Lots of talk lately about Mike Babcock and young players. Since we do have some history on how players were handled, let’s have a look and see what we can find. Please read this.
I wrote about Josh Leivo earning a chance about 20 times, so he’s the first name that comes to mind from the Toronto factory of a decade ago. I wrote the following on this blog, July 23, 2017:
FINDING LEIVO
The Toronto Maple Leafs are flat out loaded up front now, and I remain convinced this young man is going to have a career. Listed as a LW (shoots right), the Maple Leafs don’t play him and can’t send him down because of waivers. Toronto has options for 1.5 teams up front; the Houston Astros of my youth taught me to look for solutions in places where possible answers are in abundance.
In 41 NHL games, Leivo is 9-9-18 and last season his 5×5/60 total was 3.12 (seven points in 13 games). He is 24 and his cap hit is $612,500. I used to think Edmonton could grab him on waivers but now a trade seems more likely. Lou is always fair in trade talk (this is meant as a joke). Leivo is a hidden value, except everyone knows about him (or Toronto would have eased him through waivers last winter). Perhaps a prospect of note who can be sent down could successfully pry Leivo from Lou.
TEN YEARS AFTER
People did blame Mike Babcock for Leivo’s healthy scratches (during the 2017-18 season, he was scratched 14 games in a row). Looking back, though, Lou should have traded Leivo because the TML development and procurement system was producing many good forwards. Here are the rookies by year, beginning 2014-15, the year before Babcock arrived. I’m listing only wingers, and wingers who would play 100+ games in the NHL:
- 2014-15: Josh Leivo (265)
- 2015-16: William Nylander (750), Zach Hyman (711), Connor Brown (676), Kasperi Kapanen (568)
- 2016-17: Mitch Marner (738)
I think we can see what happened here. Leivo got (in the parlance of the great movie Oh Brother, Where Are Thou?) r-u-n-o-v-e-r-d by five rocknrollas. Honestly, I think Nikita Soshnikov was a better player but he could never stay healthy.
Oilers rookie wingers last season included Matt Savoie, Ike Howard, Colton Dach, Connor Clattenburg, Quinn Hutson and Roby Jarventie. I think Savoie and Howard belong in the ‘draft pedigree’ group with Nylander and Marner; Dach might land in the ‘worked his butt off’ group with Hyman and Brown; Clattenburg is an outlier’s outlier and I can’t say where he’ll go; Jarventie appears to be the Soshnikov (who was still playing last season) in this scenario.
Bottom line: I don’t see a lot of evidence that Babcock muffled any young talent. He rewarded the men who were productive. He sure did like the workers, though. Just like MacT.
Edmonton Oilers procure 2 under-the-radar players of interest in July 1 flurry
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7421762/2026/07/05/edmonton-oilers-nhl-free-agency-2026-players/
Very nice comment there by Trevor D, on Tralmaks. Complementary to your already positive review.
It really is a shame that preseason is shortened.
Further to the Trelmaks story, according him is dream is to play one game in the NHL. In Grand Rapids he played on the 3rd line and did not see much PP time. 80.8% of his goals were at 5v5 and this is a player with a deadly one-timer, great at deflections and is good in front of the net.
The Detroit organization was a terrible landing spot for him, but Edmonton doesn’t have any of the same roadblocks, like having several young top forward prospects blocking his path. He actually had re-signed with his old club in Kladno 3 weeks ago, but Bowman came a knockin’.
He was called up on an emergency basis on March 11th to replace the 20 YO MBN for their game on the 12th, as he was quite banged up. But the player, despite the many bribes offered by Tralmaks, decided to dress. MBN did not make it to the end of the game and Tralmaks missed his only shot with the Wings last season.
It will be interesting to see how things play out, but I bet he was coaxed to come to Edmonton with a promise of at least one NHL game…
https://www.mlive.com/griffins/2026/06/two-griffins-forwards-red-wings-signed-return-to-czech-extraliga.html
I really hope the kid gets a game now.
Hey LT,
I added a link to my post, this is probably why it got caught in the spam filter.
Multiple sources are speculating that Anaheim will match, and that they won’t have enough to sign Gauthier for under 10. Speculating dealing a forward veteran like Vatrano, although he seems less enticing of a sell than Killorn and would likely require a sweetener to dump
Another article wisely pointed out that Verbeek could have asked for more than the 4 1st round compensation as an incentive not to match (à la what Edmonton did, but bigger e.g. roster player or Toronto’s first from next year, which Phi possesses)
Anaheim really screwing themselves by matching, not just the loss of a veteran F, but the ripple effects on their internal gram structure. Players can always look to an external comparable. But Gauthier has a very solid case to be made when Carlsson, also an RFA, is getting 18 and then leaving only half as much to sign him.
Gauthier has produced slightly more than Carlsson in 50 less games, and similar draft pedigree. If Carlsson gets 18 and the next week you offer Gauthier 13 (presuming Vatrano trade), that may be enough. Anything less would be insulting to player and agent. And neither should he worth that price as RFAs who have never topped 80 pt seasons
https://youtube.com/watch?v=dls_cBmUt7Q&si=2A-84n0N4avhslB1
@OP. For the love of all things holy! It’s I-S-A-A-C Howard
he goes by ike.
What an incredible game between England and Mexico tonight. Mexico had only lost twice in the Azteca in the last 60 years! Until tonight.
That may hold up as the match of the tournament.
Legendary.
I thought this one might be one of those 2 years at $1.3MM deals, similar to Emberson last off-season so this is a smidge higher but, oh well.
If the D-Group is fully healthy coming out of camp, he’s likely on waivers along with Regula. Very good depth at 8D/9D if they clear.
Truth be told Stastney/Emberson has very very good metrics in about 225 minutes last season. The Oilers outscored the opposition 8-5 when that pair was out and their expected goal share was over 52%.
Some really good depth with Josh Brown at 10D (that’s pretty good for the 3rd injury fill-in) Carfagna/Leppanen pressing hopefully and still Riley Stilman. Akey is there but, unless there is a wild pop, he needs the full year.
Paul Fischer and Zack Sharp hopefully both getting signed early in 2027 when they finish their college careers.
Yeah Stastneys poor stats come from when he was playing with Walman and Nurse. Can’t remember who was playing their offside. But he should get some grace for that because those guys were both struggling this year and lefty lefty pairings arent ideal. I hope we can keep him in some capacity but I like Emberson more.
I would guess Stastney would get claimed? Though maybe not, I thought Regula would too
If my post caught in the Spam Filter shows up, this will make more sense.
Opening Line-up:
Trelmaks – McDavid – Savoie
Howard – Draisaitl – Hyman
RNH – Dickinson – Podkolzin
Frederic – Samanski – Kapanen
Dach – Joseph
IR – Janmark
I understand it will open myself up to criticism, but I see Trelmaks as a superior player to (way past his peak) James Neal, (fighting for his NHL life) Alex Chiasson and any of the other failed projects (Rattie, Perlini, Virtanen, etc) we’ve seen tried in Oil town.
Digging into this more and more, I think, he is the real deal and with his personality, and especially his sincere gratitude for an NHL shot after the false promises he was greeted with in Motown, he could be a substantial player in Edmonton.
After the Tomasek experiment, I understand completely why Bowman hasn’t said much about this signing, he is keeping the verbal expectations very low. I hope Tralmaks stays healthy and I really hope he gets an NHL game on Connor’s wing in Exhibition. Yzerman’s fumble could really be a massive win for the Oilers.
I am excited to see if he is given any kind of opportunity, but I truly think his best shot is slotted in the top 6 on Connor’s wing with Savoie.
Hard to see Trelmaks make the team, even moreso with all but no exhibition games for tryouts.
From accounts, Janmark will be ready for camp so IR may not be an option.
That lineup cuts Jones
You are putting a 29 year old career AHL player as 1st line wing with McD. Crazy…. Clattenburg would have a better chance than him i would think and that chance would be less than .1%
First line is a stretch but check out Trelmaks’ wheels https://www.instagram.com/p/DE92ARxqn5S/?img_index=1&igsh=MWR4bmdkZWpqYjN0Zg==
or maybe the D is super slow? I don’t know, he looks fast
I did not say it will happen, I give it 10% chance. I guarantee that Trelmaks was given a promise of some sort, at minimum it is 1 NHL game.
The man has skills that we hope Clattenburg can develop. Like taking and making passes.
There is something there and it is more substantial than any other winger the Oilers have experimented with on McDavid’s wing. It only worked out once.
Maybe it can happen again, if he can hang in there it would be worthwhile to find out.
Thank you for the ridicule.
I would be shocked if Trelmaks was given any sort of promise of NHL games.
What I do KNOW that he he was given was a raise on his AHL salary for $250,000 to $400,000.
I know Issac Howard isn’t as big and fast as this guy, and I’m positive his moustache would not look near as cool, but he has 2 less goals and 8 more points in 19 less games and is 7 years younger.
Trelmaks played on the 3rd line in Grand Rapids and was on PP2.
OK, and?
I don’t see any objective way the cite him as higher on the depth chart than 16 or so nor anything to suggest he was promised NHL games.
Just before free agency, Stauff said “I think they are going to sign a scorer for the AHL team” – this seems like it.
Sure, I hope he pops to be an NHL player at 30, after being a 3rd liner in the AHL last season but……
The respected Elliotte Friedman recently suggested that Eduards Tralmaks is the kind of player that new Oilers coach Mike Babcock likes.
“He’s just no-nonsense. He played a hard game, a hard, straight line game for Latvia (in the Olympics). I’ve seen guys like this play for Babcock before.”
I’ve spent a lot of time digging into this player. I do this exercise every-time there is an incoming player that I don’t know too much about.
Trelmaks is the most promising that the Oilers have ever brought into the organization. Despite limited opportunities as a 3rd liner and playing on the 2nd PP unit, he was one of the top goal scorers in the AHL.
in the Olympics, he was Latvia’s top scorer and played on the top line, but only got 2nd PP minutes. What I am saying is that he has a range of advanced offensive skills and size. He went to the Wings who under-used him, giving priority to their youth, as they should. Not sure why Latvia didn’t give him PP1 time.
All this to say, he scored over 80% of his points at even strength and he is not a one-dimensional offensive producer and has only found his scoring touch over the last 2 seasons.
He is primed to produce now. Janmark and Joseph is not his competition in TC.
I like it.
“You wanna get nuts? Let’s get nuts!”
-The Batman
Is it really nuts?
Hey I said I like it.
PuckPedia
@PuckPedia
The Penguins signed 25 y/o RFA F Yegor Chinakhov to 3 year $6.25M Cap Hit Deal
18G 36P in 43 GP with PIT after trade.
Deal covers 1 UFA year.
PuckPedia
@PuckPedia
The Penguins signed 25 y/o RFA G Arturs Silovs to 1 year $2.8M Deal
888 SV% in 39 GP
Will be RFA with Arbitration on expiry, 1 year from UFA eligibility
He comes in for less value than Skinner. I have a feeling the Olympic gold medalist Connor will want out after the taste of winning. I can see Winnipeg team tanking properly this year.
I like Silovs.
Anyone familiar with Shakir? Why would you fade a 6’4” 24 year-old giant that is a silky smooth skater who has a hard low slap shot. He has to have a flaw in his game? Why did the Devils and San Jose trade him could it be just a case of him being a good prospect traded for 2 star players. I like what Bowman is doing from Emerson-Stastny-Regular-Shakir. Holland went through all of Peter’s stockpiles and reserves and left Bowman one Akey-Breaky long short coming out of gate 13.
He has some “Bouchardian” chaos in his game but getting better.
Thats the nicest thing you’ve ever said about an Oilers player
I recommend reading NHL_Sid’s newest piece at oilersnation today breaking down Shak’s game and analytics.
Really interesting and seems both his strengths and weaknesses may fit really well complimentarily with Shea’s, who he also wrote a great article on a few days prior.
We had 2 years of K.K blender deployment now there’s a new sheriff in town. The fringe players all start from scratch. It’s obvious Mike liked a long shot in Hyman years ago. He played him when there were better pedigree options. Hyman may be toiling his craft in a Swiss league without Babcock believing in him. I do see Bowman and Babcock on the same page. Play hard working skilled players no matter draft position. I like the fact that Bowman is loading up on the Dach-Poulin-Jarventie-Hutson-Sharp-Jones-Emberson-Stastny-Shakir etc players. If they work they work if not see you later. Let the best man win.
Unlike Canada G.Whitakers fan reaction some heads will roll in Brazil. Norway what a story a country that has 1/8 the population of Canada yet they expect more out their team.
I’m beginning to get the sense that you don’t appreciate the impact of a player like Haaland OR the reality of where Canada is in the pecking order of global football.
You don’t just suddenly become a dominant team in this sport by trying hard or because you want/expect it because you have a larger population.
In 2022, Canada went 0-3 in the World Cup group stage only scoring 2 goals total. This time out, they went 2-2-1, scored 10 goals in total, and made it through the group and 32 stage to the round of 16.
That is solid progress for Team Canada. Any realist can see our country is making progress in a sport that we were generations behind other nations in, in terms of elite development talent and programs.
Would have shown better healthier methinks
Canada beat Nations ranked 55 and 58 with a tie against a 61 place team. Do you actually know how much money Soccer-Canada is given for the Men’s and Woman’s team? We had a game changer in Davies who chose his club team. I don’t blame Marsch for not playing Davies. All the talk before every game was will Davies start? Will Davies be 2nd half replacement? Will Davies be a late replacement? Davies this Davies that he was a distraction for the rest of the team. This distraction will come out in the weeks to follow. I get you view Soccer differently but after having a great 1st half it was Men against Boys in the 2nd half.
It wasn’t that long ago, it was considered newsworthy that Owen Hargreaves was playing in the Premier League as an off the bench player for Man U. Now Canada has players scattered throughout domestic leagues in Europe including some legitimate stars.
What you see as Canada faltering in the 2nd half, I saw as the fundamental realties of the match and the talent disparity. Canada came out looking strong in the first half, but much of that was driven by the ref letting a lot of late challenges go without giving them yellows. That frustrated Morocco and full credit to Canada, it was a good tactic that resulted in several scoring chances. None of which they could cash because they lack the elite finishers of the best sides.
In the 2nd half, the ref starting calling the game straight up, Canada started taking some fouls and Morocco upped the pace considerably. It was the same tactic Morocco used against Netherlands and it worked. They kept the match close in the first and then pushed hard in the 2nd. When you’re an elite side which Morocco is, that can be a very effective tactic. At a time Canada really needed it’s depth to keep pace, the injuries finally caught up with them.
No offense, but if you’re disappointed that a Canadian squad without Davies lost to the #6 ranked team by FIFA, then your expectations are writing cheques that your team can’t cash.
It is unfortunate that Davies didn’t play more but the club teams own these players. Bayern has invested over 40 million Euros in Davies, they had medical personnel onsite, and they’re not going to let one of their stars hamper his recovery playing for his national team.
Finally $ spent currently is immaterial. I lived abroad for many years and the elite youth academies we finally introduced in Canada in the last few decades have existed in Europe for nearly a century. Expecting Canada to close this development gap immediately just because they spend money now is no more realistic than expecting France to suddenly start beating us in hockey if for some reason they started funding it as a serious priority.
Very well said but the bottom line is they should be disappointed instead of the wait til 2080 because it takes a nation of 42 million that long to development 40 youths. I’ll Guarantee Harry Kane and Lionel Messi are not a 100 percent choosing Nation over club team.
I wrote a good post speaking to Kane and Messi. For reasons unknown to me, it’s held up in spam.
I agree they should be disappointed and I expect they are. They’re competitive world class athletes and they expect to win every time they step on the pitch.
One of the sad realities of getting good at this is it requires being more exclusive and less inclusive. You have to recognize the best athletes early on and escalate them into a more appropriate development stream targeting your elite youth.
We do this in hockey and it’s expected but there’s more resistance to it in soccer. I suspect the reason for that is soccer in Canada is seen as an egalitarian sport where everyone gets to play regardless of wealth or social status. There’s pushback on hand picking kids to put them on a development fast track. But fortunately we’re starting to appreciate that it does a disservice to these kids having them easily dominate their average peer group.
There was a time when youths pledged an allegiance God Save the Queen at the beginning of the school day in Canada. We had British blood and culture (soccer) running through us unlike the Yankee culture now. We qualified for a 24 team field in 1986 brutal qualifying games off the backs of our coaches and players. Canada was gifted an enter to this tournament by the expansion of 16 teams and the automatic host country nations payoff to the right people. Canada was also gifted an easy grouping to ensure we get a playoff game or two.
England hasn’t won it since 66 and they live and die for football. It’s bloody hard. That’s why it’s such a great tournament. The atmosphere in this England v Mexico match is fantastic.
Yes it is I’m real enjoying these games but truth be known Canada was gifted this show. It’s bloody hell not cheap holding a World Cup these days. Please explain how a red card American Balogun is playing in the game against Belgium?
Just googled that red card decision. Crazy stuff.
Golly gee willikers, it took me a few minutes to figure out what you meant there!
Mintyukov 5 X $7.2 million in Anaheim.
If the Ducks were to match the offer sheet for Carlsson, they still would have almost $10 million to sign Gauthier.
Gauthier is going to want a LOT more than that; he scored 40 goals last year, and the top young stars are getting paid this summer.
Anaheim will need to attach sweeteners to offload some of their bad contracts.
Gauthier doesn’t have much leverage this offseason but a compatible might be Slakovsky in Montreal….8 X $7.6 million.
Gauthier scores more goals so perhaps somewhere around $9 million might work.
PuckPedia
@PuckPedia
With Mintyukov signed & with Carlsson’s contract on their books pending their offer sheet decision, Ducks have $10.0M Cap Space with 21 active players (12F/6D/3G) + Terry IR
RFA offer sheet eligible: Hinds
RFA not offer sheet eligible: Cutter Gauthier
Verbeek was building one heck of a team. Big skilled the only drawback was being young squad and not having cover for at times shaky Dostal. In one offer-sheet Brière fuked over every G.M that wants to tear it down to the studs and build through the draft. G.M’s will weaponize this as a tool to fuk over rival teams. The only thing holding a team like Edmonton to offer-sheet Calgary or Vancouver is the draft picks. Brière opened up the box on offer-sheets which will become the new trade deadline excitement. I didn’t hear Verbeek publicly berating Brière like pissy pants Burke did with lowe
Verbeek effed himself by being the same hardnosed AH as a GM that he was as a player.
Verbeek had a full year to sign Carlsson to a respectful deal. He intentionally chose surrender his control over the negotiation by being obstinate.
Verbeek-Grier-Francis-Guérin-Staios All learned from old school G.M’s it’s hard for these ex-players to allow a 21 year-old to hold the upper hand. I think some of the decision making comes down to older egos. Take Broberg and Holloway for example neither scenario made a lick of sense to this bystander.
Seravalli reports someone else has officially tendered an offer sheet to Pavel Mintyukov. Expect it to be at the top of the 1st and 3rd round comp at $7.16 Million AAV
Meanwhile Friedman is reporting Mintyukov and Ducks nearing an extension at 5x $7.4M AAV.
via Frank Seravalli:
Mintyukov’s new deal in Anaheim: 5 years x $7.2 million AAV. $3 million signing bonus in Year 1.
I presumed Stasney would be closer to $1.25MM, for a couple of years than 1 X $1.525MM but, whatever.
Any guesses on what the Oilers have planned for their defense? They now have 8 NHL defensemen signed and I’m not sure any of them would clear waivers. Possible trade? Or just carry 8 to start pending injury?
They will need at least 8, probably 9 or 10, d-men though the season.
If there are no injuries through the end of camp, I think he can lock in Stastney and Regula on waivers, hope they clear and have some real injury depth and cap room to use it.
The hight AAV on Stastney could be waiver claim protection….?
Im pretty sure he is getting traded
Based on?
Bob has been speculating we will move a D and we have too many. Emberson won’t be moved as Hes a right shot, had a good year and is very cheap. Im guessing they like the New guy and he brings a different element (Hes big and good defensively apparently). And Stastney didnt have a great year.
Thanks!
I was hoping that Stastney – who will probably be their 8th dman – would get no more than $1.2 million so that it could be fully buried if he got sent down. The silver lining I guess, is that this will lessen the chances of him getting claimed on waivers.
@PuckPedia
The deadline for players to file for arbitration is today at 5pm ET.
We’ve confirmed the following players have filed for arbitration:
Schmid
Perfetti
McMichael
Drysdale
Zegras
Greaves
Schneider
Robertson
Read more on arbitration https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/svg/2935.svg
Updated:
David Pagnotta
15 players have filed for arbitration:
Bourgault, Xavier (Ottawa Senators)
Dach, Kirby (Montreal Canadiens)
Drysdale, Jamie (Philadelphia Flyers)
Greaves, Jet (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Jefferies, Alex (New York Islanders)
Krebs, Peyton (Buffalo Sabres)
McMichael, Connor (St. Louis Blues)
Perfetti, Cole (Winnipeg Jets)
Robertson, Jason (Dallas Stars)
Robertson, Nick (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Schmid, Akira (Florida Panthers)
Schneider, Braden (New York Rangers)
Seeley, Ronan (Carolina Hurricanes)
Sillinger, Cole (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Zegras, Trevor (Philadelphia Flyers)
I don’t think this, in its simplest form, is all that far from the reality with Babcock. He’s going to have a system, and he’s going to expect players to make that system work.
So if the system demands quick puck movement, strong board play, smart positioning, or whatever else, the players who can’t consistently execute those things are going to get faded out. He might have some preconceived ideas going into the season about who fits and who doesn’t, but I’m 100% confident that with Babcock, this will be a systems-focused meritocracy.
I realized yesterday that when Bouch signed last summer he was one day away from being eligible to receive an offer sheet as Carlsson was last week. He signed on June 30th and he could have started talking to other teams on July 1. It was reported that Carolina was considering giving him one.
some thought the 10.5 was an overpay but it likely could have been a lot higher if Bouchard decided to wait a day and see what other teams were offering and use that as leverage or accept another offer.
im grateful we seem to have stars that are loyal and want to be here! It should set a standard for the Savoie’s, Howard’s, etc which will be the opposite of what will probably happen in Anaheim if they match Carlsson.
“im grateful we seem to have stars that are loyal and want to be here!”
This.
There was much talk of getting the Bouchard deal done before July 1 to ensure to offer sheet issues and kudos to Bowman on that.
I believe, for sure this year but I think last year as well, teams can talk to RFAs on the 30th – can’t sign the until July 1 but there is an early talking period.
Also, some thought $10.5MM was an overpay but others thought that was right in range and would be a value deal through its term…..
I didn’t realize that Podz/Drai/Kap was 6-0 goals in the playoffs (62% expected goals) and 12-3 goals in the regular season (51% expected).
I knew they were good in stretches but did not know of those dominant goal results.
I’ve been pumping Kap down to 3RW as I think he would be very effective with Dickinson on a 3rd line (maybe even with Podz or Nuge) and Howard’s skill set should be used in the top 6, however, maybe that line does need to stay.
I’d have time for Howard on McDavid’s wing and Savoie down to the 3rd line as he too can help a tough minutes 2-way line.
————-
At the same time, take away Drai and Podz/Kap were 50% goal in regular season (51% expected) and 1-0 goal in the playoffs.
What about just keeping that winer duo, maybe even on a third line? They are great with Drai but lots of winers could be great with Drai and they might be able to drive a non-McDrai line?
I see the logic but I wouldn’t mess with Podz and Leon. The last two years where theyve been stapled to each other have been the best of Leon’s career. They are 58% goals together the last two years. I don’t think we have anyone that would take Podz spot there – Nuge/Howard wouldnt have the same impact on that line. Maybe Savoie, but I think McDavid might need Savoie now.
i would leave Podz/Drai as a duo and McDavid/Hyman as a duo. Both have been consistently great the last two seasons.
McDavid, Hyman and Savoie had some good stretches. It seemed McDavid/Hyman played quicker with Savoie than with RNH last year toward the end of the season
Yeah I like Savoie McD Hyman a lot. Also wonder if Howard could work with Podz and Drai.
I absolutely love Podz/Drai/Kap as a line. Particularly in the playoffs – they are a load: size speed and skill. Do you play them all year or pair some combo up to balance things until after the deadline. then put them back together? I wonder how a coach looks at it as they’re mapping out 84 games to get to the starting point
I think Kap is awesome glad they signed him, and I like that he’s a playoff gamer. But the last two seasons he’s got 6 and 8 goals. If Howard can keep up he can do that and more. When playoffs come around maybe you look at different deployment as intensity goes up
I like this idea but against certain teams I would have Kap-Leon-Kap. Against the Panthers definitely. Kap is really effective in short bursts. His playoff type play is not sustainable as a top 6 all year. I would rotate Kap up and down the line-up that is until he gets injured.
That works too
The WHL is piloting “no return” 3-on-3 OT during the upcoming preseason.
https://medicinehatnews.com/sports/local-sports/2026/07/02/whl-commissioner-speaks-on-state-of-whl-announces-rule-changes/
Basically, if a team enters the attacking zone in OT with possession, they cannot carry, pass or shoot the puck outside the zone. If they do, the play is blown dead and the faceoff comes into their D-zone, and no line change is permitted. If the league GM’s like what they see — as every preseason game will do this OT format regardless of score — it will be implemented for the upcoming regular season too.
Curious to see how this turns out.
Thanks for that Tarkus. Interesting that they’re keeping the play inside the blue line, and not giving the possession team from centre in to work with. Can see a lot of excitement from counter attacking off turnovers.
I love this idea!
anything to cut down on shootous!
I’d settle for ending in a tie. Yeah yeah, I’m a dinosaur
Yes, even a tie (after 3v3) is better than SO
So dumb, and the inevitable result of goofy OTs.
Play normally until it ends, or don’t at all.
Continous 5 on 5 OT in the regular season? Ya, I’m not in on that.
Is that keep-in rule for the blue line or the red?
I applaud this regardless – the keep-away possession game for 2-3 minutes of OT is now standard and rather boring
Blue line. It’s in the linked article.
That’s not to say it couldn’t change to the red — or get scrapped altogether — depending on what the GM’s want to do.
Its tough to see Babcock fade any of the young guys, Dach, Howard, Shakir if they are putting in the work, listening and executing what the coach asks, etc.
I can’t speak to Shakir but I can’t see Howard (or Dach) not doing that.
Mike Babcock basically confined Frankie Corrado to the pressbox for two years (along with other fun mind games over that period).
The evidence is in plain sight, if one chooses to look with open eyes.
That Lamorello let this persist for two seasons is not a good look on him, letting a player suffer over a GM/coach pissing contest.
And we all know Bowman’s track record of looking the other way.
Babcock has not made any apologies for his past behavior.
Frankie Corrado who played for 3 different franchises for 76 games total?
What are we talking about here? Lol
I see that you do not understand “survivor bias”.
Vancouver didn’t play him, neither did Pittsburg. Him not being able to stick in the NHL anywhere he went wasn’t due to Mike Babcock, that played him more then anywhere else he went.
I see you don’t understand that he simply wasn’t good enough to be an NHL regular.
Corrado was a marginal player. That’s not Babcock’s fault.
LT is only considering the survivors. Most of those who did not survive Mike are unknown.
There isn’t one example of a coach in the history of the league that hasn’t had players fail and wash out under their coaching tenure.
There’s 7 rounds in a draft for a reason, because 99% of the players drafted are Frankie Corrado.
Players do get buried all the time. Broberg got buried. Cooper Marody got buried. Chinakov got buried and then showed who’s boss.
I suppose we’ll observe your theory of whether Babcock buries players ‘With Malice’ tested in-season.
Players exercise more of their own agency now. They agree to have contracts mutually terminated, or complain to the media, or go play in Europe.
Some of Corrado’s or Leivo’s story also falls on Lou, or falls on themselves. You don’t want to get carried away with demonizing Babcock.
“You don’t want to get carried away with demonizing Babcock.”
Too late for godot
I wouldn’t put that on anyone but MB.
I’m hesitant about cheering for this team. From this past season’s leadership fails from the Capt and his wingman, through the coaching debacle postseason, through the hiring of MB I’m a disappointed Oilers fan. The last I’m finding hardest to swallow.
Some have drunk the Koolaid and are all-in on MB.
Some, not quite there.
Me, I’m curious about how things turn. The Koolaid may have to wait until it’s DJ, not MB, flavoured.
What are you even complaining about? That not every young player got all the same opportunities?
Thats every single team and every single job ever. The best get to keep playing and the worst have to fight for the rest of the minutes.
There is a total of 8 winger positions and 6 defensive positions. Usually the top 3-4 winger positions are filled by NHL players so there is 4 at most available on the team, the defensive position, the top 4 are usually NHL players, so maybe just maybe there is 1 position available for a rookie.
If you think Babcock should apologize for attempting to play his best lineup in his opinion, then I am not sure what you think his job is.
Has he been an AH in his career? Sure. Should he apologize for trying to win hockey games with better young players than Corotto? Not at all.
That’s basically what he’s complaining about.
For every young player who got an opportunity and couldn’t make it work, there is a player or two who got buried. The majority of players who make it to the show don’t make it as NHL regulars.
I am convinced that Babcock gets more press about this because of his profile and because of the hockey mad market he last worked in.
If he had ended up in Columbus, rather than The Center of the Universe after his DRW tenure, most, if not all of these stories probably wouldn’t have come out.
There are no participation medals in the NHL.
Sit down and have a beer with Lavoie who did everything and then some that was asked of him. I would gather Lavoie wouldn’t be talking puppy tales and pink balloons when referring to Hollands chose of burying him.
If we are equating Chicago to Detroit, Toronto and Columbus, why don’t you go after Ken Holland, if we are holding people to account about things we only have surface information about? He hired Babcock in Detroit and was his boss the entire time MB was there. Did KH look the other way? The worst of the stories happened in Detroit. It was public knowledge during Holland’s time with the Oilers
Kenny looks like a nice fella Babcock looks like an arrogant prick. All this can be seen on a Tik-Tok short.
Did Corrado get paid over those two years?
Was Babcock under any contractual obligation to play him?
Your whole assertion, such as it is, is ridiculous.
Corrado played 7 pro seasons in North America. He was a 5th round pick, after his first season, he never played much more than 39 NHL or AHL games in a season on any of the clubs he played on.
After his career ended he was given a platform. Hmm, I wonder what he would decide to talk about?
These people choose to put dirty laundry out in the public forum for viewers. After a career of hockey without and secondary schooling this may be more enticing then selling cars for Paul Coffey.
Good thing Knoblauch is out of the league given his mid-eff games played with Jeff Skinner and Noah Philp.
Frankie Corrado? We’re talking about Frankie Corrado?
Not Matthews. Not Marner. Not a blue-chip prospect you build the future around. Frankie Corrado.
We’re talking about a depth defenceman who, if everything broke right, maybe became a serviceable bottom-pair guy this wasn’t exactly robbing the league of the next Duncan Keith.
Frankie Corrado, man. We’re talking about Frankie Corrado.
Has Babcock tended to fade smaller players? With Howard, Savoie & Hutson it’s not just youth.
Babcock fades players who don’t play hard and don’t play a 200 ft game. Which is the only thing that really matters.
If Howard plays on the third line to start the season, I wont be disappointed.
What I hope is that Babcock creates three outscoring lines and roles them. I don’t particularly care how these three lines outscore either. Sheer offensive overwhelm with McDavid and Hyman, two way brilliance with Drai and Podz, or complete shutdown of the other team and pop a few timely goals with Dickinson and Nuge.
If reports out of Bakersfield via OP are accurate, Howard worked his bag off on the defensive side. We know he has the shot to score.
Maybe the easier transition is to put Howard on a defensive line where he continous to learn the finer points of playing defense at the NHL level without the pressure to score 20 goals immediately.
The thing is, if our third line is deployed as a shutdown line, it won’t be an easy place to be deployed as a rookie. He’d be playing the other team’s best with Dickinson instead of Draisaitl. The third line won’t be expected to score, but will be expected to be sound defensively at all times, which isn’t an easier imo.
I feel like forwards often break into the NHL earlier because the game is easier to read when you are the one dictating the play, whereas defense can take longer because you are having to read and react correctly to one of a thousand possible scenarios in an instant or the puck ends up in your net. All to say, I think the third line will be a veteran one as long as the mandate is to play as a shutdown line.
I think that’s likely or why sign JD? It seems Babcock uses the bench more, so if the have a 4th line that plays more that might be ok for Ike. I do think with Drai and Podz being sound two ways he could possibly be ok there as well. Connor being rested and hopefully 100% will draw the best the other guys have
I expect Babcock will know what he sees in camp and there isn’t time to fart around this season. Maybe Ike isn’t quite ready and goes down, which is best if he isn’t
Howard did work his bag off and developed in many areas but I still don’t think a hard-minutes line with Jason Dickinson matches his skill set. I’d prefer Savoie in that situation even if he’s earned 1W over Howard (who I would play in the top 6).
Rotate Kap and Howard as 2RW/press box. Neither fits the third or fourth line, and Kap needs to be pushed to play his best.
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
Robertson has indicated he will file for arbitration, which will also eliminate the possibility of an offer sheet for him
5 ET is official deadline. If eligible players do not go this route, teams have until tomorrow to decide if they will
It will be fascinating to see what an arbitrator might give Robertson in light off the new era of cap inflation.
This might work out very well for Dallas as Tyler Seguin’s $9.85 million comes off the cap at the end of the upcoming season.
It is also possible that Nill and Robertson have a nudge nudge wink wink deal in store already for when Robertson hits UFA status.
Then Octagon hockey tells other teams what the deal could be, another squad says I’ll do more and Nill is left winking at himself in the mirror.
Remember when one of your favourite narratives was that the Oilers were at risk of losing their stars and in order to keep them they would have to pay a premium?
How come you don’t have that same energy for the Stars I wonder..
You know why.
Some of the contributors here hate the Oilers.
Carlsson just signed for 18 million … the arbitrator is not going to ignore the fact that Robertson has vastly outperformed him. Dallas is screwed.
The arbitrator can only use comparable signed when the player was an RFA so, while Carlsson is admissible, the UFA signings this year are not.
Q: Does a player have to accept Offer Sheet amount, if his team is willing to match?
No, an offer sheet is simply a term for a contract with an RFA from another team – the player has to agree or no deal. When news like this comes out, it means the player has signed the contract and it guarantees he will be on the contract – just dont know with which team.
Thanks
You’ve really had your head buried and twisted, eh? Friedman reported Dallas was offering $12 mil and Robertson wanted $14 mil. Now it goes to aribitration and with Kaprizov and $17 mil and the Carlsson contract at $18 mil, the path for Dallas just got harder.
There is no cut for Dallas if the arbitrator gives Robertson $14 mil or more. Even if the aribitrator goes at $12 million, it’s not easy getting there. This significantly fouls them up this season.
Love to see the Dallas Stars erode their way out of contention.
Robertson will want $20M a season from now. He’ll either leave Dallas or leave them with no cap flexibility to build a team around him.
Edmonton should be so lucky to have stars who value winning at hockey above winning at capitalism.
We’ll see.
Dallas has only $9.8 million in cap space right now so very difficult to pay Robertson full freight.
However, next season they have over $41 million with all their core players locked up.
Not sure McDavid’s “show me” deal is as virtuous as you claim and Draisaitl’s $14 million cap hit was certainly not a Maoist demonstration of solidarity at the time it was signed.
Thing is, the players now hitting the gong are in their early to mid 20’s not fading vets entering their 30’s.
The game just changed.
It’s great watching you cope and seethe and move the goalposts in real time.
BS buddy .. both McDavid and Draisaitl signed their deals with full knowledge of where the cap was going to. They chose to stay in Edmonton and win a Cup over cashing out for the biggest deal possible, like Robertson and Carlsson.
The game changed indeed … for your favorite flavours of the month. Whose bandwagon are you jumping to next?
Everytime Draisaitl has signed a contract, by the time that contract starts Draisaitl is underpaid.
His contract, until Carlsson is resolved, remains the second highest in the league.
Is he the second best player?
The discount was given via the 8 year term. He could have easily signed for 3 or 4 years and cashed in like everyone else is doing these days knowing the cap is going up. He gave a huge discount.
Had he signed for 4 years he would have been 35 years old when the contract expired.
It’s highly unlikely he would get signed for more than $14 million at that point.
And, while he is still highly productive, there are some early signs that his performance and health are starting to decline.
Last 5 seasons:
Games played:
65
71
81
80
80
Goals:
35
52
41
52
55
Points:
97
106
106
128
110
Certainly not an immediate cause for concern but it is not at all unusual for NHL players to peak in their late 20’s.
Carlson’s contract is already resolved. It’s $18m. What is left unresolved is what jersey he will be wearing, so Draisaitl’s contract is no longer the second highest in the league.
I think you know that, though.
No contract is final until registered with the league office.
And while we know it will make him the highest paid player in the league upon completion that likely won’t be the case very long.
This response is lame even for you. It’s the equivalent of “I’m taking my ball and going home”. He signed a binding offer sheet. Either they match and he stays or they don’t and he goes. The fact is Stephen is right and you – as usual – are wrong. There is no third alternative in this situation. Stop the specious arguments.
The contract has been signed and will be in force – the only question is if its with the Ducks or Philly (or if Philly trades him after).
Don’t be obtuse.
On some nights, and for some stretches, he’s the best player in the world – one Hart Trophy and should have been two (would have been if not hurt the last 10 games).
What’s your point?
Should have posted this here. Friedman reported Robertson was asking $14 mil and Dallas was offering $12 mil.
The issue for Dallas is what happens to them this year to get compliant if the aribitrator picks $14 million. There’s no easy path to cutting $5 million from Dallas roster and last time I checked, they have to play this season before they can think about all that cap room next season.
Robertson is not worth $20 million. Nill knows it.
Eventually Robertson will be traded.
I always believed that this was Robertson’s plan if Nill did not meet his number…arbritration to unrestricted free agency, where more desirable teams will be willing to meet his number if they do not have to give Dallas anything in return.
Observation: Vegas is having a reset year cleaning up their cap.
Observation:
Re-set years are critical to sustaining a team’s long-term competitiveness.
Example – you can’t trade away 1st round picks every year and expect to remain competitive over the long run. What you can do is detonate every 4 years, acquire trade assets (high picks), move on from old players and bad contacts and re-structure your core.
The Maple Leafs and Panthers have just done exactly that.
I’ve been wondering what happens with Hyman next summer. Final year, 10 team trade list. I like the player, but you might get a decent return
Bowman resigns Hyman, why would they ever trade him?
Plus there’s no point moving him since he’ll be sitting in the office beside Stan at his next job
I see Hyman as more of a coach then a manager…..
He’s old and has profile = assets
I wonder if Vegas does that this year. It seems totally against their nature, but Vegas has no 1st or 2nd next year and Pietrangelo’s contract is up too. And they’re getting kinda old. If anyone should know the value of a quick step away from the tables it should be Vegas.
Signing Rasmus Andersson to what they did is not “cap cleaning”.
Trading a high impact player due to cap reasons makes the team worse and the return not helpful for longer than a “re-set year”.
Interesting that the Oilers have cleared up their cap big time this summer but look to be full steam ahead about contender – no re-set this year.
Maybe they are close to a deal and they both want to tune out the offer sheet noise. Connor did the Oilers a solid on his last deal, perhaps this is team commitment from Robertson. we are not in the room
Hyman played almost exclusively with Matthews in his full rookie season – he was not near the player he is today (10G/28P in all 82 games) but Babcock rolled him out there.
Issac Howard, of course, not a similar player to Hyman at all but I think some have a narrative driven view of cocky, soft and entitled.
Issac Howard proved in Bako to be a very coachable young man and a very hard worker. He’s not going to set records for hits in the playoffs but he will engage in battle and work away from the puck.
I don’t know if Babcock and Bowman have a plan right now for Howard as 1-2LW or 3-4LW in the AHL but I do presume that Babcock will see the skill plus work come September.
I feel like people are conflating hardass with old school. I think Babcock has (or had) the mental flexibility to adapt to what works. I don’t see him fading Savoie just because he’s small, for instance. As long as Howard plays a responsible 200 ft game and skares hard, I think he will get a fair chance
It sounds more like many are wanting to conflate “inappropriate/disrespectful” with hardass, or old school.
At this point, everything is speculation and conjecture. We might not know what MB will be with this team until at least the seasonal doldrums of October and November have passed.
I think the message for the players (old & new) will be simple; work hard, don’t lose your check or cheat for offense.
Every coach wants the same thing, not every coach is willing to hold players accountable.
The ones that do have different methods,
Babcocks methods have been famously reported on
The question is how will the players respond,
Im not worried about the new players….
I enjoyed this analysis. I am also interested in seeing how Babcock handled the youth while in Detroit given they had more high end veterans the youth had to compete with. This may be a good comparison to the Oilers today.
E.g., how did players like Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, and Danny DeKeyser get incorporated into the lineup? Did they start from the bottom in a checking role with no PP time and earn their way up kind of like Savoie last year? Or were they inserted into the top 6 immediately? I’d suggest the former is more likely but I don’t know.
If youth are starting from the bottom I expect (with all healthy) the following is the assumed starting lineup:
Nuge McDavid Hyman
Podkolzin Draisaitl Kapanen
Frederic Dickinson Savoie
Jones Samanski Joseph
Dach
Howard would have to outplay Dach, Jones, Joseph and Janmark to stay with the Oilers. Thoughts?
It depends on how Babcock thinks players should be deployed. Howard is a totally different type of player than those fellas. Unless they grab a top 6 player he will want some more offensive ability
A guy I know tells me the story, many times over heh heh, about how when MB got to TO he added up the goals the team would likely get and said they needed more offense to make the playoffs. That’s not the Oilers position, but he gets that you need scorers, and Bowman has said the team lacks natural scorers or shooters
I don’t think Howard is fighting for the same roles for the most part, I also think Howard’s potential will have him above Jones and Joseph for sure.
Dach has a different potential and different usage, Janmark is a PK
guy which that’s not Howard.
There will also be injuries.
Don’t disagree but many want to lock Hyman, Savoie, Podz and Kap in to the top 6, without even an add, so where do these want Howard to play?
I would not play him with Dickinson.
It is an encouraging thought that Babcock played the Toronto youth. I hope he does so here.
It is slightly different contexts however. Babcock came into a team climbing out of a rebuild and Matthews, Marner, and Nylander were top ten picks. The plan was grow so that you win in 3-5 years and if it works it will obviously be with the youth of today growing into it, including the Hymans and Browns.
Babcock steps into an Oilers team that wants to win right now and Howard is not Marner.
With all the smoke signals put out there it seems to me like Stan’s “we’re fine with starting the year with this current roster” is the same as “we’re fine with Nurse returning”. They are looking to add a top six winger.
Good take. Ike wanted out of Tampa bcs he wants to play, and it looks like he worked and is ready enough. If he doesn’t go in a deal, I’m not sure how happy he’d be with another potential season in the A. Interesting times
An assignment to AHL in October out of camp does not equate to the season there. I would presume the first injury comes within a month, likely a week, maybe even a game…
True, why I said potential season in the A. Maybe there won’t be a reason for a recall
There will 100% be injuries and, if Howard isn’t forcing that call up from below, like he’s already done, then we have an issue with the player (likely, could be injury, personal matters)….
Good points.
I would argue though that they don’t need Howard to be Marner. They already have their fully formed superstars and above average scorers (ie. Hyman). They need Howard to be a young Kapanen, who scored 20-22-44 with 16 minutes TOI as a 22 year old under Babcock. Here’s hoping Babcock has the patience to do that again.
I do agree that they are still looking for a top 6 winger. But for the first time in forever, I have hope (not belief), that Bowman will be more patient than the previous GMs and not try and force a square peg in a round hole just to fill it. I think Bowman would truly be comfortable starting the year as is, but with cap space accruing, and actually having the ability to pounce on the right player when they become available, even at the trade deadline if it doesn’t present itself in the off-season.
Patrick Laine could be had for low numbers,He would be a good add on withMcDrai.
Wouldn’t give Laine anything more then a PTO followed by a minimum contract at best.
Not even. He was squeezed out of the Montreal lineup by younger-faster-relentless. His stationary (and successful) PP skills were no longer needed on a PP that is mobile-relentless-creative (reminds me of Oilers, but still a work in progress). He’s not a fit for this team. Even a PTO would be a waste of time as the team looks for the young-relentless winger(s) it needs.
Id sign Kane or Tarasenko or Evander Kane before offering Laine a PTO to be clear
That would be a very big mistake. Thankfully Bowman seems to be looking for younger players that have the potential to outplay their cap hit. If they can’t get a bona fide top 6 player in prime just use what you have
How are hypotheticals a big mistake?
Obviously you try and find a young impact top 6 forward.
If you dont Im not sure how signing a vet that can score some goals on a short term deal is somehow a big mistake.
Howard who I like hasn’t proven he’s an answer or better then Kapanen, who is a tweener. A Patrick Kane for a season in the top 6 is a nice piece when youre pushing for a cup if you can’t land a Marchenko or Tippett like player.
A very big mistake would be passing by the opportunity because maybe someone might emerg.
Because he’s a not good one dimensional NHL player who is a weak skater, can’t stay healthy, and last broke 25G – his only strength – in 2022. His last most of a season at 52GP, he was 20-13-33 and -14. 22% against elites. Howard can get 33 pts if not 20G, and do more as a player. I don’t see what he adds, the PP is populated
ALLEDGEDLY, Babcock’s interactions with Laine in Columbus were part of the non-public issues with Babcock there.
Laine hasn’t played a full season in 8 years, Babcock was just sniffing it out.
You posted this yesterday and did not engage with the multiple responses to you…..
Laine is completely reliant on the PP score and likely the biggest forward liability in the league at 5 on 5. I would not take him on a league min deal or even for free if that was permitted.
100% I think they are looking to add a top 6 winger and Bowman’s words are just to ensure the fan base does not “require it” based on his words as I don’t imagine he changes his approach to his cap commitments this summer.
I do worry what it means for Ike if they do. Its not the end of the world if he spends the first few weeks or month in Bako until an injury but, at the same time, he’s a legit high pedigree prospect who did everything the org asked of him last season, with full effort and success – if they add to block his NHL spot and it lingers….. that’s how you lose these guys.