I’m finding it difficult to work up a lather over Matt Tkachuk’s trolling of Leon Draisaitl during the USA-Germany game yesterday. I remember when the NHL first allowed microphones at ice level, it lasted like a snowflake in a hot place. Hockey players use the f-bomb instead of pretty much all the other words. Noun, verb, pronoun, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, interjection, you name it, hockey players will use the f-bomb before branching out.
So, when the mic picks up some verbal directed at Leon Draisaitl, people get very upset for some reason. It seems folks forget that Edmonton’s No. 29 routinely uses his giant oar to disembowel opponents, and slashes and hacks all the live-long day. Draisaitl is filthy, people. I mean that as a compliment. Next time you see him on the ice in a game, ask yourself who and what could intimidate this individual? It sure as hell isn’t Matthew Tkachuk.
The entire reaction to this moment in time is over the top. It’s less than zero, folks. It just is. If you think Draisaitl is out there saying nice things to opponents while offering apple strudel recipes, you need to spend more time at ice level during NHL games. They’re all saying things their Moms would not endorse. Seriously. I thought everyone knew this.
I’m reading the Oilers are checking down from pursuit of a forward at the deadline and are now focused on helping the defense. Good luck with that! The players Edmonton needs are not available, and the ones who are available aren’t upgrades really.
If you look around the NHL for players acquired for a top-four role on defense, the cost is high. JJ Moser is doing good work for the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the ask from Utah was Mikhail Sergachev, so yeah. K’Andre Miller cost the Carolina Hurricanes a big package of assets, and on it goes.
I like Artem Zub of the Ottawa Senators. have for ages, but the Sens aren’t going to trade him. He has a year left on a value contract ($4 million) and is armed with a limited NTC. Love to get him here, but can’t see it despite Ottawa’s falling down the standings.
I’m wondering how much Josh Samanski’s five-game audition with the Oilers is impacting the deadline. He is giving the team something Ike Howard doesn’t deliver, or Howard would be in the NHL right now. In those five games, the Oilers five-on-five playing time for LWers was Vasily Podkolzin (14:17), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (13:28), Trent Frederic (9:32), Samanski (9:17) and Andrew Mangiapane (7:54). Podkolzin, Nuge and Samanski were the only left-wings to play all five games. As the elders age out, Podkolzin’s playing time wil increase. I think most of us felt Ike Howard was the other left winger on the roster with a boatload of future. Samanski is inserting himself into the conversation. Could be nothing, could be something. Things happen. No one thought Patrick Maroon was going to be Patrick Maroon on the day he got here.
Ranking the Edmonton Oilers’ top 10 trade assets for 2026 deadline
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7048217/2026/02/16/edmonton-oilers-trade-deadline-2026-ranking-assets/
I’d have Samanski on the list as high up as 3-4 – that is to say, I attribute high value to him and wouldn’t trade him unless there was legit value with term coming back.
For me, if Hutson has the value where ranked, he’s the guy I trade – don’t get me wrong, I like him, he’s a great AHL player but lets not forget he’s 24 and, while a rookie pro, that’s an advanced age for a prospect.
I didn’t have him on the list because the Oilers can use him. Why trade a piece you can use?
I agree the Oilers can use him, 100% – can use him, and should use him.
At the same time, Savoie and Howard are on the list and the Oiler can use them as well so I’m not sure I understand the distinction with Samanski?
Savoie’s offense is shy, even with 97 and 29. Now he’s a rookie, but the Oilers would sacrifice him imo because he’s basically third line now and his size isn’t ideal. Howard is a first-shot scorer, the Oilers need that thing, and yet Howard isn’t playing in Edmonton. It could mean the organization will decide Howard is expendable in a deal for someone who is a true plug-and-play.
Samanski doesn’t have the same trade value, but he can play on that third line. The other two rookies aren’t ideal playoff forwards for the role Knoblauch is deploying them in.
OK, thanks for the explanation.
I don’t think I agree with the analysis (regarding the two on the list and not Samanski) but that’s fine – definitely no need to get in to it.
Frankly, I don’t think any of the three get moved.
Samanski has size and upside possible 3-C this has value especially for the Oiler organization that’s been wandering the desert for 20 years. Savoie will have a Todd Marchant career if he stays healthy 15–17 goals a year. Howard if he’s lucky will be traded to a team that has him on PP1 or PP2 in the Leon-Ovechkin shooting spot. Hobey Baker winner has a Boeser type shot that will get him 30 goals if he lands with the proper coach and team.
I wonder if there’s any way to pry Shesterkin out of NY?
His cap hit is $11.5M so that would automatically mean Jarry’s $5.375 cap going the other way. Walman’s $3.4 and Mangi’s $3.6 would cover the rest of the cap commitment along with a Savoie and/or Howard contracts being included to equalize the asset transfer.
Draisaitl opens the scoring with a PP goal assisted by Samanski.
3-1 Deutschland in the 2nd.
The two switch places as Samanski scores on the man advantage with Drai strudeling.
4-1 Germany in the 3rd.
And one more apple for 29 as Germany wins 5-1. They will advance to play Slovakia.
Summarizing!
Soup for all!
Lewandowski scored his 15th of the season and added a strudel (h/t Fuhr & Lowething in Vegreville). He had 5 SOG and was named 2nd star.
Nicholl scored the eventual game-winner–his 8th goal of the year–plus an assist in a 6-2 win. He finished +4 and earned 3rd star honors as London clinched a playoff spot.
Lafreniere tallied his 32nd while going 10-for-14 (71.4%) on the dot. (He was also a dash-4 in the 4-2 loss.)
Prospecting takes a break until Thor’s Day.
Wow the Canadian Woman better learn how to play the trap quickly as they’re too old and slow for the Americans. Canada has them right where they want them which is over confident and cocky.
They’re going to get smoked.
Only beating Switzerland 2-1…YIKES.
Something is going very wrong with that group.
Sounds like they left some talented players off the roster to bring the gang back, giving up some speed and skill in the process.
Sounds like a discussion re: the mens team and the defence.
I think the shots were 44-8…..
Yes, the US are a big favourite this year – we’ll see what happens though.
When your best player by a city mile is a soon to be 35 year-old on 1 leg then there’s something wrong in Denmark. Canada excluding Poulin is strickly a perimeter team with stone hands. To beat the U.S.A they will need magic in goaltending-friendly refs-lucky bounces from the hockey gods.
And, despite how the broadcasters describe Poulin, she is not the best player in the PWHL.
French hockey player shows courage…is suspended by own country.
https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/47949716/french-hockey-player-fought-tom-wilson-suspended
Pathetic. Unsurprising…but still pathetic.
Chris Johnston
@reporterchris
Brandon Bussi signs a three-year extension with Carolina carrying a $1.9M AAV.
More.
https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/latest-news/it-s-a-great-day-to-say-the-least-brandon-bussi-talks-new-deal-extending-in-raleigh-and-more
I agree the price is high for a top 4D but we’ve proven we can do it 2 of the past 3 trade deadlines and we can make a very similar package that acquired Ekholm and Walman.
You never know each teams scenario. Impact RD targets ranging from 8/10 to 10/10 difficult include:
this a great list – Demelo sounds like a perfect fit to me. He’s 32, signed for 2 more years after this at 4.9M and Winnipeg should probably be rebuilding. Also a modified NTC.
Marino sounds good too but didnt he refuse to sign here after college?
Demelo is likely being zoomed by Morrissey.
I don’t know how to post images but from 23-24 to now:
morrisey w/ demelo – 60% goals
morrisey w/o – 60% goals
demelo w/o – 57% goals
w/o both – 48% goals
all huge samples, but it seems like he does well without him too. Hopefully the scouts could figure it out.
What are the grounds for contract termination for someone like Skinner? As far as we know, no conduct issues, no missing games/practices. I thought performance didn’t factor in it.
Does Skinner have to agree?
Why does Edmonton never do this?
The player has to agree to it. It makes sense for Skinner. He gets to go tryout somewhere for another contract, and he is not burdened with the $3 million AAV he carried on the contract he had with San Jose, which means better teams might be willing to consider him at the NHL minimum for the rest of the season.
LA just lost Fiala. Skinner at the NHL minimum might make sense for them as a low risk move.
With close to $20 million in cap space, I expect Holland will be big game hunting and Skinner ain’t that.
Signing Skinner at the NHL minimum does not preclude big game hunting.
He might be able to help LA. I think a problem he has is when in Buffalo he was a feature offensive player, so setting him up wasn’t a problem, the rest he doesn’t do much of didn’t matter for some time. On the Oilers he needed to work to help the feature players. The Sharks have Celebrini
The King need offense and have enough of the other type
I thought LA too. Even just as a PP specialist – they have one of the worst in the league.
LA just added Artemi Panarin for that role.
With Adrian Kempe on the other wing, no room for Skinner.
I expect this is a prelude to a larger deal on San Jose’s part.
With Skinner off the books, they will have almost $13 million in deadline cap space.
They’re 5 points out but have multiple games in hand against most teams.
Skinner still has time to compete in the Figure Skating World Championships.
I imagine he’s watching Olympics and feeling he’s missed out on living his dream.
Our beloved Mikey Grier is going to maximize his window with Celebrini. San Jose will be a future force as Mike is building from the Net down the Middle and then circling back to the D.
Yep.
Obviously not all will end up playing C but the depth is ridiculous
Macklin Celebrini
Michael Misa
Will Smith
Alex Wennberg
Barclay Goodrow
Phillipp Kurashev
Zach Ostapchuk
Know anyone who needs a 3C?
I would say his Agent already has a wink-wink nudge-nudge with a playoff G.M as of yesterday or earlier.
Very likely.
Do you think there are other teams that want him? He didn’t succeed in Edmonton and now he hasn’t succeeded in San Jose.
I expect Mike Grier brought him in as insurance only.
With the emergence of younger players like Colin Graf and Phillip Kurashev, Skinner was excess baggage.
The acquisition of Kiefer Sherwood who brings much more at half the price probably sealed the deal.
This is an agreement as between the player and the team.
It cannot be done unilaterally by the team.
Its not common as the player is agreeing to give up what’s left on his contract.
The Oiles did do this, with Tomasek.
It’s unfortunate that the NHL doesn’t have a system like the NFL where the team can just terminate a contract for underperforming players. Unfortunately NHL salaries are all guaranteed.
Lots of guaranteed money in the NFL but, yes, a completely different structure.
Of course, the players are never going go give back their guaranteed contracts.
Skinner has to agree and they probably don’t know, like I and most of his previous coaches, about his positive goal share and how that makes him a valuable asset and impervious to criticism.
“Draisaitl is out there saying nice things to opponents while offering apple strudel recipes, you need to spend more time at ice level during NHL games.”
FFS, I thought that was the game plan. I think 29 may give away the Strudel while keeping the fritter one a family heirloom, however.
Max Miller
@Real_Max_Miller
The SJSharks are placing Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers for the purposes of a contract termination. The winger hasn’t played since Jan 11 and will become a UFA if he clears.
I’m curious why you see Samanski as a future left winger? He’s been successful as a center all year at AHL level, and appears to have the tools and defensive awareness to play the position.
On a side note, I thought he looked a lot better in the second half of the game yesterday. After they moved him back to center. Olczyk was bang on about him forcing passes to Draisaitl.
Maybe just less responsibility on the wing for a rookie? I think he may look good on wing with Nuge at center. Maybe Roslovic/Savoie on the right wing.
He’ll let us kwow what he is. Right now, he IS a left winger on the Oilers, or was when we last saw him in the NHL.
Did he not play center in every game in the NHL this year?
Walmans performance has fallen off with Oilers. Stastny’s numbers have declined. Nurse’s game has declined considerably. So have new goaltenders.
Its not the individual players, its the team defence. They are focused on retrieving the puck and moving it up, they do not want to get entangled covering forwards. The focus is the puck, not the man. The risk is often opposition are free to access the front of the net, free to screen, free to tip the puck. Goaltenders are left on their own.
Change this, the defensive numbers get better. Will the offensive numbers get worse? I don’t know. But likely if wingers come back for a fully supported breakout, the numbers that count will be fine.
That whole “apple strudel” bit -> best just burst out a chuckle line you’ve had in a bit.
Well played.
Under the coach cushions search for young RHD with upside and cheap contracts:
-Wyatt Kaiser (CHI): can skate, +7! on CHI, PKs, possibly blocked by prospects.
-Nick Blankenburg (NSH): small but feisty, skates well, blocks shots, PKs.
-Jake Christiansen (CBJ): blocks and hits, PKs, only -7 on a bad team, okay boots.
Not sure the availability but a glance at the numbers suggests they might be a decent buy low candidate.
Kaiser seems like a good bet for a shutdown type who can play top-4 and PK effectively.
Kaiser is left handed and plays 2LD for Chicago when he is healthy which he currently is not.
Playing offside is not ideal but possibly necessary given the dearth of right shot players.
Maybe the Leafs will give Troy Stretcher back.
I’d aim higher, literally and figuratively.
Braden Schneider. Cap 2.2M, RFA, 24YO. Physical defensive type, RD, good size. Was their 1st rounder, NHL edge indicates he may be a bit slow
Shows up on some trade lists. It would be about assets one would think
Yeah he seems the clear “best bet for actual solution worth heavy assets ic required”.
RFA worth what cap hit on new contract?
With bouchard, ekholm, nurse & walman:
There’s the old game of rock and a hard too many vet LHD that cost too much money.
Truth told:
Nurse won’t waive and no teams open up until 2027…likely the 10 teams he’s willing to go to good chance won’t want him.
If there is a market for walman i’d trade him while they can to fit schneider.
Oh I thought Walman’s extension had already kicked in but it starts next year it looks like. So he has a 10 team no trade list for this year and full NMC kicks in next season?
I wonder why we signed him last summer. I don’t know that anyone would have predicted his price going up much after this season..A very smart move by Walman as an injury prone player.
i dont know that anyone would want that contract to be honest, but it would be good if they could swap for the RD version of him somehow.
I have brought him up before and the pushback is always along the lines of why would they give up on him already? Especially after just extending his contract.
The answer may be zero as who knows if they are actually going to call Samanski back up coming out of the break. Their history tells me they will give Henrique games to try and re-establish himself as 3C even though Samanski covered the bet in his cup of coffee.
Something has to give on the roster coming out of the break as they are apx $100K short for activating Henrique.
One hopes they’ve found the Mang trade and it will be consummated when the freeze is over but who knows.
If not, its got to be one of Janmark or Mang waived and assigned to Bako and that would allow them to activate Henrique and call up Samanski.
Samanski’s cap hit will be back down to $975K with them not using LTIR.
I could make a case to send both Mang and Jamark down and bring up Howard or Jarventie along with Samanski – they won’t do it, of course.
If they go into playoffs with Henrique as 3C we are toast. That line will get worked and Knoblauch will over rely on McDrai as usual.
and I wonder if teams want a 2nd to take Mangiapane? If they just wanted a third i think it would be done by now
This is function of two underperforming veterans in Nurse and Walman. Nurse has had some good stretches but continues to be inconsistent and, even when he’s been good, he hasn’t been near “locked down”.
Walman has just had a crap year – started late due to injury, got hurt again and missed a long stretch.
This pairing SHOULD be a solid 2nd pairing, even if Jake being on the right side is less than ideal – they were good last season.
Its creating a 2D hole on this team.
Bouchard can float all boats, he doesn’t need Ekholm – remember how great he made Kulak look in the playoffs last year.
Its getting close to time to at least try splitting that pairing up.
Nurse/Bouchard
Ekholm/Walman
Stasney/Embeson has been very good this season at 3D – very good – but he’s not yet at a 2RD level, even if he’s passable up there.
To me there are a lot of reasons to do this. First of course Nurse Bouch have shown good things when together
Second, Ekholm healthy is vital. Less TOI is just common sense, keep him for the playoffs, like Tampa said they will do with Hedman – because they had to use an untested top pair, and they are good so the coaches don’t feel the need to risk Hedman’s health and energy
Third, Nurse has been out of sorts for a few years now. I think his confidence gets rattled. It may not work out, but what if a show of confidence, trust and responsibility rejuvenates his game?
Fourth, Walman might need the mentoring and steadiness of Ekholm to settle into his best game
Other teams are not nearly as hesistant to do things. It’s like we either get the same old and no creativity, or crazy like Eakins
Very good point on TOI for Ekholm that’s not talked about enough.
All very good points.
Of course, it’s highly unlikely they do this – I mean, have they ever split them up since Ekholm was acquired? Its really only been when Ek has been out.
Bouchard has shown that he can carry pretty much any d-man partner and excel – look at the playoffs last year.
I’m honestly not sure why so much is being made of this. It was a solid chirp, and nothing offside at all – Chips like that probably happens almost every game and this one got picked up on the microphone.
If Germany beats France and Slovakia (which is quite achievable), the United States will play Germany again in the semi-finals. He who chirps last, chirps best.
Any chance Germany can arrange citizenship for Kucherov, Panarin, Ovechkin, Kaprizov, Vasilevskiy, Bouchard, Hyman, etc. right away?
No, they will play Canada in the semi, presuming the US beats Sweden (and no other upsets).
Germany would be the lowest seed in the SF
There is a path the Canada-Germany, which I would love to see.
So, for those unfamiliar with the song referenced in the title, a little primer:
Focus was–and still is!–a Dutch band that began in 1969. “Hocus Pocus” launched them into stardom, and it has to be one of the oddest prog songs to go mainstream. It’s like Black Sabbath meets Looney Tunes, but it–as the cool kids like to say–“slaps”.
This is the studio version, which clocks in at over 6.5 minutes.
Likely due to network time constraints, they later performed this song on “The Midnight Special” in under 4.5 minutes. Not by omitting anything, but by upping the tempo to Ludicrous Speed. It is fascinating.
I remember seeing this live on Midnight Special and it kind of freaked me out. I loved The Midnight Special performances but nothing compares to the German show Beat-Club who had young raw bands like Yes-Kinks-Deep Purple-Golden Earring-Grateful Dead and dozens upon dozens other excellent musicians. Also who didn’t have a crush and learn a bit of German because of host Uschi Nerke
More so than any other recent GM, I have confidence in Bowman the Younger make a deal to find useful pieces.
Walman (said to be unavailable) was his target from the start, and was acquired by the deadline. Kulak aging out in real time and suddenly expensive, was replaced by the unheralded and inexpensive younger Statsney who looks well poised to grow with the team. Podkholzin has largely replaced Holloway, again for pennies on the dollar (and is more durable, too). Ingram was literally found money.
RHD are harder to find, and many of the targets established on the blog/comments have recently been traded or extended. Guys like Weegar, Borgen, Zub, Mayfield, Carlo, Carrier, Andersson, Durzi, Jokiharju, and Drysdale were all discussed.
Tough thing to do now is find the next Artem Zub (himself representing the next Gudas).
My fear about the search for a top-4 RHD is that we’ll end up with a Holland-type, the rugged elder with a long resume and no boots. Someone like Bogosian, Schenn, Gudbranson, or possibly Faulk (though I’m less convinced he doesn’t have some game left in the tank).
I am also hoping Bowman is looking under the coach cushions. Old vets are absolute zero thinking acquisitions, and the odds of them being helpful are not strong, just like UFA’s are a crap shoot for every team. They may not be available, but there are younger players that are better than they might seem. That’s where you find value
“Under the coach cushions” is absolutely marvellous.
I don’t know – Bowman has been very hit or miss for me. Stastney has shown some good signs and some not good signs. Interestingly his numbers were way better on Nashville than here.
And while the trade for Walman was good I don’t think I am liking the extension at this point. We’ve got 3 LD locked up long term for ~20M in total and the best one is making the least. And Walman is not having a good year for a 7M defenseman. Need a good RD badly.
Fair take, now compare his results to any GM before not named Sather. No GM bats 1000, Slats included. Consider the quality of roster turnover — in both the NHL and AHL — in such a short window of time under Bowman. He’s done very well.
AHL and building the prospect pool I agree he has been excellent. NHL – analytically it’s the worst team we’ve had in a long time. Lots of not great vets and lots of rookies – missing a core of good 23 to 28 year old players IMO. We will see if these young guys can develop and be part of the core though.
Bowman has been working to fill godot’s donut in the roster. I suspect it will take some time yet to replenish.
No idea on the root cause(s) of the team being flat this year. Is it fatigue from so much hockey/so little off season for recovery? Is it a coaching issue (tactics/deployment/development)? Is it roster construction? Simply a matter of underperformance up and down the roster? While not a sexy answer it’s likely a combination of all of the above. However, not all of that can be laid at the feet of the GM.
Yes that’s all fair. For me it comes down to that third line. They came into the season without a 3C and have been unsuccessfully auditioning guys for it all year. Which is partly on Bowman and partly on Knoblauch for not just putting Nuge there when it was clear it was a problem.
Walman hasn’t been very good this year.
Injury plays a big role.
When healthy, which was already a factor worth considering at acquisition/extension, he’s bona fide.
Prospectomongo!
A Day For Families means a day for hockey as all three CHL’ers participate matinee-style.
A win for Nicholl and the Knights would punch their postseason ticket and improve their chances of home ice in Round 1. (They are four points back of Soo for 4th in the Western Conference.) Nicholl has 7-6-13 in 18 GP.
Lewandowski reached the 50-point plateau by scoring his 14th goal yestergame. His next goal will equal last year’s output.
Having already eclipsed last year’s goal total, Lafreniere can match last year’s assist mark (32) with his next apple.
London (Nicholl) @ noon
Saskatoon (Lewandowski) @ 1:30 p.m.
Kamloops (Lafreniere) @ 3 p.m.
All times, at all times, are Caroline time.
I’m not really a fan of the Olympics, really just a side show and full of corruption. And it interrupts the real season, the pursuit of Stanley. Can’t wait for it to be over so we can get back to talking (or complaining) about how the Oilers are doing on the ice instead of “on the shelf” so to speak
The Olympics are a lot like other industries like modelling, art, FIFA, fashion shows, etc. They prey on the enthusiasm of the young, and are often run by the dodgiest of people.
Fiala down for season before end of round robin.
I’m glad few oilers are there. Said it before it started. I’m also glad oilers have the nicer end of schedule at home with no east coast travel 3 hour time zone shifts.
There’s a very real possibility the oilers lucked into health benefit that ends up being huge advantage come business hours.
Teams like France-Denmark-Swiss etc are not going quietly no more as these non NHLers know how to use the stick with no repercussions besides a penalty when the game is no longer in doubt. There’s a reason Cooper and Canada loaded up on players like Bennett-Tkachuk-Doughty and it’s not only to face the evil Americans.
Great piece! The f-bomb is a universal language amongst hockey players (and curlers also) for sure. I would love to have Leon’s apple strudel recipe, though.
I think, henceforth, all of Drai’s assists shall be referred to as strudels!
I’m stealing this for Lewandowski too. Danke schoen!
@ Austria
If you want a brownie recipe there’s always Tools’ – Die Eier von Satan. Just remember… No Eggs!
Great reference