Not every player arrives at training camp age 23 with the determination of Kyle Brodziak. Sometimes a player announces his readiness during the regular season.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers ride high-flying offence to strong January finish
- Lowetide: Are the Oilers getting enough out of their AHL prospect pipeline?
- DNB: Oilers give a third-string university goalie the experience of his lifetime
- Lowetide: Oilers rookies Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway arriving right on time
- DNB: Oilers trade target: Scouting Blue Jackets defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov
- Lowetide: 3 trades that could help the Oilers this season and beyond
- New DNB: Oilers’ Zach Hyman subscriber Q&A
- Lowetide: The 5 biggest reasons for Edmonton Oilers’ recent turnaround
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers’ 2022 NHL Draft class gains momentum
- DNB: What I’m hearing on Oilers’ trade deadline plans
- Lowetide: Is Oilers’ Vincent Desharnais an NHL defenceman?
- Lowetide: Unusual Nugent-Hopkins line gives Oilers coaching staff options
- DNB: The Oilers scratching Jesse Puljujarvi shows it’s time for them to part ways
- DNB: Oilers must act at the trade deadline
- Lowetide: Oilers midseason review of 2022-23 reasonable expectations
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers’ December sleep walk a touch of deja vu
- Lowetide: Bakersfield Condors’ 2022-23 season review to date
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2022
CONDORS SPLITS 2022-23 (TOP FORWARD PROSPECTS)
These are interesting splits. We know Raphael Lavoie has spiked, but really all Condors forward prospects save Xavier Bourgault have increased offensive output. It’s also worth noting the even strength offense over the season varies wildly among these players:
- Raphael Lavoie 29, 9-8-17 (.59)
- Tyler Tullio 35, 7-8-15 (.43)
- Noah Philp 39, 7-4-11 (.28)
- Xavier Bourgault 40, 3-7-10 (.25)
- Carter Savoie 32, 5-3-8 (.25)
I’m never sure about how much the even-strength offense serves as a predictor of future NHL success, but do believe Tullio has a wider range of skills. If he comes to the NHL, Tullio’s offence might surprise compared to others in the group. Lavoie’s even-strength scoring has always been a strength (56 games last season 12-13-25, .45) but this is a real step forward. Does it mean anything? Is there room in Edmonton?
COMPARABLE PLAYERS
It’s tough to find a size, style and stats match for players. Style matches for Lavoie include Anthony Mantha (via Red Line) but for me the math should come first. I’ve had a match for Lavoie that has been a solid guide so far, I suspect Lavoie might be a hair better. Is that enough?
It isn’t an identical math match but there are similarities. Frk is maybe the best pure shooter I’ve seen in the AHL, and if the expansion drafts in his 20’s hadn’t been rigged by Bettman (that would be a great name for a Canadian rock band) Frk would have been on his third 25-goal season by now. As it is, he has played in 124 NHL games as he leaves his 20’s, and his per 82 gp boxcars are 13-14-27. Is Lavoie headed for better? HockeyProspecting.com has Trevor Lewis as the closest comp.
NICK BJUGSTAD
Elliotte Friedman reported on HNIC Saturday night that the Oilers are one of the teams interested in the big (6.06, 209) RHC who has some nice things.
Bjugstad plays against elites about 34 percent of his time at five-on-five, and is running luck with 55 percent goal share this season. More intriguing for Edmonton is his performance against mid-level talent. If he could play third- or fourth-line centre, outscore opponents and help on the PK (he plays a lot but the Coyotes are not a good PK team) that would be worth a pick.
Bjugstadt is a productive player (.89 goals-60 and 1.70 pts-60 five-on-five) and has been able to stay healthy this year. His most common linemates are Lawson Crouse and Matias Maccelli. The trio has played 206 minutes together five-on-five, own a 51 percent shot share and are 12-9 goals. He’s good. Will he cost a third-round pick?
One thing I do believe: The rumoured targets are stronger since Brad Holland stepped in on the pro side. There’s logic, reason and a resume that has positives in this possible transaction. Huzzah! I think this could happen. Would you trade Devin Shore and the third-round pick for him?
NAMES I LIKE
We’re close enough to the deadline that teams are falling out of the race and getting ready to offload. Here are a few names that might be in play and worth pondering.
- LHD Jake McCabe. There’s plenty to like about this plug-and-play veteran, reports had Edmonton chatting with Chicago a few weeks ago. I think him ideal.
- LHD Jake Walman. I’ve mentioned him before, the numbers are good and he’d be worth the bet in my opinion. He’s effective, inexpensive and maybe he finds chem with Tyson Barrie or Evan Bouchard. A strong option.
- RHC Nick Bjugstad. I think he’ll cost more than he’s worth, but the numbers are good and he doesn’t hurt the cap at all. I think the third-round pick is gone if Edmonton deals for him. No complaints, but that’s the value I put on getting him.
- LC Ivan Barbashev. This is more about me being a fan of this player than a specific need, but he’s versatile and has skill. A luxury Edmonton won’t afford, but he would be worth it.
- RHD Radko Gudas. He isn’t playing the toughs this season, but he flourishes when he does. Radko is a rare shutdown blue who is loved by the smart math people. Why? Smart math people care most about results. Puck IQ adores him.
- LHD Jakob Chychrun. He’s ideal and the cap is right, but one of two things is happening. Either the Oilers really don’t see him as a strong option, or the Coyotes ask is too dear. If the price is Philip Broberg plus, and that’s probably it, I understand Ken Holland keeping his powder dry.
- RHD Luke Schenn. He would be a reasonable option, but I think Vincent Desharnais may be sealing up the role Schenn would fill.
LOWETIDE AND JAMIESON
A busy day, 10-2 TSN 1260. Darren Dreger will join us at noon to talk Oilers, trade deadline and some of the bubble teams falling out of the race. We’ll have Matt Bonesteel from the Washington Post to talk about the weekend’s action and the Super Bowl matchup. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
Demko with good D-men could be a superstar
Hehehe Treliving gets punked and loses his two top scorers
Rutherford says hold my beer and donates Horvat to the Islanders.
Love it. Love it so much.
Team that gets the best player wins the trade.
Shades of the Hamrlik trade to my mind, general idea is similar – two iffy ‘name’ prospects for a player that is bonafide.
It’s a head scratcher, I think Horvat is worth more. Maybe Horvat wanted to wait for free agency to sign and so was a pure rental and the Canucks went with the best first round 23 pick they could get.
Another theory, Horvat has a deal with Lou but there were a limited number of teams he would sign with and this was the highest bid from those teams.
I am a little surprised the Canucks Petterson-Horvat-Hughes core was not more successful.
Benning really sh it the bed building a passable defence.
The Ekman-Larson trade was a real masterclass in incompetence.
No one could have seen it coming. I mean, our local Vancouver Canucks expert assured us Ekman-Larson had been extensively scouted by the Stanley Cupless twins.
Rafferty and Rathbone not turning out also really set them back I think.
You keep Rafferty’s name out of your mouth! 😉
And next aka “next Chara” Trymakin, and Cody Hodgson I mean Podkhlozin. The list of future greats is a long one.
I guess, if I were Rutherford, I’d sign kuzmenko as well…probably beats the 3rd rnd pick and ECHL playing prospect Lou offered him?
Selling team GMs probably going to wake up with lockjaw in morning after all their teeth grinding tonight.
i haven’t seen anyone mention that Lou got Vancouver to retain 25% of Horvat’s salary for the rest of this season as well. Only about $1.4 million, but still!
Yeah, now watch Lou flip Horvat with another 50% retained to an actual contender for a real haul.
Of all their wingers, Kuzmenko had the most value at this year’s trade deadline. Cheap deal that most teams could fit in without doing too much cap gymnastics. He was found money, that a savvy GM would have flipped for a haul of picks.
Instead Rutherford doubled down on the Canucks horrendous cap management and signed him to 2 year deal for 5.5 million when he’s scoring on 24% of his shots. They then traded their 2nd line centre for another winger with term left on his contract.
In all they’ve managed to construct a team full of small, soft wingers with little centre depth. The only winger with size, Mikheyev, is chronically injured. They’re paying 6 wingers between 3.25 to 6.65 million (32.5 million total) + JT Miller 8 million x forever who really belongs on the wing as well, but will play centre now, since the Canucks centre depth is just gutted.
On defence, they have Quinn Hughes, then two really expensive pylons and a bunch of mid-priced and cheap pylons.
And they now want to trade their only viable NHL goalie.
Their only way out of this nightmare is to win the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. Otherwise, they are going to suck hard for the next half decade or longer … cause once you’ve become a dysfunctional loser organization, it can be really hard to get that stink off. Take it from us Oilers fans.
A comparison of the most-discussed forward adds…
Real Dream Options
Acciari:
RHS — 5’10” 203 lbs, 31yo — AAV 1.25M x1 — 50gp, 10-8-18
EV — Hits: 155, SHBLK: 41, TAK: 17, Shots: 63, CF%: 43.59, iSCF: 88
PKTOI/gm: 1:35 (1stF), PK SHBLK: 6, TAK: 4
FOs: 211-182, 53.7%
PKFOs: 36-29, 55.4%
Lafferty:
RHS — 6’1″ 195 lbs, 28yo — AAV 1.15M x 2 — 42gp, 8-9-17
EV — Hits: 69, SHBLK: 10, TAK: 13, Shots: 51, CF%: 45.08, iSCF: 55
PKTOI/gm: 2:01 (T1stF), PK SHBLK: 8, TAK: 7
FOs: 131-111, 54.1%
PKFOs: 36-40, 47.4%
Bjugstad:
RHS — 6’6″ 215lbs, 31yo — AAV 900K X 1 — 50gp, 11-10-21
EV — Hits: 101, SHBLK: 19, TAK: 16, Shots: 81, CF%: 45.39, iSCF: 93
PKTOI/gm: 2:12 (T1stF), PK SHBLK: 3, TAK: 2
FOs: 284-313, 47.57%
PKFOs: 62-79, 43.97%
Pipe Dream Option
Toews:
LHS — 6-2″ 201 lbs, 35yo — AAV 10.5M x 1 — 46gp, 14-14-28
EV — Hits: 6, SHBLK: 18, TAK: 27, Shots: 52, CF%: 43.87, iSCF: 48
PKTOI/gm: 1:11 (5thF), PK SHBLK: 4, TAK: 3
FOs: 358-228, 61.1%
PKFOs: 50-31, 61.7%
I’m using hits as a proxy for hard-nosed energy, and shot blocks and takeaways as proxies for defensive play-making. Also want to look at possession, while acknowledging they all play for bad teams. And offense too. YMMV.
And of course the idea is to settle on a RH forward who can handle 4C, win faceoffs, contribute to the PK, etc.
Some numbers jump out, Toews’s FO ability but lack of hitting, Acciari’s hitting and shot blocking and faceoffs, Bjugstad’s offense and poor faceoffs, and then Lafferty looking kind of middle meh among them.
Acciari and Lafferty have the best boots of the four. Holland likes speed a lot.
Lafferty also has another year to run on his deal, and mostly plays wing with Toews so is likely considered to be a useful player to the Hawks. He would likely cost the most out of the three Real Dream Options.
Bjugstad has the most tenable cap hit and nice offense. Those FO numbers though. He wouldn’t be taking any pressure off Ryan at all.
To my eye, Acciari looks like the stud of the lot. Seeing a higher faceoff number for PKs, 90% of which will be in your own zone and a faceoff you need to win, tells me he can win the big ones when he needs to.
I’m not sure the Blues exactly know what they’re doing yet. This five game skid they’re on means they’ve lost contact with the pack ahead and are likely realizing the season’s done for, but only just now. they have to decide what they’re doing with the big guys and what they want for assets. How much of a re-build are they going on? These questions have likely been asked but not yet answered. They’re the least able to help with cap, but all this depends on what they’re doing with their star UFAs.
So Bjugstad would be the easiest to obtain. Question is… is he Plan A or B? I’m hoping, judging by the above, it’s B.
Toews PKFO% is insane. What is league average? Has to be well below 50%
Kind of fitting that Horvat goes to NYI – it was their pick which VAN used to select Horvat as a result of the Cory Schneider deal.
That was the Devils pick.
Schneider is the Islanders current 3rd string goalie though. Seems to have been killing it for the last 2 years in the AHL as well (over .920 last season, last playoffs, and this season).
Wow good catch … if the Isles aren’t going to use Schneider, then maybe they can trade him back to Vancouver, since I hear from reputable sources that Demko’s about to get traded to LA for a huge haul.
Right you are….
I’m just delighted that he’s gone east and not LA/SEA/CGY/COL
Fair enough!
💯
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlbunmCbTBA
This is amazing
Just heard that Tom Verlaine passed away.
Apparently the other GM’s are not willing to pay the high prices rumoured out there. Most contending teams need to send money out with money in. The flat cap is making this a buyers market. Most of the players rumoured out there are a complete waste of time like Joel Edmondson. No one is taking Joel Edmondson and his 3 million next year. No one is taking Ekholm and his god awful 6.25 million for 4 years. Most teams can’t even fit a bargain contract like Jacob Chychrun under their cap for this year and 2 more years without sending a good player the other way.
The Bo Horvat trade. The Canucks had to take a bad contract back in Anthony Beauvillier in order to get the Islanders 1st pick. The other player Aatu Räty is a long shot throw in. There is a chance the Islanders fall into the lottery and push their traded pick to next year. Maybe next year they make the playoffs and the pick is around 22nd. Bo Horvat for the 22nd overall in 2024.
Prices could fluctuate. Maybe Rutherford just flinched first.
This is complete nonsense.
The Canucks got the equivalent of 3 first round picks for Horvat.
You honestly believe any team would give up a first for either Raty or Beauvillier?
Imagine what we could get for Benson and Puljujarvi then!!
What an asinine comment. To top it off…
“The Canucks got the equivalent of 3 first round picks for Horvat.”
You honestly believe that statement?
Technically not actually
A later 1st, a failing 1st rounder and a long shot to be anything other than a marginal NHLer
Thank you for this, it’s the hardest I’ve laughed in some time.
Woke up the dog in the next room.
Hahahaha … the equivalent of three first round picks … wow HH, I feel sorry for you if you actually believe that hyperbole.
They got one first, the equivalent of Tyler Benson-type prospect and a small winger making too much money.
The Shelter Point is strong with this one…
“Throw in” was probably inaccurate for Aatu Raty. He is an ok prospect at 20 but will have his work cut out for him. The rest I stand by. Canuck fans will be able to see their new players soon enough.
The ol’ long Island 3 x 1st.
Hopefully they do better than alex plante with that pick….
Good one. I guess we can use Pulu as a first round pick in a trade.
Bwahahaha. Wow. The delusion is strong in this one.
I’d pay that for ROR
I think ROR goes to Colorado … actually I’m hoping they do that cause ROR is at best a 3rd line centre for a contender at this point in his career, whereas the Avs need a 2nd line centre.
Actually just noticed that HH is regurgitating the line that Allvin just gave to the media in the post-trade presser by the Dys.
Man that’s just sad if you actually believe that nonsense HH.
Hey my comrade mates, I guess the other side of the Bo Horvat trade, assuming Lou doesn’t play from rust to riches, is the consideration for how this impacts the rest of the trade market.
I thought Colorado and Boston really needed to acquire Horvat. Colorado certainly needs a kadri replacement.
HA! that “comrade mates” line is becoming a thing! Those daily scam posts have actually contributed something to the Lowetide community!
Imo Toews lands in Boston
This just in…
In light of his complicated legacy, the working title for Bobby Hull’s eulogy is ‘The Trouble With The Curve.”
A 3-for-1 trade is common. Canucks immediately deepen their prospect pool and add a pick in this year’s draft … or do they?
A provision where the 1st round pick is protected if it’s among the 12 highest picks is a unique one. The Isles currently sit 13th back of last place, uncomfortably in 21st place. They have to vault over Washington and Buffalo to make the playoffs. Meanwhile Florida and Detroit are, in baseball terms, only a half-game back.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Isles crank it up and put themselves back into playoff position. Of if Lou signs Horvat to an extension. Or of they trade him again in a month. Or if they crater and serve the Canucks an unprotected pick in 2024.
Bad craziness. When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
It would be hilarious if they fell too far back and Lou gets higher price at deadline. He is already 25% cheaper!
Would I trade 14 and our 3rd for Bjugstad? Abjuslutely.
Puns like this warm my heart.
GMs on the poorer teams won’t be happy about it, but this is a buyer’s market. As I have pointed out a few times, there isn’t the cap space to go around for all the big names to have a happy landing. Today’s Dy’s Debacle is a fine example.
However, we may see prices for retention rise as player prices move down.
Quinn Hughes is packing his bags, beautiful stuff.
Your comrade sure seems to like capitalism
Bo Horvat traded to the Islanders for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty and a 2023 1st round pick (protected)
Wow!!
Lou can flip him in a month for a better package
And keep in mind Beauvilliers value on Doms cards is -4.3 mil and has another year
This would have been a much better trade for the Canucks if Beauvilliers was not included.
Yeah, maybe at some point Horvat can actually be traded to a contender
I agree.
Ok I admit my lack of knowledge on Beauvillier or Raty but this isn’t much of a return is it? Serious question not taking the piss or anything,
The keys to the trade are the pick and Raty.
Raty was once considered a top 10 1st round pick but fell in the draft.
The pick is protected if it’s top 12 but could still be decent in a deep draft.
Griffin Reinhart was once considered a top ten prospect……
It’s a weak return – Beuvillier is OK, but over-priced for what he brings, and is unlikely to be resigned at his current number when his contract is up next season; they already have a player like him in Connor Garland. Raty is an OK prospect, but from the Jack Studnicka tree of forwards. The first is the only thing of possible value.
If they had traded JT Miller at last season’s deadline, they would have received at least a first round pick, if not a better package than this. Instead, Rutherford lost his nerve, didn’t move Miller when he has at max value, then decided to overpay Miller for his career season, boxing themselves into a corner, where they couldn’t afford to pay Horvat for his career season.
Canucks fans should be furious. This team is an absolute mess – they won’t have any cap space to fix things until summer 2025, a large portion of which will go to Pettersson’s extension. They also have one of the most underwhelming group of prospects in the NHL.
Raty is nothing like Garland…
One is a 6’2” 195 centre…the other is a 5’10” 165 winger.
You might want to read again. Sure seems like he was comparing Beauvillier to Garland, not Raty.
I was comparing Raty to Jack Studnicka … as in he’s not even going to be as useful as Garland.
There’s no way in hell Garland is 6’2” 195 pounds.
And one is a real NHL player
For a quick look, I find Evolving Hockey percentiles a useful gauge.
They rank a player by overall percentile then for offense and defense.
Beauvillier is 13-32-13 (current year)
3-year is 30-50-11
This does not appear to be a substantial player.
$4.15m cap for this and next year.
Aatu Raty is a 2021 second round pick playing in the AHL at a little better than half a point per game at centre. That’s a hair better than Bourgeau from the same draft year. Raty has played fewer games though.
I don’t like the return for the Canucks at all here.
Yep.
A few things…
Beauvillier is likely to score more than 20 goals with a much more high scoring Vancouver team.
Raty has played fewer games because he’s already played in the NHL…Bourgault has not and was drafted much higher.
And you’re completely ignoring the value of what promises to be a middle 1st round pick in a very deep draft.
I recall when the Oilers traded a former 1st overall draft pick for a second pairing defenseman.
Well…the Cancuks were high scoring… they just lost their second-leading scorer…soooo
Beauvillier scored 20+ when Barzal had his off the charts season, Tavares was still on the team and Bailey had 50+ assists. If Beauvillier plays in the top 6, maybe he gets a sniff at 20+ goals, but unlikely.
Raty dropped a full 50 draft spots in 12 months, foot speed is one of the reasons. However, he played over 100 pro games in top league in Finland as a teenager before he came to North America, he probably plays a responsible game that likely had appeal on a defence-first team.
The draft has a high top end of about 12-13 players, but after that, it is not that special.
Chiarelli heavy hockey…*spits*.
So this trade is as bad as the Taylor Hall trade?
Yeah, sounds about right.
.@mattsekeres on trading Boeser or Garland:
“What if they’ve been marketing these players effectively & have identified goal-needy contenders that are willing to make hockey deals & give them something of substance in return?”
Can’t imagine any team in contention wanting either
Dave Pagnotta from the 4th Period on the radio just now…
”There are 7-8 teams looking at acquiring Brock Boeser right now as they think he just needs a change of scenery to become a 30 goal scorer again”.
’Figuring out how to make the money work”.
HH – the league is capped out. No one’s given up anything of value for those over-priced wingers, unless the Canucks retain 50% of the cap hit. Boeser has 2 more years left on his deal, Garland 3 years. Both of these players have all of 9 goals on the season. Good luck with that.
They should’ve traded Kuzmenko if they were looking to make a deal to “goal-needy contenders” and get “something of substance in return.” Instead, they decided to extend him to another costly deal, when he is shooting an unsustainable 24%.
Serious question – who plays centre in Vancouver now beyond Pettersson? I guess it’s Miller, though they put him on the wing earlier in the season cause he was playing so poorly down the middle. After that?
Face it HH – the Canucks are going to be in the mushy middle just outside the playoffs until OELs contract runs out. Unfortunately, that occurs in the same year that Quinn Hughes deal runs out, after which he’ll probably bolt for the States to play with his brothers. The Canucks are going to be mired in an endless hell of rebuilding for the next decade.
Way too early to draw those conclusions.
The Canucks are on a mission to clear cap space and acquire prospects and picks.
Wheeler had Raty as the Islanders top prospect and it’s likely the pick they just acquired will be a very good one and will of course be in addition to the top 10 pick the Canucks get with their own pick.
In the offseason, Tyler Myers receives a $5 million signing bonus and then is very easy to move freeing up $6 million.
OEL will be bought out long before the Hughes contract expires so not an issue at all since the cap will be much higher.
As for who plays centre…Rutherford has already said he views Miller as his #2C so we’ll see how that works out and, of course, Raty is also a C.
The Islanders ranked 27th in Wheeler’s ranking, just ahead of the Canucks at 28th. So I guess that now vaults the Canucks prospect pool up to 27th.
If the draft were held today, the Islanders picks would be 14th. The Isles are within distance of both the Pens and the Caps for a wild card spot, with one of the top goaltenders in the league, and now with the addition of Horvat to bolster them. They have 3 games against each of the Pens and Caps remaining.
When I heard Horvat was traded to Islanders, I thought Barzal would be coming home. Nope, Lou gets a shiny piece for some spare change.
Man, you sound like many of us during the decade of darkness… “Larsson was once a #1 contention draft pick and just needs new scenery” (which is kinda right 2 teams later) “Boyd Gordon is just what we need to be contender”
The one glimmer for Canucks fans is that this is now a 3-5 year ‘retool’ (if by retool one means getting new tools to rebuild something that there aren’t really plans for). Sorry Thatcher, Eli and Quinn, Oilers and Kraken will be piss-cutting you for a while yet.
Great add for Lou if he can get him extended. Horvat & Barzal is a nice 1/2.
Beauvillier is a guy who averages 15Gs a year for $4M. Oil have nobody like that on the roster to deal.
Important to remember he played on one of the most defensive teams in the league.
Whoever signs Horvat is going to pay 7 x 7-8m for a 50 point player,
Oh, he’s going to get more AAV than $7MM-$8MM I would think.
I hope its the Kings that sign him to the anchor contract based off an outlier season, just like the flames with Kadri (and Huburdeau)
If Bo Horvat gets over $8 million, it will be one additional bit of proof what a stunningly good deal Holland got from Nuge. I’d take Nuge in my team ahead of Horvat any day of the week.
And the idea that Holland should have gotten Nuge at somewhere close to $5 million for less seasons looks even more silly.
If Horvat scores 50 goals……
I don’t disagree with your premise but 50 goals in a pending UFA season will get one paid (for center) and I’m all for it (somewhere in the Pacific).
Now some speculation Demko may be headed to LAK for a 1st and a young RHD (LA has 5).
HH – so what? Demko’s injured and has sucked this season when he was not injured. The Canucks are dealing from a position of weakness – you’re not getting Brandt Clarke. Another mediocre first and tiny Jordan Spence is not going to move the needle for the Canucks either. That’s a deal that could make both teams worse.
The Canucks are trading away everything of value for magic beans.
The Canucks went from trading Horvat to Seattle for Shane Wright to trading him to NYI and getting Auty Raty in return.
Those Sedins are really making their mark on the organization!
He ripped the Oilers management for years for doing the very same thing. Funny that he’s satisfied being a Canucks management apologist.
You have no idea who or what they will receive in return and Demko is apparently almost ready to return.
Based on this horvat trade:
Demko for a lottery protectsd magic bean, maybe a full sack of potatoes, whatever defense prospect they have whose played a smattering of nhl games with questionable upside and an incrementally lower cap hit nhl’er whose ceiling could be best described as middling?
Maudite: That sounds about right. That incrementally lower cap hit NHLer would be Cal Petersen.
It’ll be Quick on his expiring contract.
You also have no idea on what return players will fetch, yet you always seem to greatly overestimate what the return will be.
Horvat to Seattle for Wright… oh my. lol
You seem to be under the illusion that the Canucks will trade away their salveagable players for enough pieces to rebuild and be competitive in 3 years.
In reality they will likely be circling the toilet drain until their $8 million x 7 NMC 2nd line center and $8.25 mil x 5 healthy scratched D flushes.
This seems like a classic lose-lose trade.
The Islanders trade assets for a FA they could have for free this summer. Even if they make the playoffs this season are they really a threat to make it out of the first round?
The Canucks trade their second leading scorer and captain for a bad contract and magic beans. Rebuild 2.0 now begins. Oiler fans all know how this will play out.
If a first and those two get Horvat JP is not without value
He is currently a better NHL player overall and has ceiling left to reach. A guaranteed useful player, not a project like Beau who has little NHL value if he’s not a solid scorer
NYI had to send cap back to fit Horvat in though. Pretty certain Beauvallier was a cap dump in this transaction, and is neutral/negative value for his cap hit. Perhaps Puljujarvi has trade value, but Beauvallier is not proof of it.
Precedent and comparison is how NHL players are valued, no? Isn’t that why Kenny ‘had’ to pay 9.25 for Nurse? Even though neither he nor Jones are worth it?
What?
Agree with JP … Beauvillier’s contract has negative value. That’s how bad this deal was for the Dys … they agreed to take his full cap hit and didn’t even get a better prospect back than the Finnish Tyler Benson.
Rutherford just got taken out to the woodshed by Lou.
Oilers have 2 b2b sets remaining.
1 of those is vs WPG @ home then vs WPG away.
2. @ La then @ Anaheim
2 nice spaced little 4 game eastern swings NE
Rest of travel mainly golden state.
This should be an entertaining, well rested run up to playoffs.
Did anyone else see the title of this post and wonder whether there was a balance photo somewhere within?
If anyone uses the website Eliteprospects (an excellent source of player info, btw), you may be interested that the top 3 searched players last week were Bedard at #1, McDavid at #3 and sandwiched in between at #2 was….Matt Berlin. Cool stuff.
If the Oilers aren’t on his no-trade list (or he’s willing to waive to come to Edmonton), I think the McCabe would be a real and prime target for the team.
$4MM for two more years after this one is not idea. Obviously Kulak would need to be moved in the off-season but this does block Broberg for a bit. Well, I guess it doesn’t block him but, when/if Broberg is legit 2LD ready (which I believe is in the next 2-12 months), $4MM for McCabe to play 3LD and injury cover is Kris-Russell expensive.
Broberg will be massive value (even on his 2nd contract) to off-set that.
I like McCabe more than Gavrikov as a player and a fit. I’m not sure I want/like the term.
McCabe in would mean Barrie out in the summer.
Kulak and Broberg provide cover for a right side of Ceci, Bouchard, and Desharnais
Nurse Ceci/Desharnais
McCabe Desharnais/Ceci
Broberg Bouchard
Kulak
McDonagh did not block Sergachev in Tampa. Sergachev was an ice tilter on the 3rd pair, or played on the right side in the top 4.
How would those two things be connected?
Need cap space to pay McCabe, and Bouchard’s raise.
Ah, I missed that you kept Kulak.
If he went out with McCabe coming in there would be no need to move Barrie to clear Cap.
It’s true that adding McCabe while keeping all of the veteran defensemen would be difficult.
Time to choose between Barrie and Bouchard.
I mean, in your scenario it would be absurd to keep Nurse/McCabe/Kulak/Broberg on the left side and only Ceci/Bouchard/(Desharnais, 8 NHL games) on the the right.
Nurse-Ceci
McCabe-Barrie
Broberg-Bouchard
Desharnais
Would be far more balanced, and only costs $1.25M more than what they have now. Your unbalanced scenario is $500k cheaper, but it’s totally unnecessary.
You are choosing to create a Bouchard or Barrie scenario here. A trade for McCabe does not create one.
The question, as with Gavrikov, is how much of an upgrade is McCabe over Kulak? And is that worth a 1st round pick?
Yeah, read a few places specifically doesn’t want to play in Canada.
Rick Dhaliwal
@DhaliwalSports
43s
Elliotte Friedman on Bo Horvat : You hear the Red Wings, Bruins, Islanders and Seattle. I bet Horvat wants this done sooner than later. They are deep in the process and trying to see where they can get the most.
Rick Dhaliwal
@DhaliwalSports
8m
Friedman on Demko : I thought no way they would ever move him but now think it could be possible, at least think about it. I am hearing like you Rick that teams are calling.
Why would they trade Demko? Is it injury history are maybe he politely asked out. A 27 year-old top 10 Goalie is something you build around, it sounds strange to me.
I expect it’s because they believe (accurately) that the rebuild will take longer than the 3 seasons remaining on his contract.
I highly doubt there’s an appetite for a 3+ year rebuild in Van.
Maybe he’s sick of working with the “goalie whisperer” in Vancouver. I still think he’s a good goalie but his numbers were brutal this year. Maybe just injury, but maybe not.
I say he goes too Francis if not him than Yzerman. Both these greats know the importance of a power type forward upfront.
Boston does too and perhaps they have a good idea if Bergeron will be returning next season.
The issue with Boston is that they lack the assets Vancouver would like to acquire in the trade.
There was some talk that the Canucks want Brandon Carlo in the deal and the Bruins balked.
If “price is right” I’d definitely be selling near everything on west coast.
Defence and prospect deoth too underwhelming to pretend 3 years away from sustained competitiveness.
Benning just gutted that franchise didn’t he? Rutherford then doubled down on all of the worst that Benning did … and here we are the Canucks are in complete ruin.
They somehow managed to turn a promising core of Pettersson, Horvat, Boeser, Hughes and Demko into a team that has to be stripped down to the studs and rebuilt again.
Almost as bad as Chia.
The OEL trade was on par with the Griffin Reinhart trade with respect to damage to the franchise in the short and medium term – the cap hell of the trade.
but how good are you at assessing brogan raffertys play?
Can you give us useless skewed stats on the seattle kraken and colorado avalanche?
Just fix the penalty kill. Nothing else is needed.
And rework the breakout. That needs some fixing as well.
I think it’s already fixed.
It’s 16th at 82.6% since Christmas. If you take into account the 2 SH goals it’s 12th in net PK%.
Also, half of the PK goals against in the 15 games since Christmas came in one game. The Oilers PK has scored 2GF-8GA in those games, but it’s 2GF-4GA without the 4GA LA Kings game.
It’s been the best in the league for the last month plus aside from the Kings game.
The way I look at it is the Oilers aquired Kostin, Kane and Vincent for the price of Sami. These 3 players have added the physicality a 3rd grader could see we so desperately needed with Kane and Kostin having the shot and hands to score as well. Holland needs to be careful who he adds as this group is airtight. Does trading a player everyone loves in the dressing room for a upgrade on paper that doesn’t pan out worth it. If I’m Holland I add a depth defenceman and a cheap acquisition in a 3-4 Centre like Bjugstad.
I think this is what he’ll do. He’s not the type to do cap gymnastics to get an impact player, and the top UFA forwards OReilly Toews P Kane would cost, and be hard to re-sign with the core already locked in. Which also complicates Meier
Karlsson would be fantastic, huge price lots of term and massive gymnastics to do that one
Kenny’s the tortoise not the hare
I don’t think Toews would cost a lot. Something like Puljujarvi + 2nd + B prospect for Toews at 50%… you could throw a 5th rounder at Arizona to retain another 25% and save a few dollars too.
I haven’t seen him play in a long time, I think healthy Bjugstad would be more helpful being RS
Agreed. As much as Shore isn’t one of the 12 (11) best forwards, he is tight with the core. From a cap and contract limit perspective there isn’t a lot of incentive to trade him if you can get away with burying him. Then bring him up after the deadline and for the playoffs as an extra.
Bang on analysis. Any move for a bottom 4 dman doesn’t make sense beyond this season given the progress of Broburg and Bouchard. If they can’t get a 1D like Karlsson – smaller moves that provide depth and clear out cap space for next season are the way to go. Bjugstad makes sense as an add at forward, but who would you sit if we add a dman like Schenn? Certainly not Broburg or Kulak. Adding a bottom pair dman seems a waste of assets when we have all kinds of these guys available. I guess you could trade Kulak for Schenn as a lateral move this year that would free up cap space next year – but then you would have to replace Kulak in the summer. Seems like a lot of running in place. You might as well just keep Kulak.
I see the deadline as a way to off-load one of our expensive wingers whose contract runs through next season. That’s Yamo or Foegle. I keep Jessie as his contract is up this year and we have the flexibility to trade, walk or resign at a lower cap hit this summer. A deal for Bjugstad that sends Yamo or Foegle the other way works for me. Would really like Perron but the remaining year is a problem unless both Fog and Yamo go the other way. Okposo was the other guy I liked but BUF is rolling.
Schenn would likely take the Deharnais 7D role and I think it would be a solid depth addition. I think most all of us are very happy with Deharnais but lets not forget that he’s played 8 NHL games, in a sheltered role at 5 on 5 and, of course, 8 plus D will be needed over a 2 month playoff run.
Sure, but can you take a draw on your offside?
That certainly is a useful list of likeable players that the Oilers could, or would, be interested in acquiring. But with the Oilers it is always the cost of acquisition that proves to be a major drawback. Jake McCabe stands out to me; he can play either side and he would fit seamlessly in the top four at $4M until 2024-25. But what is the cost of acquisition? I’ve also heard he doesn’t want to come to Edmonton. Then there’s Walman, who I know nothing about, and I wonder if he’s really any better than Niemelinen. I like Luke Schenn. But I like Vinny Desharnais better. Honestly, I’m OK with the Oiler D as is. So why bother?
So, if I’m looking for a forward, Nick Bjugstad is the guy, he’s a mature player an RHC/RW with size, at $900,000, then becomes UFA at seasons end. Don’t know how he feels about resigning in Edmonton. As LT says, the numbers are good, and he doesn’t hurt the cap, if a third rounder gets it done, no complaints. I would leave it at that, then sort out the roster accordingly for cap compliancy and get in the hunt for Lord Stanley’s cup.
That’s how I’m leaning too – acquisition vs. cost. Not for the first time annoyed w timing of the cap which for sure saved this franchise but which has prevented OBC on from out-paying their mistakes, leveraging deep pockets. Detroit of old, man.
Tho early to count on, Seaweed seems like found money – not an impact player but an element of steadfast steadiness this team’s been lacking all year. Agree that the easiest least painful
add would appear to be a role player up front.
EDIT: + cheap LD depth
I agree with the Schenn vs. Deharnais point – Schenn does have 2 rings with Tampa but I’m not sure he’s so much better than Vinny that the cost (in picks and chem with coaches) is worth it. While still a rookie, Vinny being 26 is different than if he was 22 or 23.
One thing that often seems missed when folks say get X dman for picks and prospects, with no Dman going the other way, is who sits? Is Vinny the default? Is it Broberg? That doesn’t seem likely unless it’s a major upgrade.
FWIW I’d love to see them land Ekholm but that would be a shocker. Bjugstad seems like the perfect target for F this deadline.
Has it been reported explicitly that McCabe doesn’t want to come here? I’ve read he has a 7 team no trade list which is likely all the Canadian teams. That doesn’t mean he won’t waive it at this point if he thinks he can win, and leave the shitshow in Chicago.
I don’t know about anybody else but I was really impressed how well Kulak did in that fight last game. Who needs Lafferty when we have Kulak lol.
I second that motion
Anthony duclair + Marc staal for puj, ryan Murray, 2023 1st, 2023 3rd (with 3rd thrown in so florida pays 3rd for retention on puj somewhere to alleviate cap issue?
duclair McDavid Hyman
Kane drai yam
Kostin rnh janmark/ryan
Holloway McLeod bjugstad/ryan
Nurse ceci
Kulak/staal barrie
Bro bouch
Des
Center depth, LW/RW depth, LHD/RHD depth, 22/23 man roster
Just lots of interesting pieces if Florida goes to Market.
A. Would you do it?
B. would that be enough?
Still in the pay to send foegle back for bjugstad boat…foegle money then used to help pay for some of rfa reupps this summer (puj money now duclair next year).
Problem with trading Duclair for JP is that Florida is right up against the cap as well. They need to shed cap in order to stay cap compliant. Getting JP who has an identical cap hit does not help them do that.
Also, I don’t love the extra year on Duclair’s contract. Not sure why you would need to include a 1st round pick for a butter soft winger coming off a major injury, with an extra year left on his deal.
I’m looking forward to having that extra 3 million to spend in the summer once JP’s contract is over. That has more value than Duclair does.
That’s fair. I honestly don’t have a good gauge on duclair outside seems to know how to score goals.
And the reason I send the 3rd is so florida could maneuver some cap hit on incoming puj by 3rd party.
The 1st is just accumulated value of puj for duclair (2nd) and marc staal (2nd or 3rd maybe too high?)
I like Duclair but don’t see Staal as any measurable upgrade on D. Bringing on more depth is never a bad thing though. I don’t think a 1st in that deal is a wise use of assets though.
Hey gang, because I see so many folks that misinterpret this every year, here’s a quick public service announcement for ya as we enter Super Bowl betting season.
The line (ie point spread) does NOT reflect the final point differential result that bookmakers are predicting for the game. It’s the spread bookmakers set to try and achieve equal exposure on both sides (50% on the favourite, 50% on the dog) with the book taking the vig/juice. This is why the line moves. The line is NOT a true reflection of how much a team should be favoured. It’s a reflection of how much money is being bet on the favourite vs the dog.
For example, let’s say the line opens with the Chiefs as 3 point favourites. If Chiefs backers flood into bet on that spread, this exposes the book to a loss unless they layoff bets on the Chiefs themselves and/or they can get more money betting on the dog to lessen their overall exposure. To do this, they’ll increase the spread to make it harder for further Chiefs bettors to cover and to incentivize Eagles backers to bet the dog. The perfect theoretical line for a book is the one that gives them zero exposure on either side while guaranteeing them their juice.
I know this will be obvious to many of the smart folks here, BUT I see so many folks online that simply interpret the spread as a prediction rather than the arbitrage it is. If you want to win betting the spread, do your homework on who you think will win and then monitor the line movements so you can bet your preferred team to cover for as few points as possible.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled hockey talk 😏
Hope I don’t loose my mortgage/food/utilities/medicine money that television encourages me to gamble away. But for those that can’t resist, thank you for the PSA.
Agreed. Gambling is like any discretionary entertainment expense. Adults should only spend what they can afford.
Imo, more households are at risk from fashionistas racking up credit card debt to buy designer high heels with red soles. Your mileage may vary.
It varies, online gambling is going to be worse than alcohol.
No offense, that strikes me as a puritanical take without any data to support it.
The benefit of legalizing and regulating this industry is that it was already happening anyway offshore but wasn’t being taxed. Now the feds can tax it which benefits Canadians of all stripes.
Sports wagering has been legal for centuries in nations like the UK and it hasn’t spawned a situation that is ‘worse than alcohol.’
People spend all kinds of $ on stupid things to entertain themselves. I once watched a doc about a guy who spent a fortune on Star Wars figurines, even to the point of skipping meals to finance his hobby. That seems absolutely ludicrous to me, but I try to remind myself that it takes all kinds to make a world.
My brother lived on assisted income. He made numerous very small bets on MMA, NHL, NFL over the years did quite well. It undoubtedly was a very significant form of entertainment for him a d honestly yesterday I truly missed the random texts I would surely be getting as I’m near certain he would’ve cashed with his favourite team winning in last seconds (and pretty sure he would’ve hedged proper on first game).
He died NFL Sunday with his mahomes jersey on and his favourite meal sitting beside him. He would’ve won his bet that day just didn’t make late game score.
Too much but I know a ton of people who get entertainment out of sports betting and aren’t losing their houses.
I think its more a case of Hollywood projection that this form of gambling is rampant plague over almost any other primary vice one could list.
I’m sorry for your loss.
Sorry for your loss. Great story, you honoured him well with your words.
I’m sorry for your loss. That’s a poignant story about your brother.
Very sorry Maudite
I get a kick out of the Righteous CBC and Sportsnet Hockey who lecture us and our youth on various topics. Not only is every 2nd commercial pushing Gambling but it’s brought up too many times to count doing the telecast. I hope the NHL gets sued for knowingly turning young impressionable kids into Gambling Junkies. Most of us know the effect VLT’s had on certain people but at least it was in a adult establishment.
First CBC is not Sportsnet. CBC is essentially just a carrier for hockey at this point. Rogers is the company benefitting from this advertising largesse.
The % of addicts has always been overstated. It’s classic fearmongering imo.
In Canada, 1.6% of gamblers are at moderate to severe risk.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2022001/article/00006-eng.htm
Another benefit of regulating this industry is these companies have to get a license to transact with Canadians and meet the terms of that license. These terms include monitoring transactions for addictive behaviour and excluding bettors when there’s evidence of same. This is all monitored by government compliance.
The other thing is you can actually win a bet, particularly if you’re a smart and informed punter.
Contrast this with alcohol that has no redeeming value empirically (ie you can’t resell it legally) and its usage presents obvious health risks. We’ve come to accept this vice as a norm so we don’t balk at pervasive alcohol advertising while cognitively demonizing gambling advertising.
You’re entitled to personally dislike gambling more but the argument that it’s worse than other vices is untenable imo.
Can you make a compelling argument that betting on a sports team is any more risky than buying a stock to flip it? The stock exchange has wiped out the entire econony more than once. Meanwhile Vegas is the fastest growing city in the US.
My bad, hyperbole on my part, but there will be serious consequences for those that loose control.
Is Gronk going to make his kick?
I think he will. I certainly wouldn’t bet on something so silly but it should make for great theater.
Btw it’s weird that you and W both misspell the word ‘lose.’ Must be a talk to text thing.
Sorry to hear about your loss – hope he’s celebrating his QBs big win last night with the best seats in the house up in the sky.
My problem with the gambling adds … they were so repetitive and annoying … though the most recent ones with Jamie Foxx have been modestly entertaining. It really got over the top last year, but has settled down now.
The frequency of the advertising is one of the biggest arguments to NOT gamble imo. It demonstrates how profitable these companies are.
I bet very very infrequently and what I’ve told my sons is try not to do it. But if you do, keep your stakes low and assume you’ll lose, treating it like you would $ spent on a movie night or dinner out. Or better yet, just play poker with your buddies.
In the end, the house always wins.
I haven’t bet since ads annoyed me so much last year in playoffs.
Screw those guys.
The intermission live ad/infomercial part with those two schmo’s just the worst thing I’ve ever seen.
First off I like Gambling on all sports it makes watching the games more enjoyable for me. I do believe that the 1.6% is bunk and that percentage has definitely been fudged. There is too much money at stake for the cash cow revenue that Gambling brings in for the Goverment. The Gambling addiction is treated much differently than booze or drugs but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t destroyed as many lives. I do feel you underestimating the impact of Gambling and in my opinion with the continuos propaganda of saying and showing how cool Gambling is over and over will hook line and sinker a percentage of children and young adults.
What’s the alternative?
It’s been proven time and again that prohibition of vice doesn’t work. All it does is drive the activity underground and benefit a criminal element.
Pro-regulation isn’t always a pro-vice argument. In most cases, it’s simply an acknowledgement that a % of the population is going to do it anyway so you might as well tax and monitor the behaviour to provide some benefit to society as a whole.
I provided the spread intel not to encourage betting but in appreciation of the reality that this is the single biggest wagering event of the year and you can’t stop it. I’m just trying to help the squares lose a little less. The sharps would likely find this whole thread amusing. They know which way the wind blows.
Btw did you ever notice that the feds legalized synthetic heroin (ie Opioids) without even telling us first?
If we want to get pissed about overzealous legalization, that’s the most egregious one i can think off.
When a so called civilized Country allows its people that are going through tough times and I don’t care who you are we all go through them the ability to off yourself with the governments assistance and encouragment is disgusting and makes me to some degree ashamed to be called a Canadian.
Barbashev is a magician – every spring he puts on a disappearing act. Caveat Emptor.
Maybe it’s too “out there” for reasonable discussion, but what about Timo Meier? He’s a pending RFA whose AAV this year is $6M. It is speculated that he’s looking for an 8-year deal in the $8.5 – 9M range and the Sharks appear willing to allow potential trade partners to negotiate with him prior to the deadline.
If the cost was 2023 1st + Schaefer + Foegele for Meier with 50% retained, is that worthwhile? Perhaps send a 3rd to Arizona for another 50% retention to make the immediate cap work.
Obviously more shoes would have to drop in the offseason to make room for an extension, but I don’t think that’s an impossible task. Puljujarvi can be traded or walked to unrestricted free agency, this combined with the Foegele contract and $2.25M in dead money off the books gets you most of the way there.
I think it comes in higher than that if Schaefer is your prospect.
He is the highest value asset available this deadline IMO.
In oilers case think it would be more like either:
2023 1st, 2023 2nd, Holloway
Or
2023 1st, 2024 1st, Schaefer
At least…just think there are teams who can put better packages together. But him signed if they could could be flipped in summer to regain assets, worse case scenario.
Schaefer or Bourgault + the 1st. I’m not sure anybody will be giving up the equivalent of 3 firsts as you’re suggesting though. I think a recent 1st round pick plus a 2023 first round pick plus a useful player is about where the price will settle.
Like the player just think the Oilers are maxed out salary wise on forwards. My opinion that the Oilers don’t need another top six guy. Whatever available salary they have after unloading Puljujarvi needs to go to upgrading the D for this year and the next 3 years.
I completely understand this point of view. However I don’t see a significant D upgrade available this summer, do you?
I know a lot of Oilers fans would pay a ridiculous price for Chychrun, but I think Broberg is showing us that move may be redundant.
I think there’s 4-6 million, for a top 6 RW option if they can unload puj/foegle.
If meir were a rental prospect plus 1st. He’s not even close to a rental – thus going to be higher.
Debrincat was traded for 1st + 2nd + 3rd coming off a 41-goal season as a 24-year-old with a full season left on his deal. Meier is 26 with a fee months left, and is posting similar offense.
Yes the 1st they got for Debrincat was a top-10 pick, but Schaefer or Bourgault are worth more than a 2nd.
The price is right.
Hard to think they have any chance to keep Meier. As Teddyturnbuckle already indicated, the Oilers are sort of maxed out on top end forwards. $37 million already goes to the top 5 forwards on the team – all with NMC’s and only Leon tradeable to a list of 10 he provides. Add in Meier’s likely salary ask and it would make the Oilers by far the most top heavy forward group in the league by salary. Every other forward outside the top 6 would be maxed out at $1 million or even less even if the Oilers ran with a 20 man roster.
The Oilers have almost zero cap space next year even will Puljujarvi off the books. With Skinners new contract kicking in they will barley have enough to sign McLeod and Bouchard. If you want to bring in 6 Million in Salary you have too move 6 million out.
Yep, Meier is a pipe dream. Someone’s been playing too much EA NHL 2023.
The Oilers have 4 forwards in the top 15 scoring, along with Evander Kane.
They do not need another scoring forward. So no to Patty Kane, Barbashev, Meiers etc.
They could use an upgrade at 2LD, who can move the puck and reduce some of Nurse’s minutes. Chychrun or Provorov are the targets, otherwise keep your powder dry and go 11-7 in the playoffs. This formation works for how the Oilers are currently constructed with two top end centres.
I would prefer a hard nosed centre with championship pedigree that is a PITA to play against and understands the sacrifice that is required to win in the playoffs, and can lead by example. Toews or ROR are the targets here. Bjugstad if you can’t land one of the first two.
Otherwise, keep your powder dry and roll with what you have. Making a move just to appease the masses is how you get Athanasiou for 2 2nd’s.
Yup, the Oilers have $74.4MM committed with 15 players. That doesn’t include any performance bonus overage penalties (and there will likely be some) to further decrease the cap.
That leave apx $9MM (or less depending on bonuses) to fill out 8 roster spots and that includes McLeod’s third contract and Bouchard’s second contract – neither will hit the moon but they won’t be near league min.
One can move Foegele out but that means that two middle-six/3rd liners need to be replaced (Foegele and Puljujarvi). I guess Holloway likely takes one and then we are looking to replace him on the 4th line which helps.
In any event there is all but zero cap space for next season without moving players out (Foegele, Yamamoto, Barrie, etc.).
Just a note that it’s $74.4M for 16 players (Yamamoto on LTIR is included in the cap calculation but not the player number).
So $9M (less bonus overage) for 7 players (or 6 players, since running a 22 man roster wouldn’t really be an issue at all.
Good point on the 16 players.
I will disagree that being forced to run a short roster (again) due to cap reasons is not an issue at all.
I have a hard time seeing the Oilers go after Meier, because (as noted) the deadline prices will reflect the cost for a signed Meier, and I don’t think the Oilers can add that much cap (my back of napkin can get to $7M or $7.5M to add an elite player, but not more than that).
I agree this is a concern though. Barbashev’s drop-off in the playoffs has been quite stark (50 3-6-9 in the playoffs vs 401 77-96-173 regular season for his career). It’s been consistent every year too. I had a look at his minutes and on ice results after noticing the points drop off, and those have dropped/been pretty bad in the playoffs as well. Buyer beware.
Walman has been very good for the Wings. I don’t think he is available. They are going to sign him long-term
This is the first time in his pro career that Lavoie has sustained this level of play for this period of time. I’m starting to think that its not a standard Lavoie-heater and perhaps a “pop”.
Its not just the point production but he’s impacting the game on more of a shift to shift basis.
I see him moving his feet in all zones, working hard on the defensive half boards and in puck retrieval in the offensive zone and, importantly, taking the puck hard to the net with authority – on a consistent basis.
It seems he’s very comfortable now with the pro game at this level – the speed and size of the players and is understanding what it needs to take to be successful.
———
Tulio is just a joy to watch – alot of Yamamoto in that player. Hard working and tenacious.
——–
They’ve played as a winger combo recently, with Shore at their center and the line was unreal good. Shore is no longer a Condor (at least for now) but their success pre-dated the NHL vet between them.
Actually, it isn’t the first time he’s done it, Lavoie had a strong run that began around Christmas last year. He was moving his feet and touching the puck a lot then, too.
What IS different, and you do mention, is his aggressiveness in puck grabbing. He’s a bit of a bully now.
I don’t think he impacted the game, on a shift by shift basis, in any previous stretch to the extent he is now and that isn’t even taking in to account his much improved play on the defensive boards.
I think we are seeing a much improved, a more mature and committed, player in the current stretch.
Lavoie looks like a beast on the highlights. Was impressed by the way he was going after the puck and pushing guys around. Looks like he has a chance to get at least one game with the big club this year.
With Bourgault’s numbers since Christmas, I wonder if he’s dealing with some kind of injury. Nothing else seems to rhyme.
Nice to see Lavoie showing something good. Scott Wheeler’s recent assessment ding’s his skating. But if he can contribute, it’s another win for procurement.
Nothing has to rhyme in a small sample size. Nothing has to rhyme when you don’t know the other variables either.
If we could get TOI for AHL it would be great. Eric Rodgers estimates the ice time at 14:35 per night for Bourgault.
“Rigged by Bettman” could be an alt or indie rock band. The word ‘rigged’ could also be exchanged for a harsher word for a metal/thrash/punk band.
None of the trade options you listed really resonate with me in terms of cost/benefit. Is standing still considered a failure? Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don’t make?
Bobby Hull passes away at 84.
That is terrible news.
The Golden Jet, Hedberg and Nilisson line were unbelievable to watch and made up one of if not the greatest lines in hockey history.
Sather used them as his template when building the Oilers.
Hull was terrifying as a player. Right up there with Gordie Howe, and The Rocket.
The photos of him pitching hay are legendary.
even by modern athletic standards, the guy was jacked. The guy could have been in The Avengers and no CGI needed
Chicago was my team until the Oilers were born.
Hull, Mikita, Kenny Wharram, Pierre Pilote, Moose Vasko, Glenn Hall . . .
It was a hell of a collection of talent that never quite lived up to its potential.
I was a Mikita guy ( I played centre ) but when Hull went flying down the left wing and crossed the blue line with the puck on his stick it made the hair on the back of your neck do a little tickle because you knew something special was about to happen.
RIP
He impacted the game in so many ways including being the first million dollar player.
https://www.cheknews.ca/hockey-hall-of-famer-bobby-hull-dies-at-84-1138719/
That photo of Hull with pitchfork in hand throwing bales, shirt off, tanned and shining with sweat on that 18 year old body sold a lot of bar bells and brought sex into selling tickets. That, and the curved stick and 100 mph slappers changed the game forever.
A hugely charismatic player with a BIG personality.
Gets me thinking of Brett too. Sad.
Was he the first to introduce a curved stick?
He and Mikita.
Wasn’t it Mikita?
Makita was the first…Hull watched it perform after practice and copied it, but Makita was the first.
I mean, he was also accused of abusing 2 of his 3 wives, and told Moscow Times that Hitler had some good ideas, so I don’t really care about what he did with a hockey stick
Not everyone runs to Google immediately to see if they need to hate on and/or judge someone now that they’re dead.
The reactions you’re seeing is people’s memories of the person as a hockey player because I suspect for most that is their direct and only context with Bobby Hull.
This is why his legacy is being described as complicated. I suspect many folks hearing the news today have heard of the Golden Jet and never heard of the Moscow Times or these other allegations.
I guess i could go look for the dirt the minute I hear someone’s died, but I’m not sure I want to be that guy.
And if it wasn’t blatantly obvious, I know I don’t want to be that guy
The information was there for everybody to see, no digging was required. I’m sorry if I offended you, but it might be worse to want to be that guy who thinks he is dunking on someone for calling out anti Semitism/racism and alleged abuse.