For some reason, my mind always goes to comparables when discussing prospects. Take Beau Akey, as an example. He has an interesting and slightly unusual skill set, in that he’s fast, skilled and unlikely to garner power-play time should he make the NHL. So when I look at this player, and his possible future, I look for a comparable from past Oilers farm teams.
In the case of Akey, it’s Jordan Oesterle (his AHL numbers are above). A fast defender who could move the puck, Oesterle arrived in the AHL age 22. He played so well (this is 2014-15) the Oilers recalled him that season, and he went on to play over 400 NHL games. That’s a success for an undrafted free agent, but would you consider Akey a success should he post a similar career? NHL draft history suggests we should.
Colin Chaulk and his staff are charged with developing Akey, and so far he looks good. Injured early, he’s doing fine on a Condors blue that is a mixture of ramdoms and roll ends. Here are the numbers.
Akey is high event (Condors leak goals and score them too at even strength) and has spent time with Atro Leppanen. Leppanen is a Finnish rover who has great puck skills and some chaos. Then again, maybe I’m selling Leppanen short. He started poorly as an even-strength outscorer but Akey is 5-3 with Leppanen. Long road for Akey, but I’ve liked him so far.
Chaulk gets the smelly glove from many fans when it comes to developing players, but I think it’s fair to give him some credit for the development of Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway and Mike Kesselring. I think he struggled to find playing time for a plethora of young forwards (Holloway, but also Xavier Bourgault, Matvey Petrov, Tyler Tullio and Carter Savoie) in the same way Tom Renney couldn’t find time for Magnus Paajarvi when Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and other forwards represented a crowded house of young players.
I think the coach should get full marks for helping guide Matt Savoie through his rookie pro season, but the truth is AHL coaches need to develop players beyond the first-round selections. That’s why Akey will be key for Chaulk.
The Oilers have another first-round pick in the AHL again this year, it’s Ike Howard and oh my GOD he’s playing well.
Chaulk may have his most talented group of forwards yet with this edition of the team. Howard is floating Quinn Hutson and Josh Samanski offensively, but both men are showing nice range. Vijmali Marjala is very talented, I can’t see a role for him in the NHL but maybe he’ll emerge as an efficient complementary player in a middle-six role. As always, Roby Jarventie will go as far as his health will allow.
On the Lowdown today, we’ll have Rachel Kryshak, CTO of Betalyics and contributor to ESPN; Jason Gregor from the JG Show and Declanations. You can tune in noon to 2pm on Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Which Edmonton Oilers trade targets best fit the team’s new offensive style?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6831224/2025/11/24/oilers-trades-stats-goals-targets-2025/
Plenty of speculation, including from Elliotte Friedman this morning, that the Canucks are about to tear things down and rebuild.
One of your trade targets, Kiefer Sherwood is likely to be made available in trade but it’s likely there will be a considerable lineup for his services.
What would you offer?
There are some real game changers in the top 3-4 draft hole this year.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s a part of the decision to finally go into rebuild mode in Vancouver.
The biggest item will be a trade of Quinn Hughes which should return a massive haul and will likely include at least another first round pick.
Conor Garland also likely to be moved before his trade protection kicks in July 1st.
A Hughes trade will first need a management change, then if everyone in the league knows Hughes desires New Jersey, then the return will be substantially impacted.
Womp Womp.
Even if Hughes prefers New Jersey, trading him now with the prospect of TWO playoff runs with him would provide tremendous value.
His low cap hit of $7.85 million through next season would also be a major factor in his favour.
It could, there could also be “buy-in” issues that will impact the return in a Hughes trade.
A team isn’t going to sell their lot if they’re only getting 1 or 2 runs with Hughes, if he stays healthy. At that point you’re looking at getting a playoff rental return, not a franchise rebuilding return. Big difference between the two.
History teaches us otherwise.
Teams like Tampa, Florida, Vegas Colorado and others will sell the farm in hopes of winning a cup.
And, oh look they’ve won the last 6 cups.
You mention “buy in” but I’m pretty sure Hughes would buy in to any plan that gives him a good to chance to win…in fact he has said that’s all that matters to him.
People say alot of things, like how Vancouver isn’t blowing it up, how they’ve been on the verge for an eternity, yadda yadda.
None of the teams mentioned traded for a player that has an opposing team full of his blood brothers clamoring for him to join. It’s a unique situation, that definitely has a chance to impact the return for a Hughes trade.
Serious question everything considered (age-current contract) what percentage trade wise do you have Hughes value compared with Connor if the trades happened today? I myself believe people underestimate Hughes value and I would say as of today he holds 92% value that Connor return hokds.
When Edmonton played Vancouver in the playoffs, Zadorov had a greater impact than Hughs.
Hughs dancing at the blue line has high value, the rest of the time he was pushed out of the game.
I agree either Hughes was hurt or the Oilers had the recipe to contain him (Kane) All I know is Hughes creates on both sides of the puck. He’s exciting to watch as strickly viewing it as a hockey fan. I would like to know the % of the time Hughes has the puck compared to Connor. I would guess quite significant which gives Hughes more opportunity to be a dynamic playmaker It’s like comparing Coffey to the great forwards of the 80’s
This is probably your best bet. But those top teams are usually capable of heavy, so you would be taking back $$$$. Hard to say and the 1sts would be 25-32. It will be interesting .
Yeah hughes on that contract for extra year should get a pretty solid package.
What the canucks do with it…migh determine how long they wander in desert.
Retool.or rebuild if they are sellimg hughes they have some pretty long term signed contracts in demko amd peterszon alone that might not be too keen on staying put.
This. Hughes has handcuffed Vancouver. New Jersey won’t give up a TON as they can just wait until a year from this summer and get him for free. My bet would be if they can get . Dougie Hamilton would be forced on you and that 9 mill cap hit. After that ?
The don’t have to trade him to New Jersey.
He has no control over his destination.
But Rutherford informed everyone that’s not happening just a week ago.. Who could of ever foreseen this!?
It is speculated that Rutherford may not be a part of the equation.
How about Trent Frederic + second rounder? To Vancouver for Keifer Sherwood.
Sherwood has a $1.5M cap hit & in UFA next season. Canucks have the cap space to take on Freddy’s contract. But I would have to wonder why the Canucks would want to send Sherwood to the Oilers of all teams.
not to be that guy but he is shooting at an unsustainable rate, this is a recipe for a zack kassian contract.
Sherwood brings much more to the party that just counting stats.
He is fast, a relentless forechecker and hits like a truck which is why LT identified him as a target.
He led the NHL last season with 462 hits…the second place guy, Mathieu Olivier delivered 306
Kassian had enough speed-skill to be a effective Winger for years but certain back injuries end most players career. There’s a reason why Kassian went so early in the draft.
I can’t imagine Frederic on an 8 year deal has any value at all.
He alohas a full NMC.
Who though that was a good idea?
You’d have to add some value to offload that contract for nothing at this point. Best to stay the course with Frederic. In for a penny, in for a pound.
They really are just unwilling to face how much of the problem Pettersson is…it has been fascinating.
He’s wrecked the team at least twice now.
Yep…and now he is virtually unmovable at least until the cap is in the stratosphere.
Trading Horvat, keeping Miller, dangling Boeser, trading Miller.. Is what wrecked the team.
Which happened because of their mistaken commitment to Elias.
He seems to be on the eccentric side nothing wrong with that and even if he’s your highest payed player you can’t have him as your Captain. Personally I would have Boeser or even Garland wearing the C.
Where’s that Harper guy who praised Allvin and Rutherford as geniuses a few years ago? Aquilini has not shown much appetite for empty seats in this fickle market
The only thing the Dy’s have that should interest the Oilers would be a healthy Demko
And they don’t even have that
I wonder how many goals Debrincat would have playing with Connor all these years?
I sometimes wonder what the world would be like had Günter Schabowski not misread his script, but also it doesn’t matter.
It’s driving me nuts all I can find is the Ekholm hit on Rantanen but it was somebody else possibly Kassian that absolutely wallpapered him a few years back. I remember that he I think tweaked is shoulder anyhow does anyone remember that hit?
It was Walman last year soon after the trade deadline IIRC
The Mob has spoken not only do we want a trade to shake the boys up but we also want to win the trade.
Yes Reja I completely agree somebody needs to light a fire under Bowman’s ass. Maybe I should phone his Dad. We are -13 on Goal differential the sad sack Flames are -14 Ask a 4 year-old it’s not rocket science that our Goaltending sucks. We get 2 games of competent netminding and some folks forget about the Murray Bannnerman level we’ve been watching all year.
Losing a game by 8 will do that.
Knob was asked about Philp and Lazar and said “about a week” which is hilarious as Philp can’t play for 8 more games as they put him on LTIR (I think its two that he’s missed).
“about a week” is two months in Knoblauch-speak.
Coach says he can see Nuge splitting his time between McDavid’s wing and 3C.
Coach says that, up and till now, they’ve played the exact same systems that they have the last few years but, now, given it hasn’t gone well early this season, now, they will be adjusting some thing – they changes one thing up at practice today.
Just to clarify, Coach KK said the systems deployed this year are the same as those deployed the past few years?
This flies in the face of what some (maybe many) have been saying (yelling)!
Coach speak.
That’s what he said.
There is no rule that the coach has to tell the truth in a presser.
Some talk recently about the impact of the schedule so I looked back over the last ten seasons to see how teams with the most GP completed by Nov 22 performed (average points percentage is .466; 2 of 15 teams at .600 or better) and how teams with the fewest GP completed by Nov 22 performed (average points percentage is .590; 11 of 21 teams at .600 or better). The sample size isn’t huge, but that’s a massive difference. It certainly seems possible that the schedule is having a pretty big impact.
I’ll post the raw data below, but it’s also interesting to me that there are several teams that have the least GP in multiple seasons (Colorado three times, and Boston, Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Winnipeg twice). Of those teams, only Winnipeg (once in 2016-17) has ever had the most GP completed by Nov 22. I wonder if those teams are advocating to play less at the start of the year with the schedule makers. I probably would!
Here are the teams with the most GP completed by Nov 22 by season:
2025-26 Edmonton Oilers 24 GP 25 Pts .521
2024-25 New Jersey Devils 22 GP 28 Pts .636
2024-25 Pittsburgh Penguins 22 GP 18 Pts .409
2024-25 San Jose Sharks 22 GP 17 Pts .386
2023-24 Seattle Kraken 21 GP 21 Pts .500
2022-23 Los Angeles Kings 22 GP 24 Pts .545
2021-22 Toronto Maple Leafs 20 GP 27 Pts .675
2021-22 Detroit Red Wings 20 GP 19 Pts .475
2021-22 Montreal Canadiens 20 GP 12 Pts .300
2019-20 Calgary Flames 25 GP 23 Pts .460
2018-19 Vegas Golden Knights 24 GP 23 Pts .479
2018-19 Vancouver Canucks 24 GP 22 Pts .458
2017-18 Arizona Coyotes 24 GP 13 Pts .271
2016-17 Winnipeg Jets 21 GP 20 Pts .476
2016-17 Calgary Flames 21 GP 17 Pts .405
And here are the teams with the fewest GP completed by Nov 22 by season:
2025-26 Philadelphia Flyers 20 GP 25 Pts .625
2025-26 Winnipeg Jets 20 GP 24 Pts .600
2024-25 New York Rangers 18 GP 25 Pts .694
2024-25 Dallas Stars 18 GP 24 Pts .667
2024-25 Tampa Bay Lightning 18 GP 22 Pts .611
2024-25 Vancouver Canucks 18 GP 21 Pts .583
2023-24 Ottawa Senators 15 GP 16 Pts .533
2022-23 Winnipeg Jets 17 GP 23 Pts .676
2022-23 Colorado Avalanche 17 GP 23 Pts .676
2022-23 Arizona Coyotes 17 GP 14 Pts .412
2021-22 Colorado Avalanche 15 GP 19 Pts .633
2021-22 Boston Bruins 15 GP 18 Pts .600
2021-22 New Yor Islanders 15 GP 12 Pts .400
2019-20 Tampa Bay Lightning 19 GP 22 Pts .579
2018-19 Florida Panthers 19 GP 19 Pts .500
2017-18 Vegas Golden Knights 20 GP 27 Pts .675
2017-18 San Jose Sharks 20 GP 23 Pts .575
2017-18 Colorado Avalanche 20 GP 23 Pts .575
2017-18 Boston Bruins 20 GP 22 Pts .550
2017-18 Ottawa Senators 20 GP 22 Pts .550
2016-17 Columbus Blue Jackets 17 GP 23 Pts .676
Thanks for doing the leg work on that, this is an interesting take on the impact that scheduling makes. We all know some games are a “scheduled loss”, but knowing that a whole stretch of the season can be affected like that is eye opening.
I think the 3 hour time zone shifting extended road trips play a big factor in those surely.
In all honesty might even be a real benefit of not a lot of away gsmes during flu season.
Still haven’t recieved the right answer of why would Bowman trade for a 28 year-old Goalie project whose contract is over this year? Bowman knew there would be a couple of nice hanging almost ripe buried Goalies on the upcoming waiver wire. Maybe Bowman views Ingram as a possible cheap option next year or maybe he’s ready by the Playoffs. The trading for a unready 28 year-old just seems so wierd especially when you have to shaky as Fuk Goaktenders who are also in a contract year. The last 2 games we have recieved adequate netminding but can it hold up we are in dire need of a 6 game win streak to get back in the race.
The right answer?
Here are some answers, which have been given to you already, based on Bowman’s comments:
I don’t know what else to tell you in your search for the “right answer” but those all seem reasonable to me and others.
How does he help us out now? His contract is up this year. There’s a possibility that if Skinner and Pickard shit the bed in the next 6 games we’re hooped. Bowman will be forced to give-up 3X as much for a asset then say 2 months ago. Why would you not have a safety valve in place now? We could of obtained Depeitro-Dawes who could be used immediately. I know the room is tight but do you believe either Pickard or even Skinner .885 get plucked off the waiver wire. If we don’t start winning immediately either the Coach or the Goalies will be the first to go.
I know you’re a big fan of Sather, he was pretty good at finding players seeking redemption for low acquisition costs. Lowetide wrote about this in his Oct 10/25 piece. I don’t think Sather always got immediate results, sometimes he had to wait and not rush players. This is the situation for Ingram, and I think Sather would also have made that move for insurance & depth, and would be patient. Even for drafted players, look at what Moog was doing 24 games into the 80/81 season before getting called up and upsetting the Habs in the first round. I’m sure there are other examples.
Look, I don’t have the answers for the rest of your concerns. None of us are making those decisions so my strategy is to root for the Oilers on the ice and in the net now, hope they can string some wins together, kick some butt and then see what happens.
I was hoping Ingram would step in and takeover the reins because Skinner is getting worse every year. If Ingram is not a option because of poor play and he walks next year it just means he was blocking someone else. I really do think Bowman had visions of Ingram playing by Christmas are why else get him. For some reason talking about a players performance who has been cleared to play hockey while make 2 million a year is taboo. Apparently it’s not ok to talk about Ingram’s hockey wise yet a few posters have no trouble bashing Clattenburg who is just a 20 year-old kid. I believe everyone’s allowed to have opinions on the Oilers and I’ve been agreeing, 2nd guessing, partying, crying, whining, fist pumping the Oilers since a young B.J MacDonald was a rookie and my favourite player.
Who has bashed Clattebbug?
Who has said its taboo to talk out Ingram’s on-ice play?
What does your being old have to do with anything?
What are you a Owl?
Not everything has to help immediately right now like you require.
Ingram doesn’t help the NHL team right now – maybe he helps in February or May or never.
Issac Howard isn’t helping right but he very likely will later this season and certainly over the next 2-15 years.
Not everything has to have immediate results you require.
My goodness.
You have received very detailed and informed responses.
You refusing to accept (and in the process being ignorant (and willfully continuing to be ignorant) of the mental health struggles that are being managed concurrently with building the players game up) does not make them “not right”.
There was always the likelihood it would take months (not weeks) in order for Ingram to find an NHL level game – and it might not happen.
They’ve re-set him once and he’s been uneven since – 2 solid game and then, last game, two terrible first period goals.
He needs time, management sees this and makes the next right decision.
“We have been playing the exact same systems (5×5) as we have the previous two years, and we have talked about how things will work out or turn around, but it has got to the point where things haven’t turned around 20+ games into the season, and now we are starting to alter some things. Today we adjusted one thing. It is hard, because we have had so much success going to the Stanley Cup Final twice, we didn’t want to change anything, but now we are playing like we have, for as long as we have, we have to start thinking things won’t just work themselves out, we need to make some adjustments. Whether that is moving guys around, or changing our system and we are starting to do that,” Knoblauch.
Is he ignorant to how laser focused the fanbase is and how 98% of them have pointed out the clear differences?
Is he just lying his ass off?
The stretch pass was designed to break out against Florida. You could even see it working 2 nights ago.
First forechecker pressures, second takes low winger, with defenceman also pinching.
Stretch pass pulls the defenceman way up to nullify the pinch and create space. The puck moving defencman is supposed to beat 2 forecheckers with the stretch pass.
Edmonton clearly had another breakout they played consistently. Center comes in low it is short pass to the center, short pass to winger and out. Or vice versa but short crips pass and out.
But dang at least Knoblauch admits what everyone has been saying. They refuse to change cause it “worked before” Coach, everybody knows your system and they know the recipe to play against the Oilers! Its stale!
Waiting for “things to work out???”
Yes, you better make some adjustments before the new coach arrives.
Knoblauch doesn’t share much, that’s for sure. And he can technically say they haven’t changed much, but the percentage of five-on-five tip drill stretch passes has increased in number a great deal over the first 24 games of the season. They made have had that in the arsenal, but they’re going to the play far more.
Seems to be an exciting team with such a varied (in terms of procurement) collection of players on this years Condors. I am going to start tuning in!
On the opposite end of the spectrum, how much does the pressure environment in Edmonton (and Canadian markets) impact procurement and the no move clauses as a means to entice players. I would say a lot.
Aside from a better tax situation, why wouldn’t players choose an easier place to play in terms of little to no external pressure (the Tampas, Floridas-spits- and Vegas)
I feel that Mcdavids lesser numbers in the past few years must, in some large part, be attributable to the weight on his shoulders. He carries the expectations of his team, city, NHL, family, to a degree that not too many other athletes must feel.
It is expected for him to win Stanley. Not if but when. As he ages the pressure mounts even more. This pressure also bleeds out to the Organization. You can see it in past decisions to move the needle faster than it may naturally be inclined to move: The examples are too many to list here but a few that come to mind:
1.Two first round picks in a deep draft for Reinhart’s 6 NHL games (not sure exact number but I’m close)
2 One for one
3 overpaying and inclusion of nmc for numerous players
Stecher said it perfectly when a reporter asked him what it was like to join the fire in Toronto and he said he just left the fire (this is not an exact quote but the idea is the pressure of both these markets is similar and untenable for many players).
One way I see to mitigate this pressure is to bring in players who are eternal optimists and fun loving but hard working like Zachary Hyman and Vasily Podkolzin. Not sure Frederic and Mangipane fit this mold (perhaps they do, I don’t see it yet).
Lets remember the Oil will have over 54K miles traveled this season. The next closest is Pittsburgh at a few hundred miles less. Notably, 2 of their games were in Sweden.
Dallas is 3rd with 50K.
They just concluded over 7000 miles of that travel on this roadtrip (11.5k KM).
The first roadtrip covered about 5800 miles (adding the pit stop against the Habs and
Seattle Vancouver swing.
Only ~40,000 miles to go!
Islanders will sit at 29K miles traveled for the entire season.
Nope.
Since the Oilers do not play in the eastern time zone at all in the new year, their travel distance is significantly shorter this season.
Gregor calculated it all.
“Making three trips out East has lowered the distance travelled for the Oilers significantly. They will travel only 594 km more than Pittsburgh. Western Conference teams always travel the most, due to geography, but reducing almost 10,000 KM from last year should be a benefit for the Oilers”
https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-schedule-2025-26-travel-reduced-goal-scoring-fewer-penalties
Math is a thing.
Prove it
He just did aren’t you paying attention.
Yes, I responded to it. It’s 2 pixels below my snark to you.
You’re right, my source was Bill Speros with a nice graphic connected to Bookies.com.
Gregor disputed it in the Twitter thread and he admitted it was an AI based response.
The link to the article was corrected to have Dallas atop the list, but the tweet was never amended.
Bill is now going into the trashbin for sources and those involved (including myself) have been sacked.
Considering this past trip was the longest single roadtrip by miles (literally) for anyone this season, this bodes even better for the team in the 2nd half. Thanks for the journalistic integrity and the optimism!
I really wish the nhl would address this East west travel disparity. Yes it will never be close to equal but there’s no reason the oilers can’t fly to Seattle and play 2 games there. Or fly to Anaheim and play 2 games there and then go to LA and play 2 games there. Just doing b2b a few times a season would make the travel much more bearable and much more even with the east coast teams
I would like to go back to more divisional games wich means only seeing certain Eastern teams only once a year. I would also like to get back to 1 plays 8 in Conference.
From Grok:
Oilers 5v5 SV% rebound odds (no goalie trade/call-up)
Historical data: 2014-15 to 2024-25
50 team-seasons that started bottom-10 in 5v5 SV% after ~20-25 GP
Same primary tandem for ≥80% of remaining minutes
Result:
→ 14 out of 50 rebounded to top-20 SV% by season end
→ 28% success rate (20–30% range confirmed)
Notable examples:
2023-24 EDM .887 (31st) → .899 (17th) +0.012
2021-22 DAL .892 (28th) → .915 (4th) +0.023
2018-19 NSH .895 (25th) → .908 (10th) +0.013
2016-17 OTT .888 (28th) → .902 (18th) +0.014
2015-16 NYR .894 (26th) → .910 (8th) +0.016
Key factors that push success rate to ~28%:
• Starting SV% ≥ .885
• Tandem’s career 5v5 SV% ≥ .910 (Skinner = .909)
• SA/60 < 28.0 during slump (Oilers currently 26.46)
Methodology: NST 5v5 data + manual verification of no major goalie moves
Bottom line: 28% of teams in Edmonton’s exact situation naturally climb to top-20 SV% without changes.
More Grok:
Oilers goaltending change odds – historical data (2014-15 to 2024-25)
50 team-seasons that started bottom-10 in 5v5 SV% after ~20-25 GP
→ 36 out of 50 made a goalie change* before season end
→ 72% made a move
By severity:
Bottom-2 → 90% made a change (18 of 20)
Bottom-5 → 84% made a change (31 of 37)
Bottom-10 → 72% made a change (36 of 50)
*Change = new goalie played ≥25% of remaining 5v5 minutes (trade, waiver, big AHL call-up)
Of the 14 teams that rebounded naturally (28% we talked about), only 2 made any change – the other 12 stuck with the same tandem.
Current Oilers are bottom-2 right now → history says 90% chance Bowman/Knoblauch pull the trigger on a goalie move by the deadline if it doesn’t turn around soon.
Hey Ryan, in your experience is Grok reliable for pulling stats? After seeing it call itself mechahitler, saying Musk could beat Tyson in a fight, and my experience using some other AI for stats, they sometimes fudge the numbers or are prone to “hallucinating”, I find it a bit difficult to trust analysis like this from an AI.
Grok certainly isn’t anywhere close to GMoney, but he doesn’t answer the phone when I call him anymore.
I find it okay at scraping data, but plenty of problems elsewhere.
Grok was convinced that All three zones data was available at Natural Stat Trick and thought Holland was the GM.
Thanks Ryan and Pretendergast.
Yeah I recall months ago querying AI about something related to the Oilers and it was insisting that some college football player from the 80s played for the Oilers.
I have no doubt it will get better but it sure makes trusting it difficult in the meantime.
What are you doing Dave. You don’t want to do that Dave.
Stop Dave. Dave stop.
It does a great job of responding to sentiment bias. There is no ‘analysis’ done by AI as it can’t think (yet). It is turning information available online, which could be hogwash, and converting it into something it believes the reader will respond positively to. It’s a bias validator, which makes it very dangerous.
IMO it’s a worse version of reading the local newspaper currently. It all makes sense until you read an article you know alot about, and then you see how wrong the author got it. Man they screwed this one up! Yet all the rest of the articles one would generally accept.
Nuge on ice for practice (as is Kap but he’s not eligible until Dec 1).
Per Gregor:
Kap is definitely out for tomorrow as he’s not eligible to come off LTIR until Dec 1.
That’s some good news. Nuge might be ready to go against Dallas and Kapanen ready for Minny on the 2nd of Dec. Hoping Walman will be back for Dallas too.
Considering Walman wasn’t on the ice for practice – that seems unlikely.
That Walman contract is scaring me now. He’s going to be 30 in 2 months and has played only 284 career games in the NHL. Maybe you know what his previous injuries over the last 10 years have been because there’s plenty? At this rate will be lucky if he plays 60% of the games on his Contract. Surely his health (past injuries) were discussed, as the contract goes we sure didn’t recieve much of a hometown discount. In fact 90% of the contracts signed around the league this offseason were inflated. I think everyone is expecting a significant raise in the Cap being more than they’re projecting.
With the history of this team i cannot see them trading for a unproven backup in the vein of levi, dipietro, or daws.
Elvis Merzlikins
Jordan Binnington
Jussi Saros
Tristan Jarry
Sam Montembeault
UPL
Alex Nedeljkovic.
Cam Talbot
pick your poison and why. IMHO saros is a non starter due to the contract, jarry has been a pumpkin in the postseason and makes too much $, binnington has terrible stats this year, montembault is having an off year, UPL has been worse than skinner by a stretch this year, elvis would require 50% retention,
the only way i see it is if they get an unproven backup replacement for pickard, or they go Nedeljkovic, Talbot, UPL, or Montembeault.
Not sure any of these are the material upgrade on skinner that some fans are clamoring for. Several would no doubtedly be an upgrade on pickard albeit at a much higher price tag.
Saros is nothing more than a cap dump at this point.
I don’t think it’s a shoo-in Clattenburg heads back immediately. If he can give 6-7 energy minutes with no blatant mistakes he may stay a fortnight. There’s also the possibility he grabs the bull by the horns opens up ice for his line who then goes on a 4th line heater. Connor is a leader and smart kid maybe he can bait the opposition into a few dumb penalties. I would think the boys also have a quiet say in whether they enjoy having a firecracker watching their backs.
Philp is on LTIR. Lazar, Nuge, Walman & Kapanen are day to day. So they shouldn’t be sending him back to soon , unless they want to have a look at another player on the farm.
With the yard apes Bichsel and Marchment coming up the next 2 games I would be inclined to keep Mr.Clattenburg on that 4th line for now.
They need to send someone down (or off the roster) to activate Nuge.
Tomasek who is probably being floated in a trade by one of the teams interested earlier. Boook It…..
I love that they called up Clattenburg (shocking for sure). Was it early? yup, was he ready? statistically no, did that matter? nope, he held his own, infused some piss and vinegar just when the team was starting to show some emotion. Will he stay? no but I am a fan! we need a player(s) like that.
I have learned to almost ignore the first 25 games now. I do read the blog though! so not quite.
Howard should be in the NHL, PERIOD. He needs some rope and some time, he will be back soon. These damn coaches need to play him, he can score. They do not build confidence in young players. YO YO. Let a guy with that talent make some errors, he will make up for it with points… older vets who dont score are playing awful and they give this kid 6 minutes… its a travesty.
I think there are more of us then the boisterous few that enjoy seeing him fail. We relize the value of a polished Clattenburg but that comes with experience. In saying that youth is a beautiful thing It can be contagious in a good way. It looks like the Kid is a fast learner and for some people that really irks them for some reason or another. I have my own personal thoughts on the reasoning but as my dear Mom used to say sometimes it’s best to hold you tongue.
Howard should be in the NHL but Hutson deserves it just as much based on performance – and Hutson is older, if he’s going to make it, it will be soon.
Jarventie has slowed down a bit playing nightly – he’s likely still got major conditioning issues missing close to two years of playing time.
Howard can play in the NHL today, and he’d be able to produce if given a real role in the top 6/9. At the same time, there is no rush here, he just got to Bako, he’s having fun, racking up points and, importantly, playing a lot an in all situation – I’ve watched him battle in the natural zone and on the boards. No need to yo yo him. Just give him some time in the AHL be it one month or three – he’ll be back and raring to do in due course.
Hutson’s skating needs a big improvement before he can be considered . Kid can shoot and pass but he does not have the wheels that Howard has.
I hate being the one to say this…. but if we’re looking for a goalie is there a world where we can turn Hutson plus something into a Montreal goalie asset?
Unite Hutson with his brother in Montreal or Washington. Might as well throw in Akey who seems to be a product from the Kelfbom glass factory.
Akey I’d be holding on to until the end of his ELC, or at the very least until the end of next season. Hopefully the injuries abate.
Yes on sending Hutson out if he + some other parts or picks can be worked into a package that buys something usable in the NHL (goalie or otherwise). He’s scoring well at the AHL level, but as Shamus says above his skating is middling at best. He might work out at the NHL level, or he might be another Lander or Benson. Peak value might be before he sets foot in the NHL.
That said I historically end up wrong on all counts with prospects so maybe do the opposite of what I say if you want success. Trade Akey, keep Hutson 😀
Unlike Holland Bowman is unafraid to call up bottom 6 forwards he had a factory of them in Chicago. Almost half the league can be replaced tomorrow by competent players, it’s the consistency that usually ends a players NHL dream long term. It’s all about the Coach and opportunity Howard could have 9 Goals instead it’s Roslovic. Look at Sherwood in Vancouver a forward that pops at 29 because of opportunity. I would consider pumping and dumping Roslovic and promoting Howard as I don’t think we can afford Roslovic next year.
Broberg spent two years in Sweden, one year in the AHL under Woodcroft, and was NHL ready in D+4, before any chaulk marks on him.
Matt Savoie was a top #9 pick who spend two years in junior. If after one year in the AHL, he were not ready, that would signal big problems with the player or the coach.
Holloway was a #14 pick who spent one more year in college, one year in the AHL under Woodcroft and was NHL read, also before any chaulk marks on him.
So Broberg and Holloway were already NHL ready players who had played more than 50 NHL games when Chaulk become head coach. They were already developed, and merely stuck in the AHL because of poor decisions by Holland and Knoblauch.
If one watched the Condors last season, from game 1 through the end of the season, and/or didn’t have some built in internal bias against Chaulk one would be able to appreciate the massive development in Savoie through last season – in many areas of the game.
Savoie was a #8OV pick in his draft+3 season in the AHL. If he was not NHL ready by the start of his draft+4 that would be on the player and/or the coach.
That is table stakes for a high forward draft pick.
I can simply speak to his development from day 1 through the end of the season in Bakersfield.
There is also, being ready for the NHL and being ready to be a highly advanced 2-way player (one of the best defensive forwards on the team, as a rookie) who steps right in to PK1 in the NHL – well, fine, PK2 for a few weeks and then PK1.
i agree, saw Savoie in Tuscon early and Coachella late, big change, similar to my early sighting of Bouchard vs late. I still think Samorukov was better than Bouchard early. How did that work out. lol
Broberg wanted out he should of been mentored on the 3rd pairing the previous year he was scooped up. This was Holland’s prized pick yet Holland went the safe route of going with Vets making 3 times as much and arguably being a lesser D then Broberg at the time. The treatment of Broberg was Bizarre throw in losing Larsson who should of been dealt may have cost us a Cup or two.
There’s been a lot of chatter about how the Oilers organization was inept in passing on Jesper Wallstedt. I’m one of the people who feels that way, but the real question is whether he’d be performing as well as he is today behind our current defence core. I’d wager he wouldn’t.
I’d agree if the defensive underlying numbers were last in the league like their goaltending numbers are.
The Oilers have a piss poor mostly goalie department, that’s just the facts.
FWIW, using NST All Strengths, the expected goals against per 60 minutes calculates to 3.00 for Stu, 3.09 for Picks and 2.66 for Wallstedt.
5v5, the expected goals against per 60 calculates to 2.66 for Stu, 2.71 for Picks and 2.55 for Wallstedt. The Wild are providing a better defence based on those numbers.
Wallstedt has the superior sv% and GSAA, but there would be other factors to consider of course. With only 13 games under his belt other teams don’t have much of a book on him yet, and goalies don’t always keep up a certain level with one team they might be able to maintain with another, especially in the only NHL system they know so far.
Agree, he would be treading water in front of this Team D.
The Wallstedt chatter about that draft on here is tiring day after day. Was it short sighted not to choose him, hell yes. People need to get over it, he isn’t here.
Looking back at it I get the idea with trading down, but my goodness Bourgault was not the right pick (hindsight abounds). The fact that Wyatt Johnston was taken the pick after Xavier is the kicker. I think you’d hear far less Wallstedt chatter if the pick had been used on Wyatt J.
That said you can look around the first and it’s not only the Oilers that have landed up with picks that haven’t played a game in the NHL yet, Tyler Boucher (Ottawa pick #10), Chaz Lucius (Winnipeg Jets pick #18), Corson Ceulemans (Coulmbus pick #25), Carson Lambos (Minnesota pick #26). I know nothing about these lads, but looking at their numbers they’re not exactly trending to full time NHL work.
Also, wasn’t the 2021 draft a bit of a big old ??? in grading due to the COVID year? Not trying to give us too much of a pass here but at the time I remember thinking the decision was fair, despite wanting the goalie pick to be made.
TALKING POINTS: Tyler Wright summarizes 2021 NHL Draft | Edmonton Oilers
I just dug up this blast from the past. Nice wee trip down memory lane.
I wish I could like this post 1000!!!!!!
I remember there was lots of negativity around Chaulk the last couple of years – this interview by Mike Griffith with Keith Gretzky from April 2025 gave some good insight into his work. Keith is clearly a huge supporter. Also Gretzky seems to just love his role which is awesome. He didn’t get a ton of respect when he first got here with Chiarelli but seems to be killing it in this role.
They did a great job. I look at compete, come to play every night and (the players) did. I thought our coaches got them to play every night.
We all want to make the playoffs. That’s our goal. But it’s also about players improving and coming to play every day.
Our biggest prospect was Matt Savoie, everybody knows it, and Philp. For both to get 19 goals was huge.
We come to work every night. They’re so hard on (Chaulk), it’s ridiculous. It’s not all about wins and losses. We need to develop players.
In October I thought (Savoie) was two to three years away (from being NHL ready). He started getting better on the boards, great stick. The little things to play in the NHL. That is coaching. That is coaching.
Philp was out of hockey for a year and ended with 19 goals. That is coaching.
With our roster and being in so many close games, that’s coaching. Being ready every game, that’s coaching. We only had one or two blowouts. We got blood out of a stone at times.
source: https://www.bakersfield.com/sports/come-to-work-every-night-q-a-with-condors-general-manager-keith-gretzky/article_d90b8ebf-2288-48b0-87c3-c9b0ee3f8fcb.html
It would be nice if the big club came to play every night.
Haha that line stood out to me as well. It doesn’t reflect well on the oilers coaching staff.
They did a great job. I look at compete, come to play every night and (the players) did. I thought our coaches got them to play every night.
They have 17 games between now & the end of the year 9 at home & 8 away.
These games will be a very important stretch to say the least. The new year will be equally important. The season is still just starting. I have high hopes.
Keeping things in perspective for LT.
🙂
I appreciate that!
I went into the LT Time Machine (archives) yesterday, in an effort to compare how our host was seeing “slow starts” in the previous two years. It was an illuminating journey. Lots of different names. Lots of the same -or similar- concerns. New faces not fitting into the lineup. Old faces not performing as expected. Injuries. An anemic offence. Wobbles on D, and in the net. And then… “regression to the mean.”
Every season has had its own, unique set of challenges, but the pattern has been consistent. Any alarm bells (including trade talk), if the pattern persists, may simply be impatience.
As our host so often cautions, “keep the powder dry.” And, in the meantime, “we wait.”
— avalanche are considered the best right now
— this month they have had 3-2-3 day breaks and 5 home games in a 12 game stretch: “easy” schedule to date.
— reverse their schedule for the Oilers and dime to a dollar their records not dissimilar
— next part should be better: but they are 12 consecutive games day on off for December up to Xmas for 24 days: Brutal
— the last 6 weeks for the avs is similar to this stretch for the the oil.
The Av in March:
— a B2B on road then 13 games of game day off
— 2 b2b in April and game on game off.
— travel related schedule vs opponent in any given set of few games is amplified depending. Let’s see end of season
I pull for all the young guys following their dreams for sure. Akey’s path is probably like Oesterle’s, playing for a weak team that wants some skill and skating. He will have to add a few pounds though if he can, he’s 8 lbs lighter than Oesterle, who is at the magic 180lbs, which very few NHLers, especially D, are under
the beginning of the AHL season has been fascinating for the Oilers prospects as each of Hutson, Jarventie and Samanski have shown themselves as “real prospects” and Marjala and Leppanen have done enough to show they might me.
Hutson is tearing up the AHL as a rookie but he’s turning 24 so, if he’s a real propsect, he should be doing what he’s doing. The org should find him some NHL reps this season to see if he can produce at the next level – it’s either soon or not happening for this older prospect. Of course, the coach will/would need to give him real opportunity – zero point in playing Hutson with Janmark and Lazar.
Samanski is my favourite prospect – its tough not to love this kid on and off the ice – real nice transition skills, good offensive head on his shoulder, starting to use his size a bit and they are developing him two ways. He’s had some insane nights in the face-off circle (I think he was 18-3 one night).
If Svechnikov really wants out of Carolina as noted, the Oilers should be in on that discussion.
Don’t all Russians want to play in Florida or New York???? (Podz the exception!)
i could be talked into a nurse for svechnikov deal.
How about Nurse-Skinner?
Trade Akey at the deadline for help if anyone has any interest.
The Oilers keep “waiting and hoping” with these marginals and getting nothing or very little. This is the age you need to move them.
In Akey’s case, suspect teams would want to make sure he can play a full season. Trade value would be low currently
Possibly – but if not, make the call early and cash.
Age 20-21 they still have “hope” value with certain teams and scouts out there.
Time to be on the other side of a Reinhart-style deal.
He’s in his first year pro – his first year of his ELC.
He may not make it, probably more likely that he won’t, but there is no “been waiting so long” with a guy like Akey – he’s a 20-year old rookie pro D.
I’m sitting here, eating popcorn. 🍿
Looking around the league wondering where the goalie is going to come from.
We wait.
There really aren’t a lot of options available really.
Who has two thumbs and a .938 in the AHL?
This guy.
You’re crazy man, if he was any good he’d have three thumbs.
as much as it would be nice to have dipietro i think it would be better to have an obscure goalie that played with connor in his toronto days in peewee.
Dipietro would be a lovely get, if there’s a way to swing it then let’s go.
Saying that, now that Skinner and Pickard have had a good game each we’ll likely go back to saying everything is fine on the goalie side for a few weeks. In addition, I still think Plan A is going to be ride with those two unless they’re both off a cliff again then Ingram gets the call. Then we have a few months of Ingram to see if he’s “good enough” to replace Pickard. And then and only then, if the combo of Ingram, Pickard, and Skinner are still tire fires will a trade be made.
What I’m leaning to is that nothing gets done goalie wise until next summer unless there’s a complete collapse for the whole year from all the options we have. Heck, maybe we even see Samuel Jonsson (0.926 and 1.64 GAA in the ECHL) before the end of the season for a cup of coffee if the other guys are truly stinking it up.
Stan Bowman:
Akey has really had a lot of injuries in his young career. It’s too bad as it probably hindered his development already a bit.
lots of youngins in the system with a lot more potential than a lot of us had envisioned even last year. Samanski, Jarventie, Howard, Clattenburg ( Not sure he will be with the Oil for long and as soon as some of the injuries come back, he will probably go back. ), Akey , Marjala, and I guess Lepponen ( little older at 26) is a lot more than they have had the last few years for sure. The big hole is in goal for advanced prospects.
I do wonder if any of the above will be used in trades this year for area’s of need at the deadline , or even before if ( Big if) Bowman decides to go after a bigger name goalie like a Saros.