The Bakersfield Condors of 2021-22 had a helluva year. Flights north were handed out to goaltender Stuart Skinner, centers Ryan McLeod and Brad Malone; defensemen William Lagesson, Philip Broberg, Markus Niemelainen and Dmitri Samorukov; wingers Cooper Marody, Seth Griffith and Dylan Holloway.
The biggest addition from Bakersfield was head coach Jay Woodcroft and defense coach Dave Manson.
THE ATHLETIC!
- Lowetide: What are reasonable expectations for the Oilers in 2022-23?
- Lowetide: Oilers’ Evan Bouchard is on the edge of stardom
- Lowetide: How many goals will Oilers winger Evander Kane score next season?
- Lowetide: Four Oilers defence prospects applying for one job. Who wins?
- DNB: Oilers depth chart: Where did they improve and where can they make more moves?
- Lowetide: Skinner’s rise shows importance of homegrown goalies
- DNB: Oilers’ Kane, Campbell signings are calculated risks in push for Stanley Cup
- Lowetide: For Oilers forward Dylan Holloway, the future may come early
- DNB: Oilers’ Brad Holland on AGM role, analytics, working with his dad: Q&A
- Lowetide: Oilers top-20 prospects, summer 2022
- DNB: First-round pick Reid Schaefer can bring ‘big-boy hockey’ to his hometown team
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers prospect pipeline needs a post-draft boost
- Lowetide: 5 AHL players who can help the Oilers next season
- DNB: Edmonton Oilers offseason what I think and what I know 1.0
- Lowetide: Remember Oilers’ biggest summer ever? It needs to happen again
- DNB: How Oilers’ draft pick Kelly Buchberger became the long shot who delivered
- DNB: What we’re hearing on Edmonton Oilers’ Puljujarvi, more
- Lowetide: Can Oilers’ Xavier Bourgault make the 2022-23 opening night roster?
- Lowetide: Oilers’ pivotal summer and what fans want to see from Ken Holland
- Lowetide: What Oilers assets should Ken Holland trade this summer?
- DNB: What if Edmonton Oilers trade Jesse Puljujarvi? The case for and against
NHL NUMBERS BY BAKERSFIELD CONDORS
These are the totals by the recalls, so names like Tyler Benson, Brendan Perlini and Colton Sceviour do not appear.
- Ryan McLeod 71 games, 9-12-21
- William Lagesson 30 games, 0-4-4
- Philip Broberg 23 games, 1-2-3
- Brad Malone 8 games, 1-1-2
- Markus Niemelainen 20 games, 0-1-1
- Cooper Marody 1 games, 0-1-1
- Dmitri Samorukov 1 game, 0-0-0
- Seth Griffith 1 game, 0-0-0
- Dylan Holloway 1 game, 0-0-0 (playoff)
- Stuart Skinner 13 games, 2.62 .913
That’s a solid list, and it’s reasonable to expect McLeod and Broberg to enjoy several NHL seasons, perhaps as regulars in feature roles. Skinner has earned his chance, the goaltending jobs are harder to secure because they are few, but he’s going to get a full lash in 2022-23. Niemelainen and Samorukov are also ready for their opportunity, and it could come this year.
I’m here to warn you that the promise of a list like this fades for most. There are a few who make it but the rest are scattered to the four corners of the hockey world in a quick hurry. Here are the 2015-16 NHL numbers for recalled Condors:
- C Leon Draisaitl 70gp, 18-32-50
- R Iiro Pakarinen 61gp, 5-6-11
- D Darnell Nurse 67gp, 2-7-9
- D Jordan Oesterle 15gp, 0-5-5
- L Jujhar Khaira 15gp, 0-2-2
- L Luke Gazdic 29gp, 1-0-1
- D Griffin Reinhart 27gp, 0-1-1
- R Rob Klinkhammer 14gp, 1-0-1
- R Anton Slepyshev 11gp, 0-1-1
- D Nikita Nikitin 11gp, 0-1-1
- D Brad Hunt 7gp, 0-0-0
- C Andrew Miller 6gp, 0-0-0
- G Laurent Brossoit 5gp, 3.61 .873
Edmonton welcomed two feature players (Draisiatl, Nurse), three skaters who played more than 200 NHL games after 2015-16 (Oesterle, Khaira, Hunt) and a goalie (Laurent Brossoit) who has appeared in 100 NHL games since that first Bakersfield AHL season.
Do not expect that kind of result from the 2021-22 group. I think Broberg, Holloway and McLeod are good bets to pass that 200 NHL game mark, and could exceed it by several hundred. After that? Skinner could catch Brossoit, and maybe one of Niemelainen or Samorukov lands a Brad Hunt career.
THE 2022-23 CONDORS: AHL CONTRACTS
LD Yanni Kaldis is a fine puck mover and had an even strength goal differential of 31-27 (+4) last season. That isn’t an especially impressive goal share when compared to other defensemen on the team, but his power-play totals (2-15-17) led team defenders.
LD Darien Kielb played with the Laval Rocket and Bakersfield last season, and honestly was so impressive in his Condors games I’m wondering if he eventually wins an NHL contract. Scored 10-2 in even strength goal differential in seven games, also posting 2-4-6 offensively. He’s big, too, 6.03 190.
LD Alex Peters is even bigger (6.04, 220) and delivered 1-4-5 in his first 15 AHL games for the Condors last year. He was 13-6 (+7) in those 15 games, has some edge to his game.
RC Filip Engaras is a former Oilers draft pick who played five games for the Condors last year. He didn’t play much (0-1 even strength goal differential) and we’ll have to see what he brings.
LC Luke Esposito starts games as a depth forward and inevitably moves up, kind of like a shorter Josh Currie. Lacking Currie’s scoring skills, Esposito is a solid PK man and can play a variety of roles. His goal share (38-33, +5) isn’t among the top group, but he definitely played top nine last season and at times even higher in the lineup.
RW Dino Kambeitz is a personal favourite. He’s 6.02, 210 and a bull in a china shop. Aggressive all over the ice, he lacks skill but finished 20-15 (+5) in even strength goal share.
Gone from last year’s team are Adam Cracknell, Devin Brosseau, Graham McPhee and Tim Schaller. So that’s the group for the coming season, and you know (or know most) of the rest.
Based on how the NHL team is taking shape, and making a few guesses that will no doubt cause unrest from readers because despite the world being in flames this is the hill you’ll die on, here are your 2022-23 opening night Bakersfield Condors.
THE BAKERSFIELD CONDORS 2022-23
- Tyler Benson-Brad Malone-Seth Griffth
- Dylan Holloway-James Hamblin-Xavier Bourgault
- Carter Savoie-Noah Philp-Raphael Lavoie
- Greg McKegg-Luke Esposito-Tyler Tullio
- Dino Kambeitz-Filip Engaras
- Markus Niemelainen-Vincent Desharnais
- Slater Koekkoek-Mike Kesselring
- Darien Kielb-Phil Kemp
- Alex Peters, Yanni Kaldis
- Calvin Pickard (Ryan Fanti) (Olivier Rodrigue)
There are multiple prospect recall possibilities (Niemelainen, Kesselring, Holloway, Bourgault) along with AHL veterans who may see action (Benson, Malone, Griffith, Hamblin, Calvin Pickard).
Here is a possible opening night lineup for the Oilers. Right to the cap (within $35,000), Jesse Puljujarvi needlessly sent away to Seattle for a pick in the 100’s.
POSSIBLE OILERS OPENING NIGHT ROSTER 2022-23
There will be some clarity this week, as the Jesse Puljujarvi arbitration arrives and there’s a good chance all three RFA’s are signed in the next week. There remain several interesting free agents, I have Daniel Sprong, Lukas Vejdemo and Kris Russell listed here, I’m sure someone will mention higher profile types but money is tight.
SATAN
I don’t think we’ll ever see the kind of situation that led to the Satan trade again. He was surely a brilliant winger, but the Oilers had so many available he got lost in the flood. Satan did play with centers Doug Weight and Jason Arnott at times during the year he was traded, but those two men fed wingers like Ryan Smyth, Dean McAmmond, Andrei Kovalenko, Mike Grier, Marius Czerkawski, David Oliver, plus Rem Murray and Todd Marchant who also spent time at center. Ghastly result, but there was plenty of competition.
NEW for The Athletic: Entering what is likely his final week as an Oilers player, once and for all time: The 5 times Oilers management mishandled Jesse Puljujarvi
https://theathletic.com/3443104/2022/07/24/oilers-jesse-puljujarvi-mishandled/
I honestly don’t understand the downvotes here-are people shooting the messenger?
Ha. You totally got down voted for that 🤣
People are angry about things, Bohologo. It’ll calm down someday, he lied. 🙂
LT-That opening night lineup looks awfully thin in the bottom 6…….hopefully common sense prevails and JP is brought back….
It’s only one Holloway
So this is about Woodcroft and Puljujarvi and TOI presumably.
I thought the TOI change for Puljujarvi was evident as soon as Woodcroft took over as well, until I actually checked.
So Puljujarvi played 16:57 per game under Tippett and 14:53 under Woodcroft. A 2 minute per game drop after the change.
If you take the time to look though, in the last 5 games under Tippett, Puljujarvi didn’t crack 15 min in any of them (13:58/game).
In Woodcroft’s first 3 games Puljujarvi was back up a bit to 15:09/game, then he got injured and missed a month.
His first game back after injury he played 17:10, and proceeded to play 15:10 through the end of the season.
So Puljujarvi’s TOI had already been dropped by Tippett before he departed. Increased slightly after Woodcroft took over, and remained quite consistent though the end of the regular season.
If you check the exact date that Puljujarvi went from being a 17 min a night player for Tippett to a 14 min a night one. It was Jan. 29th, Evander Kane’s first game as an Oiler.
Nothing was ‘evident as soon as Woodcroft arrived’. Kane’s signing ate into Puljujarvi’s ice time. Woodcroft played Puljujarvi more than Tippett did after after Kane’s arrival. Puljujarvi’s TOI under Woodcroft was very consistent until the playoffs when it did actually drop.
I pointed this all out close to a month ago in a fair amount of detail. Woodcroft was even complimented how Jesse was coming around from his Dec-Jan slump in Woodcroft’s first 4 games before his injury halfway through the 4th game.
Most of the reduced time was on the power play as he didn’t see much of a drop in his 5 on 5 time. Gulutzan was still the lead on PP deployment.
Even in the playoffs against the Kings, he started on McDavid’s wing playing his usual time until Draisaitl’s further injury in game 5. Once Drai got moved up to mostly McDavid’s right wing, Jesse mostly went down to the 3rd line.
Yeah I remember that now that you mention it.
It’s a shame that the narrative persists.
We must need reminders here or something
Important note here
Keith McCambridge (Thompson, MB) was hired to coach the D in the Bake
His resume is quite impressive actually for an assistant AHL coach hire
He was an AHL HEAD Coach for 7 seasons
4 with St John’s Ice Caps with whom he made it to the finals one year
that was the Jets affiliate at the time
and he was an AHL assistant for 3
this after being an ECHL Head coach 2 years
btw he played at one time or another with Tyler Wright, Jason Strudwick and Louie Debrusk
some development age defencemen that he has coached
Libor Hajek 58 games – 2nd round pick – 94 NHL games after McCambridge
Ryan Lindgren 75 games – 2nd round pick – 194 NHL games aM
Ryan Graves 133 games – 4th – 224
Neal Pionk 48 games – undrafted – 303
Tony DeAngelo 29 games – 1st – 199
Josh Morrissey 65 games – 1st – 423
Ben Chiarot 168 games – 4th – 489
Chris Tanev 39 games – undrafted – 652
Kevin Connauton 73 games – 3rd – 360
Paul Postma 94 games – 7th – 204
Zach Redmond 150 games – 7th – 133
He’s 48
Was drafted in the 8th round by Calgary
Didn’t play in the nhl
378 games in the AHL
6’2″ Defenceman
Lot’s of PIM
263 one year (01-02) in the AHL
Some Coaches (influences) played for:
Graham James
Rob Daum
Todd McClellan
Don Hay
Paul Baxter
Peter Laviolette
Bill Armstrong
Roy Sommer
Davis Payne
Some NHLers he played with
Brent Sopel
Darcy Tucker
Shane Doan
Tyson Nash
Jarome Iginla
Dwayne Roloson
Martin St. Louis
JS Giguere
Scott Gomez
some future NHL coaches he played WITH
Brad Larsen
Martin St. Louis
Ryan Huska
Nolan Baumgartner
Rocky Thompson
Dan Bylsma
Tough Defenceman – has that in common with Manson
(clearly not the player Manson was)
Biggest additions last year were definitely Woodcroft and Manson! Right coaches at the right time! It will be fun to watch with them getting a full training camp with a young group that have been tested under fire! The coaching staff and leadership group have been able to bond in an extended playoff run. This year they have the shared experience of going deep and a better understanding of what it takes to be the champions. They are a better team going into the start of this season compared to last year. I believe this will be a great year to be an Oiler fan! We have a punchers chance to win our 6th cup! The organization in whole is deserving of our support!
This was mildly amusing. During Tkachuk’s interview with ESPN, instead of saying he hoped he could send them ‘over the top’ following their playoff failure, he said ‘over the edge’… 🙂
@FriedgeHNIC
Hearing SEA and Morgan Geekie avoiding arbitration at 1 year, $1.4M
That puts Seattle at a 23 man roster with $2.2 million in cap space.
They may even finish ahead of Vancouver for a non playoff spot!
Bored during a summer break I happened to watch the 2022 playoffs Oilers v Flames all goals on Youtube.
Wow! Oilers are officially one of the top teams I have ever seen including the olden days. with caveat that they keep improving because the way they roar back game after game I haven’t seen since Gretzky was in town.
No way they aren’t a top 5 bet to win the cup now that leaky Mike has been put out to pasture. Please don’t read this the wrong way – I like Mike Smith a lot, but he was gassed and there is no reasonable way around it.
Hyman alone is a combination of Ryan Smyth and Glenn Anderson. Kane can score like Kurri(huge goals) and McDavid is simply insane good. Next time Avs meet Oilers in the playoffs I’ll bet on McDavid’s Oilers returning the curb stomping.
I would note that “Leaky Mike” had a better save percentage then the new hire last season, this past season and in this year’s playoffs.
Smith may have been inconsistent within games but on-ice performance was not really the issue the last few years – it was mostly ability to play the amount of games required.
When your goalie can be counted on to start games with a fairly decent chance of playing terribly…
Your team has a huge problem.
I have no interest in percentages, until they start counting stuff like McKinnon and the Avs were pulling on the Oilers in the semis. Like McKinnon purposely targeting and Yamamoto is forced to leave the game.
That was Landeskog who targeted Yamamoto with a head shot.
Sorry about that. I get confused sometimes.
What was amazing was McKinnon knocking Draisaitl over – obviously Leon was injured yet that was probably the 1st time I have ever seen anyone target and level him all at once.
For all I know that was Landeskog also. Avs whipping the depleted Oilers was not a lot of fun for me.
That was a slew foot by the crybaby MacKinnon on Leon. Of course not a word said by the anti Oilers panel. Kane ousted Kadri it’s to bad the series didn’t go longer because MacKinnon was next.
Blind side hit targeting the head! No penalty! Far more dangerous than the hit that got Kane suspended. It was also a premeditated attempt to injure ( in my opinion ) as retaliation for the Kane hit!
Instigator penalty needs to be done away with so this kind of retaliation isn’t required!
lol this has been argued since I was knee high to a grasshopper.
I was responding to the phrase “Leaky Smith” which implied bad on-ice performances by Mike Smith vis-a-vis goals against. It doesn’t seem his “decent change of playing terribly” was higher than that of Jack Campbell’s, this past season, the prior season nor in the playoffs.
To be clear, I do believe that Campbell will likely be “an upgrade” given a more “even level of play” (presumably) but Mike Smith’s performance the last few years doesn’t really jive with “leaky” any more than most other goalies, including the new one.
I’m not sure what the last paragraph has to do with this topic…
Pedantry FTW.
Smith is done Mikko is neighbours with Shania Twain. Campbell with a cracked rib is better by a country mile than either one.
This doesn’t really jive with objectivity based on past numbers.
Of note: Campbell played like a Vezina trophy candidate to start last year. In and around the time of his cracked rib, he played like one of the worst goalies in the league.
Of further note: from accounts, mainly Friedman, the extent of Mike Smith being “banged up” in the playoffs was very very considerable and we’d all be surprised with what he played through.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for the younger goalie who should provide more even and consistent play but the statement above is objectively false given, well, Smith performed better than Campbell overall last year (on basic stats) and, when Campbell was playing hurt and recovering, he was not good at all.
Campbell 31-9-6 Cracked ribs
Smith 16-9-2 Arthritis.
Smith’s done let the man relax in peace. I don’t know what you have against Campbell but at least give him a few games before you start screaming for Reimer.
I’ve got nothing against Campbell, I’m excited for him and what he can bring to the team – as I’ve posted.
I was simply providing a response to comments such as “Leaky Mike”, with objective and factual background – its not an honest statement.
I’m not “screaming for Reimer” over Campbell – in isolation, that would make zero sense. Of course, my position on preferred path forward on the tending has been clear since early June. Its not quite as simple as “Campbell vs. Reimer” – happy to detail that various context that would be important but I know you know if you want to be honest.
Also, please acknowledge 27-12-4 if you really want to cite W/L records for goalies.
I’m a little nervous of Campbells track record myself but he’s 30 and hopefully hitting his prime. Hyman, Ceci now Campbell we might have nailed the triactor from TO’s leftovers This still doesn’t make up for Eakins fiasco and being forced to watch Will fuking Acton for 30 excruciating games.
How about the defence in front of him? Has it improved?
Once the defence can stop wondering if the goalie is going to throw the game away in the 1st period like both Oilers leaky goalies last season…
Trouble was, BOTH goalies were basket cases.
Gents, the bickering is getting tiresome. There’s already one person in timeout, think we’re heading for three.
My apologies.
Josh Green
Extremely excited to begin this next coaching chapter with the Bakersfield Condors, and a big thank you to to Oilers management and to Colin Chaulk for the confidence in me. I cannot wait to get to work.
Another alum coming through.
Should have heard Green on with Stauffer earlier this week, talking about his two sons as hockey players – just absolutely ripped in to one as a lazy, cherry-picking, uncommitted player – wasn’t even really talking in jest either – Green may not be a “players coach”…lol.
Interesting…From Weegar’s girlfriend.
Back home to https://abs-0.twimg.com/emoji/v2/svg/1f1e8-1f1e6.svg! Wooo hooo! La vie est belle. I know for a fact how much @weega52
is looking forward to playing for the @NHLFlames
& we – the Weegar “family”- could not be happier. Counting the days to the Oct 13 season opener. Let’s go, Baaabyyy! La vie continue #calgaryflames
Very interesting indeed. Reminds me of someone…
Johnny Gaudreau: “Calgary has a special place in my heart,” he said, gushing about the way he has been treated by the organization, his teammates, fans and even the local media since he was selected as a fourth-round long-shot in the 2011 NHL Draft. “Everything about this city, I love. My wife loves it here. You guys can tell on Twitter — my uncle, my dad, my mom, my sisters, my brother, everyone loves Calgary. It has a special place in our heart and we love it here, so we’ll see what happens.
“It’s kind of a big decision here and I’m just going to try to figure out what’s best for me first and my family and go from there, but Calgary is a special place for me and I do really, really love it here.”
Yes…I’m pretty sure Gaudreau speaks for every player on the planet….especially players and their partners who are Canadian.
You had no problem speaking for every American player on the planet when you said they would all leave Canada because of the government.
Is there anything you are pretty sure about as of late? You are all over the place.
I said the other day I figured Weegar will re-sign. Huberdeau? Not convinced but lots of things can happen.
The Flames will find out whether or not Weegar’s success was how good he is himself or whether it was because for the last 3 season, he has been glued to Aaron Ekblad’s right hip. He has played 80% of his 5 on 5 time the over that span as Ekblad’s partner with a 60% goal share together, 46% without Ekblad and Ekblad was 69% without Weegar. The Flames do not have an Ekblad to pair with Weegar (few teams do). Maybe he is good, but I would not be surprised if he takes a step back in Calgary (assuming he’s not the left D they move out of their crowded line up).
Again, I am not saying he is not a good NHL defenseman, and he obviously fit well beside Ekblad. But one of those two defenseman is likely the superstar that was providing substantial boost to the other and my bet is it wasn’t Weegar.
Yeah…pretty much the way I see it.
Thing is, if Weegar re-signs, the Flames have a very deep D corp and can employ one as an asset in a potential much larger trade that might also include Huberdeau.
Treleving has never been shy about swinging for the fences.
Interesting is your choice of metaphors. In baseball those who swing for the fences are the ones who most often strike out.
Good NHL managers tend to be the ones who play the percentages, the small incremental improvements ala Ken Holland who has mysteriously and without anyone in this blog including the host predicting this ongoing and very wonderful improvement of the on ice Oilers product.
ps: Your bleating against the team that has having the 2022 top playoff scorers leads me to tell you to stop flying so close to the sun. Your wax wings are going to melt lol
Put your money on the Avalanche.
Joe swings for the fences too.
I don’t bet on sports much. And Avs have their cup.
I have been able to say I am ahead of the book in: 5 card poker, acey ducey, blackjack, horse racing and boxing, but other than the card games its too wild a bet for my nerves.
I prefer to see the whites of the person’s eyes that I’m taking money from.
Often the best way to go.
As they say…if you can’t figure out who the mark is in 15 minutes…it’s you.
You think you would have figured it out years ago then… It’s you.
But you don’t even cover your losses!
Flames are partying it up like they won the Cup. I don’t get how some folks actually felt sorry for them last week.
Yes but this is why we love making them biatches in the playoffs.
I’m pleased with the trade. A strong Flames team makes for a better Oilers team.
Best Harper Hair burn to date!!!
Did you say serial killer?
Do you know one was named Brogan Rafferty?
True story.
Actually we’re talking at you, not with you.
LOL
I appreciate that Darien Kielb started last season with the Dalhousie Tigers and finished in the AHL playoffs with the Condors. He was also an asst captain under Patrick Roy, that’s a positive arrow in my books. This young man goes by the saying, “Have stick, will travel.” I think it would be wise for the Oilers to invest in him.
https://daltigers.ca/sports/mice/2020-21/releases/Kielb
If this team keeps this defense and trades Puljujarvi for just a pick, they won’t be a real contender. I hope KH realizes this, I’m betting Foegle would be moved before JP. RW and defense depth is still a glaring hole. Hyman is far better at LW. The Oilers need JP and will need plenty more depth on D if they want to compete with the Avs.
2022-2023 Kulak > 2021-2022 Keith
2022-2023 Bouch > 2021 – 2022 Bouch
If Ceci and Nurse are equal or better our top 4 will be better than last season. If Nurse takes another step it could be miles better.
Bottom pairing will be a rotation of rookies, I’m okay with that…see who the NHL game slows down for and jettison the rest….grab some depth at the deadline or earlier if injuries strike.
How many of those players would make the Avalanche roster?
think liver casserole…
My top six ignoring handedness.
Makar
Toews
Nurse
Byram
Bouchard
Manson
Now, Toews and Makar are obviously the top two by a sizeable margin.
Sounds about right but how about Sam Girard?
Girard is meh especially with that contract, imo. I could be wrong. I think I prefer Kulak/Ceci and their contracts. Maybe I am being a homer.
But again, Makar is probably the second best player in the league right now (maybe tied for first, he is really amazing). Obviously makes a huge difference and takes pressure off the rest of the D.
Well…if you’re considering contracts, you could have Girard (who plays both sides) and Byram on the second pair for far less than Nurse alone.
It sounds like you have it all figured out!
The man’s a legend in his own mind!😉
Bingo!
As much as I dislike Trachuk I enjoyed his piece on Sportsnet with Eric Francis. He was honest and did it the right way. I can respect that
Goalie depth! We finally have a great Goalie depth chart. If Skinner is extended on a 2yr $1.5M backup bump then we’re hopefully set in goal, top 4 slots, for 36 months in the bigs, and 24 months in the minors!
Oilers should offer sheet Kaapo Kakko
Doesn’t make sense to me. NYR have only him to sign among current players/prospects, over 4m in cap space and only need two more depth forwards and a depth defenseman to acquire after signing him. Unless we overpay by a lot, NYR would have no problem matching.
You could be right, it was just a thought. He may have a high upside
He was a #2 overall pick IIRC. Not overwhelming production on his ELC though. Could be fruit from the Yakupov tree perhaps? Wouldn’t expect a big contract for him on this deal.
His boxcars are underwhelming for his full ELC. Might be worth your research into his fancies/usage to inform the analysis as he was a high draft pick after all. Keep digging!
Interesting article
https://nypost.com/2022/07/23/lack-of-kaapo-kakko-offer-sheet-not-all-good-news-for-rangers/
JP for KK, one for one.
I’ve floated that before, among others (IE. Dach).
If we could swap under performing assets between teams with similar pedigree and RFA contract status, that would seem a better bet to me than a middling draft pick.
Gotta like the giant red banner across the blog that says “Satan”, haha
Not gonna lie, that Condors line up looks positive! Much improved with those rookies (Bourg, Savoie, Tullio) and we’ll see if Halloway moves up to the NHL.
Excited to see how Philp does is his first full season, how the defense performs and if Fanti can take the reigns.
Will definitely be going to see them when they visit Cowtown!
Really do not like Yamamoto at $3M. If Holloway brings anything at all, Yams slides down to the 3rd line where he is a better fit.
Yamo scored 20 goals in his 23 year old season, that’s not nothing. You need to pump the brakes on Holloway if that’s your baseline.
Huh?
Holloway is a LW. Yamo is a RW.
Not sure how Holloway’s performance will effect Yamo’s place in the lineup.
If we lose JP for nothing but a pick, the team takes a large step backward IMO. If this happens, I would try RNH/Leon/Foegele on the 2nd line and Holloway/McLeod/Yams on the 3rd line to try to balance scoring, speed and size. And pray it works. A better option, if a partner can be found, would be JP, Barrie and a pick/prospect for a 1RD or 1 RW. Patrick Kane would sure look good on this team for the next couple years.
Forgive me if this is not fully thought out… I would appreciate your reasoned responses…
Offer Jesse 2.5×1. Once registered, he can start negotiating an extension for an additional year. A tacit understanding from the start that the further extension is 1×3.75, with some minor detail still in contention (for appearances sake with the league). “Settle” the minor detail in the coming days/weeks/months as necessary to address any league concerns and then register the second deal for the 2023/24 season. Matches the two year term the Oilers are able to opt for, gets Jesse the AAV 3.125 in the ballpark his agent is asking. Oiler Cap hit 2.5 for 2022/23, 3.75 for 2023/24. If trade is still desired outcome by the parties involved, register the second deal before the trade is consummated…
Possible, or just whistling in the wind? At what point can they negotiate extensions for the 2023/2024 season? Will this throw a wrench into this scenario?
From Leavins column this morning. I think this frames the situation as it is so there is no appetite on the part of the team to pay him what he thinks he is worth.
Maybe Puljujarvi is back in the fall but I doubt he ends the year as an Oiler.
======================
I fully expect Jesse Puljujarvi’s number to end up above $3m. And if the club felt Puljujarvi was a lock to be a Top-6 player, I think they would find a way to swallow that. But this is where the proverbial rubber meets the road. Puljujarvi’s camp thinks he is. The team does not. Stalemate.
Still… possible immediate need to mitigate cap space. Would this scenario work is all I am asking?
This proposal is not necessarily to get Jesse at a price we preferred, but as an offer if it looks like we will face an arb ruling that impacts this year’s cap too much for our liking. Gives us some reduced pressure on THIS year’s cap in exchange for a bigger hit next year, when our dead cap reduces. Maintains control over the player for two years and does not impede a potential trade now or later in the season if needed. Jesse gets the AAV his agent is targeting without it squeezing this year’s cap room.
Any technical/legal reasons this would not work? WWSPD (What would Sam Pollock do)?
I think the organization is looking to deal him, that informs the way forward.
I know, thank LT. I thought this exercise would show a way to retain control and possibly get a better return if a trade was imminent as well. But, as teamblue pointed out, on a one year contract they cannot sign an extension until after Jan 1, which kills the maneuver. Worth a discussion though. Trying to get creative in finding a solution…
On a one year contract, an extension can’t be signed until after Jan 1
Thank you. That is the detail I needed.
If a one year deal is signed this off-season, a new contract/extension can be entered into as of Jan 1.
Part of the problem with structuring the contract extension as you’ve proposed, is that the qualifying offer then becomes a raise on the $3.75MM from his final year (+10% or something, speeds et al will have to confirm).
I’d do the opposite. I’d offer him the bigger AAV the first year to appease his desire to be paid, but have a lower second year salary to ensure that he has a show-me year in a contract year. If he’s worth a raise, it’ll be obvious and earned. If not… well, that’s on JP.
This would have the added benefit of being enticing to a trade partner, because they could have him at a nominal top-4 rate for the first year where he may have to get the yips out of his game. Then in the second year he possibly settles in and knocks the ball out of the park.
QO would just need to be at 100% of the salary, no premium (the threshold for the 5% or 10% premium for QOs is actually quite low, close to $1MM for even the 5% I believe).
Nice, LT, similar to something I suggested as a possibility – Running 13F and 8D with Samorukov and a vet (Koekkoek or Russell).
Of the “late season arrivals” for the Condors, I predict:
1) Noah Philp to work his way in to an important “all situations role” for coach Chaulk – kind of the “middle six” forward who plays up and down the lineup, takes faceoffs, kills penalties, chips in offensively. Very outside chance of some NHL games if everything breaks well for him and there are injury/depth issues to the right shot shooters at the NHL level.
2) Savoie I expect to, yes, score some goals (in bunches) but, overall, I think he’ll have a real development year. I think he’ll have an up and down year getting used to the pro game and the speed, strength and even skill of the AHL. Fans will call him a bust but I think the 2023/24 season is when we’ll get a truer picture of if he’ll be an NHL player.
3) Engras I think could see as much ECHL time as NHL time.
4) Fanti I think could outperform Pickard – he likely wont get the call over Pickard if there is the need for a goalie recall but I think he’s going to show some real NHL ability.
Darkhorse for NHL games: James Hamblin – he’s the type of guy that can be plugged anywhere in the lineup and will give you a “Yamamoto-light” type of performance.
Will be interesting to see if Lavoie can earn some more ice and compete with the likes of Benson, Greg M., Griffith for offensive opportunities and put himself back in the conversation. Of note, I have no idea if he’ll be healthy and ready to start the season – major knee surgery to end his 2021/22 and, of course, he was at development camp but didn’t skate.
While I think Savoie, in particular, but also Tulio, will have some ups and downs, I do think that Bourgault will adapt fairly quickly to the pro game at the AHL level and be a consistent top 6 and PP guy that puts up 0.75 plus P/G.
Not sure Seattle would have much interest in Jesse especially if his arbitration award is elevated.
RW Depth chart:
Eberle
Bjorkstrand
Donskoi
Tanev
Kulman
Lind
Worth noting Burakovsky plays both wings and Morgan Geekie usually plays RW.
I remember that trade because I had to listen to my brother go on about it at every game we attended where the Oilers came up a goal short on the scoreboard – and there were many in those years.
My memory as a season ticket holder (you had to be an Oilers fanatic or dumb to drive out in -30 weather to watch that crew in those days) was that Ron Low as HC wouldn’t play Satan and pretty much forced Sather to trade him.
One of the worst trades Glen ever made. His fault though – he’s the one that hired Low to coach.
After the benching and trade, one of my best friends subsequently nicknamed Ron Low, “The Wet Blanket.” He’d often go off on variations of that theme but his go-to epithet was Wet Blanket. He hated Ron Low thereafter, despite his success (relative to, say, the DoD).
It was a depressing time to be a fan. One year I couldn’t take it any more so I sold off half my tickets. I got to watch one win that season.
Woodcroft and Puljujarvi rhymes with Low and Satan in terms of history repeating.
Yes I completely do not see a fit there. It was evident as soon as he took over from Tippett. At this point in time, Woodcroft can do no wrong. However, we don’t know what the future will bring….
Don’t like Nuge as the 2nd line LWer. He can’t hit the net. Maybe it was an off year for him ( last) in that category. Guess this all depends if Jesse is moved out or not. Drai needs Hyman on his LW and I would hope this happens . Going to be an interesting week Ahead, starting with Jesse and where that goes.
Agreed. 3C as mentor for young wingers is a much better spot for Nuge. PK & PP time give him his 20 minutes.
Did you watch the playoffs? Hyman is great but he’s more effective at keeping the puck off of Drai’s stick then the opposition.
Nuge is a great LW for Draisaitl.
Hyman does his own thing he tries to power his way in on the wraparound instead of passing ( hogs the puck) which I love. He reminds me of Ryan Smith in that way.
Which is why one want Bourgault on right wing on the line with Hyman and Draisaitl.
Agreed – once the player is ready for the NHL and playing against the toughest comp in the world……
Yup. The sooner the better but I still think it is ~30 games in Bakersfield for him. His development has to be part of their thinking on how Puljujarvi fits on this team long term.
Nuge Draisaitl and Bourgault would be a great fit! They all think the game at a high level and two well above average shooters and a Nuge and Draisaitl have excellent defensive awareness.
Teams cheat on the PK and give Nuge the lane with room. How many times does he go for the perfect shot and miss the net are clank it off the bar out of play. They asked Bossy what the key to scoring was his answer hit the net.
Hyman should be on the RNH line … they are the first PK unit, and Hyman can drive possession on a line all by himself. I’d like to see Holloway on the Draisaitl line to start the season. Give the kid a chance to play with a gifted player in more sheltered minutes to ease him in.
Draisaitl is a shooter and unfortunately Hyman is not as good a fit for him as Nuge! This has been proven many times on the PP.
You didn’t need to make that trade LT.
Hyperbole? Or do you think that is something Holland may do?
Puljujarvi’s arb decision/contract will dictate, but they’re not getting much in trade for him. It will be a silly trade, and Holland will be correctly hammered for it.
Not sure why you say he will be correctly hammered for it. What can you do with a player that thinks he is better than he is, or is it because he is miserable in Edmonton because his teammates don’t like him. Whatever the reason Holland is hooped unless you think he should of been traded earlier for a second rounder. He is not worth 3.5 if that is what arbitration deems, and he cannot be fit under the cap. He is going away for peanuts, but it will not be Kenny’s fault.
It’s always the GM’s fault when you’re weakening your team via trade. The Oilers RW depth chart will be weak next season even if they move Hyman over (and they have to) and the arb ruling for JP and KY shouldn’t break the bank.
As for Puljujarvi being miserable because his teammates don’t like him, I don’t buy it and even if it were true that has zero to do with building a winning team.
Trade Puljujarvi? Sure. The moment you have a better option, make the deal.
Why would anyone ever trade you a better option lol?
You don’t have to trade JP FOR the better option, but do need one before sending him away. Just a silly campaign to get Puljujarvi out of town. If they bring him back, he’ll perform.
Gazzola and Spec and the rest are running a silly campaign?
These things traditionally come from the organization as a talking point, but your theory is interesting. I can say Gazzola is a straight shooter.
Why does the organization feel such a need whistleblow every waking thing out into the public?
I’m not sure any of Holland’s handling spells JP is being traded for a pick in the 100’s.
Isn’t Holland the reason JP even came back?
Let’s see what happens before assuming Holland gets dog walked.
If he doesn’t trade JP, I’ll sing Holland’s praises. Promise.
More importantly, you need to know what the player wants. If you sit down with him and he tells you that he doesn’t have a problem with his team and would return, then you bring him back. If he tells you that he doesn’t want to be on the Oilers anymore, then you have to move him regardless of the return. An unhappy employee can spoil the entire workplace. I would be more inclined to hammer the GM for keeping him on the team if that is the case.
I don’t like moving Hyman over to the right side – maybe the sample is too small but I really saw him as inferior on his right side (and I think the verbal is the same from his Leaf days).
I would posit there is another RW option – perhaps less than ideal as well, however, Leon Draisaitl can play RW (as well as LW and C).
With Nuge and McLeod in the fold, there is that option – again, it may be less than ideal but its there.
Also, Leon can play the wing and it doesn’t have to be with McDavid.
1) There is no indication that he is “miserable in Edmonton”
2) There is no indication that his teammates don’t like it.
3) One can argue that he’s not value at $3.5MM but I would argue that he’s more value at $3.5MM than Foegele is at $2.75MM, in particular when you look at age and future development and years of upside.
I agree with this take-
The belief that 100% of players are COMPLETELY happy to be in Edmonton and playing for the Oilers is far fetched. This is a business and everyone is expected to contribute to the collective success. I have seen zero evidence that Jesse is working against the Oiler success.
Players all have preferences of who they would like to play with -but no player wants to play with a next year’s second round pick – this year.
Generally speaking when a public figure is being misrepresented by the media or even accurately represented in a manner the public figure doesn’t want spread around they speak up and deny the stories being spread.
I have not seen that.
It isn’t much of a jump.
Holland contradicted Gazzola the day after Gazzola said that Jesse asked to be traded and that the Oilers were happy to move along from him. Holland specifically told DNB that Jesse had not asked to be traded and that the difference between the two parties was Jesse’s camp believing he was a bona fide top 6 and the Oilers camp not willing to concede that right now. Maybe the old Oiler management used the press as a tool to both negotiate with players as well as conditioning the fan base (starting with Sather through to Chiarelli). I don’t think that is Holland’s style.
But nothing from Jesse which was my point. I agree that Holland has brought some much needed maturity and class to the organization.
Even if Jesse and his agent thought Jesse was being mispresented, they may believe, rightly or wrongly, that not correcting that misrepresentation might be beneficial to their negotiations in the short term. I agree though that it is also possible that they don’t disagree with what been put out there about the situation.
To say there is ‘no indication’ of these things is completely unfair and incorrect. There have been numerous indications to those effects.
It would be fair to say we don’t know whether the indications are accurate, but saying there are none is sticking your head in the sand.
OP is still scouring the blogs for rumours that Klefbom is returning this fall. 😉
I don’t agree and I stand by my post.
I haven’t read any accounts of any person in the dressing room not liking Jesse, in fact, most accounts are the exact opposite.
Similar to Jesse “being miserable” – no accounts that’s the case – in fact, there are acounts that he likes the team, the city, the dressing room, etc.
Hoping for a different role or perhaps thinking he’s a better fit elsewhere does not equate to miserable or unliked, not even a bit.
Where do you think the mistake was made. Just curious what would have been your preferred decision?
Not to sign Kane or not to sign Campbell or some other solution?
I would trade Foegele. Holland hasn’t made the mistake yet. He’s handled JP well since the Finn’s return.
Agreed. And I think Holland has until opening night to get cap compliant so we may not know his solution until September.
The final numbers for the RFAs will have a say, but if Yamamoto and Puljujarvi are over $3M I still don’t think moving Foegele will be enough.
If those numbers do fall under $3M, and Jesse is happy to return, then I agree 100% that the choice between Foegele and Puljujarvi is an easy one.
If it gets to arb, it’s due to JP’s unwillingness to sign a reasonable deal. RFAs are signing team-first deals across the League. The one exception is Lehto’s other client Kapanen.
Munny, they’re within a couple of hundred thousand (player and team).The contract is easily written. KY, too.
I don’t think it is the amount. It is the balance sheet.
Are they? I haven’t heard anything about the negotiations. Are they less than $200K apart? Good news, if so.
Oilers can’t go in with too low an offer for fear of the arbiter doing more than splitting the number in half. My guess is the Oilers sign JP to a one-year, $2.8 million dollar deal and trade him same day.
Arbitration is how one get a fair deal based on market prices. Arbitration is by definition a fair value deal. There is nothing improper about exercising one’s collectively bargained rights.
Reasonable like beauty is in the eye of the beholder! If you ran a poll here there would be a high percentage variance regarding what is fair value for JP. What may be fair for JP may not fit in the Oiler cap structure. We wait.
It makes more sense to switch the name Puljujarvi for Foegele – maybe the pick goes with Foegele but, even so, it makes more sense to me.
Yes, the final numbers will have an impact. And agree the return will be underwhelming. It’s been speculated as a 2nd though, and now you’re talking about a 4th or later.
The other thing for me (as others here have said) is the multiple reports that Puljujarvi isn’t happy with role and/or team. My reading of the tea leaves has that as the main/only reason he’s been shopped. You seem to think it’s made up, so I guess we’re going to differ in view on any trade.
I guess I’m a hardass, but Jesse being happy isn’t my top priority if I’m Holland. Trying to win a Stanley Cup is the deal. Maybe JP is a trade option at the deadline. I’d keep him if the arb number isn’t crazy.
I don’t care if Jesse is happy either unless he is affecting the other guys on the team. That is the line in the sand for me.
Other than that I am with you. Unless the number is crazy I keep him until I know Bourgault is ready. That probably means Barrie has to go though. I’m not sure Foegele gets it done and if it is Barrie then Holland has to have the right kind of vet to replace him because Bouchard and Broberg need experience back there to help them find their way.
A lot of moving parts in this scenario.
A agree with that not being priority #1. We don’t know what things are really like though, or what type of conversations Holland has had with Puljujarvi over the last 3 years.
I agree they should keep him if he’s willing, and if he and Yamamoto’s AAV ends up being similar to Foegele’s. If they come in $300 or 500k higher though, I don’t think it’s a simple Puljujarvi or Foegele decision any more.
Can you explain why this management team paid Kassian over 3 mil for over 4 years, is paying Foegele close to 3, and yet is against giving a better player in JP 3 mil plus?
Because they don’t have it.
Being broke tends to make people think about their buying habits.
You wanted Campbell. 😉
Ha, that’s barely related to trading Puljujarvi for a pick in the 100s.
I’d have been happy with Smith returning. Since that cheap option wasn’t available, I’m glad the replacement at least has a comparable SV% we can reasonably hope him to replicate.
I think everyone expected Barrie and/or Foegele to be the departures until the stuff about Puljujarvi surfaced. And I don’t think his departure (if it happens) will be primarily about cap space.
😉
No, it is just related to how Puljujarvi wants to be paid and there isn’t enough cap to do that.
Holland is not opposed to overpaying free agents. You just have to look at Kassian’s last contract to know that. He needed actual NHL players and Kassian was one so he paid him to stay.
He still needs an actual NHL’er to play on his right wing but now that the money is gone he can’t overpay so here we are.
He made the decision that Campbell was more important than keeping all of his RFA’s and maybe he was right to do so but that was all part of the calculation.
Thinking it wasn’t would imply that nobody in Oilers’ management can count.
And it is still possible that Foegele or Barrie are moved. As I understand it Holland has until the 1st game to get cap compliant.
We’ll see if we get any more information as this goes on.
I still think it’s about more than what Puljujarvi wants to be paid, and what the team is wants to pay him.
It’s true the decision to sign Campbell (and Kane, and Kulak, and Janmark) was made knowing it would affect the RFAs (or other Foegele/Barrie), but that would have been affected by the other available information at the time (ie- if Puljujarvi had indicated he would prefer to move on).
Listening to Scheng Peng earlier this week and, with three NHL tenders, Reimer may still be moved by the Sharks.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m enthused by the what Campbell could bring, legit top 15 tending but I’m still not convinced that trading for Reimer wouldn’t have been the better path forward.
If they had traded for Reimer (and the cost would not have been dear), there wouldn’t be an issue fitting in the RFAs. I wouldn’t have quite the same level of “comfort” in the goalie tandem but, honestly, it wouldn’t be far off. I think Reimer could be very solid in 50 games.
We agree on this one OP.
Yeah I’d have been fine with that path too.
If Campbell can provide the Oilers with a .915-ish SV% going forward (like he’s done to this point in his NHL career) his deal will be a good one.
You know, it was not long ago, actually just before Christmas that people were concerned that Jesse would need $5M to sign a deal here and people wanted to lock him up for 7 years at that price and it would be a great deal. Would Jesse sign it. Now he’s not worth $3M for 2 years. Fickle crowd with the memory of gnats. Geez, let’s see what happens but I think Jesse is more the pre-Christmas player than the post Christmas player. Just my two cents.
I think Puljujarvi is worth $3 M. The issue is where to find it. This board has discussed every possible solution and, of course, they all come at a cost. If the arb hearing comes to pass I believe the team has until opening night to get compliant so we wait to see what the decision is but I have yet to hear Puljujarvi say he wants to come back and that is probably a tell.
It would be a simple thing for the agent or the player to say something in the media that counters the media’s prior narratives. The media has yet to be corrected by their camp. Agreed, that’s probably a tell.
And that is why I think he will be traded even though I am not happy with that answer. I don’t agree that it is Holland’s fault though when the return is disappointing. You can’t have a problem hanging around and if it wasn’t going to be a problem Puljujarvi should have said something by now.
Yes, fickle crowd for sure.
I wasn’t in favor on a long term deal in the fall, but do believe he’s worth $3M now.
My personal opinion is he’s the player the balance of the season shows. He had swings in performance and confidence through the season, and we’ve seen that from the player before this year.
My last word on JP.
He is a middle 6 winger who is fair value at $2.75m.
He will get paid more and trouble will ensue.
i had a dream Kailer accepted 2 million by 1 year. what a dream that was lol
The arbitrator will decide fair value by comparing to market prices.
I would keep Jesse and trade Foegele. Keep him for one more, let him pump up his stats playing next to McDavid, then use him as a trade chip to get a Patrick Kane or a Huberdeau.