All of the verbal above came from the day after Edmonton tossed the Los Angeles Kings in 2023’s playoffs. The notes above appeared on this blog April 30, 2023.
After a game like the one we just saw from the Oilers in Vegas, I feel free to write just about any damn thing I want with regard to the Oilers.
I’ve decided to spend today’s GDT talking about Brett Kulak. He was an astute addition at the 2022 deadline and delivered since. The 2024-25 regular season was an outlier in five-on-five scoring. In the previous 2+ seasons, Kulak’s Oilers delivered a 52 percent (117-108) share of the total goals.
This past season, that number (53-68, 44 percent) was lowdown and trifling. He was 14-18 with Darnell Nurse, 9-12 with Evan Bouchard, 2-3 with Mattias Ekholm and 0-1 with Jake Walman.
Kulak’s least successful partnerships came with Ty Emberson (21-29, 42 percent) as Edmonton struggled with goaltending, injury, chaos and general malaise.
In this year’s playoffs, Kulak is 5-3 goals, 63 percent. He has played with Ty Emberson (43 minutes, 2-1 goals), Darnell Nurse (37 minutes, 0-1 goals) Evan Bouchard (36 minutes, 1-1 goals) and pretty much every other defender for at least a shift or two. His utility (I write about it here) allows the coaching staff to play him anywhere. There’s an old Yardbirds song called Overundersidewaysdown and that’s kind of Kulak in this spring’s playoffs. The Oilers are using him everywhere, and it’s rhyming. Music!
Bagged Milk will be our feature guest today on the Lowdown, we kickstart the day at noon on Sports 1440. Much to talk about with the Oilers, and we’ll have time to chat Leafs, Jets, Jays and more. I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. We can be heard at sports1440.ca; iHeartRadio, Radioplayer Canada, it’s available post-show on apple and spotify, and we tweet it out on X.
Just a quick word before I embark on the 6 hour drive to Kamloops. I have BC Hockey meetings this weekend and they just coincidentally are taking place at the same time and location as the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships. The NAHC has taken place annually since 2002 and features the best Indigenous players in the country from 14-17. I remember hosting it here (Prince George) in 2004. I was the Director of Game Operations. The highlight for me was meeting Alwyn Morris, who was the very first First Nations athlete to win an Olympic gold medal (Kayaking, 1984). Alwyn was my hero growing up and I got to spend the week with him. Amazing human being and one of the reason I spent/spend a great deal of my life involved in sports.
My daughter is super excited to go see the countries best U-18 Indigenous players play. She wants to play for Team BC one day, and representation is a big thing for her. Yeah, she sees her fat old dad out there with the oldtimers, but it’s another thing to see young ladies with a bright hockey future out there giving it their all. It counts and helps dreams grow.
As for the Oilers, Coach Garlic has done a wonderful job with the team and gotten them to the point where it feels like someone flicked the switch and this team is firing on all cylinders. You can never actually pin point the moment, because all of us have different ideas on when that happened, but you also know when things are going well, practices don’t seem long enough and the players just get it. Everything flows and you just ride it.
Finally, about the time the puck drops, I will be having the best Poutine West of Quebec at the Sugar Shack in 70 Mile House, BC. If you are driving Highway 97 North or South from Vancouver, stop in and see Robert. My daughter loves not only the poutine, but the chance to practice her French with Robert.
Go Oilers Go!
I always enjoy your posts, and hope you keep them up, and all the great work in hockey and beyond. I hope your daughter keeps those dreams alive and succeeds!
I will note however, that there were other Indigenous/First Nations athletes with Olympic Gold Medals prior to 1984.
Jim Thorpe for the U.S., Kenneth Moore for Canada. Many others represented both nations, and Mexico, too, of course. If only Tom Longboat had been able to get one in 1908! It’s unfortunate when prime athletes collapse or otherwise can’t compete in their competition. He implemented HIIT techniques 100 years before mainstream popularity.
A lot of untapped potential and representation to come.
True, I should have said Canadian. Jim Thorpe was insanely talented. Two Olympics golds, pro football, semi-pro baseball, member of three halls of fame, and was actually even a national championship ballroom dancer.
Tom Longboat did invent HIIT training, because he believed in rest days, while his racist handlers often chided him for being a “lazy indian”. A great book to read is, “Reclaiming Longboat”.
Have a great day!
Pieterangelo a “game time decision” and Dorofeyev out for tonight.
I’m not positive that Pieterangelo’s issue is illness.
Looking for his ax. If he can find it, he will play / chop.
Reports are same lines and pairs at morning skate.
This has to be the longest stretch of icing the same lineup all year, and I’m all for it. Don’t fix what ain’t broke!
I do see Frederic busting out and getting rewarded tonight he’s been improving every game. He has a real heavy shot and definitely changes our dynamic. I’m not a huge fan of adding rentals like we did with Bumstead. If we can sign Frederic who’s only 27 at a friendly fire contract this would be ideal. Frederic has the wheels-size-skill to platoon up and down the top 9. I really noticed him good in Boston and the moment we acquired him I thought Patty Maroon .2 I do think he resigns and will score 25 goals a season with virtually no PP time.
The Bjugstad acquisition was no different that that of Kulak, Henrique or Frederic – all pending UFAs.
Kulak and Henrique re-signed after BOTH going to market on July 1. Bjugstad did not and we’ll see what happens with Kulak.
Lol did not expect people to get that riled up over saying someone was kind of a dick in high school while acknowledging we’re all entitled to benefit of a doubt
It’s high school. We were all dicks in high school.
Exactly – which is why I don’t understand why people got triggered by such a nothing comment lol
Your comment concerning Kulak was pointless and sounded like you had some personal grudge from years ago, that you can’t let go.
LT’s blog deserves better and it seems like the majority of people felt the same way.
We’re here to talk Oilers hockey, arguing about players on ice play is standard.
What you did is cringe and pathetic.
Any news on whether Pietrangelo-Dorofeyev are suiting up tonight? Getting by Vegas as soon as possible may be key as Dallas will cakewalk the Jets. The return of Ekholm at some point would be quite a boost as we go through the grind of playoff hockey. I still see a Panther-Oilers rematch and in fact welcome it. The Leafs sure do look focused and Berube is underrated as a coach that gets the most from his group.
Bahahaha. This is the second round of the Stanley cup playoffs. NOBODY is getting cakewalked. The Dallas/Winnipeg game was extremely close and Winnipeg dominated for long stretches and imo Winnipeg only lost due to the second best special teams (surprising because they have the best PP in the league reg season). If they do get “cakewalked” they will take a pound of flesh along the way. Rantanen will come back to earth because no player can sustain that shooting percentage for very long. Have you looked recently and seen that the Panthers are down 2-0?
Agree, Dallas could of easily lost that game. I also think OTT outplayed Hellboy. (Friendly fire deflection for him and all)
The Jets are a great regular season team they bore teams to death. St.Louis should of won Winnipeg doesn’t seem to have any more gears left they are what they are. Oilers still have another gear to go once they start scoring the first goal they are going to bury teams. I keep saying it best forward group since the 80’s with a mobile D core that get them the puck. We don’t need no stinking PP just keep rolling 4 lines.
Now that this team has played together, the depth is insane in the forward group for sure. The jets are the jets and I agree they seem to be missing another notch and I think Dallas is better and will beat them but Dallas got away with one last night, imo. If Hellboy could be Hellboy reg season, the jets would of won last night and take the series too albeit not easily.
I would love to see Dallas ousted! lol
Pieterangelo is a game time decision and Dorofeyev is out.
Bold move Al, not using the leaves picture on a game day. We will see if it pays off….. 😬
Is Kulak the Oilers modern day version of Charlie Huddy?
Tho rock steady, I don’t remember Charlie having those wheels.
If an illness is truly going around the Vegas dressing room, then Oil have to take full advantage, particularly considering it may be communicable to our boys later. Even if Pietrangelo is back he’s likely not going to be at full capacity. They need that killer instinct – strike now for a 2-0 lead heading home!
Oilers flu… It’s catchy.
I’m not positive that its illness keeping him out but that’s based on nothing objective.
He’s a game time decision for tonight.
I’ve always like the Kulak signing, and he does always seem to play above the contract in the playoffs. However, I do wonder if he’s on the roster this fall. I suspect the Walman signing may have tipped managements hat to their plan moving forward. As we know depth is a thing, and if there’s a way I’d keep him at $2.75M next year.
If the Oilers can get a good start tonight after the first onslaught by the Knights. I think we may be talking about the siege of the walls of the castle by game 3. These Oilers are like the Trojan Horse of Troy, and we’ll see what comes out of the gates for battle tonight.
Hold the line men! Hold!
I really like Kulak as a player but I posted last summer that $2.75M for a good third pairing defenseman who can slide up/down the line-up is a luxury that, while valuable, the Oilers likely shouldn’t keep to forego matching at least one of the Broberg/Holloway offer sheets, and I thought they should’ve traded him to free up the $ to match one of the offer sheets.
I still feel the same way today, although Kulak’s done everything asked of him and then some. Given how well he’s played I’m not as frustrated/angry with the decision to keep him as I am with some of the other Summer 2024 moves, but I still stand by my position in terms of asset management. Cheering like hell for the player (and team) however.
I don’t think it’s a luxury. I think Kulak is worth every penny of his $2.75M.
Solid, reliable D-men are hard to find. Look at the contracts to guys like Damon Severson. Second-pairing guys go for $5-6M/yr on the open market.
I think Kulak has played like a second-pairing guy. Everybody plays better with Kulak, from young guys like Emberson to vets like Nurse.
Oh yeah to be clear I think he’s worth every penny and then some.
My point was just it’s a lot of cap to devote to a guy who plays mostly 3rd pairing minutes, although he’s played up and down the line up at times, and that for a team up against the cap like the Oilers were last summer, it was a material amount of $ to devote to that spot on the roster.
I do think with the cap going up there’s no reason to trade him this offseason, and I hope he stays with the team. No reason to trade him when he’s playing this well
Kulak averaged over 18 minutes at 5 on 5 this season and almost 2 minutes more than Walman.
He’s averaging over 20 minutes at 5 on 5 in the playoffs – 2nd among the D.
He was more than a 3rd pairing guy that could move up during the regular season and even more so during the playoff.
He’s not just good value for $2.75MM, he’s fantastic value.
The Oilers also have no d-men coming any time soon from within but a few forwards than likely are ready in Savoie and Philp and potentially Berezkin.
If they are looking to open up some cap, I don’t think its Kulak going but more in the Arvidsson/Henrique range – even with their trade protection.
I agree, more short term all in thinking that isn’t the only way and hollows organiztions. I think if Bowman had come in a year previously (I know it wasn’t possible) he would have traded Kulak and played Bro. Stan like boots and puck movers and Bro has size, not that he uses it much
It’s far smarter long term, and given neither are physical you are losing a bit of experience but gaining ceiling and Ekholm replacement. It would have allowed them to upgrade on the right side where Bro ended up. And it was needed right side as both Ceci and Des struggled in playoffs twice
I think Bro was gone once he knew a sheet was coming. There wasn’t enough time to fix that mess that Ken and Jeff made
Yep 100%. Although in terms of short-term/win-now moves, Kulak is far from being one of the moves I think has really set-back the team’s future.
It’s just that when the offer sheets hit, because of the situation JJ put Bowman in with all the NMCs, there wasn’t many contracts the team could’ve shifted out to match one of the sheets. Probably why Bowman did what he did, which, in fairness, might be enough to win a cup this year.
There was a conversation the other day where a poster argued that we should have hung on to Des (Not sure if Ceci was also in that conversation or not). But your opening picture of what was written in playoffs past outlines the issue perfectly. Getting passed like a house on the side of the road.
That is not happening with this group. They are not big and nasty. They are mobile and skilled.
Emberson hasn’t been playing mobile and skilled. LT wrote about that for the Athletic after my comment. He’s only playing about 8 min 5v5 and as PK specialist AND his analytics are not good.
Desharnais is better suited to that type of role because he’s a significantly better PK defender, as evidenced by his shot suppression metrics.
I would say that we have a fairly well rounded D corps. Not just one type.
How are Vinny’s analytics in the playoffs – the Oilers moved off him in the playoffs two years in a row despite his PK.
If Vinny would have signed back at $1.25MM, he’d likely be an Oiler.
His cap hit this season was over doubles that of Emberson and he would not provide double the value.
Every team needs shut down defenders. It would be nice if they can also move the puck, but finding players who can do everything is difficult. Desharnais and Ceci both excel at the cycle game and shut down style. Many “mobile” D do not. Everything is a trade off and relative to budget.
The PK with Ekholm, Desharnais, Nurse & Ceci wasn’t just good. It was all time great last season. That’s just a fact.
I would add that I don’t see the D corps as particularly good at preventing entries. But the mobility that you’re talking about has been good at zone exits. Particularly the additions of Klingberg and Walman have helped with exits, an area where Nurse and Emberson struggle, and Bouchard is the golden standard.
I think it’s more important to get the puck out of the D-zone quickly. Eventually you just get scored on defending in the D-zone.
You have to be able to get the puck before you can move it out though.
They seem to be able to retrieve the puck well in the O-zone. Why should the D-zone be any different?
Why are save percentages so high now. .920 used to be the number goaltenders aspire to. Now if you have .905 its respectable and .910 is stylin
…and I remember back in the 80’s a goalie’s goals against average is how they were judged, not so much on the save%
Plus no analytics either. How did we get by?😄
Players got the skill coaches goalies were 10 years ahead on. The average guy can hit a target players never used to, just like how mediocre goalies now make the greatest look ordinary.
Cat and mouse, pendulum has swung more to the players recently. Changes in rules have affected it too.
Save percentage is less a feature of the goalie and more a feature of the type of shots a team allows on a goalie. Generally, if a goalie sees a shot, they save it.
I’d say the reason is that goaltending across the league is shitzu.
Goalies have tighter equipment rules. Players have better sticks for velocity. Players can enter the crease and are better at avoiding contact with the goalies. Players have become better at tipping the pucks as we see a lot of goals from deflected shots. We also see way more friendly fire goals off of defenders sticks as they are taught to get their stick in on the shooter.
Tonight, might be the night to split up Connor & Leon and throw something completely different at them.
Na force Vegas figure out the current scheme first and win what you can and then pivot if Vegas finds some answers.
Connor Brown should take some shifts with the top line to give Perry a break now and then. It would be fun to watch
I prefer him coming outta nowhere.
Out of the blue, Brown came rushing in
Out of the sky, came the sun
Out of left field, came a scoring surge
Out of the blue, no more pain
Even if they split up Mcdavid and Drai I still want Brown on the 3rd line.
With Draisaitl? Because I don’t think it makes sense to split up the current 2nd line. Kane – Nuge – Hyman are 26-19 shots, 2-1 goals, 4-1 expected goals and 15-6 high danger chances in 45 minutes.
So if they do split the Glimmer Twins while keeping the 2nd line together, here are suggested lines that look great on paper:
Frederic – McDavid – Perry
Kane – Nuge – Hyman
Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Brown
Janmark – Henrique – Arvidsson
The major issue is, the 1st line hasn’t played a single shift together in the playoffs, while the 3rd and 4th lines have played 1 shift each. So that’s unlikely to happen. What do you suggest for splitting McDavid & Draisaitl?
Frederic-McDavid-Brown
Podz-Leon-Arvy
Kane-Nuge-Hyman
Janmark-Henrique-Perry
Would be fun.
Yeah I just want him doing his own thing, looking after his own portion of the game. Depth should strike from the deeps!
I’d like to see Podkolzin gets those shifts.
I also like Podz down the lineup, mainly because the top six right now looks locked in.
Loved that crushing body check in overtime. Loving the primary and secondary assists from the corners. He’s in a lane right now.
They do rotate the 3rd forward through that line.
Brown has seen 3 minutes
Frederic 3 minutes
Hyman 20 minutes
Perry 52 minutes
Kane has received a few shifts as well.
Prospectable!
The OHL final begins tonight ‘twixt London and Oshawa. It’s a rematch of last year’s final, won sweepwise by the Knights in dominant fashion, outscoring the Generals by a whopping 31-9. Oshawa might be a wee bit motivated this time around, led behind the bench by ex-Oiler Brad Malone.
O’Reilly gets to start another streak after his previous one of 20 came to an end in London’s clincher yesterweek. Nicholl meanwhile is riding a 1-game streak.
Elsewhere, with Memorial Cup host Rimouski winning Game 7 vs. Shawinigan earlier this week, Moncton earns a bye into the tourney as the QMJHL rep, thus half the field is set.
All the CHL championship games will be shown on TSN. Check local listings.
Puck drop in London is @ 5 p.m. Donatville time.
Pretty crazy that the London team which shall not be named has won 12 straight so far this postseason. Sweep, sweep, sweep. Never been done at the NHL level, the record winning streak is 11 games, which has been done 3 times (all in 1992 and 1993).
London’s starting goalie is Austin Elliott, who actually began the season with Saskatoon before being claimed on CHL waivers by Barrie. The Colts then promptly dealt him to London for two picks.
His regular season (S’toon/London) and playoffs combined? 47-1.
Currently a free agent, although he’s headed to UMass-Lowell next season.
Originally from Strathmore, AB. 6’2″, 185 lbs. Never drafted.
Playoff Kulak – it’s a thing.
One of MANY players on this roster that routinely up their game in the playoffs – and it’s huge.
Arvy, Podz and Janny were about 8-9 mi it’s each (5 on 5) and we’re all 6-0 or 7-0 shots.
Thats a huge impact from a fourth line.
I love to see them go at it. Like dogs on a bone, every one of them.
I wonder how Podz & Arvy would look on a second line with Leon. However, they do have a huge impact with Janmark on a fourth line. They seem to have found winger combos that work well together, Brown & Frederic, Kane & Hyman, Podz & Arvy and of course Leon & Perry.
like to see the four centers Connor, Leon, Nuge & Rico running their own lines. Janmark has worked well as a 4c, but he really isn’t a center. Not that they need to change anything up, in fact why mess with a winning line up. It’s nice to have the options just when Vegas might think they’ve figured things out.
If the Oilers play four series this spring, there will certainly be changes from what they are currently running but game 5 LA and game 1 Vegas were absolutely dominant team performances with the current deployment.
Its up to Vegas to adjust in a manner that would force the Oilers to counter adjust.
Last game showed just how dominant the Oilers can be and it showed they can create a floor on Vegas that didn’t think was available.
At the same time, that game is over and, while the gameplan is clear and available, there is unlikely to be carryover.
The Oilers can certainly do it but it’s hard to sustain that level of effectiveness over and over. The Knights will make adjustments, I’m sure, and I don’t think we’ll see that floor for them.
Fully confident the Oilers can win again tonight but this game can play out so many ways.
It’s a beautiful morning.
Not Oilers related, but Quenneville to be hired by Anaheim according to Dreger this AM.
Sounded like Woodcroft and Tocchet were final candidates as well.
Been a few openings now that Woody was a finalist/in consideration. I do hope he gets a chance again somewhere. Like to see Dave Manson behind a bench again as well.
Glad to see a team I don’t like take Quenneville. That makes it even easier to hate the Ducks & glad he was taken away as a even passing consideration for the Oil.
Woodcrodt deserves another shot somewhere & it’s crazy he is being passed over. Same with Todd Nelson.
He’s taking over the Ducks at a very opportune time.
After years in the wilderness, they are absolutely stacked with high end prospects and young players.
The D pool is ridiculous:
Jackson LaComb – 24 – 6’2″ 205
Drew Hellison – 24 – 6’3″ 215
Tyson Hinds – 22 – 6’3″ 190
Pavel Mintyukov – 21 – 6’1″ 201
Tristan Luneau – 21 – 6’1″ 195
Olen Zellweger – 21 – 5’10” 190
Stian Solberg – 19 – 6’2 205 – 1st round pick 2024
They have Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas to babysit the youngsters for another season while the group matures.
Dostal seems legit as a 1G and they might finally find a home for Gibson and his $6.4 million cap hit.
They go into the offseason with more than $38 million in cap space and will likely be active in signing, trading for or offer sheeting some impact forwards and they have many draft picks they can use to do so.
Could pop next season.
Fairly likely that not all of their young players will develop the same way Lacombe has, and most will come far short of their projected ceilings – that’s just the nature of prospects. And if Nashville proved anything last season, you can’t go out and buy a playoff team in free agency.
I think they’ll be better for sure, but I still think they’re a ways away – fighting for a wildcard spot down the stretch would be a big step forward for them.
With that kind of prospect volume, they don’t all have to reach their potential ceilings.
Exceptions like Nashville don’t make the rule.
Anaheim also has a brace of young forwards who are also on their way.
Mason McTavish – 21 – 22G 52P 3rd overall pick 2022 draft – 6’1 220
Cutter Gauthier – 21 – 20G 44P 5th overall pick 2022 draft – 6’2″ 201
Leo Carlsson – 20 – 20G 45P 2nd overall pick 2023 draft – 6’3″ 203
Beckett Seneke – 19 – 3rd overall pick 2024 draft – 6’4″ 195
Sam Coangelo – 23 – 10G 12P (32GP) 36th overall pick 2020 draft – 6’2″ 212
That group is big, fast and talented and the first 4 have high first round pedigree.
Trevor Zegras seems to still be on the outs but, at 24, he still might figure things out and he does have a 23G 61P NHL season on his resume (likely trade bait.)
Add a couple of impact veterans to that group and things might get cooking pretty quick.
Yes, one of the 31 teams in the league on the rise…………
I think the Ducks are going to knock the Kings out of their playoff spot next season!
That will be sad for you 🙁
Keep in going boys!
Goil!
Just one letter difference: Oiler fans will Goil / Vegas fans will Golf