fanbase to acquire the Finn.

Here’s a discount code for a subscription to The Athletic should you be without. If you sign up through that link you’ll get 40% off and I’ll get a tidy little coupon for Amazon.

BLH’s Thoughts: Andersson for Puljujarvi straight across is an instant loss for the Oilers and this is really a trade that Ken Holland can’t afford to lose. Would a second-round pick have evened things out? Maybe. Edmonton is sure to lose their 3rd rounder to Calgary in the Lucic/Neal trade. I assume that the Oilers were looking at possibly Andersson plus Brendan Lemieux though. Holland witnessed first hand the destruction a Lemieux can do in the playoffs as Brendan’s dad Claude was quite the post-season performer in Montreal, Colorado, and New Jersey. 

More on Taylor Hall

It does seem like every major beat writer covering an NHL team has written about their team getting into the Hall sweepstakes, right?

Darren Dreger is reporting that the Coyotes are in on the former MVP, Pierre LeBrun and Elliotte Friedman say Colorado is on him too. Bob McKenzie says the Devils “haven’t set any parameters” and will just ask for the best offer from any interested teams, regardless of what exactly that includes. (source)

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m really torn on this. On one hand, I’d like the Oilers to have two very strong lines to compete with night in and night out. On the other hand, I don’t want the salary cap getting all mucked up with another heavy deal. I don’t think that Edmonton can compete with the offers NJ will be receiving from other clubs though. 

If the Avs can get Hall tied down long-term, this is a fair trade I feel. Colorado has the cap space to make the deal and they’ve got the depth on defense. With Makar, Timmins, Zadorov, Girard, and Johnson being part of the foreseeable future on their blueline, they could afford to make a trade like this. The risk being what happens if Hall runs into injury problems, but is it really a risk with the defense they’ve got? When do we expect Byram to be an impact defender? In four years? Three at best?

I do not mind this trade from an Oilers perspective and I wouldn’t throw it out immediately because if it was such an asinine idea, Oilers media would’ve laughed it off by now and they haven’t… Nurse is trending fairly well this year, but I don’t think he’ll hit the 40pt mark that some thought he might. I really feel like Holland knows that he’s in for a tumultuous summer of negotiating with the Nurse camp and if he could get out ahead of it, he might. Is it a one-for-one? If it was, how do you think the Oilers fanbase would react? I think another thing you have to ask is who’d have more impact on the Oilers record, Darnell Nurse or Taylor Hall? I think it would be Hall and Caleb Jones, William Lagesson, Philip Broberg, and Dmitri Samorukov are coming. Some sooner than later. How would a Jones/Bear pairing look on the Oilers defense?

Habs in the Market for a Ghost Bear?

Oft-scratched Flyers defender Shane Gostisbehere has been connected to the Montreal Canadiens in trade rumors lately. The Habs are in dire need of a left-handed defender to pair up with Shea Weber and/or Jeff Petry.

BLH’s Thoughts: If I were Marc Bergevin, I’d be exploring the acquisition price ASAP. Gostisbehere isn’t the best defensive defender out there but if his partner was Weber or Petry, why would you need to worry about that? The salary cap isn’t a concern, the Canadiens have lots of space there. 

Quick Hits

  • This week’s 31 Thoughts had lots of trade talk in it including notes on Hall, Sam Bennett, the LA Kings, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, and more. (source)
  • Could Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu be on the move if his team falls out of the playoff race? (source)
  • Did the Predators try to trade Kyle Turris last summer? (source)
  • Toronto is in desperate need of a backup goalie. (source)
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BLH’s NHL Trade Rumors and Ramblings: Taylor Hall, Carey Price, the Penguins, and More!

The Pittsburgh Penguins Need to Make a Move

Courtesy of Prohockeyrumors.com,

Dumoulin Out Eight Weeks: The Pittsburgh Penguins suffered yet another injury blow on Saturday as defenseman Brian Dumoulin sustained an ankle injury that required surgery and will leave him sidelined for eight weeks. The Penguins lead the NHL in man-games lost this year and the loss of Dumoulin is a major blow. The underrated defenseman is one of the premier shutdown defenders in the league and allows for pair mate Kris Letang to truly play his game. With Justin Schultz already out, not to mention Sidney Crosby and Nick Bjugstad, and Erik Gudbranson recently traded, Pittsburgh will be shorthanded on the blue line for a while.

BLH’s Thoughts: It really doesn’t seem to be Pittsburgh’s year, does it? Maybe a year out of the playoffs could do the team wonders. You never know what’s going to happen at the draft lottery and with this year’s draft looking very top-heavy, why wouldn’t Pens GM Jim Rutherford consider moving some big tickets like Bryan Rust or Alex Galchenyuk at the deadline for futures and then reassess his roster over the summer? The Oilers had interest in Bryan Rust last summer. 

Could Carey Price Get Traded?

Courtesy of Spector’s Hockey,

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Pat Hickey observes a growing chorus among Canadiens fans who feel the struggling club should cut their losses and trade Carey Price. He feels that option disappeared when the goaltender signed his eight-year, $84-million contract. It would be tough shopping Price when he’s playing well, but no one’s interested in a struggling goalie with six years left on his contract and a $10.5-million annual average value.

Hickey suggests general manager Marc Bergevin could help by bringing in a top-flight defenseman. The Habs carry over $8 million in salary-cap space, but that would mean parting with some of the prospects Bergevin has been reluctant to move.

BLH’s Thoughts: Having vets like Jonathan Drouin and Paul Byron out of the lineup for the foreseeable future hurts, bad, but I feel like the Habs have a pretty decent forward group and it’s their defense that needs an upgrade. Specifically on the left side where they have been icing the likes of Brett Kulak, Ben Chiarot, and Mike Reilly. Talented youngster Victor Mete has been in and out of the lineup as well. I have wondered in the past how a player like Darnell Nurse would impact their team? 

This summer, Nurse is going to be angling for a Jacob Trouba-like contract and Edmonton can’t afford to give him that much, especially if he’s only going to top out as a 40pt defender. It would handcuff them in the short-term and give them a massive headache down the road when they need to open up space. So could there be a fit between the Oilers and Canadiens? Probably not the kind of deal that would be made until the summertime though, so a bit wasteful talking about it now. 

Latest on Taylor Hall

It seems like yesterday was Taylor Hall and Jesse Puljujarvi day on hockey Twitter eh? Here are some of the more prominent quotes regarding Hall that took place,

Pierre LeBrun (TSN),

Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet),

“I do think that the Oilers are one of several teams with the likes of Montreal, Colorado and St. Louis who will be in this,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman added. “But like Chris said, I think a lot of it depends on price for the Oilers and anyone else who may bite.”

Chris Ryan (NJ.com),

The 2017-18 NHL MVP, Hall could fetch a big price on the market, even as a rental for a team for the remainder of the season. A package centered around a high draft pick and a top prospect would likely be the starting point for a trade, and like LeBrun mentioned, any deal would likely have a conditional draft pick attached that would kick in if Hall signed a long-term extension with the new team before free agency.

David Pagnotta (The Fourth Period),

TFP Editor-in-Chief David Pagnotta first reported on June 3 that Hall’s future “might not be in New Jersey.” At the time, Pagnotta reported Hall was not “interested in signing an extension with the Devils.” The two sides have continued an open dialogue, but it seems clear Shero will try to maximize a return on Hall.

Kurt Leavins (The Cult of Hockey),

2. Most teams would have interest. But the ones at the top of the hit parade include the Oilers. Colorado would also be an attractive landing spot. Calgary would like Hall although that franchise might not be the most attractive place to be right now. Montreal has been inconsistent but in that market needs to be seen by the fans as a buyer. Boston? Maybe. Meanwhile, too many dismiss the possibility of Hall to Edmonton based on the salary cap. New Jersey has $4-5m in space. The Devils are positioned to retain salary for a team offering the best talent. Jersey may even be able to take back a contract that another club is looking to unload. Think a Brandon Manning. So, if you think that the cap is the reason why Edmonton couldn’t acquire Hall…think again. And coming off an injury I could even see Taylor considering a short-term contract.

BLH’s Thoughts: I posted a blog about this back in February of 2019 in addition to this on Twitter,

Combine those with the fact that the men responsible for the trading of Taylor Hall out of Edmonton are now working elsewhere (Peter Chiarelli, Todd McLellan, Craig MacTavish, and Kelly Buchberger), and it seems like the wheels have been in motion for quite some time for Hall’s potential return to the City of Champions.

So we’re going to see just how badly Hall wants to come back to Edmonton at some point here. There are hockey men like Brian Burke and Jim Matheson who don’t think that Hall would be a fit for the Oilers right now and there are those like Leavins who think he would be. How about you?

Colorado has to be the most attractive destination for Hall and also the most attractive team to deal with for Ray Shero, no? Shane Bowers, Martin Kaut, and Alex Newhook in combination with a defender like Connor Timmins and a conditional pick certainly is a tasty proposition. Is there another team that could beat that? You’d have to think that Shero would be asking for college sniper Cole Caufield and/or highly-touted Russian defender Alexander Romanov from Montreal. Would Marc Bergevin be willing to part with those assets for a rental? The Blues and Bruins would be near unstoppable if they could bring Hall in but I really don’t feel they’ve got the assets to do it. 

As for wildcard options in the Hall sweepstakes, I wouldn’t put it past the Islanders, Hurricanes, or either of the Florida teams if they found a way to acquire him. Carolina Especially.

I’ve written before that I think if Holland is going to use some of his assets to upgrade the team that he shouldn’t throw all of his eggs into one basket. Hall has a history of injuries that has to concern some GMs out there and I simply would prefer Ken Holland to either stand pat or go after the likes of JG Pageau, Tyler Toffoli, or Andreas Athanasiou. 

https://twitter.com/NHLbyMatty/status/1201221855538888704

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2019 Edmonton Oilers GM28+29: Canucks @ Oilers – Three Players to Watch + Three Players Edmonton Could Target for Trade

This weekend holds some significance on a couple of fronts for the Edmonton Oilers. Firstly, if there are any teams who’d like to get Jesse Puljujarvi into their lineup, they’ve got until Sunday at 3pm mountain time to trade for him and have his name on a contract. Secondly, if the Oilers can go undefeated in this pair of games against their divisional rival, that would go a really long way in their bid to win the Pacific Division this season.

Getting back to the Puljujarvi news though. Yesterday, I threw out a tweet that got a modicum of attention.

A lot of people asked me for names and I didn’t want to disclose anything because all I have at the moment is what is in that Tweet. That said, if you’ve been paying attention and keeping your ear to the ground, you might agree with what I’m about to say.

Yesterday on Oilers Now, host Bob Stauffer was commenting on some texts from listeners and what peaked my ears is he said something to the effect that they might have to make room for another “Hallsy”. Now, I can’t be sure if he was talking about the Oilers bringing in Taylor Hall or simply talking about someone at the radio station. But what I do know is that Stauffer does hear things and he does drop very subtle hints from time to time on his show.

Another name that came up was Andreas Athanasiou from Detroit. Stauffer didn’t talk much on him but he did make specific mention that both Hall and Athanasiou are repped by Darren Ferris. This agent also represents Edmonton’s first-rounder from last year, Philip Broberg.

The final name that I think Edmonton will go out and try to bring in for the playoffs is Brendan Lemieux from the Rangers. Watching the big boys from St. Louis and Boston go at it for the championship last year tells us there’s still a place in the game for physical hockey players and how many of those do the Oilers have up front who could make an impact on the game like Lemieux possibly could? Plus the Puljujarvi for Lemieux rumor is one of the longest-lasting to date.

I think there’s a real appetite from New York to pair up Puljujarvi and Kaapo Kakko. In addition to that, a dream scenario, the potential for the Rangers to draft fellow countryman Anton Lundell in the draft this year is high. Also, with New York bringing in Tuomo Ruutu to help Kakko acclimatize to North America, I would imagine Puljujarvi would love to play there.

How could the Oilers bring in Hall, Athanasiou, and Lemieux? Good question. Dan Rosen of NHL.com recently said that he thought all it would take to acquire Hall was a good young defenseman and a high draft pick or prospect. I would say that the Oilers could afford that no problem, but there’s an issue with the salary potentially. They might be able to work around that by having NJ eat half of Hall’s contract and then Edmonton throwing in Sam Gagner or Brandon Manning, right? Does Edmonton go, Dmitri Samorukov, Kailer Yamamoto, and Sam Gagner for Hall?

The price for Detroit’s speedy 50pt winger might be up there though. I’m thinking a Tyler Benson-like prospect plus. The local lad is lighting up the AHL again this year but I believe there are still concerns about his skating and speed. Once again, things would have to get creative to appease the salary cap gods. Maybe Edmonton sends Cooper Marody to Detroit. He has a bit of history in Michigan and if I’m not mistaken, trains there in the summer.

Some might think that there’s no point in acquiring Puljujarvi as he might not play in the NHL this year, but I disagree. I do think there might be teams who’d rather get a jump on things rather than wait for a bidding war at the draft and for the price to go up. GMs might want to open up cap space or a roster spot to facilitate other moves as well.

In the short term, adding those three players to Edmonton’s forward ranks would instantly make them a Stanley Cup contender, but what about the long-term? Can the Oilers fit these three free agents to be under their cap going forward? If I had to guess, I reckon that’s about $15M-ish in talent coming in. It does concern me a little moving out that much future talent, but Bakersfield would still have Ryan McLeod, Kirill Maksimov, Raphael Lavoie, in addition to Philip Broberg, and many more, right?

This season, I’ve maintained that I don’t think that they should sell the farm to bring in the likes of Taylor Hall unless he can be signed to a team-friendly mid-to-long term contract. On the other hand, I don’t think that Benson, Yamamoto, or Samorukov will end up with better careers than Hall and Athanasiou. Puljujarvi might though but isn’t that the price you pay?

The Next Ten Games Part Three

The first ten games of the 2019/20 season went quite well for the Oilers, more so at the start than the end, mind you. The second ten games were equal to the first ten and it saw the team get a bit better from an analytical point-of-view. Now, the third installment might be the most important as we’ll pass American Thanksgiving (11/28) in this block. I think it was Elliotte Friedman that said 78% of teams who are in a playoff spot by this holiday tend to stay in that spot. I say the Oilers finish this segment of ten games with twelve points out of a possible twenty.

11/14 Colorado (11-5-2) (h): I like the Oilers’ chances against a third-string backup. Won’t be easy though. (WIN) WIN
11/16 Dallas (9-8-2) (h): The Stars are 8-1-1 in their last ten here and I don’t see Edmonton slowing them down. (LOSS) LOSS
11/19 San Jose (8-10-1) (a): Embarrassed from the spankings the Sharks have been giving them since last season, I think the Oilers bounce back here. (WIN) WIN
11/21 Los Angeles (6-11-1) (a): The Kings don’t scare me. Easy points for the Oilers. (WIN) LOSS
11/23 Vegas (9-8-3) (a): The Golden Knights are a dangerous squad and this game could go either way. I’ll take Vegas here as their home advantage is massive. (LOSS) WIN
11/24 Arizona (11-6-2) (a): Having already lost twice to the Coyotes, Edmonton will find a way to secure the two points here. (WIN) WIN
11/27 Colorado (11-5-2) (a): I reckon by this time, the Avs will be healthier and that much more dangerous. (LOSS) LOSS
11/30 Vancouver (10-6-3) (h): The first game of a B2B with the Canucks on a Saturday night and on the eve of Jesse Puljujarvi’s signing deadline. I’ll take the distraction-free Canucks. (LOSS)
12/1 Vancouver (10-6-3) (a): Revenge is a dish best served ice cold… (WIN)
12/4 Ottawa (7-10-1) (h): Much like the Kings, the Senators don’t have a lot going for them. (WIN)

Records as of Nov.14th, 2019.

Three Players to Watch for the Canucks

  • #40 Elias Pettersson – Absolutely lethal. That’s all that can be really said about this guy, isn’t it? His wrister might be the best I’ve ever seen and his one-timer on the PP… Good Lord! Do not leave this guy with time and space or he’ll make you pay.
  • #43 Quinn Hughes – Who would’ve thought that between Jack Hughes and his brother, that Quinn would be the one leading this brotherly competition in points? His hockey IQ, hands, edgework, and skating are elite. Vancouver’s never had a defender like this.
  • #10 JT Miller – A lot of people groaned when they saw what the Canucks paid to bring in Miller, but he’s been more than advertised. Six points in his last five games. He plays a meat and potatoes style of game that can drive opponents nuts. Question though, is he just benefiting from playing on Pettersson’s wing or is he really this good?

Three Player to Watch for the Oilers

  • #97 Connor McDavid – 21 points in his last ten games… I expect him to light up the Canucks without too much difficulty. He’s been playing more physical of late. I wonder if that continues as well.
  • #89 Sam Gagner – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is going to be out for a bit longer than expected, so unless Coach Tippett plans on separating McDraisaitl, Samwise will be lining up at 2C. He’ll have his work cut out for him if he’s going to be marking one of Pettersson or Bo Horvat…
  • #60 Markus Granlund – Three goals in his last five. How will he perform against his old team this weekend?

I’ve got no lines for you for this post since it’s meant for two games. I would think that Edmonton splits the goaltending duties as would Vancouver.

Let’s go Oilers!

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