The NHL moved up the draft a few days, it’ll go October 6 and 7. This blog is ready for the NHL draft 365 days a year but there are some things we have yet to address. Like first-shot scorers, snipers, goal-scoring forwards who might be worth a reach pick. How many are they, who are they?
THE ATHLETIC!
Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. I am proud to be part of The Athletic. Here are the most recent Oilers stories.
- New Lowetide: Potential trades and partners for the Oilers’ offseason
- New Lowetide: The Oilers could find a world-class agitator in the draft
- New Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Should the Oilers select goalie Yaroslav Askarov 14th at the NHL Draft?
- New Lowetide: A bold draft strategy for the Oilers in 2020
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers third-line centre search should include other teams’ cap casualties
- Lowetide: Dealing a defenceman? Taking stock of Oilers’ blueline assets
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie has opted for Europe. Will others follow suit?
- Lowetide: Oilers return to traditional farming model with Bakersfield Condors
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Q&A: Oilers GM Ken Holland on improving internally, the flat cap and goaltending
- Lowetide: How close are the Oilers to deploying two formidable scoring lines?
- Jonathan Willis: Can the Oilers find value picks among the 2020 NHL Draft’s impressive Russians?
- Lowetide: 10 free agent targets for the Oilers this offseason
- Lowetide: What if the Oilers went scorched earth in front of 2020 free agency?
- Lowetide: Oilers Top 20 Prospects, Summer 2020
- Jonathan Willis: Unqualified RFAs could be top offseason targets for the Oilers
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Who stays? Who goes? The most likely players to stay with and leave the Oilers
TOP GOAL SCORERS VIA NHLE, 2020 DRAFT
- RW Jack Quinn (22.2)
- LC Quinton Byfield (18.8)
- LC Marco Rossi (18.45)
- RC Jacob Perreault (18.12)
- LC Jan Mysak (18.1)
- LC Connor Zary (16.5)
- LC Cole Perfetti (16.1)
- RC Tyson Foerster (15.4)
- LW James Hardie (15.3)
- RW Sam Colangelo (14.8)
- L Alexis Lafreniere (14.3)
- RC Mavrik Bourque (13.8)
- RW Dawson Mercer (13.3)
- RC Tristan Robins (13.2)
- RW Alexander Holtz (12.6)
- RC Zayde Wisdom (12.4)
- LW Rory Kerins (12.4)
- LW Lukas Reichel (12.2)
- RC Colby Ambrosio (12.0)
- LW Brendan Brisson (11.8)
My final list is here and I’m not suggesting a change in ranking. However, let’s say Holland and Wright get to that third-round pick and Sam Colangelo is still on the list? Or Edmonton gets to the fifth round and Hardie is still there? I think you bite the bullet and make the pick.
RECALLS
As the Oilers appear to be drifting from a possible re-signing of Jesse Puljujarvi, it might be worth noting the most valuable recalls using NHLE:
Cracknell’s KHL numbers give him a strong NHLE and he is a center but I don’t see him as a legit option. Edmonton will need to add some help if there is an NHL season with no AHL season. Strange but true.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
A busy show gets underway at 10 this morning, TSN 1260. Bruce McCurdy from the Cult of Hockey at the Edmonton Journal will join me, we’ll talk about trading Jesse Puljujarvi, his work on Lightning and Islanders rosters and how they compare to Oilers team building, and remembering Lou Brock. Joe Osborne from OddsShark will pop in to talk NFL. Hockey Helps The Homeless executive director Ryan Baillie. Covid-19 has been a game changer, but the needs at the Mustard Seed Edmonton and Jasper Place Wellness Centre are even greater than before. Find out what HHTH is doing and how you can help.
We’ll also have the $20,000 Mystery Moment at 10:15, your chance to win cash with that gigantic sports brain of yours. We’re at $1,000! THAT’S REAL WALKING AROUND MONEY! Text in at 10-1260 with the secret word, then we’ll call you, play a clip from a famous sports moment and ask you for a detailed answer.
That’s a pet peeve of mine in many situations. Banks, credit card and utility companies are notorious for offering sweet deals to attract new customers while the poor schleps that have been faithfully paying sticker price for decades get nothing.
Fantastic offer for new subscribers – this has been done a few times – with that said, don’t really any offers over time for multi-year full price subscribers.
Don’t get me wrong, I have zero issue with the subscription price or anything, full value for money spent in my opinion, but wouldn’t mind seeing some sort of something for the loyal subscribers, no?
NEW for The Athletic: Stock Watch: Hot starts and safe landings for Oilers prospects. Several early risers announcing their presence with authority. Click on the link for a fantastic offer!
https://theathletic.com/2052597/2020/09/10/lowetide-stock-watch-hot-starts-and-safe-landings-for-oilers-prospects/
Schneider has an NTC, not an NMC, so doesn’t have to be protected.
Looks like they would have to protect Schneider in the Kraken draft, so I’m sure they will have to deal with him before then.
They need some depth now, so maybe a Brossoit-type on a two-way?
I guess that’s almost never a bad play, but would it get them anywhere?
Palmeri, Gusev and Zajac are UFAs next offseason (Zajac will be 36 then, Palmeri and Gusev could re-sign potentially).
But Schneider is clearly done. Subban at $9M for 2 more years may also be done.
I wonder if they embrace the inevitable and save a few bucks in the mean time? (I also don’t watch them so have no actual idea, but it doesn’t look like a great situation over there)
If I were NJD, I’d try to add a couple of reliable defensemen and another goalie.
What on earth will Jersey be trying to achieve this year anyway? Hard to even guess…
You’re assuming a Schneider buyout at 4x$2M? Or, bury him?
Looks like they’ll have lots of cap room.
Wouldn’t the voting have been completed before Torts stormed out of the press conference in the playoffs? Or are you referring to all of his previous temper tantrums?
In any case, I get your point that the press shouldn’t be biased. But, human nature….
Hilarious- the vinyl ‘resurgence’ is at least half a generation old now. Shit, there are now labels that are ONLY releasing new music on cassettes – I’m serious.
New Jersey needs a vet to pair with Blackwood. Lundqvist wouldn’t have to move.
NHL broadcasters apparently hold a grudge against Tortorella. Very unprofessional of them, unable to separate their emotions from their vote.
Lowry made a great shot at the end of the game. Pure.
Holy crap Raptors win in 2OT!!! Big night for Lowry. Siakum awful and Gasol looks like his career is over . Game 7!!!!!
That’s why we get along. No way to fool each other. 🙂
Lowetide,
Thank you sir.
I’m not so good with the smarts….
Listening to Bill Daly on the 2-Man Advantage with LeBrun.
Some high level points:
– the 7 teams they didn’t come back very much want some extra training camp time.
– they are working on protocols for what off-season training at facilities will look like.
– don’t know what next season will look like. Will take their time and asses all the info including looking at the other leagues including NFL and European leagues.
– still very much want an 82 game season but don’t know if that is do-able. If they start in January, they could still get 82 games in. Playing partially in the summer is an option but they do want to get back on a normal cycle ASAP, once world events permit.
– bubble season is not a model for a full regular season – not by any stretch.
– constructing next season is totally different than what they structured this summer
– acknowledged the likelihood of having temp tests or some sort of testing to get in the building.
– maybe some fans in some buildings and not others? The NFL is dealing with different market conditions and local requirements and they don’t even have to deal with a border – it is going to be complicated.
– Haven’t spoke to government or health authorities with respect to crossing borders for next season. The focus has been on the current RTP and it may even be premature to have those discussion re: border travel for next year.
– Dec 1 will depend on “what they decide to do” – it’s probably “less likely” but that could change.
The number of years would have a big impact here though, given Crawford turns 36 in December.
If he wants 3 or 4 years the AAV should be sharply reduced (like 34 yo Khudobin reportedly wanting $3M X 3).
If that’s the ofter for 1 or 2 years though then yeah, that a real eye opener.
Crawford has played pretty consistently at a high level. He was .908 in 18-19 but .917 this year, and has actually posted .917 and better in 7 of the last 8 seasons. That’s a real impressive track record.
SwedishPoster,
Such great info and detail – thank you so much.
Likely a cash flow issue – I’m not sure exactly how it works but I think an agreement between the NHL and European team is made with respect to payment of salaries and other costs. Perhaps Murray Edwards and Company are not in to paying for Valimaki to play across the Atlantic?
OP you put it in the previous thread, move it up if you like.
There’s nothing in the spam filter, OP.
Atta boy!!!!!
Thinking about goalies, listening to Kevin Woodley on the Gregor show yesterday and he mentioned a few things:
1) the Hawks initial offer to Crawford is $3.5M – that doesn’t mean they won’t be higher but that may be a sense of the market for the older tier B regressing tenders.
2) sounds like Lundquist may actually be bought out in New York and he still wants to play. Can’t imagine him signing in Edmonton but it could add yet another tender to the buyers market.
Sorry, was my summary of Daly’s conversation on the 2-Man Advantage podcast offside?
I guess maybe that 24-hour rule applies to pods, not just articles/blogs – never thought about that.
Sorry if is did bad!
Coach T finished 7th in Jack Adams voting – 4 first place votes:
https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNHL/status/1303846527962615808/photo/1
Congratulations to you & Mrs Noir…?
jtblack,
– Solid name. James is a family name so I’m partial to it. Is Black really your last name!?
– How many kids now ?
Oh for sure! My now 30 yr old son latched on to my old turntable and mission speakers a few years ago. (As well as all my classic albums- Led Zeppelin etc) He routinely is out buying albums now!
Not really… But wouldn’t that be something!
—-
Congrats, JT!
Vinyl has made a come back, and DJ’s are the new popstars. The kids know what turntables are.
Congrats to JT and family!
Yeah he’s getting some time on PP2, they’ve used a five forward unit on PP1 so no room at the inn there. As long as he plays with Granberg 5v5 I wouldn’t count on much production offensively as they’re likely to be used as more defense oriented pairing with Granberg not having an offensive bone in his body. As Unfriendly Regional Arachnid Individual mentioned in the other thread it will put an onus on Broberg’s puckmoving as it will mostly depend on him to get it done.
Granberg isn’t quite as bad as I’m alluding to though, he’s positionally sound, physically strong and when without pressure can at least take and make a simple pass. He had a terrible first year back in Sweden but was better last season. He’s also born and raised in the far north of Sweden like me so he has that going for him as well.
It would have been nice to see Broberg with a more fluid partner with better passing skills though, to let him use his dynamic abilities more. I think they want him to play a more structured game and Granberg can probably help him with that, and I buy that, as a D it’s crucial to master the defensive side before getting too adventurous but anyone hoping for a major jump in points will likely be disappointed if the pairings stay as they are.
The big positive is that he’s safely in the top 4, he’s Skellefteå’s #3D behind two current/former swedish NT players to start the year with a solid chance to climb the depth chart, he’s getting time in all disciplines and has been the first D out in 3v3 OT rotation.
Sounds like he had a strong if not spectacular showing tonight.
Lavoie was once again pretty quiet in his pre-season game from reports, they’re easing him in. His line hasn’t shown all that much, the center Ferguson like Lavoie is new to euro hockey and Nils Höglander while doing ok on the PP still looks pretty weak 5v5 at the SHL (pre-season)level. Still a lot of miles to go for that line though, they all have lots of room to grow as the season rolls along.
Lennström likely won’t get major minutes for Frölunda, unless they start losing early on, from how they’ve used him so far they seem to look at him more as a resource than someone to build on, which makes sense as he potentially just stays for a couple of months, used on the third pairing tonight.
According to CapF., there is a handful of teams, including the Phlegms, who haven’t announced any loaning out of prospects. Seems odd but i hope that is the case. Hard to believe they would be that asleep at the switch, unless there are other plans afoot, like an 8 team AHL bubble somewhere for example…
I do not think todays youth know what a “Turntable” is!
dustrock,
Agreed. No idea if he’s not into it or the NHL isn’t into him.
jp,
You’d think some cap-strapped team would offer him a one-year deal? Maybe he’s not interested.
Woogie63,
You can scratch Pius Suter from your list.
He signed with Chicago for $925k on July 16th.
Louis Domingue or Olivier Rodrigue?
Rodrigue, I believe, may be heading to Austria to play.
He’s at least as deserving of a contract as Adam Cracknell, pretty sure.
And as good a scorer as he’s been there, he’s been even better in the playoffs.
Last 3 regular seasons 170-38-120-158 (3rd, 12 and 4th in the KHL) 0.93PPG
Last 3 playoff seasons 37-9-38-47 (2nd, 5th and 1st in the KHL) 1.27PPG
Some cheeky OT goals in there too I’m sure!
For fun:
Regular season NHLE = 61 pts
Playoff NHLE = 84 pts
Congratulations! That’s a cool name.
BRING BACK LINUS OMARK
jtblack,
Congrats JT. All the best to you and your family.
godot10,
Good Zager and Evans reference. I looked in the basement and found the record (for you younger folks, that is a large round disc you put on a turntable). Great song.
Good to see Broberg near the top of the list.
Would be curious to know if he is getting any PP time? I assume he’s getting PK time (my hope for this year is top 4 minutes, PP2 and PK1 – and crushing the World Juniors).
@skelleftea_aik
·
53m
Top 5, time on ice: Luleå – #SkeAIK
1. Niclas Burström 20:12
2. Arvid Lundberg 19:55
3. Jonatan Berggren 19:08
4. Philip Broberg 19:04
5. Jesper Frödén 19:03
Woogie63,
I think Dominik Kubalik single handedly juked the NHLe for the Swiss-A league.
Swiss-A: 57 points in 50 games. 1.14 pts/g
NHL: 46 in 68. 0.67 pts/g.
I don’t think the Swiss-A league has an NHLe of 0.59.
OriginalPouzar,
Thanks OP for the JP highlights. Both goals looked good – much better than a lot of his slappers from 30′ last year that somehow went in. These were NHL-quality goals. Hoping for a JP-Oilers reunion for the coming season.
godot10,
What a classicaly bad tune!….
Thank you Sir?