I wrote this passage on the blog on October 1, 2023. Brandon Sutter was released and retired later that day. The Oilers ran a dizzying array of centers opening night 2023, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan McLeod taking most of the faceoffs. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Derek Ryan and Mattias Janmark took five or less, and the coaching staff ran some variation of eight lines for at least two minutes at five-on-five, no unit more than 6:28.
Stan Bowman worked around the edges of the waiver wire effectively last regular season. In adding Kasperi Kapanen, the GM brought in a speedy winger who could do some things the older, slow wingers could not do. He was rewarded with playing time, including playoffs, and won a contract with Edmonton this summmer.
I’m mostly about the prospects, so was cheering for Matt Savoie or Raphael Lavoie (before the waiver tree) in that role. I cheer for Noah Philp at center on the fourth line this fall, I cheer for Savoe and Howard on the wings, and I cheer for Samuel Jonsson to impact the AHL and later the NHL (although not this year, that’s a bridge too far).
NHL coaches and management are looking for plug and play types. Kris Knoblauch will be prepared for growing pains of youth and inexperience, but there won’t be many unproven players.
It’s a difficult situation for the coach of a team trying to win it all. Hell, it was tough when Tom Renney was trying to find spots for Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi and Linus Omark 15 years ago. The club lost Paajarvi after a promising start and whiffed completely on Omark.
So if the Oilers do use the waiver wire, or sign a PTO, it’s important to recognize why. As much as we’re all cheering for Noah Philp, Stan Bowman needs to find a solution for No. 4 center, and ideally that solution is right handed.
Do not expect a pile of rookies to open the season. It might be two. It might be one.
On the Lowdown today, I’ll be joined at 1pm by Corey Pronman at The Athletic to discuss the state of the Oilers prospect pool. The rest of the show will be the young guns roundtable, with Declan Krueger and Donovan Paulson joining me for a unique sports word salad. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440.
I’ve assumed Lazar was the RH 4C. He’s pretty much ideal there isn’t he?
Another thing I must say, Free Bird is one of my all-time favorites. It always makes an old man want to get up and dance.
I must say that Stan Bowman is very good at working around the edges.
The other thing is that I believe it time for some young players to seize the day because some of these wily vets are nearing their expiry date.
I had very low expectations of Bowman coming in last year, but his ability to find good pieces from discard bins has been an unexpected surprise. Podkolzin, Kapanen and Walman were all good adds to a team that needed them.
I wasn’t sure of his abilities, or if he had become disconnected from the closed community, but it seems like he didn’t, and he seems to know a good hockey player when he sees one
I like the fact he can make good trades without getting completely worked, like the Five Million Dollar Man did
He can just pick up the phone and give his Dad a call.
He needs to be right with the Goalie he trades for.
I’m sure you didn’t mean to add Walman in the discard bin portion. We paid a price with our first round pick and Berglund. Good value for the player and team need but we’ll see what Bowman can do on his extension now. That will indicate the total sum of the acquisition in my opinion.
He was a throwaway from the Detroit organization and frankly considering his age and quality, I was shocked SJ let him go for as little as they did (very late 1st Rd & non-NHL track prospect). Maybe discard bin is a strong description, but I don’t recall him being on anyone’s radar as D acquisition. I give Bowman credit for finding someone outside the box.