A few weeks ago, I suggested the Oilers might be better off acquiring a center (preferably RH) as it would give them more options. With word the coaching staff has (once again) partnered Leon Draisaitl with Connor McDavid on the No. 1 line, it’s once more to the woodshed for an idea many of you don’t like at all. Acquiring a center who could play wing represents overloading the roster with pivots and forcing two of them to the wing. I’m not married to the idea of a center, but would prefer a two-way forward who could cash at five-on-five and play both special teams.
THE ATHLETIC!
- Lowetide: Where can the Edmonton Oilers improve their draft strategy in 2024?
- Lowetide: What are the Edmonton Oilers’ 5 biggest trade deadlines ever?
- DNB: Philip Broberg is showing his promise: Will NHL opportunity come with the Oilers or elsewhere?
- Lowetide: Breaking down the Oilers’ 50-man list at the trade deadline
- DNB: Oilers trade deadline notebook: Potential chips, fits — and will Edmonton acquire a goalie?
- Lowetide: What’s Oilers prospect defenceman Max Wanner’s NHL ETA?
- DNB: Kris Knoblauch’s lineup decisions just pan out as Oilers get back to winning ways
- Lowetide: Oilers’ right wing makeover nearing completion after years of tinkering
- DNB: Jack Campbell is regaining confidence in the minors, but an Oilers return doesn’t appear imminent
- Lowetide: The Oilers’ winning streak is over but they’re finally a 5-on-5 wagon
- DNB: Oilers come up 1 game short of NHL win-streak record. What went wrong?
- Lowetide: 7 reasons the Oilers should be all-in at the NHL trade deadline
- Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers top 20 prospects ranking, winter 2023
WHAT TO EXPECT IN FEBRUARY
- On the road to: VEG, ANA, LAK (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 1-2-0)
- At home to: DET (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: STL, DAL, ARI (Expected 1-1-1) (Actual 0-1-0)
- At home to: BOS, MIN, CAL, LAK, STL (Expected 3-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 7-4-1, 15 points in 12 games
- Actual February results: 2-3-0, 4 points in 5 games
- Oilers in 2023-24: 31-18-1, 63 points in 50 games
I have the Oilers going 1-1-1 on this road trip, that suggests an OT loss in this afternoon’s game. The Stars are a strong, deep team with mobile defensemen and a quality goaltender. Three lines can score and all four can outscore.
DALLAS FORWARDS
- Jason Robertson (2.39); Roope Hintz (2.73); Joe Pavelski (2.13)
- Mason Marchment (2.75); Matt Duchene (2.78); Tyler Seguin (3.00)
- Jamie Benn (1.44); Wyatt Johnston (1.99); Ty Dellandrea (1.64)
- Sam Steel (1.56); Radek Faksa (0.88); Craig Smuth (1.23)
EDMONTON FORWARDS
- Leon Draisaitl (2.49); Connor McDavid (3.3): Corey Perry (1.6)
- Evander Kane (1.85): Nuge (2.07): Zach Hyman (2.61)
- Dylan Holloway (0.94): Ryan McLeod (1.66): Warren Foegele (2.40)
- Mattias Janmark (0.92): Derek Ryan (0.84); Connor Brown (0.51)
Edmonton has the edge on the No. 1 line, but for me Dallas runs the table after the headliner. The Oilers don’t have anyone who can push the river on the second line, all three men are top flight complementary contributors. The third line has Warren Foegele as the top offensive performer, but he too is a complementary winger. The Oilers fourth line isn’t strong at this time.
Foegele is the most interesting of the group of contributing forwards. His individual points percentage has spiked in each of the last two seasons, owing in whole or in part to playing with the elite centers. I’m not sure what we can conclude during the regular season, although ‘don’t overpay this summer’ would be a most reasonable takeaway.
Zach Hyman is so effective with McDavid. At five-on-five, the two men have played over 1800 minutes together, Hyman scoring 36-39-75 (2.48 pts-60, 1.19 goals-60). The two men own a 62 percent goal share (125-77) when on the ice together in the game state. Without McDavid, Hyman delivers .91 goals-60, 2.00 pts-60 and a goal share of 42 percent (57-78). So, expect goals at both ends of the ice.
DALLAS DEFENSE
- Thomas Harley-Miro Heiskanen 205 minutes, 65 percent goal share
- Esa Lindell-Jani Hakanpää 549 minutes, 50 percent goal share
- Ryan Suter-Nils Lundkvist 191 minutes, 75 percent goal share
EDMONTON DEFENSE
- Mattias Ekholm-Evan Bouchard 730 minutes, 57 percent goal share
- Darnell Nurse-Cody Ceci 705 minutes, 55 percent goal share
- Brett Kulak-Vincent Desharnais 488 minutes, 53 percent goal share
Both teams ice strong defensive tandems and frankly I think a coach would be willing to go to war with either set. Puck IQ has every Dallas defenseman over 50 percent DFF percentage against elites this season. It might surprise you to know that all six Oilers regulars are also above 50 percent DFF percentage versus elites this season.
TRACERS: OILERS-STARS GAME DAY THREAD FEBRUARY 22, 2008
Mike Modano is a true blue outscorer who can do the heavy lifting and still hammer on a drum until closing time. He was once a scrawny ragamuffin from the USA come to play hockey in the Hinterland (Prince Albert) but that experience and a few more along the way turned him into a man on the ice and he proceeded to kick Oiler ass rolling out over a decade.
I’ve always enjoyed him as a player, he’s a thinking man’s center. He was also the victim of the nadir of the NHL’s off-ice medical history (Modano was injured badly enough to be placed on a stretcher, which medical staff proceeded to DROP and watch fall on its side!) and has had a Hall of Fame career by any measure.
If Modano’s playing tonight, I imagine he’ll do something to end the Oilers. Mike Ribiero might lead this team in points, but I’d still take Modano pushing 40 over that guy.
As for the Oilers, Ladislav Smid suffered a Moreau in practice yesterday which means Mathieu Roy draws in and Dwayne Roloson has requested a trade which should mean he plays tonight since a team interested in dealing for him (if there is one) might want to see him in action.
I’ll look forward to watching the kids up front and Pitkanen is always interesting. Ales Hemsky needs a rest.
Vegas and Vancouver lose tonight, so the Oilers make up some ground in the standings
Would Vinny plus pick get something done for Tanev? They are both UFA at season’s end I think someone is going to force us to overpay Vinny. Might trade him while his asset value is high and Tanev would effectively upgrade both the #2 and #3 RHD (Tanev better than Ceci and Ceci better than Vinny).
Generally non-playoff teams selling their UFAs are not looking to get pending UFAs back.
If Vinny was smart, he’d take a 3 year, $1.5MM deal from Oilers management.
That isn’t smart at all. Desharnais’ next contract will be more than $1.5M AAV. I do agree three years is probable.
Maybe but he’s a clear 3RD/PK guy – the Oilers can’t, and shouldn’t, pay more for that guy. He may get more, just like Kostin was able to get more, but the grass is not always greener, right?
Agreed, the Oil shouldn’t be paying that much for the 3rd pair D.
Summarizing!
Shane, Son of Scott L.
Was moved up to first left wing
Scored a couple goals
Määttä of Vermont
Had a power play helper
Points in 3 of 4
Nathan Day of Flint
Ran the gate instead tonight
Backup was first star
L. Münzenberger
Is from the land of chocolate
But did not earn soup
The same fate befell
Mazura and M Copponi
And Brady Stonehouse
Prospecting resumes
Presidents’ or Fam’ly Day
When I am stateside
Sounds like LaChance was moved up to the first line (had been previously moved down to the fourth, but kept his PP spot) and scored twice today – Curlock says he’s a Pat Maroon clone with a better shot!
That would mean Lachance is only 8 years away from scoring 28 goals on McDavid’s wing.
No Broberg tonight – had a feeling after listening to Chaulk on Monday that it would be longer than just the two mid-week games.
On the pre-game show, Stauffer made it sound like it could be another week or so on Broberg.
That NBA digital LED court is really impressive. It’s not the parkay at the old Boston Garden, but what is
Never really liked the parquet floor, but I see the appeal. The Magic sported one too.
Now give me Memphis. The two tone stain job, rather than painting the key. Guess that might give you a clue as to what I think about painting wood. I digress. The LED court is very cool.
Not Oiler’s related – I have the Leaf’s game on in background while I work on a research paper … Matthews is up to 46 goals. Anaheim is just getting pumped on the PK.
Cripes 47 goals now. Anaheim should just concede the game
Crazy but there seems to be a lot of these lopsided games lately.
Every Matthews goal means another Matthews article. Blah.
Let’s not lose sight of just how good Darnell Nurse was this afternoon. So plays broken up with his stick – unreal.
He’s been much better this year by picking his spots with that defensive play whereas I think last year he starfishes and gets walked.
CapFriendly.com Armchair-GM User-Generated Roster
FORWARDS (12)
Right Wing: Zach Hyman ($5,500,000) – Travis Konecny ($4,000,000) – Corey Perry ($775,000) – Kevin Labanc ($1,181,250)
Centre: Connor McDavid ($12,500,000) – Leon Draisaitl ($8,500,000) – Ryan McLeod ($2,100,000) – Nic Dowd ($650,000)
Left Wing: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins ($5,125,000) – Evander Kane ($5,125,000) – Dylan Holloway ($925,000) – Brandon Duhaime ($550,000)
DEFENSE (6)
Right: Christopher Tanev ($2,250,000) – Evan Bouchard ($3,900,000) – Vincent Desharnais ($762,500)
Left: Darnell Nurse ($9,250,000) – Mattias Ekholm ($6,000,000) – Nick Seeler ($775,000)
GOALTENDER (2)
Stuart Skinner ($2,600,000) – Calvin Pickard ($762,500)
BURIED (1)
Jack Campbell ($3,850,000)
BUYOUTS (1)
James Neal ($1,916,667)
DETAILS
Roster Size: 23
Salary Cap: $83,500,000
Bonus Overages: $850,000
Cap Hit: $82,129,167
Cap Space: $1,370,833
———————————————
Trades:
1 – To EDM:Brandon Duhaime ($550K retained)
To MIN: Cam Dineen
2024 5th round pick (EDM)
2025 6th round pick (EDM)
2 – To EDM: Travis Kocecny ($1,500,000 retained)
Nick Seeler
Wade Allison
To PHI: Xavier Bourgault
Warren Foegele
Brent Kulak
2024 1st round pick (EDM)
2025 1st round pick (EDM)
3 – To EDM:
Jaycob Megna ($381K retained)
To CHI: Sam Gagner
2025 5th round pick (EDM)
4 – To EDM:
Kevin Labanc(50% retained)
2024 2nd round pick (NJD)
2025 7th round pick (WSH)
Additional Details:
This is 3-way trade, with 2 4th rounders going to Anaheim for 50% retention
To SJS: Cody Ceci
2025 4th round pick (EDM)
5 – To EDM:
Nic Dowd ($650K retained)
Cam Allen [Reserve List]
To WSH: Connor Brown
James Hamblin
Markus Niemelainen
2024 2nd round pick (NJD)
2026 3rd round pick (EDM)
To EDM: Chris Tanev (50% retained)
To CGY: Noel Hoefenmeyer
2024 2nd round pick (EDM)
2025 3rd round pick (EDM)
I think a 2RW, a 4RC and a top 4 RHD are the keys, along with PK improvements. These additions are all battlers who win most 50/50 battles.
Labanc is a wildcard, but perhaps this is the boost he needs to recapture his game, SJ will bend over backwards to move him, I’d think. He will score, unlike Brown.
Ladies and germs our new GM!
You should be a GM, Must have a huge brain cramp after all of that
Dubas had the wildest trade deadline in recent memory, last season.
He picked up ROR, McCabe, Lafferty, and Acciari.
It didn’t ultimately work out for the Leafs, but it was a wild series of transactions.
I would think the number of trades. plus salary retention that Dubas pulled off would be the upper limit of what’s actually possible
Also, here’s a good summary of the cost of retained salary.
I read that on Friday.
Who knows what happens, but I think LT is correct a C, preferably RHC and to me, Dowd moves the needle by a lot. I recorded & then watched his game tonight. He plays a 200’ game, plays the right way and moves well. He contributes offense (1G 1 a tonight) and gets mostly DZone starts. He played 1:40 of the last 2:00 of the game and took all the draws in that span (there were 4). There were 2 GA on his watch, but neither were on him. He has 1 year left after this season.
As for RW, who knows who is actually available, TK would be the best of the bunch that we’ve heard about. He plays in all situations and is trending to a 40 goal season. He has 1 year left after this season.
Tanev has been talked about in these parts for the last 5 years. Long in the tooth, oft-injured, but he’d be a great add.
We need depth D and we need more grit and offense from the 4th line.
Great to get the win. The commitment to structure was so much better than the past handful of games, not perfect but much better.
Man. That was a gutsy character win against a good team. Not perfect but they gave themselves a chance late in the game to make a play and win it.
Bouchard. Goodness it’s nice to have a first-shot scorer. What a release on the motherpucker.
GIVE
HIM
THE
BISCUIT
ON
THE
PP!!!!
Yes, if they force teams to defend him the whole shemole opens up
SHOOTERZ MENTALITY
Does this win signal the stabilization of the listing ship? (PK notwithstanding)
Hard to win with a PK below 50%. Absolutely need to get that back on track.
I’ve been watching g the Oilers since the 80’s and, let me tell you, first shot scoring defenders are a rare commodity! I will not take this for granted, this time, I swear. Gonna enjoy every game I get to watch Bouch rip home goals, make sweet passes and occasionally make great defensive plays.
Hes a beauty.
That’s the kinda effort I want to see, defensively, for here to the playoffs.
Goals are gonna come. If we can go back to rhe model of the 16 game run, we’ll be golden.
That fake shot toe drag is just so……exquisite! Chef kiss
He is one of the D best in the bigs at it.
Bouchard is the smoothest D I’ve seen since Visnovski…and I think he’s a great deal better. Honestly, I’ve been watching this team since they were an NHL team…I’m struggling to find the comparison. He’s not Coffey…nobody ever will be…but he’s incredibly adept at reading the ice…he’s got Souray’s shot and accuracy, but his passing is so, so, so much better…fun to watch what he becomes. I think he has the potential to be the most impactful dman since Pronger, and I’ll stand by that hot take.
He’s Larry Murphy.
Flames losing 4-0 to Detroit. If the Flames lose, will this be Tanev’s last game?
I expect the Flames will keep trotting him out there until he gets injured
Oilers, with their backup goalie, beat the Stanley Cup contender Stars on their ice during an afternoon game.
I look forward to reading how much the Oilers are lucky and didn’t deserve to win.
But seriously, what did every other team in the NHL do today that was better than Edmonton. Tune in to find out!…Or better yet, wait until the next loss, because there is very little chance that the person we’re thinking has the courage to show up. He’s probably on another message board railing against traffic circles, crop circles, or just circles in general, because god knows, those circle teams don’t have the chops to win against squares. Or octagons. Basically any angles, really. Or curves…or small circles, just not the circle that we’re cheering for, because every other shape is better for some random reason.
McDavid’s celebration was so good
Beat the best team in the central
In their barn
In the afternoon
With our backup
…not a particularly perfect effort but should get some mojo back. Huge win.
Not a perfect performance but much more commitment to the structure.
In the first and third. Wobbly second. Gotta find a way to stop taking periods off, on the structure play. We do that and we’ll legit have a cup challenging team.
Good game Oilers.
When they want it, they as good or better than anyone. As presently constructed.
I thought there was little gain in playing Leon and Connor together. (Perry did work netfront) but No real advantage emerged.
— My four year old.
Pretty much sums it up.
Ridiculous Bouchard
BOUCHIE OT!!!!!!!!!!
BOOM!!! Bouch Schnipe for the win!!!
Oh Evan Bouchard you beauty!
Godot is your biggest, bestest fan!
Most honest fan.
Wooo hooo!!! Great to get that extra point against a strong team!
Super squeaky-clean OT.
Bouch has that shooter’s mentality.
No question.
Of late.
A WONDERFUL game by Evan Bouchard!
OK PP lets score a goal!!!!!!!
Thank you Bouch!!!
Ryan Holt
@CondorsHolty
·
26m
Grubbe and Petrov are injured. Depth tested tonight as Berglund plays just his fourth game of year with Bakersfield and just Wright’s fourth game in last 18.
—————-
Bourgault moves up to play with….. Wright and McKegg…..
That’s the kind of defensive effort we needed to see from the start.
Drai wins the draw. Connor sets up a Bouch bomb and Drai taps in the rebound.
I’ll take that point and some OT.
Very solid team performance.
Especially after losing special teams battle.
Well that didn’t age well!!!
2-2 goals on special teams although only 1 PPG….
Fun game.
The ice looks really really really bad.The puck is a grenade on stick.
Good pressure by Foegle line
I wish Kane would consider keeping the puck and cycling it instead of some of the weak easy shots he takes that directly result in opponents getting possession. There’s more than him doing this, but he does it every damn time.
Weak play by Drai and weaker call on the icing….
The Dallas announcers are pretty decent.
The play-by-play guy is pretty decent, has strong descriptions and a nice cadence, but the colour commentary is vanilla at best (and uninformed/inaccurate at worst).
Ekholm got away with a trip there.
Brown out with McD and Drai with six left in a tied game against Dallas is such a middle finger hahahahaha
I was feeling attacked lol
KK was sheltering him on a line with his two top forwards.
I personally love the quadrupling down.
i get the rationale but sometimes historically bad is in fact historically bad.
I was enjoying the McDP line.
Talk about doubling down.
Vinny struggling big time including on the PK, big time.
Its time for Philip Broberg to get some NHL games (in a 6D format) – when he’s back from his deep bruise (could be this weekend).
Agree it’s time.
can’t see it unless there’s an injury.
Interesting that Dallas playing 5 left shot D. Doesn’t seem to be hurting the Stars.
Low-percentage pass from Nurse. . . intercepted.
A tax-adjusted-cap equalization would be a good idea for the NHL in my opinion. Enforcing all teams to compete under a salary-limit cap, creates a competitive advantage for states with no/little income tax. Roughly speaking their competitors need to offer 5.5M to match their 5M offer. In a cap world that’s a significant advantage.
I gave thumbs up, but there are some difficulties inherent in that argument.
On the other hand, how do you equalize living in Canada while being paid in USD?
Property taxes in Edmonton vs Seattle or NYC?
Weather? Amenities/lifestyle?
There’s only so much you can equalize. Where does it end?
Montreal has it the worst with highest income tax in Canada. Playing field definitely not equal.
But they get to live, and play NHL hockey, in Montréal.
American teams have more advantages than that for sure, but I don’t think you can adjust for lifestyle benefits. The cap however is a league-imposed measure to create equality. That’s a pretty egregious disparity when we are talking about 15% on an 84 million cap.
Are you saying “because they can’t make it completely fair, they shouldn’t make an obvious move to make it more fair”
cause surely you have never had kids.
or dealt with anyone who wants an improvement of any kind.
For example, Alberta players have a 15% rate on every dollar above 300kish. without adjusting for the first 300k reduced rate, an 84 million cap would put the Oilers at a 12.6M spending disadvantage as compared to the Stars.
Yeah but you’re ignoring the delta in such factors as:
It’s not a linear relationship.
I don’t disagree that teams such as NSH/TBY/FLA/DAL have an advantage not enjoyed by other teams, but you can’t level the playing field for everything.
Add that they pay tax in the jurisdiction they play in. So 41 at home tax rates
I’m not suggesting levelling the playing field on everything. You’re the one discussing that.
My point is the cap, inherently creates a league-imposed advantage for teams like Dallas. They have 12.6M more in effective-spending-power vs their competitors. That disparity is created and enforced by the cap itself. I think an adjusted cap to account for effective spending power, would be a step in the right direction.
I’m not talking about lifestyle/geography based benefits whatsoever. That would be a pretty unrealistic endeavour and kinda silly.
Perhaps I didn’t state my case clearly enough.
I think the cap was instituted in order to create an upper limit on absolute spending. So we didn’t have the super teams of the 90s, where Dallas (*spits) had 2x+ the payroll we did, and then teams like the NYR or DET had even more than they did.
That was successfully achieved.
My position is, if you want to get into the weeds like nominal state tax rates, which only count for about 50% of the games, then you’re opening Pandora’s Box with regards to other equity disputes. The old slippery slope argument, if you will. State income taxes. Property taxes. USD pay in a CAD market. Average home prices. Fuel cost. Utility costs. Eventually some kind of cost on climate. Who’s to say where it ends.
If you consider a lot of the above, it actually costs MORE to live in Dallas than Edmonton. This site is far from an absolute calculus, but it’s a viable reference for those who are mobile in their endeavours.
https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/comparison/edmonton/dallas
I recognize all of that. You’re not understanding my point. The disparity on the cap, is created by the league. They are enforcing a measure that creates a competitive advantage.
Yes players have to consider other things, that’s superfluous to the fact that the NHL are enforcing a measure that lets Dallas pay players 15% more take home money than Edmonton.
Specifically in terms of Dallas, the sales tax is 8.2% and their property taxes are also higher (common throughout Texas). The Stars would of course want those taken into account in any adjustment.
So now the NHL is running a complex tax equalization program amongst their teams while they can’t even ref their games consistently.
Huh, this thread got me interested and I compared the federal tax brackets. USA actually has a top bracket of 37% instead of Canada at 33%. I was surprised by that, tbh. So that would further complicate this scenario.
Put another way:
consider choosing between two options
1) salary cap before tax
2) salary cap after tax
how on earth could anyone argue for option number one?
there are other inequalities, sure, but if you have to choose between options one and two to maximize fairness between teams, surely nobody will argue for number one.
come on.
My bruisin’ Vinny just punished two yutes.
what’s a yute?
The Italian accent pronunciation of ‘youths’. From My Cousin Vinny starring Joe Pesci.
lol I know, I was quoting the judge
A late 90’s era Oilers Forward if you were to ask Hatcher.
That 5 on 3 was brutal. Basically just McDavid and Draisaitl skating around the perimeter trying to pass it to each other.
Why in the hell didn’t Draisaitl put in on a tee for Bouchard? You’ll never get a better look than that.
Poor execution on the 5 on 3. Gave momentum to the Stars.
That was a loose period by both clubs, I imagine both coaching staffs are advising some tightened coverage. Oilers second periods are wild in the streets these days.
3-3 (all goals in the second)
22-17 Dallas shots (16-10 Dallas in the second)
==
Best player in the second, Corey Perry.
I feel bad for Brown
Not.
down goes brown
It’s too bad Knoblauch doesn’t have the freedom to press box Brown.
Well he had no option today as Holloway sick and they have no one else. This is one of the downsides of a capped out team using a short roster.
Brown could sit in Gagner’s healthy scratch spot every game. It’s Gagner that would be sitting today if Holloway wasn’t sick.
Yes of course he could, but not today……
Says who?
I bet it happens after this turd laid by Brown.
Its also happened previously, with this coach.
Lies.
Another sloppy end to the period leading to the Oilers takin another penalty.
Like the Blues game, too many penalties.
Over last two games I would say too many penalties given, I don’t think they were all earned.
It’s fair to say they’ve been in positions to take penalties a lot more frequently lattely. Whether it’s Drai getting burnt on that last shift or Vinny freaking out last game.
You don’t act that way if you’re in control of the game.
I don’t think any argument holds water in regard to reffing, as the pendulum contestant swings, you just can’t figure it out. I mean game management? The 8 penalties in a row.?
Brown’s stink mojo drags anyone on the ice with him down…