In normal seasons, I would have a top 150 list of eligibles for the 2025 NHL entry draft. This year, I have none. It is a passion of mine, so I have found time each season (from 2010 to 2024) to rank a group of players based on what math tells us. I didn’t get it done this year, as the Oilers Stanley Cup run, married to the fact the team has just three draft picks, made it less of a priority. I wrote about the draft here and here if you’d like to read about Edmonton at the 2025 selection.
I believe this week will be about trading veterans, with Evander Kane the most likely to go based on contract and ability. I wrote about him this morning (here) at The Athletic, and no matter what happens this week, I think keeping Kane and signing Trent Frederic will be a difficult combination.
There is word management is attempting to sign right-wingers Connor Brown and Corey Perry. I’m fine with both, and a depth chart of Hyman-Savoie-Brown-Perry looks good from here. Stan Bowman has to find room for Savoie, or trade him away. Edmonton must add some youth to the roster, and the other key signed top-flight prospect (Sam O’Reilly) is at least a year away.
We said goodbye to Bruce McCurdy yesterday. It was beautiful. Kevin McCurdy ended a terrific celebration with a lovely speech about his Dad. When he was done, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. What a beautiful tribute. Anna and Kevin worked hard to make that a special day. I know Bruce will be proud of them today.
On the Lowdown today (noon to 2), we’ll have Rachel Doerrie from Betalytics and Puck Social at 12:40, and Jason Gregor at 1:20. We’ll talk draft and trades, and maybe we get some breaking news on the show.
New for The Athletic: What should the Edmonton Oilers do with Evander Kane?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6442722/2025/06/23/edmonton-oilers-evander-kane-contract-trade/
My offseason expectations are the same as Ziggys in the photo. Fully expecting a scrumptious meal, bewildered and flabbergasted when i dont get every crumb of that meal.
The treat would be a 97 resign.
Ruff life.
Zegras to Philly. Interesting.
That should be really interesting … Zegras is not exactly a Philly type of player. That said the price paid was negligible given the talent.
He doesn’t strike me as a Tocchet type player at all.
One cannot be too fussy in this offseason’s centre market. One year left on the contract. Not much risk if he doesn’t fit in.
Lol nope – that’s why this is going to be fun to watch.
So essentially, Anaheim traded Zegras and Drysdale for Cutter Gauthier, Ryan Poehling and 2025 fourth rounder…
Not sure I would be loving Verbeek’s work if I were a Ducks fan…
Pie in the sky moves this off-season:
I have been thinking about this year’s loss to the Panthers vs. last year. While we were a better, deeper team this year with an improved defensive core – I think we lost critical puck transporting skill when we lost McLeod & Broberg.
Last year, when the forecheck from Florida became aggressive, McDavid, Broberg or McLeod could all skate the puck out of danger and keep Florida back on their heels. I think we need players in the Middle six who can initiate offense and fast-breaks from our end.
Would be curious what players are out there that could fit the bill?
I know this doesn’t really answer your question, but I think last year’s team was actually better than this one. The 2025 team just played better in the first 3 rounds (after G1 and G2 against LA).
This year’s team was better at 5v5; they steamrolled through the first 3 rounds, whereas the season before, it was a grind.
But his year’s team got let down massively by special teams. The strength of the team at 5v5 was completely neutered by either a flat PP or getting scored on the PK.
Yes, there can be a lot of variance from year to year with respect to special teams results, which is partially attributable to luck. But by eye, the PP was not moving the puck quickly enough and was too predictable, despite having a zone entry machine in McDavid. I thought that McDavid would drop the puck off too quickly after crossing the blue line, instead of holding on to it and drawing defenders to him. Where Leon was going was too predictable … every goalie in the league knows to get across the crease quickly now. Bouch needs to get his shot off faster … and not every shot needs to be a Bouch bomb. All three of RNH, McDavid and Draisaitl would hold the puck too long … passes needed to be quicker.
PK the season before was much better at preventing zone entries … this is where the change in personnel may have had a material impact. McLeod and Foegele were better at pressuring deeper up ice and then recovering … their speed helped to disrupt the other team’s breakouts. This season, Florida was able to enter the Oilers zone at will … due to the slower forwards on the ice, the D-men were backing off and giving up the blue line too easily.
I think there needs to be a new voice on the PP, along with a willingness to switch up the personnel on the ice, where they are on the ice, and where the shots are coming from. Because McDavid is such an automatic zone entry, they can afford to vary up the looks that they give teams, almost like formations in football.
We need to get some faster forwards on the PK, which will allow the D-men to pressure on the blueline more aggressively.
McLeod, Foegele, Holloway were better and cheaper than Skinner, Arvidsson, and Henrique … JJ’s moves cost us dearly. Bowman managed to salvage the season with some astute moves for Podz, Walman, Klingberg, Kapanen.
Hypothetical trade. Not sure how it would look asset wise, but thoughts on a Nurse for Ristolainen swap?
I know he’s not perfect, but I feel he would balance out our D and depending on cost, give us some cap relief this upcoming season to shore up other areas.
Ekholm Bouchard
Walman Risto
Kulak Klinger
Trading Nurse for Ristolainen and wondering whether it would improve the Oilers team might be an interesting hypothetical exercise. However, in reality it seems that no GM has yet engineered a trade convincing a player in Nurse’s circumstance (2+ years remaining with a full NMC on a Stanley Cup contending team) to waive said clause to be moved to any other team contending or otherwise. Philly hasn’t been in the playoffs in 5 seasons and went backwards last year. Never say never, but a miracle would be required to get that waiver for Nurse to go to Philly or even most other teams.
While some will say a good GM could do it or it’s possible in today’s NHL, they never explain how, since again no GM has done it yet. Karlsson and Jones waived to leave bottom feeding Lottery teams. Lucic waived in the summer of 2019 leaving non-playoff Edmonton (18/19) to go to playoff Calgary (18/19).
NMC waivers most often happen in the last year of the player’s contract and usually not till the deadline. Bowman has a somewhat better shot at moving Arvidsson and Henrique this summer as they only have 1 season left and they don’t have the connection with the team that Nurse has. Bowman, if he does want to move either of them this summer, would still have his work cut out for him to find trade opportunities that these two would prefer to staying in Edmonton.
The only appeal for Nurse to go to Philly is his uncle, Donavan McNabb, who lives in nearby New Jersey.
I was able to catch most of the service between moving in-laws & finishing report cards. Everyone did a wonderful job & you handled the mc duties very deftly. Thank you for helping Anna & Kevin send off Bruce so well.
I’m not in AB, so watched his Celebration via YouTube, and it’s clear from the sheer volume of loving words, laughter and tears shared yesterday that his life was one well-lived.
Rest in peace, Bruce. And love to his family and friends.
According to Bob it seems Arvi is on the move as well. Too bad, I thought he’d have been a better fit. It may be at his size with his style the curve has appeared, at least against the best teams
That god damn Sam Bennett would have to take his Conn Smythe trophy to Broward Humane to help get some kitty cats adopted. It’s hard to not like a guy that does that. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr Meow.
did Bubbles come ?
They’ve never been seen together, hmmmm…..
RIP BRUCE and love for family. I never knew Bruce personally but boy he was a shining light here on the LT page. Thoughts and prayers go out to all that new him. Send lots of love today.