The Edmonton Oilers took one giant leap forward yesterday, in hiring Jay Woodcroft. The daunting Rubik’s Cube that is the Edmonton Oilers has been unsolvable since Craig MacTavish’s “too long at the fair” speech.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: What Oilers assets should Ken Holland trade this summer?
- New DNB: Oilers commit to coach Jay Woodcroft
- New DNB: Which Oilers are most likely to return next season? Who goes?
- Lowetide: Are Oilers prospects Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway NHL-ready?
- Lowetide: How Edmonton Oilers would benefit from signing Andrei Kuzmenko
- DNB: What if Edmonton Oilers trade Jesse Puljujarvi? The case for and against
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers’ Tyler Benson is at a career crossroads
- Lowetide: What does Oilers’ optimal roster for Jay Woodcroft look like?
- DNB: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl’s playoffs for the ages: What’s the legacy?
- DNB & Scott Powers: Oilers’ cap situations if Duncan Keith retires
- Lowetide: Oilers pro scouts have to get it right in free agency this summer
- DNB: Edmonton Oilers offseason priorities: A 10-step plan for success
- Lowetide: What will Edmonton Oilers do in first round of 2022 NHL Draft?
- Lowetide: Can the ‘Connor McDavid will ask Oilers to be traded?’ group please sit down?
- DNB: What Oilers goalie Mike Smith’s unclear future could mean for offseason plans
- Lowetide: Why Jordan Dumais could be NHL Draft steal for Edmonton Oilers
WOODCROFT’S CONDORS/OILERS
I’m wondering how many Condors will make it on the opening night roster for the Oilers this fall. Goaltender Stuart Skinner is the likely backup, and on defense the top six probably houses Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg. Up front, Ryan McLeod will be somewhere, Kailer Yamamoto too. I think Dylan Holloway has a chance.
WOODCROFT’S BLUE
We have plenty of time to look at this, but the way Woodcroft/Manson handled the blue from February 11 to the end of the regular season was fascinating. Here are Puck IQ’s numbers versus elites under the new coaching staff
- Darnell Nurse: 309 minutes, 53.5DFF%; 4.72 DFF%RC; 64.3% Goals
- Cody Ceci: 294 minutes, 52.5DFF%; 3.29 DFF%RC; 37.5% Goals
- Evan Bouchard: 124 minutes, 50.4DFF%; -.52DFF%RC; 71.4% Goals
- Tyson Barrie: 122 minutes; 46.5DFF%; -5.03DFF%RC; 77.8% Goals
- Duncan Keith: 114 minutes, 46.0DFF%; -1.88DFF%RC; 80% Goals
- Brett Kulak: 57 minutes, 56.6DFF%; 7.10DFF%RC; 40% Goals
- Kris Russell: 39 minutes, 40.8DFF%; -6.4DFF%RC; 33% Goals
- William Lagesson: 36 minutes, 52.5%DFF; 4.74 DFF%RC; 50% Goals
- Markus Niemelainen: 23 minutes, 35.6%DFF; -12.38DFF%RC; 0-2 Goals
- Philip Broberg: 23 minutes, 57.4%DFF; 6.13DFF%RC; 2-1 Goals
This is striking, even after witnessing it and spending time in the spring staring at these numbers. Job well done by the coaching staff, but from a management point of view this is the coaching staff screaming at you in regard to the second pair.
WOODCROFT AS COACH
I’d like to suggest we give the new coach and his staff the entire regular season before raining down blows for over-playing Archibald or staying with Nurse. I know second-guessing the coach is fun, hell I do it all the time, but this season he’ll have more control over his roster and by the playoffs we should see what he can bring.
REWRITING HISTORY
I’m reading here and there about Kailer Yamamoto’s strong finish, and Jesse Puljujarvi’s poor play in the second half of the year. Every summer there’s an attempt to reshape history to fit what comes next, and it’s important to resist. Here are the regular season numbers under Jay Woodcroft for Edmonton’s skill forwards:
This is reality. Puljujarvi’s goals-per-60 are the lowest in the group, his points-per-60 ranks No. 5 among six forwards and he delivered the highest goal share. You can frame issues any way you want, but JP is an effective player who earned a raise. If Edmonton trades him, last summer’s Duncan Keith trade will have been a cause of the deal. I said it at the time, and it remains true. Proper cap management still eludes the Oilers.
MCDAVID WINS ONE AWARD
Connor McDavid won his ninth major award last night, and his fourth Art Ross Trophy. The big story is Auston Matthews, who won the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award. I have two thoughts on the matter.
Auston Matthews scored 60 goals last season, that’s an enormous total. McDavid’s 123 points led the league, and I would have voted for 97, but there’s no doubt at all that Matthews earned strong consideration. I know the fact that Matthews is a Toronto Maple Leafs player will inspire howls of favouritism, but the last TML to win the award was Teeder Kennedy in 1955. Babe Pratt also won in 1944.
My second point is that McDavid won two Hart and three Lindsay awards in past seasons, and there is evidence of fatigue by voters. Bobby Orr won the Hart three times, and the Lester B. Pearson just once (that was the name of the Lindsay award back then) in his incredible career.
As well, knowing McDavid this will drive him to new heights of achievement. Voters vote and sometimes they get it wrong and often it’s close. I can see a writer, with no malice in his heart, thinking this might be Matthews only chance to win it, and then proceeding to vote for him. It’s done, we acknowledge the winner and move on. I’m sure all hockey fans agree with me.
LOWETIDE AND JAMIESON
We have a big show today, TSN1260 beginning at 10 this morning. Ken Holland will speak, Jay Woodcroft will be introduced as the new coach of the Oilers, and we’ll parse every word through to 2pm. Bruce McCurdy from the Cult of Hockey at the Edmonton Journal will join us (tentatively 11:25) and we’ll have other guests throughout the four hours to discuss what news may come. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. Talk soon!
That game winner was clearly too many men. Just like Makar’s goal was clearly offside.
Alas over and done with.
Wonder if there will be questions at GM and Competition committee meetings?
Matthews is full value for the Hart Trophy. He had an incredible season. Shesterkin deserves the same honour for an outstanding season, very worthy of his finishing in the top 3. The real shocker is the 5 voters who left 97 completely off their ballot.
Bill Hoppe – Olean Times Harold (Kaprizov – Matthews – Josi – Huberdeau – Gaudreau)
Simon-Olivier Lorange – La Presse (Shesterkin – Huberdeau – Gaudreau – Overchkin – Matthews)
Colin Stephenson – Newsday (Matthews – Huberdeau – Gaudreau – Shesterkin – Josi)
Anthony SanFillipo – Crossing Broad (Shesterkin – Kaprizov – Matthews – Huberdeau – Gaudreau)
Seth Rorabaugh – Pittsburgh Tribune Review (Kaprizov – Josi – Shesterkin – Huberdeau – JT Miller)
Along with Seth the voter below also left Matthews off his ballot.
Guillaime Lafrancois La Presse – (Huberdeau – Josi – Kaprizov – Shesterkin – McDavid)
Shesterkin was left off 46 ballots.
Of the 5 voters who left 97 off their ballots all are based in the east. Two in New York, two in Pennsylvania and one in Montreal.
I don’t know if these voters simply don’t watch hockey games past 10pm EST or if they are just interpreting the definition of the award a certain way.
Hilarious seeing that Seth fellow vote for JT Miller over Matthews and McDavid! Lol!
What is the controversy over the last goal? Jon Cooper is not happy
https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1539821399564591106?cxt=HHwWhIC9qfLZxd4qAAAA
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
I “think” this is because the Lightning believe COL had too many men on the ice when the winning goal was scored
Joe Smith
@JoeSmithTB
· 14m
Jon Cooper says his “heart breaks for the players” because the winning goal shouldn’t have counted. But he didn’t say why. twitter.com/joesmithtb/sta…
At the beginning of the Final, I felt like this was akin to the Islanders and Oilers of the 80’s – just wasn’t certain if it was ’83 or ’84. I think we know now.
Yep.
Now the question becomes can Colorado become a dynasty in the cap era?
Joe Sakic avoids being fired for another couple of days.
Kadri’s thumb appears to have healed.
Less shame in the Oilers losing to the champs – now, how do they match them?
Pick up Manson, Lekhonen and Cogliano at the trade deadline?
They don’t get by St.Louis without the 3 adds.
Go after their free agents
And ‘IR’ a key player (Landeskog) to allow cap overage in playoffs
LoL
Kadri sends this to game 5 with COL up 3-1
and that should do it
that same damn Backlund move
I hope COL ends this on Friday
Let’s get on with the off season
They should have got a goal out of that initial set of chances
The OT felt like a 12 minute powerplay for the Avs.
Avs have had their chances this past five minutes or so
I’ll take Tampa Alex for $500.
Matthews wins the Hart and Lindsay…what a joke. The media is successfully brainwashing the masses at an alarming rate now.
Do you think McDavid wins the Hart and Lindsay with a measly 60 goals, while Matthews leads the league in scoring by 17 points? Not a chance. Matthews would not only win both awards, but he would then be granted “better than McD/greatest player in the world” status, made a saint, and a federal holiday would be made in his name.
Ok, “measly 60 goals” may be a bit of sour grapes (60 goals is damn good, well done Matthews) on my part…but if you simply switch McD and Matthews jerseys…McDavid’s glory would be 100x what it is now. It’s so sad.
What I am happy about though is exactly as LT said above…by shafting McJesus in the awards…he now has even more fuel to perform next year. – So scoring goals is your specialty hey Auston? See ya next year bud…I am going to take that from you too.
The media is brainwashing the players?
A fully healthy Matthews could easily score 70.
He scored 50 in 50 this season.
High bar.
Dennis Maruk scored 60 goals. How many people on this board have ever heard of him?
I’ve heard of him, fine player and a great scorer. The year he scored 60, Gretzky had 92. It was a different era.
Bossy had 64 Maruk had 60 for third place. Gretzky finished 28 Goals ahead of 2nd place. If Leon would have scored say 3 more Goals and ended up 2 Goals behind Matthews I don’t think they could justify giving the award to Matthews when Connor finished 17 points ahead.
The number is 60. It’s been, what, a decade since anyone did it? McDavid’s 123 points are fabulous, but I think Kucherov hit 128 a couple of years ago. I would have voted McDavid, but predicted Matthews would win.
I have heard of him also. Was a fine player.
Mario Lemieux scored 50 in 46 in 88/89, won the Art Ross, would have won the Rocket Richard if it existed and won neither the Hart, losing to Gretzky nor the Pearson (now Lindsay), losing to Yzerman. Neither trophy is a goal scoring title – they have a trophy for that just like you said for the Art Ross and for the Conn Smythe.
Again…different eras.
Matthews also got Selke Trophy votes.
He is the goods whether you like it or not.
Where did I say I disagreed with Matthews winning the awards?
He deserved the Hart imo. To get Selke votes is a complete joke.
Blah blah blah…
Did you know McD has a total of 239 career goals to Matthews 259? Surprisingly, the “most prolific goal scorer in hockey right now” only has 20 more career goals than McD.
Yes, Connor has one more year under his belt…but he also has 240 more career points than Matthews. And that number will only increase as years go by. In just one extra year, Connor has 240 more points (I said it twice so it could sink in).
Please tell me again…who’s the best?
Avs are completely reliant on their pp for their offense
Except for those 7 goals at 5 on 5 through three games in the series…..
That lucky bounce they just had was first non pp goal in two games
and that’s indicative of the team’s prowess at 5 on 5 – less than two games?
you’re right, your 3 game example is way better.
OK, how about the full playoff sample where the Avs have scored goals at 5 on 5 at the second highest rate (Oilers highest) or the 82 game regular season sample where they scored the 5th most goals (and 4th highest rate of goals) at 5 on 5?
I’m thinking a 5-6 period stretch isn’t quite determinative of a blanket statement.
Where did Leadfarmer specify the time span over which he believed his statement to apply? Your the one making sweeping assumption here.
1) given how high end they are at 5 on 5, during the playoffs and during the regular season, the statement only makes sense if its related to the very recent times; and
2) ummm, right in this thread he said so.
i think you missed my point. His original statement can’t be assumed to be universally applied to the team’s overall 5 on 5 overall prowess, just their performance 5 on 5 in the two games. You make it seem like he was making the case that the Avalanche are generally not good at 5 on 5 which he wasn’t.
Glad you elaborated. I’m of the mind each series is unique and the quality of goaltending faced by the Avs has been poor at best until this series. I agree they’re a wagon, full stop. I hate it.
With the draft being held in Montreal this year, would they be in the market for another first round pick this year?
Could the Oilers’ pick at #29 entice Les Habitants to part with, say, picks #33 and #62?
Oil Kings win!!!!!!!!!
Even if the Oil Kings win they may be in tough. Only 2 pts for OT win vs 3 for reg win.
Under this new points system, Shawinigan will guarantee at least a semifinal appearance with a regulation win tomorrow. Even an OT win would put them in good stead too.
If Oil Kings beat the Bulldogs they should get in as well.
3 on 3 OT and it is wild!
Holy hell – that was quick Tampa….
Oilers did that once!
Cossa directs a rebound directly to a Sea Dog and then is forced to make a tough save. I don’t think he has played that well in this tournament so far.
I haven’t seen any of today’s game but, notwithstanding some 5-bell saves, he had some tough ones yesterday, including on the winning goal. A very Mike Smith like performance….
Oil Kings and Sea Dogs tied 3-3 in 2 nd per. It is a feisty affair!
All the PHWA votes for each award:
https://www.thephwa.com/2022/06/22/phwa-publishes-2022-nhl-awards-ballots/
I find it disgusting and disgraceful that 5 PHWA left Connor off their ballot. They should be banned from ever voting again. How can they be designated as being PROFESSIONAL?
Bill Hoppe – Olean Times Herald (western NY state) (voted Kaprizov)
Simon-Olivier Lorange – La Presse (Montreal) (voted Shesterkin)
Colin Stephenson – Newsday (Long Island) (voted Matthews)
Anthony SanFillipo – Crossing Broad (Philadelphia) (voted Shesterkin)
Seth Rorbaugh – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (voted Kaprizov)
Jason Gregor
@JasonGregor
·
7m
“I told them I’d reach out in late June to find out if they have an answer (about playing or not), but there is no hard deadline. Ideally you’d want to know before July 4th or 5th leading into the draft and then free agency,” Holland on Smith and Keith.
Hearing Connor Brown is potentially available intrigues me. Fast, 2-way that consistently puts up 0.6 pts/g. Not the sexiest pickup but at 3.6M you can keep the whole band together.
Hyman-McDavid-Brown
McLeod-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Holloway-Nuge-Puljujarvi
Foegele-Ryan
Nurse-Ceci
Keith-Bouchard
Kulak-Barrie
Broberg
You can fit it all. I know people want a shooter but that is a rocket fast and responsible line up. Woodcroft and Manson can work some 11/7 magic with those pieces.
Oilers 1st+Bourgault+Kassian for Brown+one of Ottawa’s 2nds
Yikes – Brown is one year until UFA and, from accounts, will be looking to the market.
If he is still in Ottawa I’m sure he will be looking to test the market
and if traded to Edmonton and re-signed, it will be another 4-5 year plus contract for $4M/$5M plus for a player heading in their 30s…… I think he have enough of those.
Our core (Nurse, McDavid, Leon) and supplemental veterans (Nuge, Hyman, Ceci) are locked in for term – I think it would be tough to add more big money and term to the next tier – that is where the “aging veterans” need to be replaced by younger and improving players (Yamamoto, Puljujarvi, Bouchard, McLeod, eventually, Holloway, Bourgault, etc.).
At least in my opinion.
For me, Brown could be a great deadline rental but paying full price in the off-season is a bit much.
That’s 2 firsts, seems a bit steep for me. Kassian is a useful player still and produces even if he’s not a great fit on the Oilers anymore
Trading the 1st for Ottawa’s 2nd is only trading down 10 spots (I should have specified).
The trade is structured as Bourgault and 10 spots for 3.2M in cap space plus Brown
True
That’s one year of Brown for Bourgault and then spots down, not great value. I’d rather just trade whole picks and b prospects.
Can’t agree on Kassian – as far as “production” he was below 1.00 P/60 last season and only at 1.28 this season which is replacement level – couple that with increasing IR time and, of course, poor 2-way play……
I did not expect this trade to be popular and I was right
I don’t think you’re that far off, but for me it comes down to how much divesting of Kassian’s contract is worth. I’d rather keep Bourgeault because I think there’s a decent bet he outperforms his contract as early as next year and be more valuable than Brown.
A prospect like Samourukov – some value , but not as high end and in a position of strength – and then I’d do the deal.
It’s just too much.
Surely Connor Brown won’t command that in a trade??
never mind, I realize this is all based on hypotheticals for RFA salaries and you can’t calculate cap space remaining
You can fit Smith’s 2.2M under that. It all comes down to what Puljujarvi+Yamamoto sign for. If you can get them both for 5M total it’s doable with about 0.5M in cap space.
For arguments sake. JP 3M, Yams 2.5M, McLeod 1.5K, Kulak 2M leaves 1M cap space. Potentially 3.2M for a goalie if Smith retires
What you are proposing sounds tight, I couldn’t fit Kulak in, with retention on Brown.
You won’t be running a 23 man roster. Realistically Foegele would be a cap casualty as well
“Whole Band” seems to be missing Kane.
Bands these days. SMH.
Holland will be on with Gregor at 3:20.
Tom Gazzola
@TomGazzola
·
57m
The schedule for the 2022 Young Stars Classic in Penticton is out. Oilers rookies play Sep.16 vs. VAN. Sep.17 vs. CGY & Sep.19 vs. WPG.
From Jay and Ken’s Media avail today:
“…implementing a system that’s suited to your personnel…”
(edit – 13:50 of the media avail)
How long have we been asking for this… You’re such a tease Jay!
It appears the Jets are going to burn it down.
Blake Wheeler apparently on the market:
https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/winnipeg-jets-captain-blake-wheeler-debuts-on-trade-targets-board/
If Hellybuyck is available Holland should be all over that. It would turn the summer’s ‘to do’ list upside down , but so be it
That would be a perfect target.
That’d take some cap gymnastics not seen by the org so far
He makes not quite $6.2M (nice deal), it would be easier than signing Kane.
I can see it now – a brilliant trade is executed bringing this team a goalie completely capable of winning a Cup…
and 75% of the comments section cries and screams that prospects were traded.
Push all the resources onto the table if he’s available at any point. Make it happen.
The reality is the prospects on value contracts will allow the retention of Draisaitl and McDavid moving forward. Value contracts are an imperative. Push all in for Hellybucyk and one of the big two will be an economic casualty.
The big 2 contracts expire in 3 and 4 years respectively
There is every indication the cap will be going up in that same time frame
The price for Hellybuyck would be dear, yes, but I don’t think it would leave the cupboards bare
I think the biggest hedge against losing McDavid and Draisaitl would be winning Stanley before their contracts expire
If that’s true then what are the chances that Trotz would want to go there.
This may be a nothing burger.. . Click bait…slow news day.
And even if he’s traded, it might not necessarily mean that they’re tearing out all down.
theres been rumors that they are looking at moving the leadership core for a while. Scheiffele and Wheeler are gone although Wheeler will need significant retention
PLD has announced he will not be re-signing before hitting UFA status in 2024.
Frank Seravalli had some very interesting comments recently on his podcast regarding Schiefele’s perpetually bad attitude. He’s a complainer and there is friction in the Jets locker room.
Part of getting better is making sure you see things clearly. Lots of stock in reviewing the season, going over the detailed notes that he takes, etc.
Hardest thing for Woody professionally (or that he didn’t realize) was the intensity of the schedule as soon as he got there. He’d coached over 100 games so was well aware of the schedules generally but, as soon as they got there, it was 5 games in 7 nights, travel all over, etc.
Tried to approach it with an open mind and immerse themselves in the challenge.
On McLeod and role going forward: “I see him as a really good hockey player, first of all”. Talked about his versatility in both the NHL and Bakersfield and it makes him comfortable moving him around to find him minutes as a good player. The PK was struggling and it created an opportunity to get him more ice and given his history with McLeod he knew he could do it (same with Yamamoto). He’s a good young hockey player with a bright future ahead of him and a coaching staff that believes in him. He was tasked to “find some gains” this off-season, in the weight room and then on the ice.
I hope the NHL Awards next season goes commando.
Jay says they wanted to create a pair that could go against the league’s top players and tasked Nurse/Ceci with that and they were able to concentrate on that tasks/role and did well and it freed up some other d-man to do what they are best suited for.
LT asks about Woody’s comfort level of playing 2 (or more) of the young D in the top 6.
Woody immediately adds Deharnais to the group and talks about his understanding of these players and mentions, when he first came up, he had four youngsters in at the same time.
Has comfort in having coached then in the AHL and there is a healthy chance to make the team in Edmonton and to earn ice time in Edmonton and its incumbent on the players to run with that.
You are correct LT about McDavid voter fatigue. It really is the best explanation for why Matthews won those awards. Statistically, other than goals, he had an inferior season to McDavid. If you look at on ice goal differential, expected goals, expected goal differential, McDavid crushed Matthews. Unfortunately, Connor was the victim of a low on ice shooting percentage and it cost him.
Matthews finished 10th in Selke Trophy voting.
Funny how a player not trusted to play on the PK gets Selke votes.
5V5
CF%
Matthews 59.71
McDavid 56.72
FF%
Matthews 59.66
McDavid 56.35
GF%
Matthews 59.46
McDavid 59.35
xG%
Matthews 63.91
McDavid 59.00
HDCF%
Matthews 62.96
McDavid 57.91
HDGF%
Matthews 57.95
McDavid 63.89
ONSV%
Matthews 88.48
McDavid 92.48
https://naturalstattrick.com/playerreport.php?fromseason=20212022&thruseason=20212022&playerid=8479318&sit=5v5&stype=2
http://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerreport.php?fromseason=20212022&thruseason=20212022&stype=2&sit=5v5&stdoi=oi&rate=n&v=p&playerid=8478402
Very DSF-ian to show on-ice SV% but not on-ice SH% (11.7 Matthews vs 8.3 Connor, a career low). Cherry picked & disingenuous? You would never.
Also, not using relative numbers when TOR ran a higher CF%, GF%, and xGF% than EDM.
Should Matthews be docked because he shoots significantly more and scores on a higher percentage of those shots?
Had Matthews received league average goaltending in those minutes, the gap between the two would have been even more pronounced.
If you feel Rel numbers are significant here, please feel free to post them.
If we use your playbook then we can use the same excuse you used earlier:
“McDavid is still getting up to speed from his knee injury”
McDavid was coming off one Hart in a row and one Lindsay in a row…. right?
Looking forward to Woody on with LT in just a few minutes here.
Agree on this. Very strong arguments can be made for both players (among various others: Kaprisov, Gaudreau, Sheshterkin, Josi, etc.).
I find the masses of Oilers fans complaining about this somewhat petty.
All but noone things that Matthews is “better than McDavid” but its fair to say that McDavid is the best player in the world but another player may have had “a better season” or even “was more valuable to his team” in a particular season.
Citing “eastern bias” doesn’t really ring honest to me given the players themselves voted Matthews for the best season and the Lindsay. That’s not the same as most valuable to his team but I could argue that Drai was the most valuable to the Oilers.
Last year these awards were no-brainers and McDavid won unanimously. This season, there were MANY enormous seasons.
Even if we take aside the “advanced metrics” and Jesse being an objectively high end defensive player that drives play and helps his linemates, and focus simply on production, there seems to me much recency bias as it relates to comparing Yamamoto’s and Puljujarvi’s production.
End of the year and production was very similar among the two (adjusting for Jesse missing more games with injury) but its simply about Yamo being unproductive in the 2nd half but productive (vis-a-vis goals) i the 2nd half and Jesse being the opposite.
Both of these players produced well in stretches and not well in other stretches.
Lets not forget that Jesse’s drop in production coincided with missing time due to Covid (which, from accounts, lasted), then missing 5 weeks with an LBI (which, from accounts, effected his skating going forward) and then another non-Covid illness.
I can’t prove cause and effect but its reasonable to suggest that Jesse’s drop in production has some mitigating circumstances.
I see no reason why this org should not, or cannot, keep both.
Both will be value contracts for the next few years (likely).
Let’s hope the gm and coach share your view:)
I believe this is ap 50% of his TOI vs. elites and I don’t care how many McDavid minutes are in there, this is real and its spectacular.
Nurse’s debilitating injury in the playoffs was a team killer – he’s, in my opinion, the second most important skater on the team given his role.
If Winnipeg is about to blow it up, what would it take to get Hellinabuick? Couple 1sts, JP, some salary, high speed train to North Dakota?
Maybe an airport…
And we used to have a spare one downtown.
Watch them not bring back Manson and stuff Coffey beside Woodcroft… it’s a rough day without caffeine(No pun intended, gord be damned blood pressure!) and this has been a fear of mine for some odd reason.
I would guess that if Manson does not return it will be Manson’s decision.
I think Conner or Leon had a stronger case for Hart than Matthews, but in the end, the only award that matters is Stanley.
If the Oilers lost in the Finals, I bet they’d JS Giguere McDavid.
Michael Jordan should have won MVP of the NBA every single year, including when he was 89 years old on the Washington Wizards, but that’s not how the awards work.
Micheal Jordan should of won it every year he was a Chicago Bull, his Wizard days were nice but not near MVP levels with what AI, Duncan, and Shaq were doing at the time.
McDavid should of won MVP if the definition is most valuable, Matthews team had a better record with him not playing.
McDavid could of gone for 60 but he passes the puck.
This past season the Maple Leafs were 7-2 without Matthews in the line up.
They gave it to Matthews so Leafs fans have something to talk about until the next first round exit next Spring. He will be as good as gone come free agency lol
Very true. After all, you have to throw a bone to the old dog even once in awhile.
Jokes aside, I think it’s good that mcdavid has good company for the hart trophy. The league is better because of all of these amazing players.
Of note, Woody talked about formulating a system for the players once the team was built (as opposed to looking for players to fit a preferred system).
Extremely important idea.
You have to play the cards you’re dealt.
Now get to work Woody, helping Mr. Holland to stack the deck.
Really….. I have been banging the square peg round hole BS since MacT stopped coaching. We got all these loser coaches who came in with their plan and never took a look at whether it fit the team the GM was assembling. Finally we have a coach who is humble and does not try to force his system on the team.
Analytics oriented and much reviewed Bill Zito goes with one the recycled “hockey men” to coach his team and not the upstart newer age coach that led the team to much success with the interim tag.
Nugent-Bowman asked about the Kane grievance going late and how that could effect things. Holland wasn’t able to provide an answer but did confirm multiple talks with Millstein and the desire to bring him back.
Hard to understand this situation as anything besides “the NHL wants to punish a player and is willing to also punish two franchise who haven’t done anything wrong while also looking like unprofessional bunglers in order to do so. “
Except that it not the NHL alone setting any timelines.
This is a grievance filed by the NHLPA, on behalf of Kane – why the arbitrator is who he is, with his apparent schedule, is unknown but its not like the NHL is just driving the process.
Good point. Plenty of discredit to go around.
Woody’s deal is $2m X 3 years.
This is exactly the contract I envisioned for a Rookie NHL Head Coach.
Win Lord Stanley’s Cup and the salary more than doubles.
If coaches salaries were included in the teams cap, Jay would represent “Value”
That’s a bargain contract for Mr Katz.
Holland confirms that he will ask Jay about his thoughts on every individual player and about off-season procurement and confirms he will have influence and they will talk on a regular basis.
Also mentioned looking at the analytics as part of the process.
Here’s hoping that Woody is driving the Analytics Bus.
Of course, he would need to convince the powers that be to buy the damn bus in the first place.
Of note, Woody played Archibald for all but two playoff games (and played Malone in the playoffs)…. right?
“You can frame issues any way you want”
And you certainly have 🙂
The crusade to save the Bison is admirable but I think it rings hollow at times and in that repsect may just be creating more deaf ears.
See Redbird and JP comments below; Two very smart fellows.
(by the by, I think those two fellows and I are all for keeping JP)
I am in favor of keeping JP under the right circumstances. I like Jesse and he is easy to root for especially his fun loving demeanour. I certainly wouldn’t want to see him traded for draft picks or some 4th line fill in. Based on what I see, I also would think a long term high value contract would still be risky, but the Oilers almost certainly have intel that I don’t if they go this route. For me, ideally he is either kept at a reasonable bridge deal (less than $3 million and by how much less dependent on term) or dealt in a trade that overall helps the Oilers being able to fill a real need on the team that he does not (eg. being able to sign Kane for a reasonable term and price plus getting back a solid NHL player).
I am not surprised that Austin Mathews won the Hart. I thought it would be close.
The fact that he won it with 119 first place votes to McDavid’s 29 first place votes was surprising.
What really surprised me was Mathews winning the Ted Lindsay. How the Players vote matters more to me; I don’t think there’s much bias in the player voting. (although I could see candidates player friends/teammates campaigning for them behind the scenes)
I would be curious to know the reasoning behind the players votes. All I can conclude is that they live in a world where most things (salaries) are determined by Goals, and Goals are considered to be the hardest thing to achieve. But for me there’s already an award for most Goals, it’s the Maurice Richard.
Was “the Player” reasoning more based on winning? Wherein being great means helping to create a true contender, and they viewed Toronto as a True contender and Edmonton as a “pretender” that got lucky? I think this had to be part of it.
A possible clue:
The hardest thing to do in hockey is score goals at even strength.
Matthews – 44
Kyle Connor – 36
McDavid – 34
Gaudreau – 34
Kaprizov – 33
Worth noting that Matthews started the season while recovering from wrist surgery and did not score much in his first 10 games.
He also played fewer games that the others on the above list.
In 2011/12 Stamkos scored 60 goals to Malkin’s 50 and 48 evg to Malkin’s 38 but Malkin got the votes and they weren’t that far apart in points with Stamkos being 2nd in the Art Ross (less than the 17 points McDavid was ahead of Matthews). In 18/19, Kucherov was 17th in the league in EVG (McDavid was 6th – Tavares was 1st) and Kucherov was second to McDavid in EVP. McDavid played 4 less games than Kucherov and was only slightly behind in points per game. I guess the voters in those seasons didn’t have a clue.
Pretty good chance McDavid got docked in the 18/19 season for his poor defensive play.
xG% 47.84
http://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerreport.php?fromseason=20182019&thruseason=20182019&stype=2&sit=ev&stdoi=oi&rate=n&v=p&playerid=8478402
Yes I am sure the NHL players make their decisions by looking at a hypothetical determinant of on-ice performance, which even if it was at all accurate, it’s still generally a reflection of all 6 players on the ice. I guess the fact that McDavid was only on the ice for 2.26 ga/60 this season while Matthews was on the ice for 3.06 ga/60 (a data point that is not up to someone’s interpretation of what actually happened on a play) didn’t factor into their voting this year either.
Did Matthews say he recovered after those 10 games, or are you just saying he was still hurt for those 10 games to explain why he didn’t score so much?
Cause if it’s the latter then your note isn’t really worth noting given your history of bias.
Well, he missed all of the pre-season and the first 3 games of the season so a reasonable person would surmise it took him some time to get up to speed.
You not so much.
https://theathletic.com/news/auston-matthews-will-miss-leafs-first-three-games/1SBMpfvVMI8b/
“Some time”
So again, you are just guessing it took 7 games for him to get caught up to speed since he missed the 3 games? Or are you arbitrarily saying 10 games and then the 3 missed games are included as part of your “played fewer games” comment?
Do you think Matthews would have participated in all preseason games if he had a healthy wrist?
His credibility is stellar compared to you HH and it’s not even close!
Worth noting the Maple leafs were 7-2 without the puck hog playing.
Would say the team functions better when it’s not focused on running its offense through one players stick.
How is playing fewer games a positive point for him? Isn’t playing in the actual games kind of important? Why did McDavid get knocked for only playing 45 games his rookie season in the Calder race if playing fewer games was a positive for him? Or Nuge in his rookie season not getting positive points for playing fewer games than Landeskog?
Kind of funny how Matthews never has his actual production, but always his on pace for production to prop him up.
While I really can’t quibble about the players picking Matthews for having the most outstanding season this year, I am not convinced the players are any better than the press at objectively voting on which player had the most outstanding season, or that there are not influences beyond just how the players performed. How much does the average player watch of other team’s games compared to the press?
There is probably no greater evidence that the players are far from infallible in this regard than that they chose Mike Liut as the most outstanding player in the league in 1981. This despite Gretzky shattering Espo’s single season points record with 164 points. Dionne was well back at 135 points and Kurri was Edmonton’s second highest point getter with 75 points. The players just weren’t ready to concede the skinny 20 year old was the best player in the league. The press got that one right.
While Orr only won it once, the award didn’t start until the 70/71 season, missing out on a few of his top seasons. The players picked Ratelle in 71/72 over Orr, and though Ratelle had a fine season and perhaps his best, the vote wasn’t strictly based on their relative performances. The press also got this one right.
Mario Lemieux’ best full season was 88/89 winning the Art Ross with 199 points leading the league in goals (85) and tied with Gretzky in assists, yet the press gave Gretzky the Hart and the players voted for Yzerman (before Yzerman was noted for being a 2 way player). Interesting that at the time, Lemieux was more upset about not getting the Hart than the Pearson (Lindsay).