What if Ken Holland bought out Kailer Yamamoto, traded Warren Foegele for a prospect, acquired Jansen Harkins to play No. 4 center (in exchange for the prospect acquired for Foegele), what could he do then? Well, he could sign Evan Bouchard, Ryan McLeod, Klim Kostin and Raphael Lavoie from the RFA pile, and he could sign two mid-level free agent right wingers (say Jesper Fast and Connor Brown) to address the team’s weakest position. Is that enough?
What about Jack Campbell? Could the Oilers run a deal similar to what the Los Angeles Kings did yesterday? Say Jack Campbell, Xavier Bourgault, a 2024 second-round pick and Kailer Yamamoto for the rights to Jujhar Khaira? Folks, it’s Russian nesting dolls all over again. Zack Kassian 2.0 and the Oilers really really can’t afford it.
There has to be a better way.
THE ATHLETIC
- New Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers position-by-position depth chart entering offseason
- New DNB: Edmonton Oilers fan survey results: Belief remains in team’s Stanley Cup window
- Lowetide: Why Edmonton Oilers’ right wing overhaul is about to hit overdrive
- Lowetide: Why the Oilers must return to the OHL at 2023 NHL Draft
- Lowetide: The Edmonton Oilers guide to saving an NHL Draft on just three picks
- DNB: Why the Oilers are preparing to hold on to Cody Ceci this offseason
- DNB: What I’m hearing about Oilers’ offseason plans: Trade candidates, Erik Karlsson interest, more
- Lowetide: 5 Oilers assets that could have value in a trade this summer
- Lowetide: How the Oilers may handle a change in management
- Lowetide: Will the Oilers draft (and keep) a world class agitator in 2023?
- DNB: The Oilers missed a true Stanley Cup chance this year and the contention clock is ticking
- Lowetide: Can Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie make the team in 2023-24?
- Lowetide: 10 Edmonton Oilers free-agent targets for this summer
- DNB: Oilers offseason priorities: A 10-step plan for ensuring success next season
- Lowetide: 7 ways the Oilers can create cap room for 2023-24
- Lowetide: Why Oilers winger Klim Kostin could be a key to Oilers summer
- DNB: How the Oilers roster could soon look different
- DNB: Oilers GM Ken Holland focused on ‘unfinished business’ entering final year of his contract
- Lowetide: Identifying a 2023 NHL Draft sleeper prospect for the Oilers
- Lowetide: Stock up or down for every Oilers prospect in the system
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2022
LOOKING FOR VALUE IN THE BARGAIN AISLE
During the years I spent in a baseball roto league, I used a few tools to win (well, I won twice in about a dozen years). The best was a Bill James trick he wrote about in one of his abstracts. If you can identify a starting pitcher who spent significant time in a rotation, had a large strikeout to win ratio, and got him for a low dollar cost, chances were he would help you win the league the following year. It isn’t a tool that works every time, but if you get one or two starters for $1 on a $260 budget, well that’s a good day. Weird, right?
One of the things I’ve noticed in hockey over the years is what I like to call the “Patrick Maroon” build. I wrote about Maroon after the 2011-12 season, spent mostly in the AHL. Here’s the verbal:
- PATRICK MAROON, SYRACUSE CRUNCH: Massive forward (6.04, 225) has some offensive ability and looks like he might be ready for NHL action at age 24. He went 75, 32-42-74 with Syracuse this year and the Anaheim Ducks may look to him this coming season. There are more talented wingers in the AHL, but Maroon’s combination of size and skill will get him NHL employment soon. If not Anaheim, another NHL city. Perhaps Edmonton?
I think there’s 20 guys like Maroon in 2012 summer every season. Cam Dineen could have been on this list, and that’s for sure. I’ve put together my 25 for this summer.
- LW Michael Carcone, Tucson Roadrunners. He’s 27 and undersized, but Carcone scored 31-54-85 in the AHL last season (65 games). He’s 5.09, 170 and has been toiling in the AHL since 2016. He’s a free agent this summer, and might have several teams interested. He scored 2-1-3 in nine games for the Coyotes.
- LD Lucas Carlsson, Charlotte Checkers. Offensive defenseman (age 25) scored 20 goals (and 54 points) in 61 games and had a solid but brief playoffs. He’s 6.0, 190 and is less likely than others on this list to become an Oilers because of Dineen’s presence on the roster. He is a group-6 UFA.
- LD Max Gildon, Charlotte Checkers and Bakersfield Condors. Gildon is a good defenseman, no idea why he keeps being loaned out to the Condors. Gildon is RFA so a trade would be required. I’ve watched him quite a bit these years, for me he would be worth pursuing. He is 6.03, 195 and can defend.
- RW Will Bitten, Springfield Thunderbirds. He’s a two-way winger with good speed, I liked him in his draft year but it didn’t come around (22-23-45 in 65 games) until this season. He has one more year on his deal so it would need to be a trade, St. Louis and Edmonton made a trade last fall (Klim Kostin) so at least there’s some history.
- LC Jake Leschyshyn, Hartford Wolfpack. Hard working center who can help on the forecheck, Leschyshyn is 24one of the few centers I could find in this group. He’s just been bouncing around the league looking like an also-ran, and played 35 NHL games without posting a point in 2022-23.
- LD Ty Smith, Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins. I liked him in his draft year (very much) and like him now. Lots of defensemen meander but he’s a skilled player with plenty of time (23) to figure it out.
- RW Scott Reedy, Texas Stars. He’s a big winger who can play a little center. He’s skilled enough for a middle six role and brings size (6.02, 205) and some offense. Scored 18 in 38 for the Barracuda in 2021-22, less successful this past season (11-12-23 in 56 games).
- LW Alex Limoges, Manitoba Moose. I don’t know much about him, but he has scored 30 goals per 82 AHL games over the past three seasons. Appears to be a bit streaky, and he owns zero pedigree, but at 25 I’d suggest he is ready for his first NHL taste in the Maroon window.
- LC Jansen Harkins, Manitoba Moose. Scored well (25-25-50 in 44 games) in the AHL this season, and did solid work with the Winnipeg Jets (3-2-5 in 22 games, 55 pct shot share, 63 pct goal share and 62 percent expected goal share at five-on-five). He’s 26 and I have zero idea what he’s doing in the AHL. Edmonton should trade for him today.
- LD William Lagesson, Chicago Wolves. Had his best AHL season (65 games, 10-22-32, +14) and at 27 has several more miles on him. I think he would be an astute signing (he is UFA) for the Oilers and would absolutely be in the mix for first recall.
- LD Lawrence Pilut, Rochester Americans. Effective defenseman has been posting good outscoring numbers for years now. He’s having a strong playoff run and that might vault him into the NHL. He’s worth acquiring in my opinion, he is a UFA this summer.
- W Alex Barré-Boulet, Syracuse Crunch. He is an elite scorer in the AHL, averaging 33-53-86 per 82 games in the league. He is signed for one more season, foot speed has held him back but I’ll bet he has a strong career from today (he just turned 26) through the end of this 20’s.
- LW Andreas Johnsson, San Jose Sharks. Scoring winger spent most of the season in New Jersey’s system, scoring 9-21-30 in 36 games. Dealt to San Jose at the deadline, where nothing much happened. The problem was the contract and now it’s done. Averaged 15-22-37 per 82 NHL games while he played in the league. He’s 28, absolutely worth a contract.
- LW Anthony Richard, Laval Rocket. He scored 30 in the AHL last season, that’s going to get noticed. He is a UFA, 26 years old, good speed, undersized (5.10, 163) and should have some NHL future.
- RW Trey Fix-Wolansky, Cleveland Monsters. Former Oil Kings winger has improved his offense to the point where the 2022-23 numbers (29-42-71 in 61 games) indicate a full NHL chance. He is 24, and 5.07, 186, could be the Yamamoto replacement and far less cap dollars. He is RFA, but CBJ are heading in a different direction.
- RW Matthew Phillips, Calgary Wranglers. He’s a group-6 UFA and someone is going to give him a chance. He’s 25, and 5.07, 140, but the number you should really know is that per 82 games in the AHL he is averagine 42 goals in his last two seasons. Someone will give him 500 at-bats.
- RD Brogan Rafferty, Coachella Valley Firebirds. Look, I know he’s famous on this blog, but you also have to give him credit for being a good player. I would sign him in a heartbeat. Group 6.
- RC Lane Pederson, Abbotsford Canucks, Chicago Wolves. He’s a true center, can win faceoffs, average in size and brings some offense. I’d sign him for sure. RH.
- LC Alex Turcotte, Ontario Reign. Injuries have eaten away his career, but a change in scenery might help. There’s a real talent there.
- LW Chase de Leo, San Diego Gulls. He’s 27 now and I have him on every list like this one because he can score.
Forced to choose just three, I would sign or acquire Jansen Harkins, Lawrence Pilut and Alex Barre-Boulet. If they’re not available, throw me Lane Pederson, Max Gildon and Michael Carcone. Thanks for reading.
LOWETIDE AND JAMIESON
A busy show today, TSN 1260 from 10-2. Bruce McCurdy from the Cult of Hockey will join us to talk about the LA-PHI trade and how the Oilers might be able to swing a similar deal. Chris Johnston, TSN Insider, will talk SC final, trades to come and coaching moves. Plus Messi over Miami and NBA Finals. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
Congratulations to Darnell Nurse for another King Clancy Award nomination.
https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/.amp/news/oilers-darnell-nurse-finalist-for-the-king-clancy-award
Okay fess up. Which one of you posters here are Bandana Idiot on twitter?
For low-cost UFA’s Joonas Koppanen is at the top of the list for me. 6’5” LW, very defensively responsible, not sure if the offense is ever arriving, but I think he brings a lot of what the Oilers lack on wing. Size and defensive acumen, he took severe DZ starts (but small sample size) and kept his head above water.
Add in David Kampf who is a good size and could be sogned for at somewhere under $1,500,000 as as bottom six C or LW who take severe DZ assignments and the missing elements on this team would supplement the stars.
A dream scenario would be:
Toews on a 1×1, Kampf 3 x 1.3, Koppanen 2 x 800 and I have not landed on a RW target yet. I think one will shake loose at or after the draft….Hathaway would be excellent, but he will cost too much.
Out: Foegele, Yamo, Janmark, Bjugstad and possibly Kostin.
PLD would be worth looking at for the Oilers?
Big assets out for a left shot center that needs to be qualified at $6MM and is likely only to sign a one-year contract taking him to UFA status……. not sure that’s high on the Oilers’ needs this off-season
June into week 2 and the NHL gambling finals are being dragged out with the next game Friday?? Does anyone even care at this point??
Well…since gambling has all but absorbed the NHL into its nefarious ways there is going to be a series of even more horrible stuff to follow.
If you’re not watching you’re missing some fantastic hockey.
Thursday – I’ll be watching – hockey is fun. The fact people gamble on the games does’t change how the product entertains me.
the game is the game but the product, overall, has become much worse.
Will Bitten would be a great pick up by the oilers. We could get him on waivers during training camp. He’s Rw skates like the wind. Works extremely hard and is good in the room. I would claim in a heartbeat he even has a younger taller brother in Sam that’s scheduled to play for the Thunderbirds of the AHL. Will B is Travis Konecny light. Or good value in bottom Six
Thinking about what would make the team better, one thing keeps coming to mind. No players do well enough 5v5 in the playoffs. No matter who it is. The biggest thing that needs to change is to a system that works for providing enough defense and playing Oiler hockey
The Vegans are playing it. Whalloping the Cats. Why can’t we as well? Hill is the beneficiary of it, nothing else. He’s not messing it up. I hope they pay him a ton with term
A reminder that only 2 teams in the league have won more playoff round than the Oilers these last 2 years (Colorado and Florida, with Vegas looking to make it 3).
The Oilers do need to continue to improve their 5v5 play to win the Cup, but the statement “No players do well enough 5v5 in the playoffs” is nowhere close to true.
For me the last 3 playoffs is enough evidence. They relied on luck, old school thinking and not effective tactics, and even with the advantage they have failed at the heart of the game. It’s not new
That so many players of quality or with previous quality regress is not a good omen. Ekholm was great playing at first how he was used to playing, and his play also declined over time. I don’t feel that’s a hot take
I also don’t like that when Woody was hired he mentioned he’s not really a rookie NHL coach, with 10 seasons behind an NHL bench, lots of playoff experience, but now he is a greenhorn according to his boss. Weak, to my ears
Of course winning the cup is a long shot for everyone. Still it feels like excuses for making mistakes that the big boss was paying for, league high, to not happen. No more learning on the job, with Connor aging, right? How hard is it it play consistent team D if you take yourself seriously? To know what players and deals need to happen?
I see cup finalists doing it regularly
Maybe next year they stop falling flat on their collective faces for long enough to contend for the Presidents Trophy.
It’s pathetic they are unable to compete for the top position, over and over with such great players.
The Oilers have outscored their opposition at 5v5 over the last 2 playoff seasons. They did get outscored by Vegas at 5v5 in the 2nd round of this years playoffs though.
Who are these players who’ve regressed over time after joining the Oilers? You have to be kidding about Ekholm. He was on a heater when he first arrived where even his shit turned to gold. It was never going to last like that. What Oilers do you think this has this happened to?
I don’t even know what to say about the rest.
The Oilers have the 2nd best record in the NHL since Woodcroft was hired. They’ve (again) won more playoff rounds than all but 2 (soon 3) other teams in the league. They’ve also had the #2 GF% and the #7 5v5 GF% in the league in that time.
They need to improve even more to win a cup, but the players, coaches and managers aren’t just a bunch of hapless losers who aren’t taking themselves seriously enough. No more learning on the job? How does anyone ever learn anything aside from f’ing up on the job?
Not shortening the bench at the first sign of adversity and taking players out of the game early (and putting extra pressure on the remaining 8-9 forwards and creating fatigue).
The Oilers were a very good team with McDavid and Drai off the ice this season but Woody, in my opinion, shortened the bench way too early and way too often – even when the bottom of the roster players seemed to be playing well.
Yes I think they have limited creativity when under real pressure. And their jobs aren’t currently on the line. What they have chosen is putting them there. Maybe last summer there was no viable option. This summer there is. Time waits for no one
Him and the entire team was 100% smoking powerplay playoff crackpipe dreams; finally exposed in the playoffs by a veteran, savvy, 5 on 5 capable team.
Meh – the Oilers spent more time in the Kings’ zone at 5 on 5 – had more shots from the slot, etc.
Margins were very thin.
Sounds like Corey Perry wants out of Tampa and still wants to play…..perfect mix of grit and talent and has tons of long playoff experience where he’s played very well. Sign him up!!
Not until Mike Comrie give Kevin Lowe his money.
A tip o’ the hat to this comment.
I put up with Mike Smith for a couple years but Corey Perry might be a bridge too far LoL
I think he’s found the cliff. This season wasn’t good. Bounce back? Maybe, for a guy that is so bad at skating Bieksa makes fun of him. Otherwise he’s exactly the type of vet they need
For minimum and no guarantees if he sucks – suddenly Perry becomes a viable voice in the room option lol
On another note, just watched a TSN feature stating that Dubois has already asked for a trade from the Jets with one year left on his contract.
The top end of the 2016 Draft was LOADED with talent…however:
All went for different reasons and different value returned. It’s still incredible to see. Can Matthews really be that far behind?
Also, extremely happy our latest high enders (Leon and Connor) not only panned out talent wise but actually chose to stay with our team for a bit of time at least
That is amazing. There were all kinds of rumours of Edmonton trading their pick if Dubois was still available — I wonder how different history would be if Columbus drafted Puljujarvi (or anyone else really).
I should have actually noted that Dubois has already been traded…this would be #2
Really interesting.
OTOH, maybe the talent wasn’t actually that good. 4, 5, 8, 10 aren’t very well-established.
Puljujarvi turned out to have very very little NHL talent.
Wow! Chicago signed Athanasiou to $4.25M x 2…apparently working to get to the cap floor.
Quick, Holland call them up and offer them Yamo and Campbell as cap fodder and maybe THEY will send a 3rd to Calgary……
AA just died and went to Heaven.
Connor Bedard’s wing mate.
AA is sort of the dream player for a rebuild.
He’s fast and often exciting to watch, at times. He has no interest in defending and resoundingly gets outscored.
He helps you entertain your fans while helping to tank for high draft picks.
100%.
The actual happiest people are the top 3 draft prospects of next year. Will get to play with Bedard for years.
It’s Kane/Toews take 2
Surely Campbell could help this cause?
Risky. What if CHI got the Campbell Jen paid for? Then No One would be happy.
what a wild way to think of a trade. One where both teams lose based on good results of one player!
Positive GF% relative to team in 6 of his 8 seasons though.
Yeah, you do love those rel stats.
I find the rel stats to be troublesome.
For most teams and most years, I find that rel GF% just divides the top six from the bottom six. You mostly see bottom sixers with negative rels and top six players with positive rels.
If you have a bad player on a bad team, he’ll get a huge bump by being compared to even worse players.
Sometimes, on teams with bottom sixers who’re not bleeding (albeit playing a lower tier of comp mostly), they can flip the script and punish the top six players–especially so if they get a huge PDO bump.
Like the Oilers last season.
Devon Shore had nearly a threefold higher GF% rel than any other oiler. Connor McDavid was 7th for players over 300 minutes. Draisaitl was 11th.
Help me understand your viewpoint.
I presume if you’re citing this stat (which you do often) to further a discussion or provide a counterpoint, you’re implying that it’s a useful and helpful measure?
When you look at GF% rels for the Oilers last season. What exactly does GF% rel tell you about the relative ability Oilers forwards last season?
It’s cited simply to remind you that Athanasiou does not get ‘resoundingly outscored’ if you take team context into account.
So, you’re saying he *owns* his GF% rel?
Lol.
He certainly owns his GF%rel more than his +/- or his GF%, over a 459 game career.
Okay, Marchessault vs Athanasiou.
GF%rel is a really useful stat, so I’m guessing we can see who’s a better player, here.
Athanasiou has a positive relGF% in 6 of his last 8 seasons.
Marchessault has a negative relGF% in 5 of his last 8 seasons.
You taking Athanasiou here?
Athanasiou is better defensively than Marchessault?
What does relGF% tell us here?
You’re joking but a few GMs would do that
Them needing cap makes it cheaper for a guy that can do deals. I think all the other GMs have Ken pegged and won’t lower asks for him, he has a history of not getting value for his team
You just had to, didn’t you? 🤣
Maroon was a great find LT!
if you had to choose one name from this list, which player would it be?
Alex Barré-Boulet. His scoring rates are outstanding.
Lowetide, while you were talking C I switched to Sob Bauffer; his guest pointed out that the cap would be going up a lot in 2024; that means bridging Bouch for 1 year. At the end of the day the Oilers are in cap hell again
RE the Florida tax advantage. Here’s a snapshot of the 4 major leagues.
NHL: TBay, recent 2 time champ. FLA, current cup finalist
NFL: TBay, recent SuperBowl champ
NBA: Miami, current playoff finalist
MLB: TBay, current best record in baseball
Either there’s something really good in the water down there OR maybe it’s a massive competitive advantage to be able to attract top tier talent with lux contracts not subject to state tax.
LT does RE calculations all the time. How hard it is for these leagues to equalize cap hits on the basis of after tax compensation across jurisdictions? In other words, FLA could pay a player less on the net level, but the cap hit would be adjusted upward until the after tax value of the contract is equal to a baseline across the league.
As if the NHL isn’t losing enough credibility with the reffing and cap injury circumvention, we now have to accept Florida having this demonstrable advantage in perpetuity? Ridiculous.
How do you tax warm winters and beaches?
Seaweed anyone?
Winters are warm but if you’re on the coast I wouldn’t exactly call it beach weather always, at least when I’ve been there. Pretty blustery
Not to mention one of the best fútbol players in the world now planning to join Inter Miami of the MLS.
Things could get…Messi.
jajaja. low hanging fruit that one!
I heard the league is rebranding as the MLeSsi
Miami could get….Messi
So, sort of like Boston circa 2011? These things happen
I don’t understand all the love for Connor Brown. He had a good rookie year, a 20 goal year 3 seasons ago with a (now proven) unsustainable shooting %, he’s not big. What am I missing other than just because he played with 97 when McDavid was 17? How does he fit in with team need at 2L?
Connor Brown is Zach Hyman-lite. Plays a solid two-way game with offensive upside.
He was terrific for Ottawa in the all-Canada season. PK’s and plays a mature game.
He may be willing to sign for $1M with performance bonuses that enable the Oilers to defer a lot of the cap hit to ’24-’25.
But you are correct this is not a 30-goal man. If he was he would fetch $5M x 5 as a UFA.
Brown is more of a veteran economy option. A potential upgrade on Yamamoto.
That he’s clicked with McDavid in the past means he may be willing to play here for a year for less so that he can cash as a UFA next summer.
Whoa, solid 2-way game, Zack Hyman?
He’s more likely to be happy to get a contract than looking for bonuses at this point. 950 or no thanks for me. A buriable contract, it’s worth the risk
He’s cheap and has experience. That’s not love. That’s reality.
He is coming off a significant injury and an entire lost season, his possible signing is concerning to me. Will he still be an effective NHL player?
If he can be signed for a base contract equal to or less than -$1.15 million (or whatever the 2023 maximum amount that can buried is) and any bonuses (if needed) are based on targets that meaningful, Brown would be a low risk signing. If he doesn’t perform he can be waived with no cap consequences, and if he earns any bonuses, he will have contributed positively to the team and the bonus money could slide to 24/25 when the cap is expected to much higher.
You know who else played with McDavid at 17 and is available?
Alex DeBrincat.
Would be a terrible trade now, but taking Benson over him was a bad choice at the moment it was done, and known by many on this blog to be so.
I’ve always been a fan of Andreas Johnsson. Toronto cap casualty really, but he could score. He’d be a great add at the right (see: minimum) price. Could be good for him to build his value up too.
Per Friedman: 2 X $5.875MM for Gavrikov in LA.
Not quite the $6.5MM being speculating yesterday but big enough of an overpay (despite a strong performance in his small sample size this past season) that it makes me very happy!
i think at only 2 years that is a win for the Kings. He’s a good defenceman- no Ekholm but still pretty good!
He will be a perfect partner for Brandt Clarke on the Kings second pairing.
A big, physical shutdown D to complement an offensive wizard.
Betting on himself too. He gets a 2nd crack at UFA just before his 30th birthday.
The Kings are getting tight on cap to re-sign Vilardi and add a decent goalie though (currently have $7M and change to add 5-6 players including those 2 spots).
Some speculation they may move Arvidsson and Durzi to clear another $6 million in cap space.
Worth noting that LD Tobias Bjornfot, 2019 first round draft pick, is waivers eligible and the Kings aren’t likely keen on losing him.
Can the Kings beat the Oilers in a playoff series? Seems like they are getting worse ….
How are they getting worse?
They have the cap space to add a good goaltender, will have phenom Brandt Clarke in the lineup and have more than a few NHL ready prospects.
Lordy.
That’s like saying the Oilers have the cap space to add a good 2RW.
Not the same at all.
LA can easily acquire a goaltender through trade by including someone like Sean Durzi in the deal.
They still have a surplus of RHD which are always a hot commodity.
They have to move out significant cap space to add a ‘good’ goalie.
Like Arvidsson + Durzi as you correctly said earlier.
No need to try to walk it back.
Just moving Durzi gives them $9 million in cap space.
Pretty sure they could manage that.
Sure, they could manage a ‘good’ $2M goalie by just moving Durzi.
Goalie $5M
Vilardi $1.5M
Anderson-Dolan $1M
Clarke $863K
Spence $820K
Bjornfot $850K
23 man roster
Very easy to sit one forward to be cap compliant.
Your Vilardi deal is wildly optimistic (his agent would surely be fired) and you’re still $2M short.
Give Vilardi as realistic deal and you’re left with $2M for a goalie.
As you said earlier, Arvidsson or similar will also need to go to bring in a Hellebuyck, Hart or similar.
will have phenom Brandt Clarke in the lineup
Sure, but he’s no Brogan Rafferty.
What would you say is his actual value? (Considering all factors, like UFA status, etc)
$4MM to $4.5MM.
Adam Larsson is $4MM and I’d take Larsson.
He’s almost double Ceci and he’s not twice the player a healthy Ceci is (recall 2021/22).
A good vet on a short term deal on a team with an abundance of youth. Don’t see a problem here.
Hoping Ken can work some magic in the offseason.
A bit like his bets on Haas and Nygard, except with better results.
Domestic or imported, whatever works!
Haas and Nygard? That’s setting the bar pretty low.
Gavrikov signs for 2 X $5.875 in LA.
https://twitter.com/friedgehnic/status/1666497942679609359?s=61&t=WWzo5XOO0SDsOISFpfGKMg
Holland sure cleaned out the cupboards when it comes to D-Men in the system. Broberg needs to pan out and become a top 4 D man this year. Holland needs to go dumpster diving and find some legit D-Men for Bakersfield and possibly call ups.
There are some interesting and famous names on that list.
Gildon was fantastic as a Condor in 2021/22 but wasn’t nearly as consistently impactful this past season (from my viewings) – a year ago I was all over that guy.
I believe Ty Smith was in the Bouchard/Dobson draft cohort? His offence hasn’t quite translated enough at the AHL level to make up for how slight he is I don’t think.
Alex Turcotte is trending to be a Puljujarvi-like bust – I would love to give him a fresh look in a new org if it came fairly cheap. Is Blake ready to cut bait?
So, bascially Bourgault and a 2nd to dump Campbell (as I have Yamo at essentially flat value)?
Ya, maybe? I don’t know if I like that. I mean, I’m highly confidant that Jack is going to be much better than last season. I don’t know if the means .900, .910 or .920 but I’m confidant in won’t be near .890.
Are we trading for Hart or Connor H. or signing Hill or Varlamov.
I can argue both sides of that but one thing I’m fairly confidant in, Holland will not be going down that path – I don’t see it.
Jack will get Vezina trophy 🏆 votes this season. You read it here first!
Let me be your confidante and tell you that it’s “confident”.
As you were.
Very cool value add!
What if Ken Holland bought out Kailer Yamamoto, traded Warren Foegele for a prospect, acquired Jansen Harkins to play No. 4 center (in exchange for the prospect acquired for Foegele), what could he do then? Well, he could sign Evan Bouchard, Ryan McLeod, Klim Kostin and Raphael Lavoie from the RFA pile, and he could sign two mid-level free agent right wingers (say Jesper Fast and Connor Brown) to address the team’s weakest position. Is that enough?
I think that type of off-season is a reasonable expectation for what we might see.
Yamamoto out, even by trade (let alone a buyout which creates less cap space) is not enough to make any material external acquisition – it might not even be enough to re-sign the 3 RFAs and fill out the rest of the lineup cheaply.
In order to acquire any material free agent (even in the $2MM range) a second contract needs to go and, if that happens, it is likely Foegele. I just don’t see them moving Ceci or Kulak unless its a “bigger deal” which I don’t expect.
The Oilers simply have more reasonable “cover” for Yamamoto and Foegle than they do for Ceci and Kulak – the depth on D is already razor thin.
Is the $500K – $1MM savings from Foegele to Fast worth it? I wish Foegele was $2MM – he may be a bit overpaid but, damn, I think he really helps this team when “he’s on” and he’s coming in to a contract year.
I wouldn’t exchange Foegele for Brown for similar cap hit but if Brown took that low salary one-year deal with some bonuses then we might have something.
Young Stars schedule and ticket info:
https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/schedule–ticket-packages-for-2023-young-stars-classic/c-344757442
“And then there’s Ivan Barbashev, who has turned out to be the most impactful pickup of the NHL trade deadline. Since coming over from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 26, Barbashev has 12 goals and 33 points in 42 regular-season and playoff games. The Barbashev-Eichel-Marchessault line has outscored opponents 27-12 at 5-on-5, including 14-4 in the playoffs”
courtesy SPORTSNET
The reason I posted is I believe Woodcroft needs to insulate, protect, create a McDavid line that can outscore consistently @ 5×5. Points are one thing, but next year the McDavid line needs to consistently outscore 5×5 if this team is to hoist the Cup.
i think 3 scoring lines would help insulate mcdavid
maybe he only gets 120 points but so be it! another defensive center could help
I thought the Nuge money would be better spent on Danault. It’s unpopular but Danault is a driver, that being on the two way side and Nuge isn’t. Nuge can’t play top players anymore. Danault Shuts them down and aggravates them. Nuge is good on PP but they don’t need him there to be excellent still
Danault also wanted to sign somewhere he’d be the #2 C.
Yes but the Oilers have a lot to offer in the top 6. Montreal was a different animal
I feel MacLeod or Bjugstad could be that defensive Danault type.
But they would have to learn how to slash, hack and be a dickhead.
Bjug isn’t fast enough or consistent enough and McLeod talked about convincing himself to shoot ie score. Maybe in 5 years for him. He’s good but not that and I don’t see it for him. He’s too passive. Bottom 6 is fine
I think Bjugstad’s two-way game is being a bit over-rated by Oilers fans, no?
I don’t think he’s every really been considered great two way and, while he has some solid responsible games in the bottom six as an Oiler, he get killed when asked to play some tougher minutes and to play some defensive minutes at center.
He’s fine, don’t get me wrong, but he’s not nearing a high end 2-way player I don’t think.
In the last 3 seasons, the Oilers PP with Nuge, Leon and Connor playing together for 717 minutes together, has scored at a phenomenal rate of 14.14 g/60. In 114 minutes of playing the PP without Nuge, Leon and Connor have scored at a rate of 7.85 g/60. That includes a lowly 12 minutes this season. It’s a small sample size this season because Woody knows that trio works. There is no other player on the Oilers today that could adequately replace what Nuge does for that PP. He has been a PP wizard since junior.
IMO Woodcroft should’ve gone back to unicorns v Vegas.
I was surprised to see Ty Smith’s name and even more so to see LT didn’t short list him on his
36 picks. I recall how high you had him but having a peak at those +/- are a flag for me. I’ve seen worse but with Bouchard on the roster he seems redundant for what he brings in my opinion.Oh man, if the Oilers can get their hands on Rafferty they should. If only for the multitude of jokes.
Is Rafferty going to be winding his way down to Bakersfield?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo6aKnRnBxM
I like Bittten for the plan B list as well. Very interesting idea, these guys.With a need for more depth in the prospect pool and a dearth of picks this year, this is a solid idea to me. Get two or three of these projects and see what plays out.
They are closer to contributing than any mid round draft picks it may cost t get them. Instant boost to the talent pool.
Turcotte was such a high pick …. dang …
interesting list LT …. guess we will see what KH does, if anything …
They had 15-20 years of Norris quality Seider instead they take Ex-Jockey Turcotte with the 5 pick. Always pick the best player not what your needs are.
Wow – your revisionist history draft lists are killing it these days!
Turcotte was ranked No. 4 and Seider 16. The DRW stepped out and reached for him. That’s a win. Framing it as LAK taking someone out of order, or that it was known at the time, is not correct.
https://www.tsn.ca/americans-set-to-dominate-first-round-of-the-nhl-draft-1.1323878
You never veer from Mckenzie’s list in the first round, but if you do, you’d better be right. Crazy pick for the Wings. 🙂
It’s hard to believe Seider was ranked one spot below Broberg on McKenzie’s list.
It was a surprise at the time, but I don’t recall my friends laughing. Laughing like the time those silly Jets scouts went walk about and picked Schiefele.
I don’t ever laugh at Jets scouts anymore. Even Logan Stanley, who I laughed about, seems to be turning out.
The Jets scouts are usually money in the first round.
Vesalainen might the only clear miss in over 10 years.