I’ve been thinking about old Sam Pollock lately. The Montreal Canadiens are rising again, God help us all. The price paid by English Canada for the four Punch Imlach Stanley Cups in the 1960’s still echoes down the canyons of NHL history. Please read this.
Imlach sent away players five at a time to get an aging Andy Bathgate for his Toronto Maple Leafs. Sam Pollock sent away an aging Ralph Backstrom to make sure he could draft Guy Lafleur. Both men won championships, Pollock’s mousetrap was miles better.
If we airlifted Sam Pollock into the general manager’s chair at Rogers Place, he might trade Zach Hyman and Mattias Ekholm this summer, and he would certainly have a chat with every player over 30 under contract.
Pollock would cut the cap, trade for his first-round pick in 2027, and send out an offer sheet. Or two. Pollock would hold daily meetings to find out how the hell things got this way?
And you know what? We saw this coming. On February 17th, 2018, I wrote about this very problem: (source)
Oftentimes in life, the absence of alternatives clears the mind. In this case, the mind boggles while searching for that clarity, because there is no clear path to sustained success. How on earth could a rebuilding team allow the prospect base to get this low? Sam Pollock would never have done such a thing, but he also would never have put himself in this position.
What is the way forward? It’s already underway. Matt Savoie, Josh Samanski, Colton Dach and Ike Howard all played more than 20 games, and Savoie got into all 82 games. Pollock would hire a coach like Bruce Cassidy, find the right goaltender and then work tirelessly to find skilled men who could pass the puck while also being demons on the backcheck.
For all the innovations in hockey since Sam Pollock, the value of a real mean bastard with skill and snarl never goes out of style. The Oilers have one. The best one. Leon. Pollock would make him his Beliveau. He would play the toughs and beat them senseless, with Vasily Podkolzin on left wing and some guy with an odd helmet, no teeth and a stick carved into the shape of a knife he found playing in Corpus Christi in an outlaw league. That guy would score 12 goals and have a 62 percent goal differential at five-on-five. Sound impossible? That’s what Stan Bowman faces today.
Hire Cassidy, then take over the world. Problem is, Sam Pollock no longer exists.
Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman must do the impossible in the next 12 weeks
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7286418/2026/05/18/edmonton-oilers-roster-trades-transactions-2026/
What is the motivation for STL to trade Kyrou for Nurse?
As you mentioned they would need to move out Cam Fowler who was just re-signed to play 2LD at $6.1 million for 3 years.
Why would they?
They are looking for toughness, and Nurse is going to age better than the group in St. Louis now (Broberg aside).
So you’re saying Nurse + Fred for Kyrou + Fowler 😉
Please make this trade happen! I think Kyrou would excel on Drais wing
McDavid’s wing. Move Hyman to the left side.
Theo Lindstein blew up LT’s plan though.
The Blues might do Nurse for Fowler, but both players have full NMC’s.
2024 1st round pick Adam Jiricek and 2nd round pick Lucas Fischer also on the way.
Both big boys.
Toronto has cap and makes sense, not sure what they have to give back though, and if DN passes the stats test
Lots of chatter about the Leafs wanting to move on from Morgan Rielly.
Acquiring Nurse for the same job at $2 million more doesn’t seem realistic.
It was more likely under Tree and Berube
Nurse won’t accept that trade or he would be gone already.
I expect you’re right.
He needs to can the brain trust and then fall on his own sword.
Montreal wins 3-2 in game seven 55 years to the day they beat Chicago 3-2 in seven to win the ’71 Stanley Cup. I remember that game well, even though I was too nervous to watch part of it.
What a series! What a run!
Mostly goaltending.
Tuch has been 1 mph slower in the playoffs than during the regular season, and his typical speed for the last couple of years. 21.5ish vs. 22.5ish.
I was seeing him as slow, and thus, not a good bet at 30 for a big free agent contract with duration. In this series, he was just not getting to the play.
Unless he can explain away the drop in speed during the playoffs, he is a definite avoid in free agency.
I’ve personally never contemplated Tuch as an Oiler.
I can’t see Tuch contemplating a move to Edmonton either.
That’s not a knock on Edmonton … Tuch’s from western New York and has never played for any Canadian team. LT keeps putting his name out there, but I’ve always assumed that LT was hoping for the Oilers to acquire a player like Tuch, rather than the actual player himself.
Tuch’s going to get paid what Adrian Kempe signed for.
His speed was 89th percentile in the second round but his results dropped off. I suspect an injury, but not to his lower body.
Alex Tuch Stats | NHL EDGE | NHL.com
vs Boston: 6, 4-3-7 (+8)
vs Montreal: 7, 0-0-0 (-8)
Without knowing what the actual issue was, I would temper my criticism. But speed wasn’t his problem in round 2.
Perhaps he would take a 2 year deal in Edmonton that would coincide with McDavid’s. He could potentially put up some sick numbers and be young enough to land a big 6 year deal with the cap nearing $120M.
Dahlin with a giveaway getting cute at the offensive blue line (not egregious, had some support) and then doesn’t get in the shooting lane for the goal against – I thought this prohibits Norris votes?
Wow brutal non call on Zucker as he skates directly into Dobes. Then Sabres score….
One team is trying to win while the other is trying not to lose.
The Leafs in contact with David Carle about their coaching vacancy.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-make-initial-contact-with-denver-coach-david-carle/
I like how you point out David Carle as if that’s relevant to an Oilers blog instead of the other name in that article, Jay Woodcroft (former Oilers head coach).
Did you forget what site you were on?
Read it again.
Neither Woodcroft or Malhotra have benn contacted although they MIGHT be.
As Friedman says:
““I’ve heard it has simply been an initial conversation to gauge his interest. I believe they will talk again but I would caution anyone against running with it too hard or feeling that he’s a favourite,” Friedman said.”
Friedman is cautioning you from running with it on an Oilers blog.
I’m so happy that none of complainers on this blog are anything near the GM of this team.
The Oilers don’t do a detailed review of coaches available, they complain. Oilers interview Bérube as an option, they complain.
Oilers sign arguably their second best, most consistent d man to a pretty decent, not long term contract that is prepared for him to go down the depth chart as he ages, they complain.
Oilers make the cup finals 2 years in a row, lost in the first round this year, be compared to the Avs who have lost in the first round 2 of the previous 3 years like they are the greatest team year in and out.
Oilers have 2 top 5 players in the league on the team, there’s not enough top 5 players on the team. The rest of the team are bums. Yet Hyman scored at 50 goal pace, Savoie developed massively, Podkolzin scored 19 goals and keeps getting better and they have other young players taking on roles.
Oilers are too old, the Oilers get younger, they complain the Oilers no longer have proven scoring players.
Ryan McLeod is too soft and there’s no way we can win with him, the trade for Savoie was terrible, we’re looking for a 3rd line centre!
Get with the game guys. It’s ridiculous, you can criticize but the acting like we’re back in the DoD is annoying and not reality.
This.
Yup
100%
+1000
It would be hilarious if Vegas did not permit the Oilers to talk to Cassidy.
That said, I imagine Cassidy eventually terminates his own contract knowing he will get a new position with all the vacancies
For context, Seravalli saying the league will not force Vegas to give teams permission.
The Oilers should prevent KK from interviewing with another team. Let’s see what Bettman thinks as this becomes a trend.
We already know what Bettman thinks. He’s talked about this very issue multiple times.
Why would this be hilarious?
If you’re the owner what do you do when the GM you’ve hired is getting completely pwned by your division’s closest rival?
Sadly, the owner is definitely part of the problem.
Well… I don’t know about definitely. Friedman couched his words in terms of “I think.” Stauffer later changed them to “Friedman heard.” After Elliotte also helped Stan the prior week by stating that talking to other coaches is SOP during the off season, which two days later Gregor blew out of the ocean.
That all just looks like carrying water for Stan from my pov. I don’t think we really know how much the Big Guy is involved. But okaying JJ for POHO had to be on him. And that is looking like a big mistake.
But he may have largely taken the hands off, let the hockey people do their thing position for the most part. I can’t rightly say for certain where and when he affected things post Post Mortem 1.0.
While the realization that Vegas is doing nothing wrong with regards to Butch slowly dawns on Oil Country, one wonders if Stan can make it to the draft as GM.
Us oldtimers can recall Lou Lamoriello blocking his staff not for one years but multiple years. We recall that a compensatory system was put into place to prevent this and that the owners wanted that system eliminated and eventually, in a type of Prisoner’s Dilemma, we would end up right back here.
If BC is HC of the EO next season, it will cost SB a draft pick acceptable to the Knights as payment for release. Rumour has it they’re about to be short a 2nd.
Stan could pivot but none of the alternatives are clear upgrades on KK, nor do any of them have the credentials stated at the beginning of this process… a proven SCF winner. And of course they would have to be signed while wondering what happens when BC comes available in a year. So five year deals? And then, if dumped for BC, the owner can pay for three head coaches simultaneously.
All of this resulting from screw ups that occurred while Stan was allegedly being evaluated for job performance. Maybe the evaluator should be fired too. Of course its highly likely that the whole Stan eval wasn’t about job performance but performance art…
The org is trapped. Shitty GM, can’t get a good coach, cap strung, no goalie and weak leadership with no time frame to turn it around.
It’s time for a reset. Time to blow this up, call TO and ask about 97 for the 1st, and start a new decade of hope.
Notice that I’ve switched back from Munny to the old DoD avatar spOILer? Bleak House sits at the end of the lane.
Can’t say I agree with your Chicken Little take, but glad you’re back.
That was my hopeful take, lol. I’m offering in fact the only solution that offers any hope and will provide hope for as long as 97 has just done. We will never do better in a trade and that’s where Stan is careening with his helpless incompetence.
And cheers to you too!
Hey Munny, glad to hear from you and hope things are going well!
Things have been going quite ducky as of late…
😉
*fistbump*
Of, get a coach that is known for:
– implementing strong natural zone and defensive zone structure
– accountability for all player, including start players, for failure to play the way he requires
– not afraid to be stark with players and, eventually, ice time accountability
– puts a premium on puck management
– known for using in-game analytics to make adjustments – I’m not talking about NST expected goals to change lines but certain data that will lead to tweaks in things such as zone entry structure, etc.
Take a coach with the above known attributes, a McDavid and Drai that realize they were both not good enough (overall game) this past season (both acknowledged) and a core that has 5 months to fully rest and re-charge (physically and mentally), hockey train not rehab (see: Hyman, Frederic, Nuge, etc.) and contend for the cup.
Sorry, I didn’t catch the name of the coach stepping up to be here for the one year Cassidy isn’t available. I mean, its been proven. Finals aren’t good enough. Cup or fired. And Butch is just sittin there waiting…
That’s the situation our adroit GM has created.
But regardless, how you doin, Coop? Hope all is good.
I remain confident that Cassidy will indeed to available to the Oilers in fairly short order here.
I’m doing great, thanks for asking, yourself?
Awesome, actually. From what does your confidence stem?
First thing is the fact (as the top guys stated it) that they didn’t really give a crap about the regular season and, once things started to snowball, they just couldn’t get it back on track (on the players and the coach) – I think the incumbent rosters is MUCH better than they performed. They said “they were an average team”, I say they “played like an average team”
McDavid and Drai underperforming (their overall game, commitment to team play/defense/structure).
Frederic and Hyman not training this off-season but rehabbing – I feel Frederic, going in to the off-season healthy, able to train and get ready and be set up for success in October could go a long ways.
Walman and Nuge playing through injuries all season long, etc.
Mostly, the coach, as I think this will be Cassidy and he is known for:
– implementing strong natural zone and defensive zone structure
– accountability for all player, including start players, for failure to play the way he requires – not afraid to be stark with players and, eventually, ice time accountability
– puts a premium on puck management
– known for using in-game analytics to make adjustments – I’m not talking about NST expected goals to change lines but certain data that will lead to tweaks in things such as zone entry structure, etc.
From what I’ve learned about him, his top skills are in the exact areas where this team has lacked.
Dahlin for the cup! Lets go BUF
Not a great look on that losing goal for Dahlin.
Hyman loses some trade protection this league year to a modified NTC with a 10 team list. Not sure when it kicks in. That Ekholm extension with retroactive NMC was among the worst business Bowman did, this offseason would have been a perfect time to go younger.
Not sure what’s worse, the moves or cementing in the bad choices handing out NMCs like candy.
According to Puckpedia, Hyman’s modified NTC is an 8 team list for 26/27 and a 10 team list for 27/28. The league year begins every July 1st.
Last season Ekholm:
Played 82 games
Had 41 points
Was 12th among NHL d-men in 5 on 5 points
Played 36% TOI vs. elites
Was 56% goal share and expected goal share
He will make less than Ceci and Doumolin.
Three days later, I still can’t believe the Journal ran a headline, “Who will Connor McDavid hire as Oilers coach?”
If the Journal is starting to put the blame for the Oilers’ woes on McDavid, then it feels like they’re preparing the ground to blame McDavid for McDavid leaving.
It’s one thing for us Lowetideians to remember a quote from Friedman eight years ago that tipped us off. It’s another thing when this is hitting the mainstream.
https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/edmonton-oilers-connor-mcdavid-coaching-search
That’s interesting. I think this is the first year I’ve seen any real criticism (mild mostly) of McDavid. I’ve said a few things myself. Would any of us have said anything like this a year ago?
I think it kicks it up a notch for the Journal to start saying things like that.
we sure are fickle
Couldn’t agree more. I’m not saying Connor is above criticism. But if I went down an ordered list of things to criticize regarding this team/organization, I don’t think I’d ever get to Connor.
I’ll take the writing of anyone near the market, including Matthewson and Spec, over Gerry Moddejonge
thats a bold statement indeed. One i tend to agree with in fact
Thank you. I like it.
ps. I’m going to look at those early McD Era rosters to get a sense of how we got here (2026, not 2018). I’m curious to see the evolution of the “win now” process.
pps. I like Draisaitl as Béliveau (but he’ll have to learn to keep his words and his body language for private consumption, not public interpretation, that’s basic leadership stuff that Béliveau had dialled long before he left Quebec City).
If we don’t get Cassidy, firing Knoblauch
was a pretty big mistake right?
Stauffer was on spittin chiclets the other day trying to make it seem like at the time we reached out to Vegas about Cassidy – we had already decided to fire Knoblauch but just hadn’t let him know yet because we wanted to do the right thing and tell him to his face. Was talking about Mother’s Day weekend flight delays that got in the way, etc.. come on Bob, we all know what JJ and Bowman were doing
They should of fired Knoblauch before Vegas fired Cassidy.
Oilers should just force the issue and interview Cassidy regardless of what Vegas says.
Bettman would go apocalyptic on Edmonton if they did that. Rest assured it wouldn’t be a 3rd going to Calgary, they’d probably have to cough up Bouchard as compensation to Vegas.
They’ll make Edmonton give up a 2nd to cover for Vegas’s failed media avail.
I imagine there are ways around the interview blockade that have already been achieved. Cassidy is likely already building his staff.
Cruise Bassidy and his sporting stache are currently in Utah enjoying the views.
LT, I’ve always been fascinated by your Sam Pollock stories. Do you know of any books or resources to read more about him in long form? I’ve looked myself but haven’t found much
The book by Ken Dryden titled “Scotty” does include a history of Sam Pollock and his rise in the Montreal organization.
Very good book.
Thank you! I’m currently rereading “The Game” for the first time since Jr high, and I am remembering how well Dryden wrote. His other book detailing CTE and following Steve Montador’s life and death “game change” is on my to do list
Excellent material. I recommend them all.
Just got a used copy of another Scotty Bowman book referenced by LT recently.
You can’t do everything that Pollock did in the 60s and 70s, but the notion of building an extensive and varied farm (see LT on the ECHL, for example) is, to my mind, the only way to build long lasting relevance.
This poster strongly endorses the use of Troll Hunter!!
For any good research or argument, it’s always good to have an objective comparison. Here are the players at the start of the “gold standard” 2023-24 roster and their performance. This should be saved as reference to objectively compare any prospective 2026 rosters
Center
Connor McDavid – 76 GP, 32G, 100A, 132 Pts, +35
Leon Draisaitl – 81 GP, 41G, 65A, 106 Pts, +26
Ryan McLeod – 81 GP, 12G, 18A, 30 Pts, +10
Derek Ryan – 70 GP, 5G, 7A, 12 Pts, -3
James Hamblin – 31 GP, 2G, 1A, 3 Pts
LW
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – 80 GP, 18G, 49A, 67 Pts, +10
Evander Kane – 77 GP, 24G, 20A, 44 Pts, -4
Warren Foegele – 82 GP, 20G, 21A, 41 Pts, +3
Mattias Janmark – 71 GP, 4G, 8A, 12 Pts, 0
Dylan Holloway – 38 GP, 6G, 3A, 9 Pts, -1
RW
Zach Hyman – 80 GP, 54G, 23A, 77 Pts, +36
Connor Brown – 71 GP, 4G, 8A, 12 Pts, -8
Sam Gagner – 28 GP, 5G, 5A, 10 Pts
Adam Erne – 24 GP, 1G, 1A, 2 Pts, 0
Raphael Lavoie – 7 GP, 0G, 0A, 0 Pts, -2
LD
Mattias Ekholm – 79 GP, 11G, 34A, 45 Pts, +44
Darnell Nurse – 81 GP, 10G, 22A, 32 Pts,
Brett Kulak – 82 GP, 3G, 13A, 16 Pts, 0
Philip Broberg – 12 GP, 0G, 2A, 2 Pts, -3
RD
Evan Bouchard – 81 GP, 18G, 64A, 82 Pts, +34
Cody Ceci – 79 GP, 5G, 20A, 25 Pts, +12
Vincent Desharnais – 78 GP, 1G, 10A, 11 Pts, +3
G
Stuart Skinner – 59 GP 0.905 SP
Calvin Pickard – 23 GP 0.907 SP
Jack Campbell – 5 GP 0.873 SP
One thing that team had was very good health.
It’s not as if Ryan McLeod was a major offensive contributor, or Connor Brown was any screaming hell. The Oilers were however able to field a very predictable roster, eventually bolstered by adding Perry, Henrique, Stetcher, and Carrick.
Yes the key feature of this season was a lack of health. It to me was a main contributor of not gaining any traction, along with the coaches not being able to stabilize the group
And that good health is why Broberg never got much playing time, and a bit part of why he soured on the Oilers.
Man I miss that center group
Clouder isn’t having the best playoffs and I like Savoie. But how many assets have we spent looking for that 3rd line center since we traded Clouder.
Nothing until the Dickinson trade, Henrique replaced McLeod the last couple of years who was obtained before McLeod was sent to Buffalo
Henrique modulo stuff cost a first, and Dickenson modulo stuff cost a first.
Its not just “not having the best playoffs”, he’s been getting killed and was demoted to 4th line minutes for a couple of games and was 4-12 goals on SCF game 7 finalists in his last playoffs and been negative four playoff seasons in a row.
I like Ryan McLeod but he’s struggled in the playoffs his entire career.
Accounts are that the Oilers will formally meet with Bérubé. All good, Bowman said they will do a deep search and that’s what fans always want, right? I think he’s an unlikely candidate but due that diligence.
Friedman says that, as of yesterday, Vegas has still not given Cassidy any permission. He believes that it will happen during the break between series and, if it hasn’t by the time the Knights meet with the league to discuss the media protocol breach, that will be the trigger.
De due due due, de da da da
Is all I want to say to you
Do we not all agree that Berube would be a downgrade vs Knoblauch?
Yes.
Bérubé is certainly a downgrade on KK
I don’t agree nor do I disagree.
I mean, I don’t know enough at him as an NHL head coach. I’ve learned a lot about Cassidy in the last week but have not put in the work to learn about Berube.
I will say, I do not want them to hire him as the “Leaf Stink” is on him and, as we see in this thread, it will create a whole new level of toxicity (not saying this thread is toxic).
If it looks like he may be a serious candidate, I will do the work but, as of right now, I’m 100% on the Cassidy train given what I’ve leaned about him as a coach – exactly what this team needs, in my opinion.
Berube would be a downgrade on virtually any other option.
For the Oilers for sure. What happened to the Leafs shows why fit is so important. For a team lacking high end talent that has to play a grinder style he would work. But for a skilled team
Berube did his time in the minors coaching he wasn’t gifted jackshit. He won a Cup with a bunch of plumbers and a couple of face cards. If Bennett doesn’t hurt Stolarz they beat the Panthers and he possibly has his 2nd Cup coaching. K.K basically let a veteran team coach itself he did a good job and he was well compensated for it. I do think Berube hard core would take the heat off of Connor-Leon-Nurse-Jarry
Berube is a good coach – he had one very bad season last year in Toronto, but most teams would struggle after losing a player like Marner. Matthews hasn’t been the same since he got injured, and Nylander is one of the worst cherry pickers in the league. Tavares and Knies carried that team last year.
The Leaf’s defence corps last season was ghastly … and their goalies kept getting injured. Add to that, the epic dysfunction in their front office, and no coach in the league would’ve survived that.
Leaf’s fans kept going on an on about how his system wasn’t a fit for the Leaf’s … and yet they ignore his first season in Toronto when they won the Atlantic division. His system works fine … getting the star players to play an honest 2-way game is winning hockey. The problem is the Leafs didn’t have enough talent in season 2 after Marner, an elite 2-way forward, defected to Vegas.
Reja is right in pointing out that his first season in Toronto was very good. But their management made a number of questionable trades, and then the media in Toronto ran him out of town the following season.
Berube coaching success is entirely based on elite goaltending from Binnington, and Stolarz stopping everything with Woll providing average NHL goaltending as a backup.
Wrong.
The Blues bled talent after that Cup win in 2019 … consider the following:
Pietroangelo leaves as a UFA in 2020.
Bouwmeester retired in 2020.
They lost Dunn for nothing to Seattle in the expansion draft in 2021.
Schwartz leaves as a UFA in 2021
Perron leaves as a UFA in 2022.
Tarasenko traded at the deadline with Mikkola in 2022 … the best player from that deal still with the Blues is Theo Lindstein (Blais would get traded with a 2nd for Buchnevich).
ROR traded for futures in 2023.
Barbashev practically given away to Vegas for a guy that has played 9 games for the Blues since.
That is just an extraordinary exodus of talent. It astounds me that Armstrong was GM for team Canada. Thomas, Kyrou, Parayko and Binnington kept them afloat, and Berube did his best, but no coach is going to survive that kind of talent drain.
I won’t get into your other points. But Bennet’s head hit on Stolarz is one of the (many and growing) reasons I propose the injuring player should be out for as long as the injured player. Not only does the injury keep Stolarz from playing, it damaged the TML chances for a Cup run (and all the downstream damage that did), and Bennett faced no significant consequences, then went in to win Cup and MVP. Ugh.
Issac Howard is going to be a substantial player for the Oilers this coming season. He’ll out produce what Savoie did this past season.
I can see Carfagna get a taste depending on what they acquire for D depth.
Darknirse for some games; William Nicholl
I’ll take that bet. Name your stakes!
So, you’re opposed to the Oilers acquiring a top 6 winger then?
I made a post about Issac Howard – don’t try and create a narrative that isn’t there or, on the other hand, continute to do you and embarrass yourself.
If the Oilers acquire a veteran top 6 winger, where do you expect Howard to play?
Howard will be traded now that they trust Savoie in the top 1-9 as well as the penalty kill. Howard is not a fit for the Oilers unless he’s seeing skilled minutes. I do think half the G.M’s in the league could use a shoot first Hobey Baker winner as well as being a American which would hold a little extra value in New-York-Boston
Bowman acquired Howard and I’m sure he is well aware of the progression in his great development year as a first year pro and I’m certain he knows the value he’s likely to provide on an ELC.
Lots of skilled minutes to be had in the Oilers lineup.
Of course, his Hobey Baker means very little but the season he had, and the development he showed, last year means a ton.
I’ve never seen a person that cares as much about hockey not understand the benefits of development and reasonable expectations of arrival for prospects but we remain here.
Anywhere from lines 1-3.
“continue to do you and embarrass yourself”
Does a bear sh*t in the woods?
How do you think McDavid will view this? Good or bad? Two players in the top 6 that are 5’9 and 170 lbs.
Do you feel he will be “great, this solves our problems” or this doesn’t help me.
Wasn’t McDavid a driving factor in Howard wanting to become an Oiler?
Why do so many people think McDavid is a f*cking baby?
👏 👍
I think McDavid would love having such a skilled player and hard worker on his team.
One Nils Hoglander could be good…two might be.. too much.
If the Oilers want to be successful next year (Stanley Cup contenders) and completely retool the team on the fly, (like Pollock, McCrimmon, Zito or Sather) then the Oilers only have two players they can deal that will bring back a significant return & balance the team & give them space.
Assuming Nurse will not waive.
Assuming the Oilers get one, maybe two UFA”s
If you trade Nurse an assist captain, who wants to play in Edmonton (look south to see what happens when the players don’t want to be in your little prairie town with bad winters).
Who replaces him?
Ekholm is on the decline
Walman is 3rd pair $7.0 AAV????
look at the top 50 paid NHL dman there are a lot of overpaid players teams are looking to be move to a sucker. Maybe you lower the AAV, but you lower the play and it is still expensive.
anyone for
Dunn, Hamilton, Morgan, Trouba, Karlsson, Faulk
aren’t we just going to be complaining about uneven play from anyone in this group.
Ekholm is on the decline but, this past season:
Stil a legit top pair d-man this past season paired with a stud like Bouchard.
Yes, Walman was relegated to 3rd pairing as he struggled hard this season playing through injury. He was their best d-man in the playoffs and healthy Walman, for as many games as that may be, is a legit top 4 d-man (likely a 3D with low end 2D potential).
Nurse for Bo Byram. 4 years of Nurse for 1 year of Bo Byram. Maybe Buffalo might bite. Byram may want to be the guy somewhere.
The rumors are that even though Dobes is the one holding the net currently, he WAS available at the trade deadline. Montreal has Montembeau and Fowler and that was the tandem that was expected to lead them into the playoffs. Fowler is 21 and their goalie of the future.
In a way, the current Montreal trio resembles the 2008-09 roster with Marc Denis, Jaro Halak and a young Carey Price. Halak got squeezed out because he wanted to be the started and MTL wanted to hand the reins to Price.
A modern Pollock would grab Dobes or Wallstedt for a 3rd rounder
Dobes could have been acquired multiple times in the past couple years. You could easily argue he’s still available – but a lot more expensive now.
This sort of goalie is available.
Cossa, Levi, others…get multiple and see who wins.
Yes Cossa and Levi, DiPietro are the spots they should be shopping in (and should have before).
What I really really like about Dobes is his fight. Bennett comes knocking, Dobes will knock first.
I’m soft for goalies. I think they get blamed all the time for sh*t that’s not theirs. I think they need a thick skin and to be mentally tough. I like it when they don’t take sh*t —from the opposition, as well as their own F-group when they refuse to play responsibly.
Dobes needs to be careful though, because he gets a bit too caught up in that aggression & emotion sometimes, probably because he is still young and inexperienced at the NHL level. I remember this being said about Roli once, that there’s a fine line between playing aggressive as a goalie and feeding off that to be in the zone, but then opening yourself up to your opponent using your aggression & emotion to get you off your game.
Also, re v4ance’s thought of trading for him, I can’t see the Habs giving him up based on all the positives he has shown during this playoff run. He still has a year left on his ELC and a 3-year age difference between him & Fowler will allow the Habs to run those 2 as their tandem next year. I think they’ll be shopping Montembeault hard this off-season.
What are folks thoughts on Berube? I don’t know much about him.
He seems demanding/firey which might be good. Not sure about tactics and integration of analytics.
He’s a no nonsense player’s coach type, apparently not great at tactics. The team has been lacking a coach who can line match and adjust as needed
Depends if they give him the right AC.
Need to start thinking broader when it comes to building what your team needs.
I like the attitude to balance out this team’s personality – but they should also be operating at a high level tactically.
The Force is not strong with that one. This is not the coach you are looking for.
Bowman doing a Pollock, needs to meet with those inside the room like Paul Coffee and a few key individuals.
“who in this group really has some fire in them?”
Frederic plays like a wet noodle. Walman was awful. Is this true? Is the a reason? Is this fixable?
Get rid of the passengers.
“Who outside this group do you just hate to play against? “Some young fast player targets”
Offer sheets, trades, signings, find the next Hyman
Of those he brought in to develop, keep the best, move the rest to get better. Hutson has no chance, cash in. Find a new crop.
Ruthless starts here.
Hutson has no chance?
Hahahaha
Walman has been awful. I’ll take Nurse over Walman all day.
Team has just lived with the worse of the Nurse contract.
If any team needs team toughness, it’s not St Louis. It’s the orange and blue.,
I really hope the Oilers commit to keeping cap space open July 1. Opportunity and flexibility are underrated value in the NHL.
If you save money by say going with Samanski over Dickinson and Kapanen over a more famous scoring winger, it allows you to spend a bit extra now on an RFA offer sheet on a rival like Zellweger in Anaheim with their glut of young LD or Maverick Bourque in Dallas to be your 3RC and all it costs you is a 2nd and say $4.6M cap space which they should hopefully grow into.
The next part is giving the players opportunity – we’ve seen it with Holloway & Broberg, they need to give minutes to young players to actually develop them at the NHL level. That’s what the first 60 games of the year should be.
Savoie-McDavid-Hyman
Howard-Drai-Kapanen
RNH-Bourque-Podz
Dach-Samanski-Hutson
Fred
I’d also move heaven and earth to retain as much as you need to move Fred and Jarry without a sweetner so you can save up $4.5+M and 2 roster spots
I absolutely agree with what you are saying in regards to direction.
However, just look at that line up. It’s a two player team.
Have to agree with both. Think Oil are stuck with few options but to commit to their FAs or accept another ‘off’ year (barring some brilliance in the GM chair)
I respectfully disagree about it being a 2 player team and think us fans need to recalibrate what a good vs elite player is.
Hyman almost made Team Canada this year. Podz, RNH, Savoie, and Bourque are good to great complimentary pieces and all legit middle 6 players. Kapanen has always shown well in the playoffs when it matters. Howard, Dach, and Samanski are the typical young kids that show promise but aren’t guarantees.
If you have 2 truly elite forwards, it’s extremely hard to have a cavalry of great players behind them and really only the Avs this year have done so.
And the Avs aren’t a team of great players, they are a team with a couple of elite players and a coach that has the team playing great – all season. This starts with having the right plan
MacT said this, be careful getting guys off great teams, and don’t fade guys off of bad teams without checking into things. The Avs are floating all boats. MacT also said he wouldn’t trade our top 6 for any other, doesn’t like the bottom 6
If the new coach can get things going in the right direction the roster is good with the 2 holes filled well – 3C 2RD. Maybe Bowman can make some improvements, we’ll see. The UFA market isn’t great, would probably have to be trades, that won’t be easy unless some guys waive. Fred will just like Arvi and Mangi did
A better team than this (this year’s Oilers) almost didn’t make the playoffs and were absolutely dominated by the Ducks.
Colorado will be better
The Ducks will be better
L.A will be better
This team is arguably the same or worse, and significantly smaller.
All the other teams are going to be better and the Oilers are going to be worse. Have I got that right? You sound like a certain fibber.
This team doesn’t make the playoffs.
You can start wondering what team the Oilers are going to trade McDavid & Draisaitl too.
Most objective thing to do is compare apples to apples to players who started the 2023/24 year with us which was widely regarded to be the best we had.
Center
Connor McDavid – 76 GP, 32G, 100A, 132 Pts, +35
Leon Draisaitl – 81 GP, 41G, 65A, 106 Pts, +26
Ryan McLeod – 81 GP, 12G, 18A, 30 Pts, +10 (swapped for Bourque)
Derek Ryan – 70 GP, 5G, 7A, 12 Pts, -3 (swapped for Samanski)
James Hamblin – 31 GP, 2G, 1A, 3 Pts (swap for another league min.)
LW
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – 80 GP, 18G, 49A, 67 Pts, +10
Evander Kane – 77 GP, 24G, 20A, 44 Pts, -4 (swapped for Podz)
Warren Foegele – 82 GP, 20G, 21A, 41 Pts, +3 (swapped for Howard)
Mattias Janmark – 71 GP, 4G, 8A, 12 Pts, 0 (swapped for Dach)
Dylan Holloway – 38 GP, 6G, 3A, 9 Pts, -1 (swapped for league min or Fred)
RW
Zach Hyman – 80 GP, 54G, 23A, 77 Pts, +36
Connor Brown – 71 GP, 4G, 8A, 12 Pts, -8 (swapped for Savoie)
Sam Gagner – 28 GP, 5G, 5A, 10 Pts (swapped for Kapanen)
Adam Erne – 24 GP, 1G, 1A, 2 Pts, 0 (swapped for Hutson)
Raphael Lavoie – 7 GP, 0G, 0A, 0 Pts, -2 (swap for AHL callup)
McDavid, Drai, Hyman, and RNH all put up similar numbers last year, some better and some worse.
Seems like you wear your grudge like a crown. 😀
Cassidy, Conor (Murphy), Cossa and Kyrou. Is that a cup contender?? no. but improved today and in future. And they can make moves during season.
Chase depressed assets (Kyrou) or surplus (Cossa). No idea on cost of transaction, but these adds fill immediate and future needs.
As for signings, I would rather have Nuge at 3C along with Murphy at 2RD, then Dickanson at 3C and someone else at 2 RD (Walman on off side, or Emberson moving up and old Vinny at 3 RD). We have more internal options to fill 3C then 2 RD.
You have one year of McDavid left, the future starts immediately after the final Stanley Cup game.
The current roster could be a cup contender with Cassidy.
Thanks as always LT. I agree Leon should play vs toughs. McD has proven time and time again he can’t.
Thank you for the laugh on this Holiday Monday…
“… and some guy with an odd helmet, no teeth and a stick carved into the shape of a knife he found playing in Corpus Christi in an outlaw league.” Haha!
Day two of painting my son’s room. He insists on helping. He is 5. Wish me luck.
Good luck. It takes forever and it is totally worth it. Enjoy having your little helper. (Things I should have told myself 17 years ago).
Thank you, I’ll heed your advice!
Is this where you are at? McDavid 10 years in and this is your conclusion?
It was my conclusion years ago. I love McDavid but have thought for some time that Draisaitl is the better 200 ft player.
Play McDavid at wing and tell him his job is to score 70.
He’ll get at least 65 playing this way – which is more than enough to take this team to a division title and set them up to win it all.
Leon’s line has been the best line the last 3 years.
Trade and/or move cap to get another C.
They don’t have a Centre for McDavid to play wing. It’s certainly not RNH.
I wonder if Katz has a lab somewhere trying to clone Pollock? I worry about the age of the team. It’s time to move some older players and bring in some young and hungry talent. Otherwise we’ll turn into the Pens of the last few years.
…without the rings.