During the 2022-23 season, the Edmonton Oilers employed 10 defensemen. That’s in the range of average, although there are times the extra blue play far more than one or two of the original six who play the first game of the season. The Oilers NHL defense, seven strong, appears set for the 2023-24 season. One of the three additional pieces probably arrives at the trade deadline. The other two or three defenders will come from Bakersfield and we know it’s Markus Niemelainen and Cam Dineen. Or do we?
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: Ken Holland’s Oilers legacy and the magnitude of next summer’s moves
- New Lowetide: What the Oilers are getting in 2023 NHL Draft pick Beau Akey
- Lowetide: Oilers’ baffling 2016 draft takes another hit
- Lowetide: Oilers’ 2023-24 season has potential for loud noises
- Lowetide: Jay Woodcroft is (still) the right man to coach the Edmonton Oilers
- Lowetide: Should the Oilers sign Filip Zadina?
- Lowetide: Oilers’ roster utility for 2023-24 could use a final tweak
- Lowetide: Ideal roster positions for young Oilers in 2023-24
- Lowetide: Making sense of Oilers’ free-agent haul after initial flurry
- Lowetide: The Edmonton Oilers still have work to do this summer
- DNB: The Oilers roster is improved but evolution must continue into next season
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers top 20 prospects, summer 2023
- DNB: Connor McDavid’s top-5 moments from another awards-laden season
- Lowetide: Oilers’ Jayden Grubbe and his organizational importance
- DNB: 10 questions with director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright
AHL DEFENSE
Based on the math, two of these names will play in the NHL for the Oilers in the season to come. Markus Niemelainen and Cam Dineen have the most experience, but Niemelainen and RH blue Phil Kemp had the best defensive seasons (Mike Kesselring is down the line) in the group. We don’t really know much about Dineen, Noel Hoefenmayer and Ben Gleason. There’s still time to sign another defenseman to a $775,000 per year contract, too.
OILERS CURRENT DEPTH CHART ON DEFENSE
The first thing we have to do is recognize that a veteran like Mattias Ekholm may be the best candidate to move over to his off side. Here are the five-on-five numbers for Ekholm while playing with another LH blue during the 2022-23 season. That doesn’t mean Ekholm played on his off side but does indicate it was a lefty-lefty pairing.
- Mattias Ekholm-Jeremy Lauzon: 137:10 minutes, 48-62 shots, 1-8 goals
- Mattias Ekholm-Roman Josi: 116:33 minutes, 74-59 shots, 3-5 goals
- Mattias Ekholm-Ryan McDonagh: 102:34 minutes, 41-50 shots, 5-4 goals
- Mattias Ekholm-Darnell Nurse: 21:07 minutes, 14-6 shots, 1-0 goals
- Mattias Ekholm-Philip Broberg: 13:34 minutes, 11-3 shots, 2-0 goals
- Mattias Ekholm total: 408:34 minutes, 201-186 shots (51.9 pct), 14-18 goals (44 pct)
Ekholm had success with other LH blue but the Jeremy Lauzon Experience (I never liked their albums) sewered the numbers. Without Lauzon, Ekholm posted a 55 percent shot share and a 57 percent goal share. So what about this for Edmonton’s 2023-24 depth chart:
- Darnell Nurse-Evan Bouchard
- Philip Broberg-Mattias Ekholm
- Brett Kulak-Cody Ceci
- Markus Niemelainen-Vincent Desharnais
- Cam Dineen-Phil Kemp
- Ben Gleason-Noel Hoefenmayer
- Max Wanner
PHIL KEMP AHL CAREER
Phil Kemp took a step forward last season. His even-strength goal share has been consistent all through his AHL career, but he was playing more, against tougher competition, and for the first time the Condors had more success with him on the ice than off the ice. I’m not sure he’ll have an NHL career, but this work got him another contract and there are no better RH recall options in Bakersfield.
MARKUS NIEMELAINEN AHL CAREER
Markus Niemelainen’s numbers are similar to, and yet less impressive than, the Kemp totals above. Niemelainen has played in the NHL but ran some luck there in finding a five-on-five goal share of 56 percent (10-8 goals) despite being outshot (105-114, 48 pct). His expected goal share (48 percent) at five-on-five is what one might expect, that’s a replacement level but we’d need more NHL evidence to suggest he is going to have a career in the league. He hits like a truck but sometimes loses position doing it.
CAM DINEEN
Cam Dineen’s numbers have a ‘wild west’ feel to them, although the chaos this season was under control. He’s a puck mover but the Oilers have guys who can do that and play well defensively. He could be a recall, his last two seasons show him playing at par with his teammates. It isn’t a strong resume beyond the points.
BEN GLEASON
Ben Gleason was average until the pandemic season and then he delivered a strong year and followed it up with another one. This past season Thomas Harley and a bunch of AHL vets were just better than Gleason. I think he’s a solid bet, but unlikely to emerge as an NHL regular with Edmonton.
NOEL HOEFENMAYER
I liked Hoefenmayer going back to his draft season. There’s some offense here (as you can see) and he was average last season on a good Marlies team. He doesn’t have a ton of AHL experience, so the Oilers probably want to get a good look at him this winter. Hoefenmayer can play either side and his most recent season shows real progress. If he’s going to have an NHL career, now would be the time to blossom.
The Athletic: Ken Holland’s Oilers legacy and the magnitude of next summer’s moves
https://theathletic.com/4694536/2023/07/17/oilers-ken-holland-offseason-moves/
It should be remembered that he has put the team in a position to win it all in both of the last two playoff runs.
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If the Oilers don’t win the Stanley Cup . . . there will be blood.
The pressure on Holland is immense.
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I am having a hard time reconciling these two statements from the article.
To me the first statement indicates that Holland has done the job every GM is hired to do. He gave them a legitimate chance to win. Not sure what else to expect from the person in that position.
What am I missing? Are you referring to the unreasonable pressure that comes from fans or the media? I’m not sure Holland feels that at this point in his career.
I’m not sure what you’re missing. Both statements are undeniably true. One thing you could be missing but you’re a smart guy and I expect you just didn’t mention it in your post: There’s more than fans and media applying pressure.
I think, and obviously I could be wrong, but my guess is that the thing he’s having a hard reconciling isn’t necessarily that your statements are true or not, but whether or not it’s fair for Holland to have that pressure/should there be blood.
No, it’s not necessarily fair, but those are the stakes of running a professional franchise in a market that can be a pressure cooker.
Stanley or Staios
for Holland
(may be Staios regardless)
Thanks for the response. I’m guessing you are referring to pressure from ownership or maybe agents of high profile players on the team.
I considered that but don’t see Holland bothered by it at this stage of his career so maybe that is what I am missing.
EDIT: I got pulled into a septic system maintenance situation here on the farm so my apologies for the delay in responding. Not my idea of a good time but life in the country.
As someone who spent two days hauling water to a cistern 17 miles north of Maidstone so we could have water in our house (it was an old school), I don’t really know what you experienced today but suspect it was even tougher than that day from my youth.
Cistern>Septic when you’re in a battle. 🙂
No worries.
Kyle Dubas just had his best season ever as GM of the Maple Leafs and got walked then replaced by a guy who in 9 seasons only won 2 1st round series, missed the playoffs four times and had his star players openly revolt and leave the team. You can do everything right and still lose and someone has to pay for that. There are tickets to be sold and the mob must be given something.
Dubas started playing games with Shanahan, and talking publicly about his thoughts
He worked for a sports conglomerate. He learned that’s a bad way to conduct your business in that situation as a newer inexperienced employee. Who again put together a team that couldn’t handle the important things. But in the NHL there’s usually a job for incumbents
There are those that would criticize Holland even after the Oilers win the cup – the words won’t be “he didn’t do it the way I wanted him to” but that would essentially be the premise.
I don’t think that group is large but that is loud.
Multiple cups should have been won already, from their accounts.
I mentioned at the time that I didn’t love the inclusion of Kesselring in the Bjugstad trade (although I understood it) – well, now, today, I’m seeing the cool/loud kids talk about how bad a trade that was
When I read this I see opposing thoughts. Holland is fine but made another weak trade. That didn’t push the needle and cost org depth
The continued overplays add up. Many contracts and every trade. He’s thinning the system out for meh players. It is a pattern at this point
Because he’s not awful and not making huge mistakes as we saw before, for me that he’s not at the top of GMs acting astutely in today’s context is disappointing. We always talked around here that filling things out was the easy part after the draft delivered the high end
We are seeing a snail’s pace filling out, it being costly at the deadline, and as other teams have shown it doesn’t have to be that way. The other teams, who are winning the recent cups, being more creative and active sets the bar by which all should be evaluated
A the risk of being viewed as a Holland apologist I will point out that the ‘top GM’s I think you are referring to had long successful rebuilds before their teams matured while Holland inherited a team with the high end in place but a long botched rebuild in terms of drafting & trades.
That changed the dynamic imo.
Tampa took a long time, but that is because they were wrong for a long time about needing some size in the right places to make gooning them out of playoff games not possible. They also traded their way into winning 2 Cups
The Avs and Vegas made many deals to build there Cup teams and it has been shown quite a few times that they have few drafted players outside of the elite drafted players
The cap was never a problem. Only Tampa is depleted organizationally because Brisebois is not Yzerman
The Avs under Sakic took a decade as well. And their system is desperately depleted. Recall they only had 6th and 7th round picks in the draft before this one.
You mean the year they won the cup?
Yup. Everyone gets egg on their face for their deadline moves if they don’t win. Holland does better at this than most if we’re being fair, never trading a 1st for a rental.
And you’ll note my comment was in direct response to ‘only Tampa is depleted organizationally’. Colorado, Florida, Boston etc. very much are as well.
Holland inherited two of the best players in the league. They were both signed to contracts that kept them in Edmonton for a full shot at the cup but the contracts were a problem for the cap the moment they were signed.
They only made sense if the cap kept rising making them value 3-4 years after they were signed, Covid kicked the crap out of that plan which is what Holland inherited.
This is all aside from other moves that Holland made – some good, some questionable – but that is the background that has sat there like an elephant in the room since the day he took over as GM and has influenced pretty much every move he has made since that time imo.
Holland to begin with had a very nice stable of D-men left by the 2 previous G.M’s. It’s not like the previous administrations left nothing but bones for Holland. I think some folks are just happy that the Oilers are a playoff team and anything past the 1st round is gravy. I am not one of this folks. When you have a cheat sheet of Leon and Connor and after 4 years we should be counting the Cups on our other hand fingers.
When you have more than 25% of your cap space tied up in two players it’s not as easy as you make it sound. If Campbell had arrived at even his normal level of play things could easily have turned out better.
There is a level of luck in winning Stanley in a league where parity is the primary directive.
I’m sure your need for the team to win more rounds keeps Holland awake nights.
When your pillows are stuffed with Benjamins I can see why.
Vegas didn’t make playoffs last year
Colorado just got bounced in 1st round
They both have a long way to go before I’d mention them in same breath as TB.
Yeah, and Brisebois has two Cup rings because of it.
Meh – every contending team that buys at the deadline and doesn’t win the cup has not moved the needle and cost their organization depth.
This verbal about Holland not being creative enough is over-stated hooey.
I’m not sure any contending team has markedly improved this season and, really, except for Vegas stretching rules, noone has been any more creative than Holland.
I didn’t know anything about these acquired D before they were signed but as a general theory I really like signing D at these ages.
Defencemen often ripen later. Frequently we see a maturing at age 25 for D men.
I know it might be crazy but I wanna see all the D combos. I never really liked Nurse/Bouch together. What about
25-14
86-2
27-5
What if the kids are alright and 14 is the steady hand that Nurse needs. 🤷♀️
Chris Jones stuns me. He adds more receivers to his player carousel. But apparently doesn’t think having a competent quarterback is a thing. Weird dude
Their offensive line is poor. Too small.
That’s not an important position!
$4M X 4 for Ross Colton – settled pre-arb.
I know about the “$100K per point” but that seems very aggressive for a 30-40 point player who doesn’t PK at all and plays very soft/sheltered minutes (24% TOI vs. elites last season) and was just above even in goal share.
Not to mention for that material term.
The more I did in, that’s a poor contract – yes, know all about the rising cap.
That’s a lot of money and a decent amount of term for someone who may be marginally better than Foegele.
The evidence here says Foegele is clearly the better player: https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playercompare.php?fromseason=20222023&thruseason=20222023&stype=2&sit=5v5&score=all&stdoi=std&rate=y&p1=8479525&p2=8477998&loc=B&gpfilt=none&fd=&td=&tgp=410&lines=single
No it doesn’t.
One is a centre, one is a winger.
Colton is clearly a better defensive player in almost every metric blocks, hits, takeaways and of course he wins a lot of faceoffs.
Although Colton has not done a lot of PK work in Tampa, he will in Colorado.
Colton took under 200 faceoffs last season. That’s like two a game, HH.
3 minutes and 47 seconds, 3:47 – that is the total PK time of Ross Colton in his NHL regular season career.
I’m not sure how one can objectively state that he’ll be used on the PK.
12%, 26%, 24% – those are the percent TOI vs. elites in Ross Colton’s NHL career. I’m not sure any coach that believes a player is a very good defensive player would use him so little against good offensive opposition.
LOL. You cherry picked 4 data points out of 30 in the link provided and still were wrong on 2 of them:
(1) faceoff prowess as pointed out by LT; (2) Foegele had more takeaways than Colton. His 3.63 Tk/60 is in fact 3rd best among forwards in the entire league! I guess he’s an ace defensive player then?
Ross Colton signs 4 for 4
what is happening
Nuge, Kane, and Hyman are value contracts. That is what’s happening.
Hart Levine was on Stauffer’s show a few weeks back and said something to the effect that the Oilers have some of the best long term value contracts for when the cap goes up the next few years. I don’t recall he stated specifically which ones, but I assumed he was talking about these three.
All in their 30’s on long term contracts with no movement clauses.
Colton will be 30 when his contract expires.
$4M for a 3rd liner though? Whatever his age?
VGK 3rd line centre is William Karlsson who makes $5.8 million.
Seens to have worked out okay for them.
Top 6 forward, top 4D and 3C is where smart teams spend their money.
Worth noting that Colton scored 50% more than Ryan McLeod last season and, with an expanded role in Colorado, that disparity will likely widen.
Colton also won 56% of his faceoffs..,among the best in the league.
Yes, Karlsson is quite the anomaly at $5.8M. Of course he scores a ton more than Colton and does a bunch of other useful stuff like PK and match up against other teams top players.
He’s also 3C in name only, he was 4th in TOI/game for Vegas (Colton was 8th for TB, with more than 5 minutes less a game).
McLeod and Colton had an identical points/game, so there’s that. McLeod was also +4 to -8 for Colton. I’m sure he’ll be worth 2x though.
Also, Colton took barely 2 faceoffs a game last year, so you might want to temper any expectations of faceoff prowess.
The Colton contract is looking like one of the worst of the off-season – it just doesn’t make any sense. He’s basically a 3rd line winger (that can play center) that doesn’t PK and saws off in very sheltered minutes that scores at Ryan McLeod rates (and McLeod coming off to term injury in the games he played).
There were 3 UFA years in there, I’ll acknowledge that but, wow.
5v5 G/60
McLeod: 0.84
Colton: 0.81
5v5 P/60
McLeod: 1.86
Colton: 1.55
5v5 Faceoffs/60
McLeod: 44.92
Colton: 11.47
You should have focused on hits, blocks and takeaways. 🤣
31 or 30 y/o, signed for long term contracts, already considered value for their production level, and will continue to be value contracts as the cap increases and their roles diminish.
For now. Hopefully they can play out enough term. And he gave a lot of movement clauses. I wish they were gone. Can’t have guaranteed contracts and no way out
JT Compher at 5 or Colton at 4?
The hockey Gords have blessed the Oilers to not have to worry about centre depth for the moment (I assume McLeod’s signing will occur in due course). The Avs moves (Johansen, Colton) evince some apprehension about centre depth and reveal some scramble to shore up the slots behind Mackinnon.
Bakersfield FW corps gets a little less crowded:
Esposito off to the DEL
I believe that in addition to those on NHL deals they still have Lowetide favourite Dino Kambeitz as well as a few ahl/echl type stragglers
Esposito has been a very very good Condor – he worked his ass off every shift and impacted the game above his skill level. He protected his teammates with a size disadvantage consistently. He will be missed.
I’m feeling pretty good about the defensive depth and would be fine with any of the 12 (all the signed guys minus Wanner) getting NHL minutes this season.
The problem is a top 4 RD, and I think out of the lefties, the best candidates to move over are probably Kulak then Broberg, neither of whom we want to go into the season penciled in as top 4, much less top 4 on their offside.
For the first half of the season, I think you experiment when possible and take stock. On the games where you want to run your most solid line up and can’t be bothered with experimentation, I think running it back is the best option, so Ceci with Nurse and 1 of Broberg or Desharnais (or both) 3RD.
Although Nurse and Bouchard had similar 5v5 assist rates (.97 and .95). The split between 1st and second assists was quite different.
Nurse 1stA .47 – 2nd A .47
Bouchard 1stA .34 – 2ndA .63
In real dollars it’s:
Nurse 1stA 12 – 2nd 12
Bouchard 1stA 7 – 2nd 13
Of the 31 Defencemen to get 20+ 5v5 assists last season only wee Samuel Girard had a higher % of them be second assists than Bouchard
I think the reasons for this are self evident. Nurse is an excellent skater so he tends to transport the puck himself. Bouchard is an excellent passer who can effectively transition the puck from well inside his own zone.
I think the reasons for this are self evident. Nurse is an excellent skater so he tends to transport the puck himself. Bouchard is an excellent passer who can effectively transition the puck from well inside his own zone.
Does anyone who watched them last year have any comment on that Lavoie (6’4, 216lbs) is listed as bigger than Kostin (6’4, 212lbs) on Elite Prospects?
Lavoie’s stats are better if he can play the same intimidating game. Could it have been a consideration in letting Kostin go?
I think they wanted to keep Kostin because he was an NHL player but couldn’t afford him. Lavoie might get there and I do think he’ll make the team.
I just always wonder if GMs mostly let players go because they know they have something in their pocket. Kesselring leaving and Kemp staying could be an example.
Kostin being an NHL player only really became evident last year, which will be age equivalent to Lavoie next year. I also expect Lavoie to get a shot equivalent to Kostin’s, but it will help him if he can also bring the same physicality. Can he bring that? Their past’s suggest Lavoie should bring more offense.
Lavoie uses his big body well in puck retrieval and driving the net but he is not a banger like Kostin or a fighter.
Hopefully he makes the team as hard to play against. Is he really as big as Kostin?
Ya, he’s a big body.
Connor McDavid broke the record for 1st assists on the Powerplay in a season with 30*
Previous high was 29 held by Blake Wheeler and Marty St. Louis
*since 97-98
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins broke Sidney Crosby’s record for 2nd assists on the Power Play* this past season.
He had 25
Crosby had 24 in the 06-07
*NHL records for this go back as far as 97-98
As an FYI, it seems Nurse was on the Gazdick pod this week so that will be interesting to listen to this week.
Also, speaking of pods, on Oilers Now John Shannon was asked about Bob McKown’s recovery – it seems he had a bad stroke and is on his way to recovery but needs to re-learn to walk and his speech is impacted, etc. – I did not know this – yikes!
I’m not sure how to feel about those Ekholm numbers…
On one hand, in 356:17 of those 408:34 minutes, he was 163-177 shots and 9-17 goals when playing with LHD.
On the other hand, despite being small sample sizes, the numbers with Nurse and Broberg seem more relevant since those are his teammates now.
Since his time with the Oilers…
Ekholm w/o Bouchard w/o Ceci
56:34, 4-1 goals (80.00), 38-21 shots (64.41)
Ekholm with RHD last season:
Ekholm + Carrier
425:39, 14-15 goals (48.28 – xGF% 55.86), 224-217 shots (50.79)
Ekholm + Bouchard
289:40, 27-8 goals (77.14), 167-146 shots (53.35), PDO = 1.107
Ekholm + Fabbro
150:42, 5-3 goals (62.50), 80-67 shots(54.42)
Despite him playing 9 minutes 5v5 with Ceci with uninspiring results (3-5 shots, 0-1 goals), I think Ceci might be his partner heading into training camp, with Bouchard moving up to 1RD. That leaves Broberg and Kulak for the 3rd pair, both of whom can play on either side, and Desharnais as 7th D.
I wouldn’t mind that and I think that pairing would do quite well together with more time. Also, Ceci was injured during the time they did play together.
I think Ek has more ability to carry Ceci. If they use Nurse more then Ceci would see lower comp which would also help him. I suspect though that as the season goes Ek will be used more against better players. If Ek still has the legs, he’s a good notch up from Nurse at all aspects of being a D except the rough stuff, but Nurse has dialed that back
I think as a 2RD Ceci would not even need to be carried. Maybe I am overrating him, but he’s a good D, just not a top pairing one.
I would suspect that it was Broberg playing the right side in these minutes.
Now, I don’t think we can put much, if any, stock in to a 13 minute sample size but, we’ve discussed Broberg in the top 4 RD quite a bit and, for me, Ekholm is that partner (and Nurse/Bouch with a history of success together and both needing McDavid minutes is a lock).
The numbers from Nashville say a lot with regards to Ekholm playing on the right side. The results were terrible for two reasons – it wasn’t Ekholm’s strength and he was carrying two guys who struggled enormously playing 2nd pairing minutes. If you’re going to play Ekholm with Broberg, you put Broberg on the starboard side and keep Ekholm on the port side where he’ll be more adept at mentoring the kid. JMO.
With Nurse Broberg one eventually wouldn’t have to define a left D or a right D. One could build a pair where Nurse could play one side or the other strategically. Not only a shutdown pair, but a shutdown pair where one could strategically matchup Nurse on one side or another depending on the opposition.
Would you trade Cody Ceci & Philip Broberg for Brett Pesce?
Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Pesce
Kulak-Desharnais
Neimelainen
Just a thought.
Please fit it under the cap after Pesce becomes a UFA next season. Does Pesce want to play long term in Edmonton. He wants to be paid, which is why Carolina is dangling him.
Broberg will be afforadable for four or five more years, and has unexplored upside potential.
He’s American so he probably only wants to play in the States. But that would certainly sort things out nicely as far as the Oiler D goes. If they win the Cup Pesce might like it in Edmonton and of course if they can afford to pay him LOL Who knows?
No, I would not.
Firstly, I’m not sure where that extra million of cap space comes this season but, unless Pesce is re-signing at close to his current cap hit (which he isn’t), it likely creates another hole for next season, takes away a massive value contract (one of the few left) for the next few years, etc.
LT, how do you feel about the D depth now after the additions of Gleason and Hoefenmayer? If I recall you were concerned about it leading up to free agency. It certainly appears to be a more skilled group with those two and Dineen added.
It’s better for sure and someone with experience is going to be able to mentor Max Wanner. I’m selfish and would want a stronger recall option to fight it out with Niemelainen and the rest but this group will give the Condors a chance in every game. Real depth isn’t something the Condors have enjoyed on defense for some time.
Yes, a higher end option on the farm would definitely be nice. At this point it seems like any one of the five could emerge as the top option, even if Niemalainen is in that seat right now. Hopefully the internal competition can drive the group to be better.
Niemo is clearly right near the top of the list but I’m not sure I see Cam Dineen in the Oilers lineup (unless the injuries are really piling up) – he is chaos in the defensive zone and, for me, kind of the opposite of what the Oilers likely need in their lineup.
I’m still pulling for Phil Kemp as, if he can skate and be mobile enough at the NHL level, he has a ton of positive attributes – a very smart defensive player with under-rated puck moving skill and all the intangibles those that love intangibles could want.
If I’m not mistaken, I think Gleason is the more experience d-man but I do like what I’ve heard about Hoefenmayer as a dark-horse – he seems versatile and something about 6 fights in the AHL last year, as as 2-way guy, that shows something.
As far a signing a d-man for $775K – he would start in the AHL, right? I mean, are we signing a league min guy to send Broberg to the AHL? I hope not.
Does Raphael Lavoie’s “controversial” contract make him LESS LIKELY to be claimed on waivers?
100%, though also MOAR LIKELY to be placed on waivers.
All he has to do to make the team is beat out Holloway. And really they might not be that far apart.
I suppose. I’d think Holloway has a leg up in that competition for a number of reasons. And there are lots of other scenarios where that $100k would make it more difficult to include Lavoie on the roster.
I don’t agree with that.
Contracts aside, I think he’s likely penciled in as 12F with Pederson at 13F – but that’s a competition.
In order to make the team, they need to fit his cap hit in and there is a chance that $100K over league min becomes a factor.
If Lavoie pushes Holloway out of the top 9 it saves Edmonton cap space, because they would likely start him in Bakersfield. Lavoie has proven more in the ahl, and is not that different in draft pedigree. If Holloway doesn’t blow the doors off it would be best for the team if they sent him down.
I don’t think I can agree that Lavoie has proven more in the AHL.
From watching the game, Holloway is by far the more impactful player on a shift to shift basis – his speed, tenacious aggresiveness and motor are impossible to ignore and he has produced just as much (rates) at a younger age.
Not to mention, he’s been used on the PK and at center – neither of which Lavoie has.
Sure, if Lavoie beats out Holloway, I just don’t see it likely at all.
Also, Holloway needs to be on the opening night roster so they don’t have to account for his performance bonuses in his cap hit.
Only for teams bumping up to the cap.
Since the waivers claim procedure is designed to benefit weaker teams, many would have the room and the need,
There are no more teams trying to reach the cap floor, unless you think Verbeek can re-sign Zegras, Terry and Drysdale for under $7M.
For sure a lot of teams would have no issue with the extra $100k though.
I would be curious to seen an analysis of teams that would have the need to claim Lavoie and keep them on their NHL roster over an internal prospect they would cut (and likely expose to waivers).
Less likely – marginally.
If he’s cut again in October and exposed to waivers – he likely clears.
I don’t know if it’s been said about Lavoie but I think he signed his Qualifying Offer because it was his last day to do so on July 15th. I suspect the team didn’t make him an offer as they either don’t have him penciled in to make the team or they wanted to know exactly how much McLeod and Bouchard would make before signing him to a very specific number (just like McLeod’s $798,000 last year). If he hadn’t signed, he’d have no negotiating power and have to accept anything the team put in front of him or play in Europe.
https://puckpedia.com/salary-cap/restricted-free-agents-rfa-qualifying-offers
I think it’s highly unlikely the Oilers didn’t offer Lavoie any contract other than his QO.
The Oilers re-signed all of Kemp, Dineen and Rodrigue in the last month to league minimum NHL contracts with higher than minimum AHL salaries (Rodrigue just barely).
I suspect Lavoie was offered something similar but he and his agent chose to sign the QO instead.
I suspect there were talks between the two sides and the team was likely trying to get him to sign a $775K NHL salary with a higher AHL salary (or higher guaranteed total comp).
I think he signed it, the day before it expired as that extra $100K of NHL salary would no longer be on the table
I sort of like the fact that we are in a situation where we have multiple d that can play their off side at least reasonably well. Without even thinking about slotting them into sides on a team sheet to start a game, the fact there are multiple injury coverage options is pretty sweet.
Iirc Kulak has played a decent amount on the right. I am partial to starting the season with:
Nurse Ceci
Ekholm Bouch
Broberg Kulak
Orbison’s Blue Bayou, or Ronstadt’s Blue Bayou?
I suspect there are no wrong answers here, honestly.
For me its Ronstadt. Those high notes are incredible.
Love them both. I heard Roy’s version as a child, so it has special memories. Ronstadt’s version might be the best song she ever recorded. Fantastic.