On the day Josh Samanski drove the road from Bakersfield to the airport (possibly traveling the route Cary Grant ran to avoid a small plane in North by Northwest), Ike Howard was flattening the American Hockey League. Howard owned 10-13-23 boxcars in 16 games, with a mammoth 72 percent even strength goal share. Since then, Howard is 3-5-8 in eight games, His even-strength goal share (8-10, 44 percent) has also faded badly. Please read this.
Quinn Hutson was 24-15-39 in 35 games when Samanski flew north, with a 67 percent goal share. Since then, he has zero goals, five assists in eight games and is goal share at even strength (6-9, 40 percent) is below par.
What does that mean? It means Samanski was doing more good things for the No. 1 line than Viljami Marjala and James Hamblin have been able to deliver in his absence. It does not mean Samanski is a better player than Howard or Hutson, but it does mean the young German center has progressed more than any Condors player since the start of the 2025-26 season.
For the life of me I do not know why NHL teams have these ludicrous ebbs and flows with talent at specific positions. Linus Omark, Teemu Hartikainen and several other legit prospect wingers began knocking on the NHL door when Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle robbed all of the prospect oxygen out of the rink. Poeple who ask why Miro Satan was traded need only look at the Oilers system at that time. Ryan Smyth was a feature prospect, Todd Marchant and Dean McAmmond were rocket skaters, Ralph Intranuovo was scoring at will in the AHL, Zdeno Ciger was a new arrival and you had piles of rugged LW’s like Kirk Maltby, Louie DeBrusk and Dennis Bonvie. Massive group of players who could do good things on LW, with a trade for Mariusz Czerkawski just minutes away.
The current group has one big advantage over the 1994 and 2010 groups. The Oilers roster is in a spot of bother, with role players signed for next year and beyond who cannot play NHL hockey successfully now. The team has allowed itself to be walled in while alive, just like Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado. If the no-movement deals don’t get you, the salary cap will.
For Samanski and the other forwards who have an NHL chance, the steady erosion of the veterans on this Oilers roster (wrote about it today at The Athletic, link above) means opportunity. The numbers to remember are next year’s cap hits.
Among the most attractive are Vasily Podkolzin, ($2.95 million), Matt Savoie (AAV of $1.887M next year), Samanski ($1.4657 million), Howard ($1.617 million), Viljami Marjala ($975,000), Quinn Hutson ($875,000) and Connor Clattenburg ($828,333). Some of those cats are going to make the team next year because cap room.
There are several defensmen who are locked into value deals next season, too. Ty Emberson ($1.3 million), Atro Leppanen ($850,000), Beau Akey ($887,000) and Damien Carfagna ($875,000) all should have an increased chance of making the roster.
Connor Ungar has struggled in recent games, regression is a thing we all face in life. Don’t give up on him, Ungar remains a real find. I do think those pushing for his recall are ahead of the story, but the story is a damn good one and worth monitoring. As is the case with all prospects, let’s give him time to show us what he is as a hockey player.
Fixing the outrageous drag of the Edmonton Oilers’ third and fourth lines
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7046428/2026/02/15/edmonton-oilers-stats-lines-forwards-2026/
Many people have said in the last few years that Edmonton is a desirable place to play bcs of the duo. I hope that they start leveraging it more and stop giving full no movement clauses to anyone but the best players
It’s quite remarkable how many NMCs have piled up on the Oilers roster compared to the rest of the Pacific Division.
EDM 8
ANA 0
CAL 2
LAK 3 (2 expire at the end of this season)
SJS 0
SEA 1
VCR 7
VGK 3
It would seem multiple management teams in Edmonton and Vancouver think they need to add another layer when acquiring players.
Vegas at least reserves that perk for only their elite players.
You really can’t help yourself being so disingenuous when you are pushing narratives.
Vegas has 4 nmc and an additional 8 players with full or partial NTC, so basically the whole team. SJ, Anaheim, Calgary, Vancouver, are or were in full rebuild collecting picks for none veterans. Seattle has done nothing with there team since tge start and are worse than their 1st year.
Try again Sparky.
Vegas has only 3 since Pietrangelo’s career is over.
And no one was talking about no trade clauses until you brought it up.
Well sparky he is still a contract on the team and nmc. So once again like every post you do is wrong.
Pretty sure Vegas doesn’t care…why should you?
I’m pretty sure the Oilers don’t care about the NMCs that Drai and McDavid have…….
It’s definitely more desirable than the before Mcdavid years but still hard to compete with Florida California Vegas.
Was very happy to hear Stauffer mention the target at the deadline has perhaps switched to the blueline. Hopefully a top 4 RD floats all boats making 3 very solid D-pairs and helping the Fs. I agree that I think the solutions up front are mostly better deployment, systems, and execution
Bring up Samanski, option Janmark when you activate Rico. Run Nuge at 3C. Change is long overdue.
Need to send someone down to activate Rico (they are short just over $100K) but, if they send down Jamark or Mang then they can call up Samanski.
Can they waive both of Janmark & Mangiapane?
They can but will they?
I’m not positive they waive either but, unless they had a trade for Mang coming out of the break, they need to do something to activate Rico.
So it’s bad enough to trash talk all things Oilers on an Oilers site, but we are now at the point where DSF is trolling team Canada fans and throwing team USA praise on here for additional reactions. That says so much about the kind of human being he is. It’s pretty despicable and I would imagine if he continues this garbage through the rest of the tourney that it’s time for another time out before returning with another idiotic new moniker
Stop feeding it if it bothers you so much. I’ve never been able to understand why if it bothers you so much, you can’t scroll by. If it was ignored it would go away. But not only do you not ignore it you create an additional post to affirm it.
It doesn’t really bother me any more than posts crying about it does. Actually I think the crying posts would bother me more if I had to choose.
I do usually scroll by, but I have repeatedly asked him to stop commenting on my posts and he continues to.
Also, as mentioned, I would think national pride would supersede petty trolling during an Olympic run, but I guess you see it differently. What you think is “crying,” though, is not actually crying, so I suggest you learn to spot the difference.
Call it what you want but it looks like crying to me. Anyhow if dsf has anything it’s resilience so I don’t see the point.
Calling the man down isn’t the answer either.
If it’s his thing to antagonize posters, bully for him. As others have suggested, just scroll past or try to find the funny side of it.
And why not? Nothing else seems to work, so calling him out for repeatedly crossing the line is all there is left.
If it’s his free speech to troll, but suggesting it’s not my free speech to call out the troll, then you surely can recognize the ignorance and absurdity of that, right?
Trolls and bullies only succeed when others look the other way, in my opinion. Ignoring it when it is happening is not how I was raised. That may be okay for you, but ignoring him is about as effective of a response as what I’m doing. But I’m calling it out as inappropriate. You do you.
Enjoying the Germany v US game. US scores in dying seconds of first to take 1-0 lead. Wide margin in shots for US, but Germany having moments.
I have been expecting more dominance/passion from US in the Denmark and Germany games, but not seeing it.
German goalie Franzreb playing very well.
Bad penalty by Germany. Matthews scores on the PP.
2-0 USA
Play by play crew: Tkachuks regularly slashing and bumping Drai and Stutzle w no calls.
Olcyk: Samanski needs to be a little more selfish. He’s looking for Draisaitl, rightfully so, but he has a little more space and should look to do more.
US scores 3-0 just before end of 2nd. Looks to me like a high stick (certainly above the crossbar), but no challenge. Goalie Franzreb continues to play well. US, after lacklustre first half of game starting to look dominant.
Draisaitl really getting knocked around.
On his ass 4 times in the game so far.
Germans don’t have a Wilson-Bennett to tame the Yankees down a few degrees.
Tkachuks must be some kind of connected. Does Keith have dirt? Even at the Olympics they are allowed to cheat. I’m ok with Hanson Bros hockey, as long as everyone is allowed a participation ribbon
I opted out of most of the Olympics except hockey long ago, because corruption gets the blood frothy for me. Or Canada gets it’s but kicked, ans we can’t figure it out. And it’s a dirty deal
It wasn’t just the Tkachuks although they played a role.
Numerous other American players targeted Draisaitl to get him off his game and it worked.
I counted 7 times he was knocked to the ice.
Leon is a big boy but was very passive.
Leon taking a penalty in any game hurts the German side. I wouldn’t use the word passive to describe anything about his game.
If there had been any doubt about the outcome, I would agree but there wasn’t.
And, it is very possible to “push back” without taking a penalty.
Sure. Maybe he could even hurt his hand more. Leon Draisaitl isn’t the problem for Germany, or the Oilers. Now, if we’re making a list of passive players, there’s a pile of them on the roster that’s fairly close to you out there on the left coast. 🙂
He is generally quite robust in his reaction to any aggression which I found notably missing tonight.
YMMV
When LT calls you out on your bullshit on his own site, that’s probably a sign to STFU…
Not passive, I agree. He was frustrated but that’s what the Tkachuk’s do. I am more concerned however, when watching the German games, that he has been shown on the bench flexing and icing his hand, the one that was injured when he was hit behind the net in an Oiler game before the break. I hope this is not something that is getting aggravated.
So now we have some perspective on how Canada chose. There is some thugery, we are well suited to deal
Yup. As the play by play crew suggested, several times, Team USA,which hadn’t been very passionate/focussed in previous games, seemed to find the bite in their game by targeting Draisaitl and Stutzle. When German coach rested Drai for a few shifts late in the game, Milbury kept Curly Tkachuk on the bench too. As soon as Drai went out, Curly was there, draping himself all over Leon. Got a penalty, but the game was done by then.
Tkachuks will be a handful for the refs, unless…
We’re almost all sports and inspiring life story fans around here…
Do yourselves a favor and go check out what Anthony Kim just did. Absolutely amazing.
Never, ever give up when you really want it.
Ok SB drop what ever you are doing and get on a plane to Italy . We want that French player that was rag dolling Wilson .. 8 x what ever ..Get on it
Bowman is already there, assistant GM with Team USA. So, he has no excuses to accept your mission. 🙂
McDavid has contributed to 45% of his team’s goals, and has been on the ice for 7GF-0GA at even strength, while playing against IIHF 2/5/14 ranked teams.
To see someone with similar pts/game (albeit through just 3 games), you would have to go back to Kharlamov in 1972 (ironically, when Canada did not have a team)…
https://www.quanthockey.com/olympics/en/records/most-points-per-game-in-one-season-by-olympics-players.html
Pretty incredible. There is no league high enough for him, even best-on-best
Canadian Harry Watson scored 37 points in only 5 GP.
An oddity is that all 37 were goals…nary an assist in this 1924 feat of excellence.
https://www.quanthockey.com/olympics/en/records/olympics-players-all-time-points-leaders.html
Thanks for comparing Mcdavids greatness to a hockey tournament from 1924 when skates hardly existed in the World. You should be proud of yourself HH
Ice skates were invented roughly 5,000 years ago (around 3,000 BCE) in southern Finland and other parts of Scandinavia.
Bandy, the forerunner of ice hockey was developed in 19th-century England, 1813–1850. Often called “football on ice,” it was formalized with rules published by Charles Tebbutt in 1882.
While England is its birthplace, the game was heavily adopted in Russia, Sweden, and Finland.
Once again showing how the points go well over your head…
Samanski has not looked out of place in the game (US v Ger) through the 1st period. Hope the coach is watching.
The cap hits for Samanski and Howard are $975K and $950K.
The larger numbers referenced above are only because they weren’t on the roster when the Oilers entered LTIR so LTIR bonus reserves were not accounted for – when Henrique is activated (and going forward), their cap hits will below $1MM (unless we go back in to LTIR and they aren’t on the roster at the time).
Macklin Celebrini’s cap hit is ($975,000) too. He might have some performance bonuses. LOL.
Yes, and they don’t matter one iota for the Shark’s cap hit this season – if any vest, they get added to their year end cap calculation and, if they are over the cap due to that, that would be a penalty for next season.
Those bonus numbers have to be accounted for on opening night, correct? Or did they change that rule?
No, not really – the performance bonuses only matter when a team is in LTIR and only for players that were not on the roster when they entered LTIR.
Once Rico is activated and out of LTIR, their performance bonuses have zero effect on this year’s cap unless they re-enter LTIR (and they aren’t on the roster when they re-enter).
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
There will be no further discipline for Tom Wilson or Pierre Crinon
Crinon clear for qualifying round
Wilson clear for quarterfinal
FUgly.
And watching McK running around like a bull w his head cut off – and catching penalties for it.
More fughly.
Pretty clear watching Team Canada just what exactly the Oilers need on McDavid’s line. A forechecker who’s even faster than McDavid and whose puck skills are almost as good.
Those are a dime a dozen. Should be simple to both track one down and fit him under the cap.
Who is faster than McDavid?
Do you think a 19 year old might get bigger, stronger and faster?
What in the world does that have to do with anything in this thread?
Macklin Celebrini
What does Celbrini getting better have to do with the current thread?
“Who is faster than McDavid?”
Who said that?
Oh, it was you!
NHL Edge has McDavid at 24.61 mph, Celebrini at 22.14 mph.
Who is the one with poor reading comprehension because the topic is which of them is currently faster?
Oh, it’s you!
What are you even talking about.
The original post said we are seeing what is needed is a winger faster than McDavid and I asked who is fasted than McDavid? You felt the need to respond with some non-sensical comment about a 19 year old getting bigger and faster.
How does Knobby watch Canada and not move Nuge to 3C and put speed on the other side of McDavid & Hyman
Nuge to 3C and Samanski either with Nuge or Drai sounds fun to me, if they aren’t confident in Samanski at 3C yet
They might have to trade Nuge as part of the trade with the Sharks for Celebrini.
Tom Wilson with the first ever Olympic Gordie Howe hat trick?
Bowman is going to have to figure out a way to get Tom Wilson out of Washington.
He may need lots of horseshoes for that one :P.
Wilson is the point leader on WSH right now – basically PPG player.
At this point in time, hes the 2025s version of 2010-2015 “Lucic”.
Imagine thinking McDavid has ever lost a step or even suggesting his best is behind him lol
Better figure it out Bowman.
There is a difference between saying he’s lost a step or his best is behind and watching with one’s eyes and citing that, for al long stretch of time, he hasn’t been playing his best and was not as dangerous consistency nor as dangerous on the rush.
Feel free to continue to mis-interpret (likely intentionally).
Mm. early this season the internet at large was musing that Nate Dawg’s staying power might be greater than McD’s. That didn’t last long and wasn’t a big part of the discussion here but it was out there.
Didn’t the numbers show he hit a faster speed this year than the two years previous. He’s getting better
As McDavid ages, and he is coming out of his prime, the fall from the peak will be gradual as it always is with true greats. However, the Oilers would be wise to eschew massive minutes each game over a prolonged period. He has looked less than 100 percent at times this season, and load management is a thing.
My push back is that I would rather have a 29-30 McDavid in the playoffs over peak regular season 25-26 year-old McDavid.
McDavid is possessed
TSN
@TSN_Sports
Connor McDavid ties Jonathan Toews (2010) for the MOST POINTS in a single Olympics… AND HE DID IT IN THREE GAMES.
That’s a Julius Caesar dagger by Horvat.
8-2, Bruté?
Perhaps its not “an important enough game” but both goals against have been on Binnington (obviously the 1st one, he shares culpability with Parayko but that rebound was awful).
One solid game does not take away from what Binnington has been this year.
Got to be Thompson’s net for the QF (although I’m sure they’ll start Binnington).
Until the French started making head-shots I thought Team Canada was playing a pretty relaxed game. “Sportsmanlike”. But then they got upset.
Binnington is definitely someone that could lose the gold medal game for you single handedly. I would not play him
Meh, he’s playing fine. Imagine the negative comments Grant Fuhr would receive in a game like that.
Culpable on two goals against is “playing fine”?
No goalies have been truly “tested” yet for Canada.
Canada could probably win gold with sub par goaltending. The push back on not starting Binnington, or bringing a replacement for him based on his play this year is quite funny.
It doesn’t mean Canada won’t win if they play him, but you should be showing up with your best.
Another iffy goal for Binnington. I get it’s a slow game for him but has to be focused all the time. Cooper is going to remain stubborn but Thompson would be my starter.
Also, a bit of Oilers vibes here with allowing 2 quick response goals against…
Anything less than 5 shutouts in the tournament by Binnington is inexcusable. By allowing 2 goals in the tightly knit escape past the French 10-2 should start the goaltending battle on who to start the win or go home debate in the quarter-final
That’s right – we should discount him being one of the worst goalies in the league this season (including when taking in to account shot quality and environment) and give credence to a great run in the playoffs 7 years ago and two good periods in a game last February.
Today’s culpability on two goals against is a continuation of how he’s played all season long.
Of course, he can have a big game here and there – can he be solid for 3 games in a row in the medal rounds? Given recent (and medium term) history, its HIGHLY questionable.
Well that settles it Winnington will be benched because of his poor effort in a close 10-2 game. McDavid will be dropped to the 3rd line as he’s lost a couple of steps. In Oilers news Clattenburg will be sent to the ECHL so he can properly learn how to dump in a puck deep enough for your liking.
I agree the game is harder to stay in when you only see a few shots a period, but what OP said about consistency. Either of the goals he let in against France could be backbreaking against a SF/F opponent. Similar criticism applied to Swayman yesterday for USA (although he’s the backup).
Like the Oilers of prior years, this team has the horses to outscore goalie gaffes when needed, but margin for error is tightening.
If you asked the players secretly I would say it’s a unanimous choice in Binnington as the go-to in one game goalie. Canada has no Carey Price at the moment so Stanley Cup winning coach Cooper has to make do with the known commodity of Stanley Cup-4 Nations winning Goalie Binnington. It’s almost like folks want to see Binnington-Canada fail to which I reply not on my watch.
You could say that but you don’t know that and I doubt its true.
Its also not “one game” – he needs to have 3 strong games in a row and that has been the opposite of his MO in recent years.
You mention they have no Price but you talk about Binnington as if he’s that goalie.
That last statement is a summary of why it can be so damn frustrating to converse with you – discussing Binnington vs. Thompson and what might be the best for Canada and not choosing Binnington does NOT mean they want him to fail – its discussion.
Just like saying Howard and Clattenburg would benefit from playing in the AHL does not mean they are hated or busts or bad people.
Why would any of us want Binnington to fail? Unlike DSF, I’d rather be wrong if the team I was cheering for succeeded. I would rather Canada emerges victorious.
Everyone is prepping for a US-Canada rematch, and the margins seem so small that picking the right goalie for that day is likely a major factor in the outcome.
Binnington has won several big games before, but picking him as starter after this season is very much the definition of going with one’s gut over science. It is possible and even likely that they could win with either goalie, but it’s also more possible that over any random game, Thompson’s performance will exceed Binnington’s
I personally would take the better bet in Thompson with 0 regrets regardless of the outcome. If you lose with Binnington, the questions invited are far more warranted
Do you think Clattenbrug is going to develop the skills he need in order for an NHL coach to play him while in the penalty box and hurt? Clattenburg was back in the AHL, not because he needed to work on his ability to hit and fight and impact a game physically, but to develop certain hockey skills necessary so that he can use the hits and fights to impact a game at the NHL level.
Binnington hasn’t been doing much winning over the last several years – he’s been pat of the problem in St. Louis.
Binnington and Hellebucyk are tied atop the Olympics goaltender stats with 1.00 GAA while the latter has a slight edge in save percentage at .9524 – .9500 thanks to having faced and saved 2 additional shots.
I’m not sure why you keep dissing Binnington since he is doing exactly what Team Canada brass wanted him to do.
My goodness are those stats ever irrelevant. Watch the games – watch Binnington be very solid in one game and be culpable on two bad goals the next game. Think about the season he has had and think about the ability to “have one big game” vs. the ability to play 3 strong games in a row.
Think about Kuemper, who has also one a cup and was a finalist for the Vezina last year and Thomspon who has been one of the best goalies in the league this year.
Every 20 year-old in the history of hockey including a 5th rounder could use some developing. As for Binnington he’s a proven Winner under extreme pressure unfortunately the same can’t be said about Skinner.
Kuemper is a proven winner.
The last time Binnington played for Team Canada, he lost to Denmark and a Canadian team that included MacKinnon, Crosby and Celbrini did not medal.
I knew the Oilers messed up the goalie trade this year – it wasn’t Jarry they were looking for from Pittsburgh, or MAF alumni, or #winning Binnington. It was 2x Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray.
2016 – Matt Murray
2017 – Matt Murray
2019 – Jordan #Winnington
From what I remember it was Francouz that won all 4 games in the sweep against us by a stacked Av’s winning Cup team. If Cooper and Team Canada decide to go with Kuemper or Thompson I’ll cheer like mad for them regardless of what I think of them performance wise.
and why do you think its any different for those that think Thompson should play over Binnington?
Your double speaking your basically saying if Canada and Binnington win Gold it’s expected but if Canada loses Gold with Binningtin it’s all his fault. It’s too bad you never had this revelation about a goalie when we had Skinner choke in 2 finals.
McD sifts a sneaky backhand past the new French goalie for his 2nd goal and 9th point of the tourney.
Holy McDavid!! 3 consecutive 3 point games.
Wonder if the Oil have any interest in Justin Faulk. Rightey who is having a very so,I’d year on a shitty team. His D has gotten a lot better over the last 4-5 years and he is very good offensively. He also has another year which I think Bowman would like to get. Be costly and Magpie would have to go and they would have to eat salary on his 6.5. So if they were eating 1/2 of that , I am sure it would cost a 1st plus one of our top young players or top prospects.
Anyone like the idea of Faulk?
If he is reliable defensively and can break cycles sure. Bowman likes puck movers. Previously Faulk wasn’t my cup of tea. I don’t think you can out puck move poor D and N zone play against teams that will pounce on mistakes. Hasn’t worked for the Oilers so far
Watched him 4 times in games this year. His D game is a lot better than it was like I said years back. He isn’t all that fast , but he passes nice and has a great shot. Could be a fit with Nurse as they could tell Nurse to stick to D lol
Yes, as long as Armstrong’s ask isn’t ridiculous
I’ve brought him up previously, as recently as yesterday.
That contract is an obstacle, and not sure he has the hairy-ass/60 we seem to lack, but he does seem to play well against EDM.
Tom Wilson has been very solid. And thus far very cool headed.
So glad that they took Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart and a clearly hobbled Marchand over Hyman, Scheifele and Bedard…
When they play the Yanks Wilson and Bennet will be fun
Its funny to read through this after the game is over given the end.
Indeed. As I’ve noted, Wilson (& McK running around and collecting penalties) is fughly. Undisciplined.
Lucky the game was lopsided from a skill/scoring perspective. Otherwise that lack of discipline costs.
Would probably be helpful if Coffey was behind the bench when the French press.
Haha
Bravo. I liked that a latte.
97’s point-per-period pace perpetuated on the power play as he tees up Makar for the 4-1 goal.
Its really been two games for Ungar and he wasn’t terrible in either – he had a tough 3rd period last weekend and, last night, a couple of goals weren’t great but he did enough to get the win.
He’s not an NHL option this season (he’s behind Tomkins and, of course, Pickard) but I would suspect he’s pencilled in as 1A in Bako next season.
100% agree with this and, those that watch the Condors routinely, were talking about him as a 3C option this season a month before he was called up.
Lets not forget, at time of call-up, it was Samanski, not Hutson, that led the Condors in 5 on 5 scoring.
Samanski deserves the call-up immediately post-Olympic.
Waiving and assigning Janmark and calling up Samanski creates the cap space required to activate Henrique (if Mang isn’t moved) – they could also waive and assign Mang instead of Janmark.
With Henique activated, and the Oilers out of LTIR, we no longer have to account for bonuses when Samanski and Howard are on the roster.
This new Josh Howard guy seems like a real find.
Could he be the first to turn this double. NBA all star and NHL all star?
Btw, it’s SO nice to watch a hockey game without the animated ads all over the boards.
I can say that, for me, I have never once been distracted from the game, or in any way bothered, by ads on the boards.
I find the ones that move, especially when the play is in the corner distracting.
Good grief, what a bad sequence for Parayko.
Let’s not forget Bob Gainey MacKinnon letting his man go right by him on his way to the puck for the 1-1 goal.
McDavid leads all players in the tourney with +6, while MacKinnon drops to +1.
Less defensively capable than Evan Bouchard, and without the offense
That should be another helper for 97 as Wilson opens the scoring.
7 points in 6+ periods.
I think he just set the record for most assists by Canadian NHL player in Olympic tourney with 4. It’s a low bar, but he’s clearly on pace to smash this.
4 pts back of Selanne and Koivu for record pts in Olympic tourney by NHLer