Three People Who Have Never Been In My Kitchen

by Lowetide

If we were tasked with identifying this year’s Ethan Bear, Caleb Jones and Kailer Yamamoto, who would they be? If the definition of the players was “most likely to play a feature role or perform well enough as a depth player to project into a more substantial job moving forward” who in the system would you name?

THE ATHLETIC!

The Athletic Edmonton features a fabulous cluster of stories (some linked below, some on the site). Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. Proud to be part of The Athletic, check it out here.

THE CANDIDATES

LW Tyler Benson. He’s going to get a chance this season, may not be opening night. It’s clear Marody was very helpful offensively during Benson’s rookie year, and I think we can assume Benson will begin his career in the bottom-six (and might stay there). He will be a value deal next season, that’s a key to his being on the roster.

RHD Evan Bouchard. The positives (great passing, vision, he’s a savant getting the puck to the net on the power play) outweigh the downside (average NHL skater). He improved a great deal defensively during the season and is NHL-ready. We don’t know if he’s Ken Holland NHL-ready, or if the Oilers are being overly cautious with a prospect. In fairness to us, it’s been a long time since Edmonton has been accused of it.

LD William Lagesson. He’s an effective defenseman and has proven it over more than one season. He doesn’t look like a successful NHL defenseman when he skates and he doesn’t outlet pass brilliantly, but he gets the job done. I think he’s wildly underrated by Oilers fans.

RC Cooper Marody. He has a lot of what Edmonton needs, he’s a righty center with passing skill and creativity. He isn’t a burner but I remember him as being a capable skater. Marody’s injury during the 2019 playoffs began a downbeat 12 months and it’s anyone’s guess what he’ll be next season.

LC Ryan McLeod. He’s an absolute bullet, but scoring is going to be an issue, or at least that’s the suspicion. I thought he posted better than expected numbers, and wonder if he’ll be a strong contender for a center job during training camp 2020.

PROSPECT TRACKING

I don’t publish these anymore, but still run them as a way to check progress. Since I’m emptying the chamber this summer as we await games or the draft, thought I would post it. It’s a way to establish the point where players have trade value (Oilers could get now a significant return for Caleb Jones, as an example) and to identify a stall (Paigin) or a truly meandering career that deserves monitoring (Svoboda). Let’s do 2019.

This is actually a fantastic set of levels for draft plus one. Broberg and Konovalov are in good leagues playing a lot, the goalie has been the top option for two years now. Lavoie is about to make a major transition, the Year 2 slot will be more important for him than anyone on the list. Blumel, Mazura and Denezhkin are also in photo at this time, we wait for a spike.

LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE

At 10 this morning, TSN 1260, it’s a big day for the Lowdown. Brilliant NHL player and HHOFer Paul Coffey joins the show to talk about Kevin Lowe getting the call yesterday. Matthew Trueblood from Baseball Prospectus will tell us about the MLB season to come and the Covid-19 positives. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. Talk soon!

You may also like

0 0 votes
Article Rating
103 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
N64

OriginalPouzar: Certainly possible.

Costs in Canada are lower.

Perception for health priority better in Canada (outside-bubble covid matters).

There are 82.4 Million reasons Canada won’t get both sites.

Bettman has been thrilled to be included in those resuming sports calls with NFL, NBA, MLB and the Incumbent.

Bettman would not be thrilled to have those 82.4 million twitter followers read how SAD it is that the NHL is turning its back on them.

jp

ArmchairGM: Is a clean disposition of Russell realistic though? I would think we should expect something coming back.

I don’t know. Something back or a pick/player attached going out should make it possible. I don’t see why we should nix any thought of a team without Russell because it may be difficult to find a team to take him (that he also will go to).

A Neal buyout also opens the same amount of cash FWIW.

ArmchairGM

jp:
An extra $1.5M would go a long way for sure.

But if things break right a 3C could be added with just a Russell trade. Was just looking at this again this afternoon (below is with s $81.5M cap, so $83 would give more breathing room.

The IFs:
Bear bridge at $2.25M X 2
Green or Benning at $2M X 2
Athanasiou at $3M X 1
Lagesson as 7D at $800k
Puljujarvi for Georgiev
Georgiev as 1B goalie at $1.5M (it could be another G for that price)

The above, plus the guys already signed, leaves $3M to sign a 3C (Soderberg?) plus about $800k as a cushion. Again, this is with a $81.5M cap so $83 would leave a little more (maybe an Ennis signing?). Just an illustration of one plausible way this could work of course.

The team in the above scenario:

Athanasiou-McDavid-Kassian
Nuge-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Neal-Soderberg-Chiasson
Nygard-Khaira-Archibald
Benson-Haas

Nurse-Bear
Klefbom-Larsson
Jones-Green (or Benning)
Lagesson (Bouchard may force something here too)

Koskinen-Georgiev

I’m not sure why we shouldn’t remain optimistic about adding a legit 3C this off season….

Is a clean disposition of Russell realistic though? I would think we should expect something coming back.

OriginalPouzar

Chelios is a Dinosaur:
Bold prediction : Toronto & Edmonton will be hubs.

Certainly possible.

Costs in Canada are lower.

Perception for health priority better in Canada (outside-bubble covid matters).

OriginalPouzar

Today was supposed to be the draft but it will be lottery Part 1 (or 1 or 2).

I think about a 55-60% chance a placeholder wins one of the three and I would love that.

———————

Also, decent chance the hub cities will be announced if the players and the league can finalize (subject to official vote of Return to Play logistics).

Big day!

Chelios is a Dinosaur

Bold prediction : Toronto & Edmonton will be hubs.

defmn

Harpers Hair: Do you think it’s likely Soderberg takes a 25% haircut on his next contract?

I have no idea. I didn’t mention Soderberg. Just that there is enough budget to go shopping for a 3C if Russell can be moved and JP’s signing numbers are accurate or close – which I think they are.

My own preference would be to pursue a younger option but we all know the cap is going to play a huge role in every decision every team has to make this off season.

Until we get some clarity on the CBA negotiations going on regarding the cap and escrow etc. all predictions come with a big dose of conjecture I would think.

OriginalPouzar

Broberg will be landing in Edmonton on Sunday or Monday and will then quarantine (as per Nugent-Bowman via Holland).

jp

Harpers Hair: Do you think it’s likely Soderberg takes a 25% haircut on his next contract?

$3M would be more than 25% actually, he makes $4.75M right now.

You didn’t ask, but I do think it’s possible/likely given the flat cap and that he’ll turn 35 in October.

OriginalPouzar

Harpers Hair: Do you think it’s likely Soderberg takes a 25% haircut on his next contract?

Yes, I think the soon to be 35 year old will be signing for less than $4.75M (and his $4M takehome this past year).

Harpers Hair

defmn: Yup. Doable. Maybe bonus discrepancy in our numbers.

Do you think it’s likely Soderberg takes a 25% haircut on his next contract?

OriginalPouzar

Smith accumulated $500K of bonuses for 35 games.

He would get $250K for each of 40 and 45 games. Given he’s at 39 games, I’ve got to imagine the league awards him at least $250K and maybe even $500K (or somewhere in between) – plus potential playoff game bonuses.

jp

defmn: That’s how I read it. Just to be clear I don’t know enough about any of these guys to have an opinion of my own on them. The whole thing was from the tweet.

I was pretty sure it was all from the tweet but wanted to confirm. I don’t know much about the draft prospects either but those are definitely interesting takes.

defmn

jp: Just to be 100% clear, Bourque/Perreault/Holloway is part of the tweet as well?

Ryan doesn’t like a lot of LTs favourites it seems.

That’s how I read it. Just to be clear I don’t know enough about any of these guys to have an opinion of my own on them. The whole thing was from the tweet.

defmn

jp: Hmmm. I used Capfriendly/Armchair GM and got 790k left over after signing Soderberg to $3M (on an $81.5M cap).That would be ~$77,700,000 spent without 3C, and not including your $1M bonus overage.

Not sure the difference but in either case Holland’s main task (in our opinion!) is doable.

Yup. Doable. Maybe bonus discrepancy in our numbers.

OriginalPouzar

Some excerpts from Friedman’s piece – hope its not too much but the information is important.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/nhl-nhlpa-talks-cba-include-escrow-cap-salary-deferral-players/

According to multiple sources, the potential agreement between the NHL and NHLPA caps escrow at 20 per cent for the 2020-21 season. Original guesstimates were escrow at 35 per cent if this year did not finish, 27-28 even if it did.

But there is a second layer: a one-season-only 10 per cent salary deferral by every player. I’m told this is not a rollback. Players will be returned that money in the future. The benefit to them is the escrow on it would be lower.

As part of the agreement, the salary cap will be kept close to the current $81.5 million for the next three seasons.

There is potential for it to go up $1 million in 2022-23.

But, over the past few weeks, there have been several emotional calls amongst NHLPA membership. It’s not easy, with so much unknown about the lasting effects of COVID-19. (The NHL and NHLPA are working on “opt-out” language for those who don’t want to play.) One team was leaning against returning until a passionate speech from one of its most respected players turned the tide. Several players (and some agents) have said they will never have more leverage than now, and should wield it.

“I would tell you that I probably wouldn’t be comfortable voting at this particular time,” Carey Price told Montreal reporters on Thursday. “There’s still a lot of questions that need to be answered…The NHL and the NHLPA are trying to make the best of a very difficult situation. So, moving forward – and I’d like to play – we have a lot of questions that need to be answered and a lot of scenarios that need to be covered before I vote yea or nay.”

OriginalPouzar

defmn:
A little draft conversation on twitter between Staples and Sean Ryan.

============================

David Staples
@dstaples
Who are the top ranked players this year you would stay away from? @TheOilKnight

Sean Patrick Ryan
Ice hockey stick and puck
Shamrock
@TheOilKnight
·
10m
Replying to
@dstaples
Some of that depends on who’s still on the board but,

I would not draft:
Perfetti Top 10
Gunler Top 20
Lundell in Top 31
Poirier in Top 62

Mavrik Bourque & Jacob Perreault make me nervous. Dylan Holloway is a complete wildcard for me too.

Ya, I saw that.

SPR has a pretty darn good eye on these things, from what I’ve seen over the last few years – in particular the OHL but it seems to go farther than that.

jp

defmn:
A little draft conversation on twitter between Staples and Sean Ryan.

============================

David Staples
@dstaples
Who are the top ranked players this year you would stay away from? @TheOilKnight

Sean Patrick Ryan
Ice hockey stick and puck
Shamrock
@TheOilKnight
·
10m
Replying to
@dstaples
Some of that depends on who’s still on the board but,

I would not draft:
Perfetti Top 10
Gunler Top 20
Lundell in Top 31
Poirier in Top 62

Mavrik Bourque & Jacob Perreault make me nervous. Dylan Holloway is a complete wildcard for me too.

Just to be 100% clear, Bourque/Perreault/Holloway is part of the tweet as well?

Ryan doesn’t like a lot of LTs favourites it seems.

Harpers Hair

Iain MacIntyre (@imacSportsnet) Tweeted:
Dr. Bonnie Henry on NHL looking elsewhere for hub city: “We are doing very well. We have a good balance. But under no circumstances was I going to compromise in any way the health of people here in British Columbia, and we made that very clear.”

jp

OriginalPouzar: Solid – don’t forget, we may have a bonus overage penalty to take in to account.

Yes definitely a possibility/likelihood.

That extra $1.5M of cap would definitely come in handy. A Neal buyout is still a possibility too (it’s a lot of money to carry for 6 years, but well.. $5.75M is a LOT to carry for the next 3…).

jp

defmn: Using your lineup and signing prognostications the cap hit without a 3C would come in at $76,909,498.

That leaves room for a 3C and some wiggle room in helping to move Russell if necessary so very doable.

EDIT: This includes an estimated $1M overage payment for bonuses this year.

Hmmm. I used Capfriendly/Armchair GM and got 790k left over after signing Soderberg to $3M (on an $81.5M cap). That would be ~$77,700,000 spent without 3C, and not including your $1M bonus overage.

Not sure the difference but in either case Holland’s main task (in our opinion!) is doable.

jp

digger50:
Predictions:

This years Bear? Bear showed promise in 18(?) NHL games then disappeared for a season in the AHL. He was then listed on many trade scenarios, before he emerged as a player after the rookie swede was injured.

For 2020 I think its Cooper Marody
This years Jones? Jones showed up for a very brief NHL stint then sat on backburner as Ethan Bear got established. He finally got the chance to shine.

The 2020 Jones is William Laggeson
This years Yamamoto? After a couple of false starts where he just wasn’t ready and his potential was questioned, he shows up to stay.

For 2020 it is Jessie Puljujarvi
How about another one? Cinderella story out of nowhere Patrick Russel makes the team. How about Josh Currie for the longshot? Actually if McLeod makes the team it would almost be out of nowhere, certainly not expected.

I do admit Benson is higher on the whiteboard as it written today. And Bouchard is blocked.

Nice post btw.

jp

OriginalPouzar: I think he is healthy now and will be on the Oilers post-season roster.

Has there been any word on Jurco re: the playoff roster? Beyond fan speculation I mean?

It would be great if he’s healthy and included on the roster. I’d definitely welcome him back next season as a tweener/depth option as well.

Reja

SwedishPoster:
Cooper Marody could have a real shot at being a Bear next season since there’s both ability and opportunity(3C). But that shot depends on two pretty major IFs, he must have put whatever lingering injury issues he had this season behind him and he needs to get a bit quicker his first couple of steps. If that happens I think he could surprise a lot of people, he’s a smart player with hands and vision. I have a lot of time for those. If you could merge him with McLeod you’d have one heck of a player. Do we have the technology?

Great to see Broberg getting some time with the team, he’s a kid who seems like he will learn a lot from being around top players.
He is also the type of guy who I think, after a week or two with the team, could look very NHL ready in an NHL environment and I’m glad we a)have the calm and experienced duo of Holland and Tippett at the helm and b) enough D depth to not feel any need to push any youngling into action, because the combo of Broberg’s elite skating, already mature defensive game, pro experience and extreme coachability could give a more desperate, less experienced GM and/or head coach a real itchy trigger finger to “get him into some games and see if he can help the team” and that wouldn’t be beneficial for Broberg at all nor the team since he still has things to work on before being truly ready. Especially if the end goal is a top pairing D which it certainly should be.

I to say Cooper if healthy surprises many folks I’m unsure of his face-off percentage if it’s over 50 it will be very important skill needed at various times. it’s a make or break year in my opinion for the kid to get established. I might be in left field but what minimal viewing I’ve seen of Broberg when he puts his mind to it and rushes the puck up the ice is he reminds me of The Big Bird Larry in his rookie year raw as hell arms frailing in all directions but speed and skill coming out his ass. I can’t wait to see what the D-man whisper Manson can do with this kid.

defmn

A little draft conversation on twitter between Staples and Sean Ryan.

============================

David Staples
@dstaples
Who are the top ranked players this year you would stay away from? @TheOilKnight

Sean Patrick Ryan
Ice hockey stick and puck
Shamrock
@TheOilKnight
·
10m
Replying to
@dstaples
Some of that depends on who’s still on the board but,

I would not draft:
Perfetti Top 10
Gunler Top 20
Lundell in Top 31
Poirier in Top 62

Mavrik Bourque & Jacob Perreault make me nervous. Dylan Holloway is a complete wildcard for me too.

OriginalPouzar

jp:
An extra $1.5M would go a long way for sure.

But if things break right a 3C could be added with just a Russell trade. Was just looking at this again this afternoon (below is with s $81.5M cap, so $83 would give more breathing room.

The IFs:
Bear bridge at $2.25M X 2
Green or Benning at $2M X 2
Athanasiou at $3M X 1
Lagesson as 7D at $800k
Puljujarvi for Georgiev
Georgiev as 1B goalie at $1.5M (it could be another G for that price)

The above, plus the guys already signed, leaves $3M to sign a 3C (Soderberg?) plus about $800k as a cushion. Again, this is with a $81.5M cap so $83 would leave a little more (maybe an Ennis signing?). Just an illustration of one plausible way this could work of course.

The team in the above scenario:

Athanasiou-McDavid-Kassian
Nuge-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Neal-Soderberg-Chiasson
Nygard-Khaira-Archibald
Benson-Haas

Nurse-Bear
Klefbom-Larsson
Jones-Green (or Benning)
Lagesson (Bouchard may force something here too)

Koskinen-Georgiev

I’m not sure why we shouldn’t remain optimistic about adding a legit 3C this off season….

Solid – don’t forget, we may have a bonus overage penalty to take in to account.

OriginalPouzar

John Chambers: A compliance buyout would do Ken Holland wonders

Can’t imagine they will be provided for.

godot10

Vancouver is out.

OriginalPouzar

John Chambers: I think the preference at this point should be for Edmonton / Vancouver based on case count.

I imagine BC’s Health Ministry is being less flexible with things like quarantine timelines and the NHL is putting it out to the media to force them to compromise.

The BC health authorities and the league have a “difference in opinion” on the level of positive tests that would require a pause/shutdown – from accounts.

OriginalPouzar

SwedishPoster:
Cooper Marody could have a real shot at being a Bear next season since there’s both ability and opportunity(3C). But that shot depends on two pretty major IFs, he must have put whatever lingering injury issues he had this season behind him and he needs to get a bit quicker his first couple of steps. If that happens I think he could surprise a lot of people, he’s a smart player with hands and vision. I have a lot of time for those. If you could merge him with McLeod you’d have one heck of a player. Do we have the technology?

Great to see Broberg getting some time with the team, he’s a kid who seems like he will learn a lot from being around top players.
He is also the type of guy who I think, after a week or two with the team, could look very NHL ready in an NHL environment and I’m glad we a)have the calm and experienced duo of Holland and Tippett at the helm and b) enough D depth to not feel any need to push any youngling into action, because the combo of Broberg’s elite skating, already mature defensive game, pro experience and extreme coachability could give a more desperate, less experienced GM and/or head coach a real itchy trigger finger to “get him into some games and see if he can help the team” and that wouldn’t be beneficial for Broberg at all nor the team since he still has things to work on before being truly ready. Especially if the end goal is a top pairing D which it certainly should be.

On Marody – from the player himself, he’s finally 100%. Unfortunately, I’m not so confident he’ll check off box 2. Coming in to camp last year, he was express that he didn’t overtly work on his skating as, while he knows its not his strong point, its “never held him back”. I don’t have the feeling his attitude has changed on the matter.

I know he’s been working on lots of music, as he posts about it all the time. I don’t know if he’s been working on his skating because, well, he doesn’t post about it.

Here is hoping I’m wrong.

———-

On Broberg, i don’t imagine, no matter how he looks in practice, that he’ll get a niff of a game – I mean, if Playfair/Tip decide they need to put in their 6LD/11D, well, I just can’t see it.

defmn

jp:
An extra $1.5M would go a long way for sure.

But if things break right a 3C could be added with just a Russell trade. Was just looking at this again this afternoon (below is with s $81.5M cap, so $83 would give more breathing room.

The IFs:
Bear bridge at $2.25M X 2
Green or Benning at $2M X 2
Athanasiou at $3M X 1
Lagesson as 7D at $800k
Puljujarvi for Georgiev
Georgiev as 1B goalie at $1.5M (it could be another G for that price)

The above, plus the guys already signed, leaves $3M to sign a 3C (Soderberg?) plus about $800k as a cushion. Again, this is with a $81.5M cap so $83 would leave a little more (maybe an Ennis signing?). Just an illustration of one plausible way this could work of course.

The team in the above scenario:

Athanasiou-McDavid-Kassian
Nuge-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Neal-Soderberg-Chiasson
Nygard-Khaira-Archibald
Benson-Haas

Nurse-Bear
Klefbom-Larsson
Jones-Green (or Benning)
Lagesson (Bouchard may force something here too)

Koskinen-Georgiev

I’m not sure why we shouldn’t remain optimistic about adding a legit 3C this off season….

Using your lineup and signing prognostications the cap hit without a 3C would come in at $76,909,498.

That leaves room for a 3C and some wiggle room in helping to move Russell if necessary so very doable.

EDIT: This includes an estimated $1M overage payment for bonuses this year.

OriginalPouzar

digger50:
Predictions:

This years Bear? Bear showed promise in 18(?) NHL games then disappeared for a season in the AHL. He was then listed on many trade scenarios, before he emerged as a player after the rookie swede was injured.

For 2020 I think its Cooper Marody

This years Jones?Jones showed up for a very brief NHL stint then sat on backburner as Ethan Bear got established. He finally got the chance to shine.

The 2020 Jones is William Laggeson

This years Yamamoto? After a couple of false starts where he just wasn’t ready and his potential was questioned, he shows up to stay.

For 2020 it is Jessie Puljujarvi

How about another one? Cinderella story out of nowhere Patrick Russel makes the team. How about Josh Currie for the longshot? Actually if McLeod makes the team it would almost be out of nowhere, certainly not expected.

I do admit Benson is higher on the whiteboard as it written today. And Bouchard is blocked.

Bear showed promise in that year but showed that he needed considerable more time – he got that time, changes his priorities and developed massively in that period – what a great story.

Marody is a solid choice – from his own accounts, he is finally feeling 100% health – I don’t think he was right at any point last season. Big bounce back season is required by the player to put himself back on the map.

I would throw Kuffner in there as a dark-horse – hopefully he sees this as a “fresh start” to his pro career and can get back some of that goal-scoring swagger he had at Princeton.

Jesse, of course, if he’s in the damn league. Interesting that he hasn’t spoken to Karpat regarding a contract. It could be see as an intent to come back to the NHL or it could be seen as an interest in the KHL which has teams courting him. Of course, a KHL signing would preclude him coming back to the NHL. Best case scenario is to re-sign in Karpat, get playing in the fall and then come on over when training camp starts (with his QO signed and contract in hand).

OriginalPouzar

ArmchairGM:
Happy birthday Phillip Broberg!

Amazing to think that he just turned 19 – not 20, 19.

OriginalPouzar

fries n gravy:
Klefbom (+)Larsson
Nurse (+) Bouchard (next year) / Green (this year)
Lagesson Jones (+)
Krusty

This lineup:
– has a plus skater on each pair
– has Bouchard too high next year
– has Krusty under-employed, but as a versatile D he can fill in almost anywhere as needed

I like Green a lot, but I don’t see room for him next season (assuming Krusty’s $4m is untradeable.)

Ethan Bear……..

OriginalPouzar

fries n gravy:
Oilers think Lagesson is ready now. “Ideally he’s paired with a plus skater,” Mr. Oil scout told me.

Oilers would like to have room for him on the 3rd pair. Alternatively, if they can’t do that, a young inexpensive competent D is a valuable trade piece.It isn’t that they want to trade him, but you don’t leave a guy like Lagers in the press box or waivers.

Ideally Rusty is dealt and Lagesson is on the roster as 4LD/7D with Bouchard in the Bake waiting for the call-up. I believe he will prove to be an every day 3LD if given that chance and, well, injuries happen and he will get that chance (and there will be no Manning to block him).

I would be hesitant to expose him to waivers but lets not forget there are very good names that clear waivers on the eve of the season each and every year – recall the names that weren’t claimed last season.

I would anticipate Willie would clear (although would be very nervous).

OriginalPouzar

Darth Tu: On Jurco, he only didn’t work out due to injuries. I’m not entirely convinced he isn’t re signed on a league minimum contract. He’s at least a tweener guy that can help out in Bakersfield and provide injury cover in the NHL.

I agree that he very well might be brought back but I can’t agree that injuries were the only reason he didn’t work out.

He was assigned to the AHL when the injuries hit – he was playing well down there and may have earned a re-call if he stayed healthy but the re-assignment pre-dated the injuries.

He’s got top 6 skill level but there is something that holds him back – he’s pushing 30 and hasn’t been able to hold an NHL position despite being skilled.

I think he is healthy now and will be on the Oilers post-season roster.

OriginalPouzar

till_horcoff_is_coach:
So with talk about a CBA extension, what is on everyone’s wishlist?

Olympics is a no-brainer, but next on the list I’m hoping for an MLB-esque arbitration process.It’d be nice to bring some sanity to the positions held by each side.

Capping percent of contracts that can be paid via signing bonus and/or change the inability to buy out a signing bonus portion for savings.

OriginalPouzar

Silver Streak:
McLeod was scouted and drafted to become our3C. He will never score 25 goals. His value is measured as a 200 foot player who is dependable in our end, fill a strong checking role, kill penalties,
all this with speed and size. He should be in our lineup next season…..whenever that comes.

I agree with most of this except for being in the NHL lineup next season.

He had a solid development season in his first year pro but may I ask what makes you think he’s ready for the NHL and 3C except for the fact that the Oilers have a hole at the position he is hoped to develop to fill?

He wasn’t even a full time 3C in the AHL – I’m not sure why we would expect him to fill that position at the NHL level.

For me, he needs to be a full-time center in the AHL, not just a 3C in the AHL but a top 6 AHL center before there is a realistic chance he could be ready for 3C at the NHL level.

Yukon Jerk

SlickOil:
Random comment: I support 2 sports teams in life. Liverpool just won the English title for the first time in 30 years (1989-90). Is it destiny that my other team also wins their corresponding title for the first time in 30 years!

I support this comment,
Time to rename the grandstand:
‘The Klopp’

jp

OriginalPouzar: Glaring hole is pretty obvious and its at the 3C position.
Form months and months we’ve known that needs to be the primary off-season acquisition but, of course, there simply may not be any cap space for it.
The premise is to dispose of Russell and use that cap space for 3C (i.e. Soderberg) but that disposal may not be easy or do-able for cap savings.
At the very least, I hope Holland can pull off a Rusty for B. Sutter type swap but we may not be able to upgrade externally at all this off-season.
That’s with Bear coming in on a very cheap bridge at $2M or less.

OriginalPouzar: As per the Larry Brooks article above, the cap may come in around $83M for the next few years.
A bit higher than the “flat cap” speculated.
That extra $1.5M could go a long ways…..

An extra $1.5M would go a long way for sure.

But if things break right a 3C could be added with just a Russell trade. Was just looking at this again this afternoon (below is with s $81.5M cap, so $83 would give more breathing room.

The IFs:
Bear bridge at $2.25M X 2
Green or Benning at $2M X 2
Athanasiou at $3M X 1
Lagesson as 7D at $800k
Puljujarvi for Georgiev
Georgiev as 1B goalie at $1.5M (it could be another G for that price)

The above, plus the guys already signed, leaves $3M to sign a 3C (Soderberg?) plus about $800k as a cushion. Again, this is with a $81.5M cap so $83 would leave a little more (maybe an Ennis signing?). Just an illustration of one plausible way this could work of course.

The team in the above scenario:

Athanasiou-McDavid-Kassian
Nuge-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Neal-Soderberg-Chiasson
Nygard-Khaira-Archibald
Benson-Haas

Nurse-Bear
Klefbom-Larsson
Jones-Green (or Benning)
Lagesson (Bouchard may force something here too)

Koskinen-Georgiev

I’m not sure why we shouldn’t remain optimistic about adding a legit 3C this off season….

N64

John Chambers: I think the preference at this point should be for Edmonton / Vancouver based on case count.

I imagine BC’s Health Ministry is being less flexible with things like quarantine timelines and the NHL is putting it out to the media to force them to compromise.

Expecting MGM and the CNE now.

SlickOil

Random comment: I support 2 sports teams in life. Liverpool just won the English title for the first time in 30 years (1989-90). Is it destiny that my other team also wins their corresponding title for the first time in 30 years!

geowal

godot10:
NHL games in CHAZ in a few years will be interesting when the Edmonton Oilers play the CHAZ Antifa in Climate Pledge Arena.

Never would I have ever guessed that was the actual name of the arena if it wasn’t for OPs post below. Or it’s April Fools Day and I didn’t notice.
I’ve also heard nothing about CHAZ other than your posts..when Inhave to search it out….truly bizarre.

jp

OriginalPouzar:

Listening to Briak Burke today and he essentially confirmed the speculation and indicated that Vegas’ bubble would include the hotel staff – they wouldn’t be going home every night and coming back but they’d be part of the quarantine.

Now, I’m sure all the bids have some level of staff being included but its more pronounced in Vegas with their volume of hotel availability and, well, frankly, their bubbles are essentially high end resorts with tons to do – easier to “convince” the staff to live there for a while.

And those poor folks must be desperate for some income. Lots of support workers relying on those hotels that I expect will be easy to convince (completely aside from how exceptional the amenities/activities will be in the Vegas bubble).

OriginalPouzar

Eh Team: There is going to be a huge drag on salaries for non-core players and a lot of players on the market. Players like Sheahan are going to be lucky to get contracts.There is no reason to be paying them much more than the league minimum and to give them more than a one year deal.

Also, seems like there is a strong possibility that there will be no AHL year (or at least there will be no fans).The virus is probably worse than ever in the USA and more widespread now than at its’s NYC peak.Perhaps hockey will be like baseball with teams carry a taxi squad.

McLeod is an interesting prospect but he ideally would play a full year in the AHL in a more featured role before being considered as an NHL option.But these are different times.

I don’t think the AHL starts until the NHL starts – which I don’t think will happen until there are fans permitted in the stands.

Man it would truly be a shame if the AHL can’t go at all next season – McLeod, Lavoie, Maksimov, Kuffner, Niemelanan, etc. – they need to be playing.

John Chambers

OriginalPouzar:
As per the Larry Brooks article above, the cap may come in around $83M for the next few years.

A bit higher than the “flat cap” speculated.

That extra $1.5M could go a long ways…..

A compliance buyout would do Ken Holland wonders

John Chambers

OriginalPouzar:
Pierre LeBrun
@PierreVLeBrun
With the Vancouver Hub city bid having hit a setback in talks with provisional health authorities, sources confirm the NHL has commenced more detailed conversations with the Edmonton and Toronto bids to see where that goes. Vancouver isn’t totally out, but the focus shifted

Depending on where those talks go with Edmonton and Toronto, LA and Chicago remain on standbye if it turns out the NHL can’t put a Hub city in Canada to go along with Vegas. But the hope is still to have a Hub city in Canada if possible. And meanwhile, time is of the essence!

I think the preference at this point should be for Edmonton / Vancouver based on case count.

I imagine BC’s Health Ministry is being less flexible with things like quarantine timelines and the NHL is putting it out to the media to force them to compromise.

OriginalPouzar

As per the Larry Brooks article above, the cap may come in around $83M for the next few years.

A bit higher than the “flat cap” speculated.

That extra $1.5M could go a long ways…..

OriginalPouzar

There we go – confirmed the vote will be the entire player union (not just the execs and not just involving the 24 teams) and, importantly, will include CBA extension matters:

The full NHL Players Association membership will vote on a comprehensive Return to Play proposal that would include a collective bargaining agreement extension as well as coronavirus-related protocols for training camp (Phase 3) and the projected summer Stanley Cup tournament (Phase 4) once ongoing negotiations between the league and the union conclude.

https://nypost.com/2020/06/25/entire-union-will-vote-on-nhl-return-to-play-package-cba-extension/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons

OriginalPouzar

ArmchairGM:
I have a feeling we’re going to see more of McLeod next season than any other prospect not named Bouchard. A flat cap / no CBO situation is going to preclude an outside solution to 3C and therefore demand more from the system sooner, and I think McLeod gets the nod over Marody due to skating ability.

Filling the 3C hole may very well be an issue but I wouldn’t imagine the scenario above plays out – just based off of regular development time for non elite prospects, Holland’s general course of developing prospects and, well, frankly, McLeod isn’t close to ready for a 3C position in the NHL.

Yes, he could “pop” I guess but he wasn’t even a full-time 3C at the AHL level – he’s a solid prospect and could very well be that 3C of the future – if developed properly – I don’t see Holland not marinating this guy – he’s only very lightly marinated as at mid-March.