2023-24 Game 67: Sabres at Oilers

When I think of the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres, I think of Miro Satan. Many folks blame scouts, but the draft and development process also includes coaches, and looking past flaws and defensive issues is a big part of allowing young skill to breathe. Today, I’m going to blow your mind with a story about a man who knew what a player was, and moved heaven and earth to get him. You will not believe your eyes!!

THE ATHLETIC!

• Lowetide: If Oilers’ Philip Broberg is next man up, he needs NHL games soon
• DNB: How Adam Henrique is slowly becoming a key player for the Edmonton Oilers
• Lowetide: Why Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl is delivering on a new line
• Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers’ potential playoff recalls an impressive group
• Lowetide: Why Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner is a key to the postseason
• DNB: Oilers’ Connor Brown finally scores first of the season: ‘I never was just OK with not scoring’
• Lowetide: What to expect from Oilers’ 2024 NHL Draft without a first-round pick
• DNB: Edmonton Oilers notebook: Adam Henrique’s family adjustment, Connor McDavid’s motivation
• Lowetide: What will Adam Henrique bring to the Oilers down the stretch?
• DNB: Why the Oilers’ old-turned-new second line should be here to stay
• Lowetide: Where can the Edmonton Oilers improve their draft strategy in 2024?
• Lowetide: Edmonton Oilers top 20 prospects ranking, winter 2023

WHAT TO EXPECT IN MARCH

• On the road to: SEA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
• At home to: PIT (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
• On the road to: BOS, CBJ, BUF, PIT (Expected 2-1-1) (Actual 2-1-1)
• At home to: WAS, COL, MON, BUF (Expected 2-1-1) (Actual 2-0-1)
• On the road to: TOR, OTT, WPG (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
• At home to: LAK, ANA (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
• Overall expected result: 8-5-2, 18 points in 15 games
• Actual March results: 6-1-2, 14 points in nine games
• Oilers in 2023-24: 41-21-4, 86 points in 66 games

Edmonton could get to 100 points by Game 75, it would mean finishing the month 3-1-0 and then getting four wins in the first five April games. Tall order, but something like it would be necessary to win the division. I remember a time when winning the regular season had big value in some organizations (Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers specifically). Now, the story.

FINDING PLAYERS

On March 3, 1968 the Toronto Maple Leafs signed a young forward to a five-game tryout. Rene Robert had been playing in the QJAHL for the Three Rivers Maple Leafs. Punch Imlach, the Leafs general maanger at the time, sent Robert to the Tulsa Oilers of the CPHL, a league filled with young and talented NHL hopefuls. He had a couple of assists in three games.

Robert would play the 1968-69 season in Tulsa, scoring 21 goals and 51 points in 59 games. He made an impression. On April 6, 1969 Toronto fired Imlach, and one month later sent Robert and defenseman Brad Selwood to the Vancouver Canucks (of the old WHL) for Ron Ward. Selwood would play in the NHL and WHA, Ward was a star in the WHA, and Robert was destined for an impact career in the world’s best league.

The Maple Leafs purchased Robert and Selwood from the WHL Canucks on May 15, 1970. The NHL Canucks were arriving that summer, along with the Buffalo Sabres. The general manager in Buffalo was a man rumoured to be taking over in Oakland and in Vancouver.

Punch Imlach. Imlach knew Robert from the TML, and acquired him, lost him, acq–anyway, here’s what happened.

• June 8, 1971: Buffalo selects Robert in the Intra-League draft from Toronto.
• June 8, 1971: Pittsburgh selects Robert in the Intra-League draft from Buffalo.
• March 4, 1972: Buffalo acquires Robert from Pittsburgh for Eddie Shack.

For some reason Imlach drafted Robert but didn’t place him on the roster (requiring a drop), or more accurately, acquired him, put him on the roster, and then took him off the roster at the same intra-league draft. Penguins grabbed him and it cost Shack a year later.

Robert would eventually find his way back to Toronto, on January 30, 1981. The general manager for TML? Punch Imlach.

FINDING PLAYERS

Ken Holland built his career on identifying talent. Long before he became Detroit’s general manager, he was helping stock the organization’s talent pool as a scout. When he arrived in Edmonton, the word “Broberg” in the collective social bubble surrounding the team rose sharply. Holland talked about him long before the draft and the organization did in fact choose the big Swedish blue. Since then, Broberg has developed, added to his injury history and played well enough to land in the NHL as a third-pairing regular (as shown in the article above).

In the time since Broberg was drafted, Holland signed Darnell Nurse to a long contract, acquired Brett Kulak and then completed the set on LH defense by trading for Mattias Ekholm at last year’s deadline. He couldn’t have done a better job if he tried! Now, Holland was doing his job, trying to win Stanley.

The man who replaces Holland will want to build the team in his own image. The new man is also going to be looking down the barrel of some stark cap realities. I think Broberg might be traded, but if he is, expect a similar player in return. Someone under control and with an NHL future.

FINDING PLAYERS

Max Wanner had another top flight game last night. He scored a dandy goal to open the proceeding and played a rugged game throughout. He’s really coming on now, as these splits reveal:

• Games 1-19: 19 games, 1-1-2 (.11); 11-15 EV GF-GA (42 pct)
• Games 20-38: 19 games, 2-3-5 (.26); 12-13 EV GF-GA (48 pct)
• Games 21-59: 21 games, 2-6-8 (.38); 18-5 EV GF-GA (78 pct)
• Overall: 59 games, 5-10-15 (.25); 41-33 EV GF-GA (55 pct)

Wanner is going to eat someone’s lunch and grab an NHL job in the not too distant future. Holy crap! And you know what? He looks the part. Calm feet, snarl, fast train, strong as an ox. Holy hell this guy has passed all the other pupils in 60 AHL games.

When people say the Oilers scouting staff sucks, they are wrong. What they should be saying is that the Oilers scouting staff is underused because of traded picks.

All of this say the following: Not playing Broberg and trading picks in the name of finding the Great Northwest Stanley is justifiable. It’s the right thing to do. In the words of Warren Zevon, I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Find Stanley.

A busy Thursday as we preview the Oilers-Sabres and talk March Madness on the Lowdown, noon to 2 on Sports 1440. We’ll talk to Bagged Milk from Oilers Nation and get the latest on the Buffalo side as well. You can reach me at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section or on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly.