The Edmonton Oilers have a great opportunity to increase the gap between themselves and the Vegas Golden Knights in this afternoon’s tilt at Rogers Place. A win means 10 points on the five-game home stand and would go a long way to ensuring a successful finish to the month of March.
The Devils are a curious team. At five-on-five, they’re over 50 percent in shots, Corsi, expected goals and pretty close to 50 percent in high-danger chances. The shooting percentage (7.96) is No. 18, the save percentage (.897) is No. 31 across the league. They’re still in the ‘gathering talent’ phase of the rebuild, but if you plugged in a .910SP goaltender this season NJD’s goal differential goes from 128-161 (-33) to 128-141 (-13) at five-on-five. I expect we’ll see the Devils upgrade in goal over the summer. The power play is meh, the penalty kill is good. Watch for a player named Dawson Mercer, I had him No. 10 overall in 2020, he went No. 18 and is already a productive NHL player.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: Is Oilers winger Warren Foegele doing enough to warrant his contract?
- DNB: Oilers trade deadline
- DNB: How Jesse Puljujarvi, as a player and person, became perfect fit for Oilers
- Lowetide: Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci emerging as top pair for Oilers
- Lowetide: Ryan McLeod’s case for a spot on Oilers’ skill lines
- DNB: Oilers’ recent play only underscores that upcoming trade deadline must be a time to act
- Lowetide: Revisiting the Oilers’ choice of Evan Bouchard in the 2018 draft
- DNB: Markus Niemelainen collecting catchy nicknames as his surprise breakout accelerates
- Lowetide: Why Stuart Skinner should be starting games for the Oilers right now
- Lowetide: How much do the Oilers miss Jesse Puljujarvi?
- DNB and Lowetide: Who says no? Evaluating 25 Oilers trades
- Lowetide: Could Philip Broberg be Oilers’ answer for problem defence?
- DNB: Leon Draisaitl postgame Q&A
- Lowetide: Oilers fans still adjusting to Ken Holland’s management style
- DNB: Ken Holland Q&A
- Lowetide: Positive early returns on Oilers’ 2021 draft class, but there are miles to go
- Lowetide: 3 trade targets that could help Oilers this season and beyond
- DNB: Oilers trade deadline expectations? Mailbag
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2021
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM MARCH
- On the road to: PHI, CHI (Expected 1-0-1) (Actual 1-0-1)
- At home to: MON (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
- On the road to: CAL (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
- At home to: WAS, TBAY, DET, BUF, NJD (Expected 3-1-1) (Actual 4-0-0)
- On the road to: COL, DAL (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: SJS (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: CAL (Expected 0-1-0) Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: ARI, LAK (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 8-5-2, 18 points from 15 games
- Actual March results: 5-2-1, 11 points in 8 games
- Oilers in 2021-22: 34-23-4, 72 points in 61 games
A win this afternoon would have the team on pace for 98 points and a certain playoff berth. This Oilers team is a strong five-on-five unit under Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson, that should mean controlling the big part of the game and more Bettmans and full out wins. Need to improve special teams, though, the smart people tell me personnel is less important to the PK than structure, so expect some subtle PK changes. The power play has too many insane talents to fail for long. Right?
REALISTIC DEADLINE
I think the Oilers have a pretty solid forward group, especially when the Nuge returns. You could add an enforcer but that is often a drag on outscoring, and the Oilers margins are razor thin with the roster as populated today.
Ken Holland has no draft picks to trade (well, 2023 selections could be in play) but does have plenty of LHD. After Darnell Nurse, Duncan Keith, Kris Russell, William Lagesson, Holland’s roster has Philip Broberg (who got hurt last night on a nothing play, but it didn’t look like a nothing injury), Markus Niemelainen and Dmitri Samorukov. It’s a chance to upgrade at the deadline, bring in more talent and offload some excessive contracts.
- Acquire LD Carson Soucy ($2.75 million, one more year) and C-RW Mason Appleton ($900,000) from Seattle for RW Zack Kassian ($3.2 million, two more years), LD Dmitri Samorukov ($725,000) and 2023 second-round selection.
- Acquire winger Nathan Bastian ($825,000, one more year) from New Jersey Devils for Josh Archibald ($1.5 million) and 2023 fourth-round pick.
- Recall Stuart Skinner.
- Goalies (3): Mikko Koskinen (five-on-five SP: .916); Stuart Skinner (.916); Mike Smith (.913)
- Left Defense (4): Darnell Nurse (55.02 five-on-five expected goals); Duncan Keith (52.6); Carson Soucy (49.5); William Lagesson (53.80).
- Right Defense (3): Cody Ceci (51.6 five-on-five expected goals): Evan Bouchard (54.9); Tyson Barrie (49.1)
- Center (5): Connor McDavid (59.0 five-on-five expected goals); Leon Draisaitl (50.8); Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (48); Mason Appleton (45.8), Devin Shore (46.1).
- Left Wing (4): Evander Kane (47.8 five-on-five expected goals); Zach Hyman (56.3); Warren Foegele (51.7); Ryan McLeod (49.2).
- Right Wing (4): Kailer Yamamoto (48.2 five-on-five expected goals); Jesse Puljujarvi (59.9); Derek Ryan (52.6); Nathan Bastian (49.9).
As always, guilty of overrating the Oilers talent, but Dmitri Samorukov looks fantastic in Bakersfield currently and frankly I believe he’s a better prospect than Markus Niemelainen. The Archibald trade is a little light, and I don’t know why New Jersey would do it, but I’m also not enamored with the idea of adding a ruffian at the deadline.
Ken Holland needs an analytics department, he should drive over to Puck IQ headquarters today and hire the whole damn bunch of them. However, the deadline is a good chance to offload a Zack Kassian level contract and that’s going to take a sweetener. Perhaps more than Samorukov and a second. It would set up summer a little better.
Leavins says 2-3 weeks for Broberg, seems like a bullet dodged.
Barrie looks great, as he was yesterday, against fast non-physical teams. Will be interesting to see if that is what the Avs are?
In how many games do Russell and Barrie out-play Keith-Bouchard?
Full credit to Duncan, that’s probably his worst game as an Oiler since at least November.
Russell was shockingly good today. Barrie changed the game.
Barrie-Russell pairing… is that a thing? I would not have believed it till I saw it. Pretty sure they got some cake comp, but still.
Didn’t know the comments were down till Slamo mentioned it…
Haven’t seen anyone comment on the Giroux trade. Does that not look like a favor to Claude? Pretty light price to pay consideing what we’ve seen for the Dmen.
Still, I think FLA would’ve been better to take care of the defensive side of the puck. They were not short on O.
Or are Mehta’s models showing removing Giroux from your opposition’s roster has strong value? That’s Art of War shit, but in war you know who your opponent is going to be. Not sure this came from Sunny. They can only face COL in the final and they have to get there too.
Whoever’s call it is, I think it is an interesting call. FLA now doesn’t have a first rounder till 2025.
The thing about poker and pushing your chips all-in… you better be sure you can win. Las Vegas is paying a price right now for how they’ve done it. If the Cats don’t win soon, then they’re in for some famine later.
Apparently Giroux told Philly Florida was the only team he would agree to be traded to. Forget who reported that.
Don’t forget, they had just traded for Chiarot as well.
Yes, I know. I posted the trade here.
I was effectively responding to your comment that they should take care of the defensive side of the puck, which is what Chiarot’s focus is. Giroux is also a decent 2-way player. He’s no Bergeron or O’Reilly, but has gotten a few Selke votes over the years.
Randle’s Random Thoughts O’ The Day
Happy for LT that Boston got Hampus Lindholm.
Is Elias Lindholm the new Patrice Bergeron?
Keith / Bouchard has me worried. (especially for the playoffs)
IF the Oilers add a forward on Monday is it Nick Paul?
Oilers with the longest current win streak in the NHL (5)
21-0 when scoring first, record is 22. Devils aren’t gonna win for a while. I only feel bad for David Puddy.
11 straight comments from LT earlier. I was worried Randle McMurphy hacked his account!
The site was broken, so no one could post for several hours except for LT.
Has it been ruled out?
11? Pfffft.
Randle can hammer out a bakers dozen before 2nd breakfast.
Our current 3rd line had played really well. But I would love it if they are our 4th line after Nuge comes back.
McLeod-Nuge-Kassian (or improvement at deadline)
Foegele-Shore-Ryan
Solid 3rd line. Keep top 2 and our 3rd/4th line together as our 4th line. That’s depth and dare I say Unicorns with balance.
I’ve been thinking about this too and that’s one of two scenarios I think Woody has decide on.
Either you drop Shore to Archie’s spot (esp after he’s traded) when Nuge returns or you drop the whole line down and elevate the Highlander.
I don;t know which way they will go. I want to say Foegele has been the biggest driver on the 3rd line but really it has been a group effort.
You could make the point that with 71 at C, the 4th line is a safer bet and a more lethal bet. If you move the line down, you have a line that can grind. Both have value.
So we might see both. Jay called the line-blending tonight an attempt at getting their legs going, giving them something fresh. I daresay it also looked like testing a few things for when Nuge returns.
For eg, I think Jay was testing the proposition, “can I elevate Kass to Drai’s line so I can give Pujo to Nuge when he gets back?” Or maybe he was testing your proposition… “can Kass play with a skill center like RNH when he gets back?”
So nice to have options…
In town with my kids to visit my folks. My Dad and I went to the game. My first at Rogers place. Beautiful rink and great to get a win while cheering in the stands! Sorry for the DSF reply to my own comment last night.
Whatever you said, I hope you gave yourself hell
Assuming Nashville hangs on to a playoff spot, and they are in pretty good shape, Roman Josi should get numerous votes for the Hart Trophy, let alone the Norris. Makar and Fox are having excellent seasons, but Josi’s not surrounded by the same level of offensive talent that those two are, and he is starting to pull away. He has 22 points in his last 9 games right when Nashville needed him (Makar and Fox with 13 and 12 each). He leads the team with 75 points (Duchene is at 63).
He has had an outstanding season. And I agree with your trophy recommendations, I’ve thought the same. Norris winner, Hart consideration (at least). If we’re going by “most valuable player to his team” I give it to Josi, maybe Shesterkin. But if we’re going best player in the League, then 97 all the way. He never ceases to amaze.
One thing I’ve liked about the Manwood Oil though is the Glimmer Twins seem to have put all trophy consideration aside other than the Selke. And both are worthy, right now.
Drai had a couple or three really ill-advised plays tonight, which he had cut out of his game under Woodcroft, but was still probably the best player on the ice. And 97’s defensive game–plus his physical checking game–has been outstanding too.
But they’re not cheating for O anywhere near as much. For eg, during the 4-on-4 tonight we rolled all four lines. Leo and Drai even held themselves to 30 seconds. Different strokes for different folks, but that was a sight IMO.
Don’t y’all go falling in love with Kane. He’s a bad boy fling not a husband.
Damn he’s sexy though.
Good advice. Having trouble following it though…
I tried to piece a roster together for next year with him on it, in capfriendly gm tab.
Traded
Barrie
Kassian
Foegle
2022 or 2023 3rd rnd pick
For
Driedger (not the goalie you necessarily want but at 3.5 million maybe the one you can afford)
Appleton
Signed Yamamoto for 2.75 million
And puj for 4.5 million and Kane for 6 million
Had 2.6 million left for bottom pair defense and likely those contracts above are too low.
Just no real way to do it unless they ship out yam and or puj as well realistically.
Well I can’t think that much, it has to be much simpler for my right brained mind. I’m ready to trade The Nuge for a rented mule so I can give his money to Kane next year. Then I’d put McLeod at 3C. It’s horrible, RNH is one of my favorite Oilers of all time, so the guilt is oppressive. It’s also stupid for too many reasons, but I would likely knowingly do it anyway.
Great post. Love honesty and pain, I shit thee not. Life of a fan.
Touche.
Did you factor in any bonus overage cap penalties – Bouch is likely to hit a few of his and each cost $215K (give or take) – up to four of them.
You mean this year onto next? Yeah….no.
Just frightening trying to piece it together as is. There is literally no monet for a goalie and Kane. Really no money for either even, unless you manage to jettison a bunch of Holland made contracts.
Smith is cheaper than Driedger, and good chance Koski will be, barring a heroic playoff. That doesn’t help, but does that help?
you’re also going to have to bridge the Bison.
I think taking driedger back might be a bit of a bonus for Seattle interest.
I’ve seen a few different pieces talking about how much they’ve spent on goalie and how badly that appears to have went.
It’s kind of a decent shuffle optically for both teams which is why I always circle back to Seattle as a team where a multi player deal might actually work.
I don’t mind that thinking (optics as motivation) but I’d bet money the Oil’s target is Soucy. So much smoke there…
A bit like Munny was just saying, I think…
Those contracts don’t look too low to me. If the kind of money you suggest is moved out it actually does look pretty good.
You went all the way from clearing enough money for everything with $2.6M for the 3rd pair, then concluded it’s not possible.
I think it *is* possible, and $6M is a number that could get Kane signed for a few years.
If Kane keeps rolling, I’d be surprised if he couldn’t get higher than that.
I had it 6×4 so it expires same as McDavid end…just not sure that is enough.
Also, replacing barrie with a 1.2 million dollar RHD probably is a worse option than barrie – even to cover his percieved lower end skill sets.
Yeah, potentially $6M is not enough. And maybe Holland isn’t willing to offer even that with any term.
Your exercise brought it to definitely possible, I’ll take that as a positive.
Very hard to sign Kane without loosing someone else substantial. JP would likely be the cheapest asset to move. Keith would work well but the we have to get Soucy or similar value LD.
If what maudie laid out is correct (I didn’t check) then it is possible without losing someone substantial (if you don’t count Kassian, Barrie, Foegele as substantial).
I agree it would be hard to do, and it very likely doesn’t happen.
I might have screwed up a few places
Overage in Bouchard bonuses and had Smith in minors with skinner as backup…not sure if Smith has no movement. I didn’t set up account on there so my team wasn’t saved.
It is doable just not sure any better chance at playoff success than this year.
2023-2024:season is literally their best shot at going for it all. If you believe Kane is a good piece to have in play 2 years from now then hopefully they get it done.
It seems in the ballpark from what I’ve looked at before.
Smith doesn’t have any movement protection so he can be assigned if needed (it would probably be LTIR if he ends up not playing, which would actually help the teams cap more than being assigned).
Whether the team is any better than now I guess depends mostly on whether the goaltending is actually better.
Just finished watching the game on delay. Was being good lol and not scoreboard watching or checking the comments here, get back into town and I’m excited to see the game so I hit the liquor store to grab a couple beers and there’s a Flames buddy even more excited than me…
“Dude, did you see your team today? That 6-3 comeback win puts me one game away from nailing a $4000 parlay. Dude, FOUR GRAND.” I probably look like I just got in the face with a baseball bat, but buddy holds up his hands for a high five, and whaddyagonnado? Put on a grin and high five the man. But in my head I could hear Maude’s immortal line, “God will get you for that, Walter.”
===========================
What to say about the game? Well, clearly that was their B game. Likely looking ahead to Colorado and Dally too much, add a dash of early start. Their legs looked like crap till Barrie scored.
Koski kept them in it despite giving up the lead. Devils are a fine-skating team budding with young talent that’s a little let down by their defence and goaltending.Still we helped them out plenty with giveaways, ill-advised passes, not playing as five, jailbreaking, etc. And we didn’t do a good job of getting the puck to their crease enough tonight.
But their shifts after NJD took the lead showed strong push back against the Devils goal legs. They took control, playing their game plan… not getting further out of synch and turning into a squad of individuals like they used to when things got intense.
That was pretty good to see. They have an identity. They’re not masters at it yet. but they can find it when they lose it. And that’s key. Twenty games left now to build some sustain and consistency to that identity. Nuge returns by next weekend, hopefully, and we’re back to full-on Unicorns, this time with Manwood.
In fact, we have another word for it here. One that we Lowetidians don’t throw around lightly but maybe it’s a epithet that could be earned by season’s end…
The Vaunt.
If they roll through this road trip, I know I will be thinking about it. (Edit: Not saying they will roll thru, but they’re capable of it)
==========================
Hehehe… Buddy needed Toronto to cash. So in the end, God did get him for that. Sometimes you don’t even know where you blew all your karma and Lady Fortune still bites you in the ass. 😉
Summarizing!
Tullio tally-o’ed his 33rd of the season, while Lachance got a PP goal in a blowout loss.
The Bourg potted the shootout winner in a 1-0 victory.
Chiasson and Brind’Amour were held off the scoresheet. Wanner was out of the lineup again.
Even though Quinnipiac and Denver were denied titles in their respective conferences, they still qualify for the 16-team Div-1 championship tourney:
https://www.uscho.com/2022/03/19/here-are-the-16-teams-wholl-be-in-the-2022-ncaa-division-i-mens-hockey-tournament/
Michigan with a huge win over Minnesota to take the #1 seed.
Testing testing 123.
Roger Roger
What’s your vector Victor?
Shirley, you can’t be serious….?
“This woman has to be gotten to a hospital.”
“A hospital? What is it?”
“It’s a big building with patients, but that’s not important right now.”
There is a bit of separation now between the top 8 teams in the Western Conference and the also rans
It’s still early and one of the stragglers may have a finishing kick in them, but the playoff teams appear to be revealing themselves and the last 20 games may just be jockeying for position
Who’s the final wildcard spot going too? Will vegas make it?
Dallas has 4 games in hand but are wildly inconsistent.
Likely depends when Vegas injured players can return.
Tough loss today for DAL
They are the #9 team and still within earshot of the pack
The VANs and WPGs are starting to lose touch – Flames up 3-0 over VAN end of 1
I imagine the GM’s of both teams are already on the phone tonight.
The Flames are just overpowering the Canucks and Rutherford can see the writing on the wall.
I wonder if he moves JT Miller
He’s never been afraid of a big trade
4-0 Flames
I don’t think he will.
But Boeser, Garland, Motte and Schenn are likely available.
After being a no-show against Buffalo, they had better.
Not the playoffs its a meaningless game
Dallas hurting without Heiskanen. That makes a big difference.
Agreed. I take him over Makar when we’re picking teams at the outdoor.
Two outstanding talents. Makar’s skill is enhanced by the style Colorado plays. Heiskanen makes Dallas better. Can’t go wrong with either and I wouldn’t mind if Heiskanen is out of the lineup when we’re there on the 2nd of B2B’s Tuesday.
2nd in the division in pts % is good.
When is the rubber road showing up?
Sideshow Bob rake gif, followed by “October”
Hope dies in Denver.
Buck up, DSF. It can’t rain on you every day.
Things to Do in Denver When HH Says You’re Dead…
Win.
The real season starts in May Kane is just warming up, he completely changes our top 6 and Woody now has 4 solid lines. The Goaltending scares the shit out of me way to erratic.
Nope, Bob died in Los Angeles July 27, 2003.
Per Mike Griffith:
Perlini-Cracknell-Marody
Holloway-Malone-Sceviour
Bernson-Hamblin-Griffith
Schaller-Esposito-Lavoie
Samorukov-Desharnais
Niemelainen-Kesselring
Kaldis-Kemp
Konovalov
Looks like a really strong AHL lineup, just light on forward prospects
A bit light but, next year, they should add Bourgault, Tulio, likely Savoie and perhaps Petrov.
Heavy on D-prospects and, of course, add Broberg to the group.
Interesting that Benson is 3rd line. Does he get PP time?
What a weird trade deadline.
The highest scoring team in the league, Florida, adds a scoring winger in Giroux.
One of the best defensive teams in the league, Boston, adds a defenseman in Lindholm.
Bruins needed to make that trade, Chara has been gone for many months.
Oy Bernson 3rd line LW?
Can’t be helping his confidence
Especially the day after Eckblad goes down
Apparently not very serious.
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nhl/florida-panthers/article259550764.html
Florida added a captain, not just a scoring winger.
No Broberg tonight- no surprise but concerning.
Niemelainen and Malone back in.
Konovalov gets the start.
31 Thoughts made it pretty clear we’re looking at a LHD and not much else. Now, things change, but this isn’t going to be much different than last year’s deadline based on latest intel.
Given current prices, I’m just fine with that.
My goodness.
At this rate, renting the 35 year old Braun might require a second and Lavoie….
It’s crazy but fun. My daughter is a Flyers fan, so she’s pretty bummed about it but Philly got some things.
Buyers market, phooey.
Holland’s biggest failure is that we don’t know who this team is. Take away the 2-11-2 streak and the team is 33-12-2. That’s a .723 winning percentage, which would be third highest in the league. But does anyone really believe this is a dominant team?
Not even the GM does. His failure to address goaltending early in the season has totally skewed perceptions of the team. Instead of landing a big fish for the playoff run, Holland will settle for Kulikov 2.0.
And I don’t blame him because I have zero faith in the team’s goaltending. Yet if Smith resurrects his game just in time for the playoffs, this team can possibly go on a long run. And Holland will retain his job, which might be the biggest tragedy of all.
I mean yes, but I fault him for a second year on Smith’s contract, and wonder if he shouldn’t have pursued markstrom harder.
But he already had 4.5 under contract. I hear that we like to call this a problem, but unless there was a good solution I don’t think we should put ithe problem on hollands feet.
I keep hearing there is nothing available better than what we have so…..
Given current prices, Kulikov 2.0, that is, Justin Braun, will cost a 2nd and Lavoie.
A hockey trade would be something but that rarely happens at this time of year (and definitely not in Holland’s March playbook).
Prices to high in the “buyers market” – no thanks.
I find this logic confusing.
If you can give Holland credit for building a team that could potentially go on a long run, with the single (or main) failing being not getting the goaltending right, then why do you think he needs to be fired?
Because he failed to address the most glaring need on the team. He made a mistake entering the season with the same tandem, but compounded it by failing to address it earlier in the year.
It doesn’t add up for me, but as you like.
The story so far:
For the 2nd straight game, The Bourg and the Cataractes were shut out. But since their opponent also failed to score, the game eventually went to the shootout, where The Bourg netted the winner.
Meanwhile, one province over, Tullio opened the scoring with this breakaway beauty:
https://twitter.com/CHLHockey/status/1505339596393099264?cxt=HHwWgMC51eSYheQpAAAA
Nice to see the Bourg back! Thanks for these updates, greatly appreciated
we broke lowetide what a day 5 straight at home
It appears we have comments back, BUT your window to type is at the bottom.
Thanks LT
Hello
Is it me you’re looking for?
Nugent-Bowman says Broberg is having an MRI today.
I always speak against fans evaluation of how long a player will be out based on incident but it looked like “a couple of weeks at least” type of incident.
If Broberg isn’t available for, say a month, does that impact Holland’s deadline thoughts?
I would say that Holland isn’t the type of GM that would be relying on a 20-year old rookie D down the stretch but, perhaps it makes Lagesson less expendable?
It didn’t look good and the way he went off the ice, as you said, was not encouraging.
So it looks like we can’t post and it’s a blog issue. Working on it, but one of the things about our new host is they don’t move quickly. Enjoy your day and apologies for the delay.
Woodguy reporting on twitter several NJD have the flu, they’re starting Chico Resch in goal. Good sign for the Oilers, but we’re at the anthem and still tied.
Leon scores, nice shot by Puljujarvi to start the play. Assists to JP and Ceci.
1-1 great goal by Bratt, Duncan Keith’s speed, or lack of, exposed twice in this period.
Kassian out for a Leon/Kassian shift, don’t know what that’s about (where is JP)?
After One:
1-1 tie
9-9 shots
19-12 Corsi five-on-five
==
A fairly even period, NST has HDSC at five-on-five at 3-3 and if anything that’s low. Gaps are a problem for Keith-Bouchard, and there’s no burner on that pairing. I did notice Puljujarvi seemed to miss a shift don’t know why.
Leon is Frank Mahovlich this afternoon, still 1-1
Evander Kane scored on a power wraparound, it took a minute of play for the horn to blow but it was an outstanding play by the big man. 2-1 Edmonton.
After Two:
2-1 Edmonton (1-0 Edmonton in the second)
22-18 Edmonton shots (13-9 Edmonton in the second)
40-27 Edmonton Corsi five-on-five (21-15 Edmonton in the second)
==
Both goals involved strong work and high skill by big men. THe game has a playoff feel. Mikko Koskinen has delivered quality today. Duncan Keith is not on his game. Afternoon tilts may not be his bag.
It’s been goals gone wild in the third period, 5-3 Edmonton now after NJD scored two quick ones early in the third. Barrie, Kane (his second of the game) and then Hyman for the home team.
Yea I think it might put a damper on trading Lagesson or Sami, hopefully the mri gives us positive for a change
I like that trade. We can discuss if removing Kassian from the lineup hurts the team much or much at all but I think we can all agree that opening up $3.2MM for the next two years has big value for this team.
Although Holland may disagree, I’d try and wrangle in Lagesson over the pick or Sammy although both other assets likely have more value than Lagesson.
Of note, Lagesson becomes a group VI UFA if he doesn’t play 18 of the last 21 games. I was reminded of that by that on Nugent-Bowman.
—————-
I will say that moving both Kass and Archie out of the lineup does change the physical dynamic of the bottom 6.
————–
While I think a 3-goalie roster is more likely, I’d love that Skinner add to be in connection with a Smith removal (well, unless, he kills it on Monday/Tuesday in his next start.
This is a massive game for Mikko Koskinen – he absolutely deserves the start based on him earning the 1A job over the last 3-4 weeks. At the same time, last game was a step-back performance, not terrible, but definitely “meh”.
Its essential that such game was a one-off, like ALL goalies have, and he’s back to form this afternoon.
This is huge for the season.
Mission Accomplished!
He wouldn’t have to drive. Our HQ is the 2nd dumpster behind The Lingnan.
take out the lingnan and you will never worry of rot
ohh there’s a difference between lignan and lignen. keep up the wood 🪵
It would behoove the Oilers to win this game and complete the sweep of the 5-game road trip.
Off to Colorado and Dallas back to back on the road Mon/Tues – that’s a tough travel back to back to start with and add in the Dallas game is the 3rd game in 4 nights and the 4th in 6th.
Don’t look past the Devils – any team on any night.
The Oilers are only down 2 picks in 2022 (3rd, 4th), with all of their 2023 picks available at this time.
It’s true there is an unlikely to vest condition on the 2nd as well (in which case the 3rd would be available), but the Chariot trade illustrates that existing conditions on a draft pick need not be a significant impediment to including it in trade.
I agree trading a young D makes a lot of sense, but I don’t think the draft pick situation is as bleak as ‘no draft picks to trade’ suggests.
Getting Soucy and Braun would go a long way in improving this teams chances
They don’t need PuckIQ. There are pro stats and professional number crunchers available now if they want them. They may even have a couple on contract. I’d rather they didn’t half-ass an analytics dept and got pros to fill it and run it. Us amateurs are wrong way too often and even today are using highly questionable numbers and procedures… For eg, using GF-GA early in the season when minutes are low. 😉
Maybe you were being metaphorical and not literal though in suggesting PuckIQ?
Just looking at your trade proposals, the Seattle deal looks harder to get done IMO. I’m not sure they’re looking to push success back. Is that what the verbal has been?
Edited to remove cap space comment after update from JP.
I’m not sure why you would exclude Puck IQ from “pro stats and professional number crunchers” since most of the people involved have been making massive dollar decisions on a grand scale for years. The knowledge of Puck IQ’s population is both hockey and numbers, AND reading the numbers. I would argue it’s an all-star cast.
Because watching the conferences on sports stats, the conversation and the people involved seem to game evolved far beyond what we are doing. People with experience gathering and employing data (including big data) in other sports and other fields are involved now and in fact are leading some of the NHL departments already.
This is right- data analysis is not done in Canada anymore. The guy who explains it to the senior executive lives here.
Both Mike and Gmoney are senior executives running analytics departments for companies with revenues greater than the entire NHL.
G also did a consulting stint for Hockey Canada.
All we’d need is the non-public data, the expertise is there.
What I do on twitter and here is strictly for fun and for driving the public narrative…..it’s not deep analysis.
So you’re saying extremely smart people would be overwhelmed by new data? I don’t think that’s a thing. Honestly.
Firstly I have no access to GMon’s resume. If what WG is saying is correct, and I have no reason to think it isn’t, those are exactly the kind of people that I’m talking about. Puck tracking is supposed to be here by now for the teams to access… with Covid I have no idea if it is, but if it is, an edge is important. There is little time for learning curves.
That’s why some teams have stolen guys (and gals) out of Euro football which already has tracking. Because there was a big learning curve there over how to extract what was useful from the mountain of data they were given. And not every soccer team is all the way there yet. Still lots of proprietary techniques. One of the Sloane’s focused on this issue.
What is needed are specialists to lead these org departments. People who are already specialists, not smart people who are willing to learn. If GMoney is one of those guys–and he would know better than me–then absolutely he should be pushing the org to get on this if they don’t already have someone doing so. Even just finding someone who knows the right specialists to hire is critical.
The problem before was how do we get useful data, and how much use is it? The problem going forward is going to be what the hell do we do with all this data?
From the last thread, but relevant to the cap and deadline so thought it’d post here.
It would make sense in a lot of ways if Archie goes out, but it’s not at all essential.
Right now the Oilers have (according to CapFriendly) $1.7M in cap with 12F, 7D and 8G, plus Nuge on IR (this is with Malone gone). Nuge’s salary is already counted, so that’s basically 13F/7D/2G, with $1.7M in cap.
If the Oilers are willing to continue running a 13/7/2 roster (rather than 14/7/2), adding one F and 1 D would knock 2 guys off the current roster. The cheapest guys on the roster are Shore and Lagesson (not that Shore is looking like he’ll be waived at this point).
If you remove Shore/Lagesson ($850k + $725k = $1.5M), you now have $3.2M for a new F and a new D (it would be ~$3.9M if Archibald was traded instead of Shore being waived).
Even if it’s only $3.2M to work with, that should easily cover a depth forward and depth defenseman (and maybe a higher up). Jarnkrok + Chariot are only costing their teams $2.75M, as a for instance.
Well, that’s good news. They reported on the radio just yesterday that we have about 500k and any deal needs to be money in, money out. I didn’t think to check their assertions. But $1.7M now makes life quite a bit easier.
But I am really more worried about number of bodies and if Archie and Laggy are on their way out, the present roster size still looks weird IMO. But maybe there are three bodies coming back…?
Yeah I’m not sure where the 500k comes from. Maybe CapFriendly is wrong, or I made a mistake? I don’t think so though.
I hear you with the number of healthy bodies. If there were adds that closer to league min there would be no need to cut the roster size closer, I’m just seeing what’s possible if things are pushed a bit (which would include some risk of being short players at some point, though emergency call-ups would remain available in a pinch).
Sabres played much better against the Flames last night in a Sutter Picasso – even the 12 year in front of me who was hopped on a malt, Coke and twister fell a sleep.
Sutter must be GMing this team. Lucic gets his best friend Toffoli on the team. Lindhom talks his best friend Markstrom to sign in Calgary and now Lindholm’s cousin is traded for a 3C. Draft picks all depleted.
Flame’s 4th line has an AAV of $14M and the 3rd pair came in at $5.5M. That is a big investment for a few soft minutes.
got To blow all futures to try and keep Gaudreau from moving south in July
Johnnie is gone – watch for Philly or NJD to welcome the prodigal son home.
Prospectorama!
With The Bourg’s return, the sick bay is down to just Wanner, who was in a fight his last game. One wonders whether he got dinged up during said scrap, but info to confirm or deny is not readily available.
Shawinigan (The Bourg) @ 2 p.m.
Oshawa (Tullio) @ 5:30 p.m.
Quinnipiac (Brind’Amour) @ 5:30 p.m.
Youngstown (Lachance) @ 6 p.m.
Wheat Kings (Chiasson) @ 6 p.m.
Moose Jaw (Wanner) @ 7 p.m.
As usual, all times are Drayton Valley time.
Anxiously awaiting the inevitable and ominous “as usual, all times are Killam time.”
…we were Spedden time, Killam time
On a day when only Bourgault is playing might I suggest “Forestbourg time”
Monday looks promising. 😀