I think we can agree the Edmonton Oilers depth chart at center reads Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Jason Dickinson this morning. The Glimmer Twins like to play together, but are also all-in on Mike Babcock. I suspect the new coach will run the two elite talents most often on unqiue lines.
Dickinson is a shy offensive third line center, he’ll need a talented winger or two in order to move the needle offensively. However, the numbers from one year ago show he can in fact play versus elites and suppress offense against good NHL players. DIckinson’s 296 minutes versus the best in the NHL represented 48 percent of his total time on ice at five-on-five. Half of his work was against top flight opposition.
His line allowed 2.0 GA-60 in those minutes. That has value. His line didn’t score (1.2 GF-60) but part of that comes from a 28 percent offensive zone start. Including all levels of competition at five-on-five in Chicago, Dickinson had 207 defensive zone faceoffs and 110 in the offensive zone. In Edmonton it was slightly more severe (89 defensive, 36 offensive) and I suspect that will continue.
Now, the Oilers can run him with two veterans on the wing (say, Nuge and Ilya Mikheyev) or place a young player on the trio to help with forechecking and physical play. Colton Dach could be a useful player on this line. Trent Frederic could also help, and if both Dach and Frederic were placed with Dickinson it would be an interesting fourth line. Alas, Dickinson will (I believe) be used as a suppression center. If the Oilers could offload all of Darnell Nurse’s deal, Mats Zuccarello would be an interesting addition via free agency.
Dickinson does well in GA-60, up to and including elites. He’s similar to Kris Russell, who irritated the hell out of Oilers fans for years while also posting solid to excellent GA-60 numbers at five-on-five.
Dickinson is a good NHL center and can help win games. The Oilers need to place strong wingers with two-way ability alongside. Ideally that’s Nuge and Zach Hyman, but that will never happen. Nuge and Mikhayev I think would be interesting, and maybe even Nuge and Frederic. I can’t see Ike Howard on the third line, but Max Jones might be able to play there. He played 175 minutes at five-on-five last season in Edmonton, and helped deliver 1.72 GA-60 (1.55 expected). He did it playing in the bottom six.
Of course, if Babcock wants him to run against elites (we’re not talking eight minutes a night here against the best, just a few times in order to find clean air for McDavid). The massive defensive zone faceoffs will continue under Babcock, and contribute to the toughness of Dickinson’s minutes. Those suppression numbers, even against elites, have value. Especially if the team has enough depth to run veteran two-way wingers with offensive ability with him.
Ideally, the Oilers luck out and Josh Samanski delivers the same kind of goal suprression while scoring more often. Until then, prepare to be frustrated by Dickinson, whose GA-60 should be strong.
The real question is how much offense can Babcock squeeze out of the line? In 2016-17, Kris Russell helped Edmonton to a 55 percent goal share with a fantastic 1.68 GA-60. In 2019-20, Russell’s pairing played to a 48 percent goal share, despite sporting 1.62 GA-60. Russell’s partner in 2016-17? Andrej Sekera. Russell’s partner in 2019-20? Matt Benning and a pile of rookies.
On the Lowdown today, our feature guest will be Bagged Milk from Oilers Nation. We’ll chat about a busy week already and what is yet to come. Nurse trade, draft day and then July 1 free agency. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
It seems like this is nothing more than wash, rinse, repeat.
1) Roster full of “potential” the coach will somehow get “more” out of this roster of players.
2) McDavid & Draisaitl can play together.
3) 29-97-2 will continue to make whatever defensive mistakes they will never be benched, this is probably the most ridiculous notion coming from the origination and media.
4) Currently this roster, even with an add of Kapanen will be tough pressed to score goals without 29-97 scoring.
5) A Coach cannot make a team younger, faster, bigger and score more secondary goals.
Right now, this team looks like a team on the outside of a playoff spot.
I haven’t liked how the team played in a while. I’ve mentioned it a couple of times before, Adam Oates thinks that the way a lot of teams play (too spread out) makes it very hard for regular players to produce, the stars still can. Sounds a lot like the Oilers, and their declining 5v5 production under Knoblauch
The Canes won the Cup with a roster without top end players, but solid depth. The system and buy in matter a lot, that’s how they did it. I don’t think Babcock is going to bench the top players per se, but I also don’t think they will get away with the things in their game that aren’t mature, which they have all acknowledged as being a problem
Bowman has made the team younger, tougher, faster and bigger than it was under Holland hasn’t he?
Management.
It is a simple as that. They royally screwed this up.
Not that you always want to jump into the craze of Free Agency or trades but it is sad to watch other teams add to ‘try’ to get better when the oil just sit there because management fd up badly. Every season same ole. We should have Bro and Holloway on the team right now, Skinner should be walking in FA at the least, our adds needed would be minimal yet they are large. Anyway its a long laundry list we all know.
This team still isn’t good enough right now even with Babcock coming in to hopefully get buy in. We need a couple pieces we cant afford.
David Pagnotta
@TheFourthPeriod
Happy Draft Day!
Some morning notes:
– Flames talked to Sabres to move up to No.4
– Blues been dangling 1sts
– Leafs tried, and will continue to try, to take big swings
– Hard to get specifics but noise around Vegas
– More talk around Elias Pettersson
– Sens tried for McTavish
The only teams with cap space to pay Robertson $15 million are Chicago and Pittsburgh (and Carolina and San Jose).
Where the hell does he want to go? I guess playing with Bedard would make the most sense.
https://x.com/JeffMarek/status/2070340047442682364?s=20
Sources indicating the St Louis Blues offered a package that included multiple first round picks to the Dallas Stars for Jason Robertson but he is not interested in signing there.
I think Anaheim has space too. I would go to San Jose of Anaheim if I were him. Hes from Cali too
Jason Gregor
@JasonGregor
Many have stated Seattle’s upcoming 9.9% millionaire tax is why Robertson said no.
Kraken offered to make him the second highest paid player in the NHL at $15m. Equivalent to $13.5m on a no state tax team.
Is DAL going to match that? Pay him more than Rantanen and Marner who make $12m. If he takes less than $13.5m from DAL he left money on the table.
Jason is being completely dishonest, as I pointed out:
Crazy that teams are willing to pay 15 million to Robertson. He is a great player but certainly not a franchise player.
Jeff Marek
@JeffMarek
Further on Robertson – for this to work where everybody gets what they want it may take a 3-way deal.
Green and Gold go to 3-0.
Stout D. Solid special teams. Strong running game. That’s always a winning football formula.
Keep this up and this team will bring some fans back to Commonwealth.
“According to multiple sources, the Seattle Kraken were given permission by Dallas to talk to Jason Robertsonand offered him approximately $15 million per year on a eight-year deal — but the offer was declined.
Neither the Stars nor the Kraken agreed to comment, nor did Robertson’s representative, Andy Scott.
It’s believed the two teams had worked out some kind of trade before the permission was granted, apparently including Seattle’s first-round pick — seventh overall in Friday’s draft.”
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sources-jason-robertson-turns-down-contract-offer-from-kraken/
Robertson is a fool for turning this down. Id guess seattle leaked it to drive down his value. He won’t get that offer again. Seattle is a pretty damn awesome place to live and that is unbelievable money.
Maybe he cares more about winning, but he won’t make more than that. I am just blown away he doesn’t accept that contract. More than McDavid or Draisaitl? Second highest paid in the league (I think) behind Kaprizov? Robertson is good but his timing with free agency is better.
Agreed. Wonder what/where he is holding out for.
Over 15M for Jason Robertson is insane.
Let him sit.
My guess is Florida or Vegas is what he is waiting for. The NHL has a problem developing.
Guess he doesn’t much like the tax rates in Washington St.
Is this the Kraken weaponizing their cap space like you were predicting?
Have you realized what the missing piece to the puzzle is yet?
Mike Bossy at his peak made half a million a year. Jason couldn’t even make the Olympic team. This sounds like his agent is trying to drive up the price. His agent is playing the G.M’s for chumps. If he sputters with his new team he’s going to have a target on his back.
There is so many glaring officiating errors in the CFL. It’s really holding the league back imo.
With a simple name change the CFL lost half their viewership. Karen can now brag about her importance to all her other Karen’s
If a football team changing its name is enough to make someone stop supporting that team, maybe their fandom wasn’t that strong to begin with.
Over 110 years of history gets pissed down the urinal because they allowed a couple of bullies that aren’t CFL fans dictate a name change. I’m surprised the nut jobs haven’t whined and stomped their feet to change the Oilers to a more carbon neutral name.
None of the people involved in that decision are with the club anymore. New ownership. New execs. New coaches. New players.
I’m not sure how long people want to punish the team for being “woke” but the people you’re punishing now had literally nothing to do with it.
It says EE on the helmets and Edmonton on the jersey. For Gord’s sake, they literally changed one letter from Esks to Elks. If you don’t like the name, you can call them EE or the Green and Gold. All that tradition still remains.
The team is finally getting competitive again and putting an entertaining product on the field. I think that deserves the support of the community’s football fans and I think they’ll get it. The stands were packed in Winnipeg tonight with people having a good time.
Are we really going to let the likes of Winnipeg be a better sports town than us over a single consonant?
Hi, I’m that Karen.
The name was straight up offensive. On par with the old Cleveland and Washington team names.
I don’t really follow the CFL much but I do know that Edmonton has been atrocious and poorly run for at least a decade. Fans eventually stop coming to watch teams that can’t get their act together.
And as Grover said, if changing the name was enough for you to turn your back on the team, that’s far more egregious than not wanting to watch a poor on field product.
Eskimo is a ”meat eater” that’s what the name means.
The Eskimos had the blessing from the Inuit people of Canada to continue using the name as it brought awareness to there culture.
There is nothing offensive about this name and everything to do with cancel culture.
This is misinformation. The club consulted with and polled the Inuit community on 3 separate occasions and each time a majority indicated they found the team name to be offensive.
I find it odd that people see these types of names as being disparaging. Who would name their sports team something they didn’t see as a positive and powerful thing?
The name changed because the money got spooked by current sentiment (cancel culture), not because of indigenous concerns
Unless you’re Inuit, does it really matter whether you perceive the name as offensive or not?
The touchdown they scored at the end of the first half was way offside.
I would attach a photo for proof but am unable. If you have video of the game go back and look at it. Should not have been a play and not sure why the Elks did not challenge? They need to hire the Oilers guy.
Made the game more interesting but it seemed like the officials were only looking for our offsides, not theirs.
Officiating is definitely the league’s Achilles heel. There was easily a half dozen calls that were blatant and missed by the officials.
I don’t love the pre-snap motion in the CFL. It feels like every second play has a receiver or three offside.
Yellow pants back for the EE. Now there’s a classic look.
Sounds like Spec talked to Ingram and he’s bullish on re-signing.
Per Spec:
This is getting interesting? I didn’t think Ingram would be back as we are in need of serviceable back-up slash starter if Jarry gets hurt. Ingram is capable of filling this role but I thought Ingram had priced himself a better contract elsewhere
Frank Seravalli reporting Carolina has made a pitch for Connor Hellybucyk with Alexander Nikinskin part of a package going the other way.
That loss to the Swiss gives us an easier opponent then what the Swiss will face in the round 32. After that the party is over as we face probably Morocco and if we somehow fluke that off then it’ll be the mighty Germans in all likelihood. It starting to look like Marsch was playing poker by himself yesterday. The only time Davies got off the bench was to grab some water. Someone needs to remind Marsch and Davies that there is no tomorrow it’s all sudden death. The World Cup only happens every 4 years no one really cares about some friendly match against Nigeria in August. Canada was not ready at the start of the game as well as the start of the 2nd half. Marsch needs to get everyone playing desperation ball or Canada will be knocked out just like the Oilers with a tiny whimper.
Canada needs to knit all of that talent together. They still rely on individual plays to score. Team offense is still 2nd tier. Reminds me of the Oilers, although the soccer doesn’t have elite talent other than Davies. And he’s always getting injured
They need to play with more urgency. If it comes down to penalty kicks and Marsch is still sitting Davies by himself at the end of the bench then he better make damn sure they win.
Quite a bit of talk that the Nurse trade might just not get done in the next few days.
I was saying, even before there was any waiving that it would be a very tough trade to make as, even if Nurse does agree to waive, its likely for 1-3 teams and we need (1) those teams to want him, (2) those teams to want him at his cap hit (or with what is left after retainment or whatever and (3) a deal to be worked out in the limited market.
I likely over-stated what his negative value is a $9.25MM, it appears its not as negative as I first though but with all the talk over the last couple weeks about teams valuing him, and trying to get in on him and the Oilers will be assets back without retaining, I think we (and I) have flipped too far the other way – $9.25MM is still there.
I don’t think Bowman makes a trade if it doesn’t appear to help the team – they won’t give him away for no asset back – MAYBE if its the full cap hit, maybe.
If Nurse doesn’t add more teams than BOS/PHI/PIT, maybe it doesn’t happen?
I wouldn’t be against him coming back with Murphy coached by DJ and seeing what happens – there was real success there as a pairing. 7-3 goals in the playoffs is real.
Indeed.
The market has already moved (upward) and $9M for a durable veteran D in his prime is now market price given the scarcity.
The problem with cap space is that you have to use it and prices are inflated.
Is the team better off with Nurse or with, for example, Marchment and Soucy?
I also believe that Babcock may be able to coach to Nurse’s strengths, and having a big veteran D probably suits his coaching strategy.
LOL maybe the Pens want Jarry back.
Yes.
To me the “trade Nurse” pressure before hiring coaching staff was the wrong order. Nurse-Murphy is good. DJ sees value in Nurse.
Hopefully Nurse has a breakout season. Nurse has always been able to skate and log heavy minutes. Pair him up with a stay at home rock in Murphy and Bob’s our Uncle.
Nurse has had how many coaches? I suppose Babcock/Smith can be the ones to get him sorted out.
It’s a good thing Nurse isn’t playing Soccer in South America as they don’t take kindly to own goals. I wonder how many years in a row Nurse has topped that list?
Yes, there is that. Maybe DJS has an answer?
Yep if the deal isn’t good then you keep him and take it out of his hands next year. 22 teams to pick from and cap will be significantly higher again.
Not sure why the Oilers feel like they need to replace Nurse with a LD or upgrade the goaltending again. If Ingram wants to come back at a reasonable dollar amount, I’d sign him and use Nurse’s cap space to get a top six forward.
Savoie McDavid Hyman
Howard Draisaitl
RNH Dickinson Podz
Dach Samanski Frederic
Janmark
Ekholm Bouchard
Walman Murphy
Stastney Emberson
Regula
Ingram
Jarry
Get a second line RW. Already missed out on a couple.
We got ~~4.5M cap and no goalie at the moment, it’s strictly budget isle (ie a Roslovic maneuver) unless we get Cossa/Levi/Dipietro or Nurse is moved. Everything seems to be on hold pending Nurse.
They can go over the cap by 10% I believe, in the offseason. Should be plenty of room to grab a good forward when one is available
That doesn’t matter much, still has to fit when the season starts. If they get Ingram for 2.5-3M/year, that leaves 1.5-2M for a winger maybe close to $3M if we run a 21 player roster. You’re shopping in the bargain isle with that unless you move someone out (Nurse) which isn’t guaranteed.
I shudder at the thought of Stastney being the full time 3LD. And it’s a complete non starter if he has to be the 2LD because Eckholm or Walman got hurt.
Thats why to me, if Nurse is traded, cap will need to he spent to solidify 3LD.
But yes, sign me up for another Top 6 or at worse Top 9 RW. Seems like this has always been the case. Leon cant have nice things.
Agree that injuries to any of the top four is an issue, but you can’t cover everything in a cap world. I think Stastney will be fine if the new coach can implement a defensive an break out system that works
Regula was getting better and better and becoming more comfortable as a viable 3D. That is until Kane knocked him senseless costing him another year of development time due to injury.
If Regula doesn’t learn to keep his head up like Broberg did, his career will be over before it really got started.
Agreed, Stastney – Emberson pair would get crushed and godspeed if Stastney had to move up to 2LD.
That pair played 225 minutes together last season and were 8-5 goals and 53% expected. Yes, likely trouble if Stastney has to play up the lineup.
Would be nice to know if Bowman was at least in on Nichushkin. He would have fit well in the top 6
As I expected…Colorado has traded Val Nichushkin as per Elliotte Friedman.
Details to come.
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
Valeri Nichushkin is being traded to Columbus.
Draft pick return, as I understand it
That clears $6.1 million in cap space for the Avalanche.
Sakic now has 10 M to sign himself to a 10 x 8 year contract.
You realize cap space can’t play, right? And neither will their 2nd round pick.
10.9M in cap and 17 contracts. She’s still pretty tight, and they have been thinned out
And before you say it, the Oilers are similar, unless they do trade Doc
So…$11 million.
Top 9F and 4RW all locked up
Top 4 D all locked up
1A/B G all locked up.
Need 2 bottom line forwards and 3 depth D.
F Candidates:
TJ Hughes – $952K
Fedor Svechkov – $1.25M
Zach L’ Heureux – $875K
Gavin Brindley – $875K
D Candidates:
Burns -$1M
Plenty of cap room to add another player to two.
Losing Nichushkin doesn’t;t thin them up much at all.
Cap weaponization.
A second round pick in tomorrow’s draft coming back.
And a third next year and a fifth the following year.
Nichushkin becomes the 5th Russian player on the Columbus roster.
They backed themselves into corner grabbing old man Kadri that’s ready to fall off a cliff. They lose a younger bigger, faster player because of it, plus a 1sr and 2nd. Sometimes at the trade deadline it’s better to sit on your hands.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Kadri was brought in to play 3C.
Kadri outscored Nichushkin 9-4 in the playoffs.
With the additional acquisition of Nic Roy who also can play centre, is younger, bigger and at least as fast, at half the cap hit, Nichsuhkin became expendable.
Also worth noting, late last season, Colorado signed undrafted NCAA grad TJ Hughes.
In 2025-26, Hughes filled his portfolio by capturing First Team AHCA/CCM All-America honors, the Big Ten Player of the Year, earned a Big Ten First All-Star Team selection, a spot on the Big Ten All-Tournament Team and was a Hobey Baker Award “Hat Trick” Finalist.
The 24 year old Hughes joined the Colorado Eagles on their way to the Calder Cup finals and managed to score 7 goals and 14 points in 17 games played.
Nope exactly the truth. You can’t handle the truth!
Kadri off a cliff!! Colorado will be giving up massive picks to move him soon…huge error by Colorado.
There is only one Iceman.
Oooh, they signed an undrafted college player. Avs definitely winning the Cup now
You and your double standards.
TJ Hughes’ resume is essentially Quinn Hutson but his accomplishments have come a year older.
The Kadri move was dumb they thought they were getting the same player as 4 years ago. Sakic is now stuck with a whiner in Kadri.
Why are we talking about Trent Frederic at 3LW on a hard matchups checking line? He was among the worst full time players in the league, pre all-star break. He had a mediocre stretch playing 4LW and then completely crashed in the playoffs to the point that he was a healthy scratch on a team decimated by injuries. Mostly scratched because of two awful defensive plays when he was asked to survive exactly the minutes Dickinson will be asked to play.
I’d suggest Freddy starts out behind Sami, Dach and even Jones on merit. They likely replace Roslovic, Kapanen, Rico and Lazar with Howard and1-2 other real players.
Freddy will be battling Janmark and Jones to make the opening roster and if he wins it’s at 4LW.
Because he isn’t old, and the fall off in his play – which was good two way physical play – has as much chance of regressing close to previous levels as not. Full summer training, new coaches, JD already has him in mind. Knobby was not a good coach for him given the situation
Given what the panthers and Caps are doing, they are going to want big physical players
Babcock will need to build this player confidence up. A lot of players including big ticket free agents that sign long term in a new City have tough 1st years and then much better 2nd years. In Frederic defence he didn’t know if he was coming or going. To me this is on the coach. Babcock will build this player back into what we saw in Boston. If Babcock can’t get Frederic-Dickinson-Howard-Jarry-Nurse-Walman going then he’ll be the one going by this time next year. Bowman has been semi-retooling on the fly regardless we need results as of yesterday.
Smith spoke expressly about Frederic and his confidence.
Of course, confidence can go from the ditch to sky-high VERY quickly. One bounces in off your leg and then you get a rebound tap-in driven the net and, boom, fully confident,
Frederic was not having any fun last year. I don’t think he cracked a smile all year except for that beautiful breakaway goal he scored against the Rangers I believe. I think Frederic is a good nice man that is on the passive side. Add passiveness to his skating stride and the mob in Edmonton will eat you alive. I remember watching him in Boston he was the most noticeable player as he was all over the ice while being a chance machine. He just needs a good start and the fans will be back on his side big time.
Delusional hope. That’s why people stick to it for the most part.
The description of Frederic from last year is accurate enough and there is no disputing how terrible his 1st full season as an Oiler was.
I have him pencilled in to the fourth line but my expectation is that he will work his way up to the 3rd line on merit.
There is zero doubt his game improved in the last third of the season and that lines up with his skating being noticeably better – by eye test and by stat. There was much talk about that injury he had often taking close to a year before the player felt close to 100%.
Its not just about the bad high ankle sprain but he played on that injury for 2-month during a playoff grind to the SCF – he then had a very short off-season, likely rehabbing the entire time with very little actual hockey training. Started the season set up to fail on the top line, confidence cratered and the season snow-balled.
He was not good enough, not close, those aren’t excuses but they are truths and factors.
I look for him, now having a long off-season where he is healthy and able to train and to re-set mentally, etc. – I expect a solid season for him and wouldn’t/ be surprised with 15 goals.
You will acknowledge that you fell for that tiny bump in play after the all star break to the point that you were hopeful for him as 3C.
What explains what happened in the playoffs?
Theres exactly one hope for this player, that is, the ankle was debilitating. My recommendation is that you set him as 12/13 forward and anything above that is a Godsend.
I will acknowledge and I will fully acknowledge admit that he never got up higher than a 4th line level last year.
I am acknowledge the circumstances as I described them vis-a-vis rebound, no hockey training, set up to fail to start, cratered confidence, etc., etc.
I do have him as the 10-12 forward to start, the 4th line.
I also expect him to move up that lineup on merit – may not happen, we’ll see.
Right on, more than fair. No reason not to be hopeful.
There is only one play with Frederic, but out.
A true blunder by Bowman.
One of many.
We’ve heard from Connor and now Leon as he will be on with Stauff this afternoon!
And Hyman spoke with Rishaug, which I haven’t listened to yet. I presume it will be all the same as what McDavid said – although Zach has legit experience with Babcock.
“My experience with Babs has been phenomenal.”
Spoke about giving roles and how he was teaching young players to play at the NHL level – lots of young players on those teams, this team is much more veteran.
One of the most details and prepared coaches one will meet. Will have the team ready to execute his plan.
Can’t speak to other players’ experience – he’s empathetic to those that had different experiences with Babcock than he has. He brings a style. He is demanding but this group is ready for that. Great leadership group. Ready for all players to understand a role and grab a role.
Hyman strikes me as being passive just like our entire forward group except maybe Dach and I’m not sure about Dickinson. Anyhow Hyman’s take on things means a lot to the entire group. Could Babcock be the Vinegar and the players be the Oil. Say what you want about Babcock his teams were always prepared while playing hard front the opening whistle. When’s the last time anyone said we outworked the opponents? I disliked the hiring but I’m starting to come around as I’m excited to see this team go hard for the entire season and playoff.
So the Panthers get another prick in Hathaway for basically peanuts. Panthers are the new Broad Street Bullies of the league.
Maybe someone should “test” Barkov’s knee.
Who’s thumbing this down? The cats absolutely play with intent to injure.
Between them and the Caps, it looks like the east is beefing up for thug hockey. Hopefully there isn’t much left of whomever comes out of the east. Hopefully the league starts calling the rules in playoffs
Very rarely does the league not follow the Cup winning blueprint. In the Canes case I do not see them beating the Panthers. The Panthers were in 3 finals in row they needed a year to regroup. The lightning are beefing up so are the Caps. It would be wise for the Habs to get a couple more thugs. Carolina hit the money ball by not playing physical teams. Vegas with Marner and the loss of Pietrangelo looked weak-tired in the final.
We got the biggest prick though….so there’s that.
Buckle-up this good be a brilliant hire or a Canuck John Tortorella shit show.
It sure would be nice if they could trade Tristan Jarry. There has been no talk of moving Jarry. I guess they’re expecting him to bounce back. Well so might another team. Ingram should be re-signed especially if he wants to stay in Edmonton, as it’s been reported he does.
Might have something to do with the high price paid to acquire Jarry.
It would cost assets/retention to move him at this point for sure. He has two years left at 5.3M. Best to see if he can rebound and get off to a good start like he did last year.
We are stuck for 2 playoff runs with Jarry. Tristan when healthy strikes me as a steady eddy compared to the last guy we had who was either hot or cold. Can Jarry be our Osgood?
Jarry is reasonably likely to be just fine if the team does indeed play a more structured game in front of him – he has long history of save percentage over .900 and above league average.
LT I like how you framed the conversation around Dickinson.
I’ve been a big critic of the signing as to me, 3C is a critical role on the team, and the fact that Dickinson brings no offense means that he has to be damn near perfect, no margin for error, on the defensive side in order to have value.
I understand that having another experienced center on the team will always have value, and the cap hit is reasonable to market. However, a one dimensional player like him is exactly the type of player that should be the first target for an upgrade as soon as it’s available.
So it’s nice to have him, but when that opportunity comes to upgrade, that NMC will bit us in the butt.
Dickinson is once again a temporary solution to a permanent problem.
The constant focus on point production in Edmonton has devalued the defensive player. It seems we can’t help it.
We need better defence!! We are losing due to lack of defense!
We need a guy who can survive defensive starts and play majority of time against elites hopefuly breaking even.
But even after all that, he sucks cause he cant put up points. If he could handle all that and put up points, he is a first line center at 10M
I think there is more offence there. He cheated for defence last season as he was getting comfortable in the league. That’s better than cheating for offence but, now that he should be comfortable, that should go away.
He scored in Germany, he led the Condors at 5 on 5 scoring at the time of call-up, he scored at the Olympics, he scored at the Worlds. I’m not saying he’s going to go 15/15 but I think there is more there.
Samanski played with Leon at the Olympics. Maybe if they want to see a spike in him offensively they should do the same in Edmonton.
They should leave him at center
They could always sign another 4c, like say Kevin Stenlund , a big RHC.
Can’t have enough centers in the lineup.
We all seen what happened when a couple of our centres went down against Anaheim. Henrique was finished by the time he got to us from Anaheim. Unless your Corey Perry with hands of a model your not lasting in this league once an average skating player starts losing speed. We kept the wrong player in the swap for Carrick-Henrique. They should have went with the speed in Carrick who’s still going strong as a PKer that’s good on the draws. Dickinson seems to have an extra gear over other players. Chimera-Clearly-Cogliano all had speed well into their mid 30’s. As long as Dickinson doesn’t lose any speed he will cover his bet. If he happens to slow down to average this signing will look ugly. Dickinson-Frederic both strike me as structure players with speed. Babcock is supposedly the cock of the block with these type of players.
I also think Podz can play on the third line and help drive that line to be substantial 2-ways.
We know Podz can play with Drai but, at the same time, he does not have to. I mean, Issac Howard doesn’t really fit on a hard minutes third line (even though he “fine 2-ways”, or at least was in the AHL) but he certainly could/should mesh with Drai.
It makes no sense (to me) to play Podz with Drai and Howard with Dickinson, for example.
They need Howard.
Podz can play on any line and help, but the same can’t be said for Howard. I’m not going to say Howard can’t play with Dickinson, but it sure would help if he could.
It’s very possible, even likely, that a pairing of Samanski at centre with Podz on his wing would be formidable.
He spoke to the other day about being able to play the way the line he is on needs him to.
If they need him to be the forecheck guy, he can do it. When he was needed to be “the shooter”, that was the year his offence spiked.
It’s all just words but I will be “cautiously hopeful” there is some more offence than he’s shown the last few years. I mean, if he and his line can’t score, they will be a 41% goal share team with hard minutes and, while the top of the lineup should get some softer minutes, that’s tough to make up.
Agreed. I believe there’s more to Dickinson than meets the eye.
I hear he’s a whiz at Backgammon.
Yeah me too.
Chicago scored 210 goals last season,
202GF in 22/23 Dick – 9
178GF in 23/24 Dick – 22
224GF in 24/25 Dick – 7
210GF in 25/26 Dick – 6
They’ve been needing goals for half a decade, they would of been thrilled.
Dickinson scored 44 goals in 266 games for Chicago, half of those coming in one season, his only 82 game campaign.
He is what he is, a goal every 10 games or so.
The new coaching staff has somewhat agreed with Stauff’s suggestion over the last two months that it’s easier to fine ice-time for others when they play together. I 100% don’t get that. As I posted the other day, playing apart creates 4 useable top 6 wingers. Shit, Leon turns Kap it in a serviceable top 6 winger. Playing them apart, with some middle of the lineup players, permits the likes of Podz or Hyman or Nuge to help down the lineup making everyone more playable.
Smith spoke about McDavid and Drai together is challenging for road teams but not when the opposition is at home as they can get match-ups.
I think we will see more of it then most of us hope.
At the same time, Babcock loves line matching, something Knob certainly did not.
Eh, I get what they’re saying. In your set up, how do you distribute the ice time? Looking at last year’s stats, we have 50ish minutes of 5v5, you have two centres that are going to play 17 and 16 minutes a night. That leaves 17 minutes for the bottom two lines to split (with Nuge and Hyman in that bottom six mix).
Under that set up, you need to start blending lines or cutting back quite a bit on McDavid and Draisaitl in order to get everyone involved.
It certainly seems easier to do if McDavid and Draisaitl are playing together.
The top two lines only need 15-16 minutes of 5 on 5 per game. They will still get 2-3-4 on the PP (and if there are few power plays then the 5 on 5 ice is bigger piece of cake).
Getting 19-20 minutes per game total most games is fine – a win with them under 20 minutes is ideal. If they are chasing the game or, for other circumstances, they can be upped and will et 21, 22 or whatnot (average ice time on the year all probably be in the low 20s – a couple minutes less then the past few years).
That leaves 28-30 minutes at 5 on 5 for the bottom 6
If the top two lines are playing 15-16 minutes 5v5, then that’s 18-20 5v5 minutes for the bottom two lines, not 28-30 (going by the Oilers’ 50 minutes at 5v5 average).
If the top two lines are playing 19 minutes all situations, then that’s 22 minutes left over for the bottom two lines.
So everybody has completely written off Kapanen?
I hope he’s back. But money talks.
I have not, I would like him back but it has to make sense and, if he gets $3MM for term, I think they need to let him go.
I think its more an acceptance that they may not be able to bring him back.
If they don’t get a better top 6 option, 3M works for a few years. He likes playoffs and has stepped up his game. Bowman and Babcock know the player, maybe he’s not a good fit now. His health may be an issue
Marchment, Mikheyev, McMann
Over the past three seasons these three fellows have eerily similar scoring profiles. Roughly the same age.
McMann just got $5.75 x 6.
The others will cost $5.5 – $6.5M with at least 4 (probably 5) years of term. Is this a wise investment?
Can we see if St Louis will take their 3rd back for Dylan Holloway?
They have to have as many good players as they can afford, but they also need to focus on getting younger players. The Caps have clearly been focused on that, their F group is getting younger and still a mammoth team up front
It seems D can remain solid into their 30’s, F seem to be their best late 20’s, for normal players 30 seems the apex
Bingo
Oilers need to target a young middle-6 forward who’s being blocked on another team.
You won’t find that player on July 1
July 1 needs to become a proper holiday for the Oiler GM
I expect Bowman will work the trade market more than free agency. But both of Marchment & Mikheyev, or if they could manage to afford to sign one of them to a reasonable contract
that would be wondabar. I would bet Mikheyev because of his familiarity with Dickinson & Murphy. Nuge-Dickinson-Mikheyev would be a decent third line IMO.
I have a hard time seeing Marchment sign anywhere but a tax free state.
Good on him.
If we’re going on merit, Dickinson’s going to be 4C really quickly.
Unfortunately, coaches tend to overrate what he does on the ice.
Just happy MacTavish isn’t HC. He’d be the new, massively overpaid Toby.
Bowman used to say about Jacques Lemaire, ‘he’s my 50 goal man, the 25 he gets and the 25 he stops’
So Dickinson is a Bowman Sr 15-20 goal guy
A recognition of the roster construction of the most recent Stanley Cup winners is revealing.
Carolina, Florida and Vegas all employed third lines that decisively outscored the opposition.
Most recently, the Hurricane trio of Ehlers – Staal – Blake crushed the opposition.
Going to war with a cobbled together third line with a centre who doesn’t piss a drop means the top 6 has to be otherworldly.
The roster constrution of the most recent Stanley cup winnners revealed four balanced lines that understood their roles for ultimate execution.
Plus Ehlers-Staal-Blake isn’t your typical third line. But their coach doesn’t label his lines in that fashion.
Carolina employs a FOURTH line in a shutdown role.
Will Carrier 6″2′ 214 GF 54.7%
Mark Jankowski 6’4″ 201 GF 59.5%
Eric Robinson 6’2″ 220 GF 56%
They are big, fast and cheap with a combined cap hit of just over $5 million.
That would (depending on deployment) be about half, or less, of the cap hit of an Oilers third line which most likely won’t contribute a thing to the team’s offence.
Most teams do out of necessity.
The Canes are seemingly an internal budget team. They are doing as they should – no high contracts, which gives them more depth and under the cap, and a demanding coach that has them playing well
If they had more revenue and a choice I’m sure they would take a high end expensive player, they have a crack with Rant. The downside is that while they won a Cup, they haven’t been able to beat their rivals in playoffs when those teams are healthy
It’s not likely another playoff run that went as this one happens again anytime soon for them. Because the cap is rising so quickly, we are actually entering again a more have and have not scenario. Revenues are probably not for most teams rising as fast as the cap, so teams that can’t keep will lose the depth advantage
The Hurricanes are ranked 15th in league revenue so NOT a budget team.
However, Tom Dundon’s approach is spending efficiency and Tulsky is fully on board.
They likely have the cleanest cap sheet in the league with only the Kotkaniemi contract to to dispose of.
Your speculation that they only won a cup because of injuries to other teams is patent nonsense.
Their playoff record of 16-3 was absolutely dominant and they are betting favourites to repeat.
Robinson played 20% TOI vs. elites and Jankowski played 18.4% – that is called sheltered minutes.
No…it’s called an outscoring 4th line on a very balanced team.
BREAKING NEWS: teams with multiple scoring lines are likely to score more goals than their opposition, thus winning the game.
Revealing indeed.
I just read something recently that you should give some serious thought to: When you’re deceased you don’t know you’re deceased. The pain is felt by others. The same thing happens when you’re stupid.
That’s just stupid.
Good thing the top 6 is all-World
Are you sure about that?
The Oilers were 6th best in the league in goals scored.
Are the 5 teams ahead of them All-World-World?
Your reading comprehension is failing you greatly. This is incredibly impressive given you wrote one of the comments that you are failing to comprehend.
So then where does Howard play? Kapanen’s spot with Podzy and Leon? Another city? I don’t think 4th line or Bakersfield would make any sense at all.
Imo he gets traded.
Packaged up with Akey, Hutson, what draft picks there is left to Detroit for Cossa and Debrincant*
*I’ve never been called rational or sane in most regards.
Debrincat is a very interesting target. He’s one year away from UFA and if/when Larkin gets traded, I doubt he’s going to resign with the Wings. His starting price on a contract extension starts at Tuch’s dollars. That said, if this year is Cup or bust, then does it matter if he wants to resign or do you trade for him knowing that he may leave as a UFA next summer? If you can send out Nurse’s contract in the process, then it may be feasible.
If they could divest of the Nurse contract, swing for the fences.
This question gets asked nearly every day.
He should be on Leon’s wing -end stop.
Imagine –
Savoie-97-18
Howard-29-Podz
Nuge-Dickinson-Frederic
Jones-Samanski-Dach
That line up, playing their roles, could do some work. Too early to guess at rosters, but still it is fun to speculate.
—- see below. it’s a lot of projection IMO
— For a cup contender it’s a lot of unknowns being slotted into hopeful spots
— needed this look 5 years ago: develop complementary players to grow with Bouch McDrai.
Yeah, I saw your post after I did mine. To be honest, my fandom works in cycles – spring/summer (optimism) is imagining possibilities as trades, draft and signings emerge. Fall (consideration) is watching training camp and seeing how the coaching staff is deploying assets, and waiting to see results. Winter (despond) is when I really get down on what has happened vs what should have been.
I recognize this is an uncertain time of year, but frankly I am done school after tomorrow and it is hard to be very negative with holidays ahead of me, regardless of my team’s drama.
There is something of a manic-depressive state to being an Oilers fan, or maybe even psychotic
And it is as predictable as the seasons, 😉
I hope for a more formidable lineup.
I think the first two lines can score, the third can outscore (more in CA suppression) and the fourth has lots of potential.
The death of the team has always been a negative goal differential when 97-29 are off the ice. Breaking even is a huge improvement.
They will need to be better. That lineup construction is flawed and there will be changes.
— lots of projects for a Cup nadir aspirant:
Dach : 80 games (not much goals)
Samanski: 20 games (not much goals)
Fred – 7 points 8 years
Howard : cup of coffee
Savoie : had nice first season
— each of them interesting pieces.
— But not in their 3-4th years with established floors vs making projections hoping for best based on small sample sizes. At this stage of the Oilers.
The Hurricanes are so cap efficient with under market contracts that they cannot pay market value to Nikishin on a long term deal because he would become their highest paid defenseman. I suppose they settle on a two-year transition deal.
Darren Dreger
@DarrenDreger
Strong market circling Alexander Nikishin. Upwards of 6 teams in the mix. As a pending restricted free agent, his contract ask is clearly a major factor.
I got some groceries, some peanut butter, and I am ready to watch Dickinson play 3C.
Burned all my notebooks, what good are notebooks?
Without notes we will have to rely on the eye test – this ain’t no foolin’ around.
Does Dickinson play the forward equivalent of dump the puck out and watch it come back in?
As long as it’s not that and he keeps things out of danger, my proctologist approves.
I think he’ll do what Babcock has as the system. I’m expecting the team to look different than they have, and stay in structure a lot more
A lot of pressure all over the ice taking away time & space. I like it a lot.