When Glen Sather ran the Oilers, roster construction made sense. Even when it hurt (Lee Fogolin to Buffalo), you could see the reasons why. Once Kevin Lowe took over, logic remained but inexperience and emotion entered the chat. Steve Tambellini was a career middle manager, and I’m not certain Lowe ever allowed him to fully pull the levers.
Craig MacTavish brought an emphasis on building up the middle, reflected in his two first-round selections (Darnell Nurse and Leon Draisaitl). I would say his view of college defenseman Jeff Petry reflected a blind spot, but MacT would have made a fine general manager eventually (in my opinion).
Peter Chiarelli arrived amid the dizzying heights of the 2015 lottery win, and I believed he would lead the team to Stanley. Very wrong. Chiarelli began the process of sending out assets for immediate and more expensive help that continued unabated until Jeff Jackson traded Ryan McLeod for Matt Savoie. Chiarelli was hyper-aggressive, owing (I believe) to the urgency felt by ownership to fill the building McDavid built. The result was a frustrating decade.
In 2019, Ken Holland brought his weathered copy of the NHL Official Guide and Record Book to the team. He damn near won Stanley in 2024, and had to deal with the pandemic during his time in the city. I do think history will be kind to him. I will tell you it was my least favourite period of the Oilers experience, because it ran counter with the things I value (draft, building a strong farm team) and have concluded are important to winning. Despite my personal view, Holland’s approach was the most successful during the McDavid era.
That brings us to Stan Bowman. The third in the trifecta of “famous people who had success elsewhere” general managers that have become an Oilers obsession, Bowman appears to have slipped the limitations of the cap-strapped Holland era and set a new course made possible by retaining no dollars on the Nurse deal. Now, he may spend that loot on silly things, but so far I’m liking this version of Bowman.
There were things to like before this summer, like the Vasily Podkolzin and Ty Emberson trades plus the Kasperi Kapanen waiver claim in year one. There were also Holland-style acquisitions and signings (Jake Walman, Trent Frederic) that have contributed to the cap inefficiency that plagues the organization.
There is extreme danger in viewing Bowman’s July 1 deals and concluding they’ll all work out. Logic dictates some won’t work, three goalies tells you that much. I like the logic of the moves, covering for issues that will inevitably arrive during the 2026-27 season. I’m a fan of long-term solutions, so am most engaged with the idea Devon Levi, Sharkir Mukhamadullin and Owen Michaels emerge as contributors.
Bowman has marbled several possible fixes at major pressure points like goaltending and let defense. It’s a smart strategy, and there is an element of long-term to it. I’m pleased with the change in course, while acknowledging it could be a flawed plan. I wrote about this today because, for me, the importance of the Nurse trade as pivot point for the franchise isn’t being discussed enough online.
On the Lowdown today, we debut our new weekly guest on Tuesdays at 1pm. Shawn Belle is a former Edmonton Oilers defenseman who has strong opinions on what this team needs and I’ll ask him today about Bowman’s solutions. We’ll talk Oilers, offer sheets, World Cup and more. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
I know everyone wants Bowman to chase a top 6 winger … a “scoring winger.”
Not me.
He should give Howard 60 games to prove himself first, rather than giving up assets and/or tying up cap space.
The available options are not raising the ceiling for the Oilers playoff team – the likes of Debrusk, and Mantha are nice regular season scorers, but don’t have a track record of raising their game come playoff time.
If Howard can’t fill the role, and Bowman needs to get that piece at the TDL, then I want either an elite scorer – Debrincat would be worth waiting for, or maybe a Filip Forsberg or Mark Scheifele decides he doesn’t want to be part of a team in the mushy middle – or someone who is a PITA to play against, like Ryan O’Reilly.
Bowman needs to Stan pat now and keep his powder dry until the TDL.
How does cap accrual work with the playoff cap? If we are cap compliant after the TDL because we accrued space, I assume that accrued space continues into the playoffs right?
Nope – not all all.
The playoff cap hit is set up egregiously.
If a team has $1MM of deadline space and acquires a $3.5MM of player based on only having them on their books at the $1MM (which is accrual – the player was on the team for 1/4 of the days on the season and counts towards their cap at 1/4 of their AAV, for example), however that player’s full AAV (in this case, $3.5MM) counts on the playoff cap, if they are in the lineup.
The difference is only the 20 dressed players (plus all dead cap for the season) count so, for example, if the Oilers dress Levi/Anderson, and sit Jarry, Jarry’s $5MM plus does not count for that game.
With players not dressed not counting on our cap, I think any player gained through accrued space should be safe to get.
Depends – mean, if the Oilers use $2MM of cap space to get an $8MM player at the deadline well, they fit in a player at $2MM that becomes $8MM on the playoff cap.
It could have an impact. I mean, what if Jarry re-establishes himself as the 1G this season and is a must start for game 1? Maybe Frederic scored 17 goals.
It very well could be a non-issue but there is way too much in flux to even have an educated guess on it.
Stan pat, Stan!
Howard is not the right fit he needs top 6 PP time. Howard is 22 year-old winger he’s not a kid that needs to grow into his body he is what he is at 22. Some of Howard’s teammates on the U.S.A development camp are ripping it up others are holding their own. I think a smart G.M will approach Stan and offer a good lower 6 centre grunt or winger to set the Iceman free. I’m hoping it’s a win-win trade.
Bowman would not make that trade – he will attribute great value to two-years of Howard’s ELC.
And, no, Howard does not need PP1 time to provide value as much as you keep posting thing and not listening to all the counterpoints.
You’re not being honest again. Howard is a perfect fit for 50 seconds of pp 2 time that he’ll never receive on the Oilers. Unless you think Babcock is going to mess with one of the best PP ever and actually have PP2. I can’t see Babcock rocking the boat on our PP our PK is a different story. I do think Babcock will shorten the shifts so a 3rd line might see an extra minute or two the energy forth line will get an extra minute.
That is not at all what I said.
I said he doesn’t need PP1 time (not that I don’t think he could be good on it).
NEED – the word “need” – which is what you keep saying.
Also, I absolutely think he should, and will, be on PP2 and I have posted exactly as much.
Yes, I do think that there could be more time for PP2 and I think there could be more time for a hallf switch of PP1, with Nuge and Hyman coming off early.
Also, feel free to acknowledge that Howard has teammates from the USNDT, that were drafted higher than him, who are on the exact same development path has him – Rutger McGroarty, drafted 18 spots AHEAD of Howard, for example.
Not everyone.
I’ve been talking about Howard in the top 6 for months now.
Yep – you and I see this the same way. Guys like Podz, Howard, Savoie, Dach, Samanski, Big Mukh, and Levi are setting up the foundation for the team that McDavid and Draisaitl will play their 30s with.
Hyman, Nuge and Ekholm will age out over the next few years, and if there aren’t young players percolating on the roster to take their place, then McDavid does not resign in 2 years, and Leon and Bouchard are asking to be traded.
This coming season, Howard is going to be given the same developmental path that Podz and Savoie were put on. No he may not see consistent PP1 time … that doesn’t matter though.
What matters is that early next season, he shows a willingness to go to the hard areas of the ice and make plays that contribute to moving the puck in the right direction. He’s got to show that he has that dog in him.
If he does that, then opportunities to play top 6 minutes and PP1 will come, and we’ll be talking about him next summer, the way we talk about Podz and Savoie.
Personally, I’ve seen enough from him last season to believe that he has that dog in him. He went down to the Bake and did everything that was asked of him without an BS attitude. Next season, he’s going to play hard and Babcock is going to love him. That’s why I have no interest in getting a ‘scoring winger.’ We already have a better version of that player in Howard … we just have to be patient.and let him emerge.
David Staples reported that it was a 2 way race between Toronto and Edmonton to trade their defencemen, Morgan Reilly or Darnell Nurse, to SJ. The Sharks wanted Nurse more but would have settled for Reilly.
Now I’m really curious to see what would have happened if Reilly was traded to SJ and EDM had to deal with Free agent frenzy with Nurse’s cap still clogging up their freedom to maneuver. Without the freed up money, I wonder if we would have missed out on Shea.
I’m sure the Shea signing was 100% contingent on the Nurse trade
OP:
This is 100% incorrect. When Holland left on June 30, 2024, both Draisaitl and Bouchard had one year left on their contracts, and Holland was NOT GM on July 1, 2024, the first day when both Draisaitl and Bouchard were eligible to sign new contracts. Holland was removed from his job before he had the CBA authority to extend both Draisaitl and Bouchard.
Jackson and Bowman did get the benefit of the value deals Draisaitl and Bouchard were signed to in the 24-25 season, but they wasted all the not insignificant cap space on Skinner, Arvidsson, Henrique, and Brown.
Sorry, one year left.
Point being, Holland had those two massive value contracts his entire tenure which were gone shortly in to Bowman’s tenure. I’m simply pointing out that those two players at their cap hits during Holland’s entire were massive advantages as two of the best value deals in the league – Bowman made it to the SCF in his only season with those deals.
Crappy teams can only stockpile so many players in a system. Take Chicago for example they must have a player or two that is being blocked at a certain position and is unhappy. Broberg was more of the sure thing to cover his bet on the offer sheet number. It’s up too the analytic-eye ball counting team to look for players that are being blocked and the cost is minimal. Levi is a good start find that hidden gem that doesn’t have the pedigree of a 1st rounder.
You make a good point but it’s rich in irony coming from a fanbase that enjoyed 3 consecutive 1OVs and then a generational 1OV, necessitating a change in the draft lottery rules.
The toughest time to be an Oiler fan was mid nineties racing to open up the sports section in the Journal-Sun. Everyday dreading the news that we have been relocated to Houston etc. I swear the only reason our franchise did not get sold was because we had 5 Cups in our back pocket unlike Winnipeg or Quebec.
That’s probably true.
I’ve never actually met a Canuck fan that was proud to be a follower. As for Flames fans all they care about is the Oilers losing. I was in Lake Toba Indonesia in the late eighties it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. Besides the locals I met folks Dutch-German-Finns-Swedes-Aussies among many other ethnic groups. Most of these people knew very little English. To make a long story short most of the people I met had actually heard of “Edmonton”for one reason only “Wayne Gretzky” Not only did Edmonton have the. Best hockey team ever but the best sports teams ever. 10 Cups were achievable if the core had stayed together. Hockey has changed but then again it hasn’t. It’s taken Bennett-Marchand 10 years to figure out how to play dirty legally. The Oilers had to get a fossil like Perry to combat those pricks. As soon as Kane threw any kind of hit it was off to the penalty box with our coach having a thumb up his ass. Remember that beauty clean hit on Pietrangelo yet off to the box for Kane. We lost 2 winnable Cups they tried coaching themselves now it’s back to old school “Babcock”
Hey! Bryan glynn could rocket that bisket and i really was a huge fan of mats lindgren
I have felt that the media and fans have not treated Nurse fairly for a number of years. Karma would be for him to play 24 minutes be a plus 3 and score the winning goal in the playoffs next June to send the oilers and their new coach home. That and dishing out 3 or 4 big body check on the stars of this team in the first game they meet in October. They never stood up for him although they wore the C’sand A’s and were supposedly the team leaders.
Nurse had all the tools in the box maybe the reason he played so many games was because he held back physical wise. Nurse can skate and he can eat up minutes. Grier obviously plans on Nurse playing the PP-PK Nurse might mesh with the young guns in San Jose. I wish him the best Grier took some flack over the Nurse trade the Trouba-Marchment free agent signings. I hope this trade is a win-win and with that maybe we can make another deal with Uncle Mikey in the near future. I’m super excited to see Shakir sometimes a change of scenery in a new City is all it takes.
Nurse and big body checks.
That’s cute.
Nurse is no Trouba … he hasn’t thrown a big hit in years.
He is a willing fighter in a league that is moving away from fighting more and more with every passing year.
He was no longer hard to play against, and more than that he was and continues to be completely oblivious to that.
Addition by subtraction, and it makes an up-and-coming division rival worse.
Just fantastic work by Bowman.
Troy Stetcher hits harder, better, and with more enthusiasm. Inexcusable.
Nurse and Skinner cost the Oilers 3 Stanley Cups.
Incompetent management chose not to act sooner
It’s not nurse’s fault they dumped puck in consistently on his partners side.
It’s almost like they knew his way would be harder to retrieve puck, result in harder hits to their forwards or likely have a man of steel skate the puck out of corner in possession more often than not.
Nurse played best when he was angry the only problem is he was always happy.
If Nurse literally ever did that he’d still be here
Mantha is only 31 lots of hard miles on him. Is this why teams are not giving him a retirement contract after scoring 33 last year. It very well might come down to Roslovic scenario where he signs for one year in Edmonton scores 20 plus and then gets a juicy contract next year. 240 pound power forwards don’t grow on trees. I think it comes down to him being injury prone that scaring off G.M’s. Come on Bowman you’ve been on a hot streak sign Mantha for 1year if nobody is knocking at his door by the end of August.
Mantha is a career 13.8% shooter that was 21.7% last year. Had he scored at his usual shooting percentage, he scores 21 goals. He also has 0 goals in 20 playoff games. He also had just 52 hits in 82 games.
I’d suggest that Mantha and his agent know this is their one/last chance to cash in and teams are not having it. I think he’ll sign for one year like you said and hope to get something next summer.
It’s his skating speed that makes him really intriguing anomaly at that size
He’s huge at 240 that a freight train running you over in the corners. Hey Anthony this is Leon how would you and Podkolzin like to be my wingers as I’m tired of getting worked over. Anthony the only problem is it’s a one year deal at a cut rate.
Mantha had 52 hits at 5 on 5 in 81 games – he is not a freight train running guys in the corner.
I hope it’s rights holder driven, but TSN switching from Felix v. Djoko after the 3rd/4th set so we could watch Overdrive with Corrado is horrible
If one has a cable subscription, one can always go to the TSN streaming app. TSN is sometimes restricted by the conditions of their CRTC license as to which of their regional cable channels can show what when.
I watched it on TSN-5 … from start to finish.
The IOC has provisionally lifted the ban on the Russian Hockey Federation.
The NHL has essentially said it will follow the IOC’s and IIHF’s leads on this.
This would open the door for Russian in the 2028 World Cup although I premise they will need to deal with the likes of Finland and Czechia and their comfort level.
From a pure on-ice hockey perspective, this is great for intentional hockey tournaments.
Maybe they think that’s why Putin is so angry! 🙂
Its all about the money that the advertisers will pay for the games they will play
I’m here for the best hockey.
What a sad day.
Who f’n cares about international hockey when the evil one and his cadre of hockey oligarches continue to support a vile operation.
Is it all about us in the west being entertained?
Apparently. Bread and circuses, etc.
My feeling on this is it’s only acceptable for a Russian player to play in these tournaments when a Ukrainian player can enjoy the same opportunity. Jmo.
I’m here for the best on ice hockey.
Russian athletes are notorious for doping. And then bribing their way out of penalties.
Ever heard of ‘Russian gas’?
So if you’re signing up for the Russian experience, you’re signing up for all of the other shady stuff that they do.
They should’ve been banned from sport years ago.
The IOC is as corrupt as FIFA.
Rasputin was the original doping expert.
I’m here for the best international hockey. I’m not sure Kaprizov is doping any more than Ekblad.
It was definitely easier to tell when the female East German weightlifters were built like fridgidaires.
I always find “insider”/media reports interesting as they can be read different ways based on who is leaking the info.
For instance, Carlsson was getting some flack for signing the offer sheet, with some saying he should have come to the Ducks first and told them about it so they could work out a deal if he truly wanted to stay.
Then info comes out saying, his agent had asked for $15 million, but Verbeek balked, offering only $12 million. This makes Verbeek look like the fool, unnecessarily grinding his star player just to make a point. But did he? Did he know about the offer sheet, or did Leo just come in and ask for $15M to stay? Did Verbeek believe that they were just negotiating and then Leo turned around and signed the $18M offer sheet?
If Verbeek knew there was an actual offer sheet would he have given in at $15M? He seems to have done that with the defenceman now, when they came to him and said they actually had an offer sheet pending. Or maybe he just really is a belligerent grinder GM.
Not sure we ever know how it actually shook down. Interesting though.
By all accounts they were blindsided by that number. They thought an offer sheet would be around $15M so weren’t worried. Like Aho a while back, he thought it was essentially another GM doing the work for him and they easily match.
Props to Briere, he blew up another team’s massive youth advantage and likely changed the trajectory of the West. Anaheim was building something scary. Gloves are off, if you don’t wanna pay em, someone will.
Verbeek shouldn’t match that number that is crazy money. Take the 4 first rounders which may get you a good centre and winger for under 18 million. I don’t know what went down on the Cutter deal but it’s telling me why Brière was so aggressive towards Pat. The G.M world is a small world was Pat rubbing it in or beating chest how he got the better of Verbeek on the Cutter deal.
If my memory serves me correctly, Verbeek has always played hardball with his young RFAs. Which is partially what makes this offer sheet so funny.
Imagine how angry the Little Ball of Hate was when he saw the figures.
Forget who but there is a reporter that polled player agents on GM negotiation difficulty and Verbeek swept the podium.
This kind of frugality would have been totally on brand if the club was still owned by Disney.
That kind of frugality worked when the cap was flat.
Verbeek failed to adjust.
He just kept punting coming out of rebuild.
I can’t imagine Verbeek refusing to offer 15M if he knew there was an offer sheet for 18M. Makes no sense. Which makes me believe they knew there was an offer sheet but not the amount. I wonder why Carlsson’s camp would not disclose the amount to ANA?
If he truly wanted to be in Anaheim he would have said “ we have an offer sheet for 18M, we’re going to sign it unless we get 15M from you.” And it would have got done.
this makes me think the whole story of “Verbeek knew about the offer sheet but wouldnt even give us 15M” is just being floated from Carlsson’s camp to make it seem like he didn’t want to leave and make Verbeek look bad.
They have disclosed now. So Verbeek is in the exact spot you are describing. Now he has to decide.
Totally agree, this is what I was getting at. He asked for $15M but did he tell the team he had an offer for $18M? Or is this selective disclosing by the player agent to try and make Verbeek look worse than he already does, and Carlsson more virtuous?
Does adding a middle 6 winger block Howard? Or does it allow him to marinate lower in the lineup? I know people push for quality centre time, but i like all 4 of our centres.
I like the idea of Debrusk (he does pk), at $5.5 mill. is not overpaid for a 25 goal scorer. Is at same age as our core.
If we want a true 3rd line that can out score, what if it was
Nuge. Dickanson. Debrusk
Solid size, speed, two way play. 2 20 goal scorers. A true two way line.
Savoie/Howard. McDavid. Hyman
Podz. Draistal. Howard/Savoie
Nuge. Dickanson. Debrusk
Frederick. Samanski. Kapanen
Dach. Joseph
Thats solid depth and scoring. You can still send Howard down 1 more season and call up if needed. Kapanen can move up to 2RW if needed. Seems like a Speedy, solidly sized two way lineup, with a chance to have a real out-scoring 3rd line.
Savoie marinating lower in the lineup with PK time and his more advanced 2-way game was one thing, I don’t think that makes sense for Howard. I mean, I don’t think he and Dickinson fit on the same line…..
I pray Philly’s offer sheet is successful, put a package together for Tippett. Pay full tag, send a 1st, whatever it takes.
45 even strength goals, nearly 300 hits, 400 shots all within the last 2 seasons. Only 48 penalty minutes in that time to go with his bullshop style.
Contract pays him until he’s 33, Debrusk score the same amount of even strength goals that Frederic amassed last season. All of his running totals are on a downward trend, paid until he’s 34. Wouldn’t pay a 5th with half retained for him, Howard can do what he brings.
Podkolzin/Draisaitl/Tippett will alter timelines.
3 of your 4 top 6 wingers are Hyman/Podz/Tippett, absolute mayhem.
It’s too risky to overripen players now. Howard needed ahl time to iron out his game. He past that test. He’s nhl ready now.
Not playing him or sticking him on the fourth line 8 minutes a nite is a waste of an asset.
Debrusk cannot score, except on the PP, and he will not get PP time in Edmonton. He is also not more than a middling defensive player.
Nugent-Hopkins, Dickenson, and Debrusk is a collection of forwards who cannot score and with Debrusk on it, would not be particularly suited to being a shutdown line.
DeBrusk has seasons of 19, 21, 22 even strength goals.
15 his last year in Boston and then 14 and 4 in Vancouver.
I don’t want to acquire him but he does have a history of scoring away from the power play.
It would depend on the asking price; not sure we have enough depth in picks and prospects to swing a deal right now.
As I said, I don’t want to acquire him but his recent 5 on 5 blackhole does not represent his career – that was my only point – I think he would score some 5 on 5 goals in the Oilers tops six.
Bob alludes to Martha as a guy that could fall through. He mentions he night get a 2-3 year deal in the $3MM range but, if he doesn’t, and it falls through, maybe they can do a Roslovic type deal.
Is clear he has no info that management is thinking about that.
Mantha?
I hope it’s martha stewart. Surely she knows how to goon it up after her prison stint. Spec specisl event notice -> Huge boost to team trucelence!!!
How are her stick infractions?
I’m sure she can still slice and dice fairly solid.
And the Muffins.
Oh, but Martha and the Vandellas will have us Dancing in the Street!
Out with Nurse’s crest-muffins, in with Martha’s country pumpkin-chocolate dreams!
“Cheezies and pop” is a song every canadian kid with a childhood in the 80’s orv90’s should have hard wired in memory from some canadian kid’s show…just perfect mindless classic quality to it
Surely our host needs to pay tribute to the muffin man himself.
Everybody makes mistakes spelling don’t let them get to you.
This just made it even funnier.
Stauff thinks the Oilers plan to carry $2MM to $3MM of cap space and have it accrue and add a $7MM (apx) player at the deadline.
Of course, that amount of opening night cap space would have them adding a player this offseason still.
Stauff continuing with the “Josh Brown will have an opportunity to make this team. He cites a one way NHL deal (they have 9 of those), history of DJ Smith and needed toughness
Brown was the Condors’ top dmen for the first half of last season, a good leader – I thought his game faded in the second half and Regula/Carfagna took over the team.
I don’t see this happening unless they do move a dman out (and even them) which potential dman trade Stauff alludes to on connection with a forward acquisition once the Giroux situation settled.
hard to see how Jones beats out the new depth.
I have Jones and Jamark as the two cuts (waivers) but it just as easily could be the two waiver exempt: Howard and Samanski.
They need to move out about 5 defenders in order for Brown to be a serious roster candidate imo.
One would think……
So far so good for Bowman this summer. I didn’t think he had it in him. Time will tell I guess. I have to say that I’m enjoying the chaos around the league with salaries
running out of control. The McDavid and Leon contracts are getting better by the day and all of a sudden the Oilers are looking like they have some breathing room to make needed adjustments.
Last night Stauff suggested that we’ll have clarity on Dach’s contract in the next few weeks.
I’m sick of this offseason bullshit. When’s training camp? Lol
Let the season begin! Who needs training camp?
Rest up Connor-Leon-Bouchard for the next 10 attempts at the Cup with the Oilers jersey on.
There’s always Soccer the fans of most teams are hard core. I would love to be sitting in the Columbia’s section at today’s game. Vancouver and Toronto are holding outdoor watch parties for every game. it’s crazy how alive Vancouver has been the last month.
Its been a blast. My liver thanked me that Brasil lost. If Canada were at home it would’ve been even crazier.
Ugh, I miss Vancouver…I can only imagine how awesome the atmosphere must be there with the world cup.
I miss sucking back Guinness beer at the lamplighter pub.
Will all the deals work out? Maybe not but all the bets are good to great and there is so little risk and huge upside in the Shea and Shakir deals.
What trades have the Oilers lost under Bowman? It’s too early to call Frederic a bust same goes for Walman. Frederic is not a policeman but he can work the boards .i can’t wait to see what the old fossil Babcocks has in store for the Frederic line.
Jarry isn’t a loss yet either
Jarry went to shit after coming back from an injury that restricts side to side motion. I think Jarry play is going to be revelation this year now that he’s healthy and he now has cover that’s better than Ingram.
Shea deal is risky, he’s got a decent track record but it’s only one full season. Also the wrong profile to replace Nurse, we need a cycle breaker and crease clearer, not a puck retriever and zone exiter. He’s good on the PK but we need the most help 5×5. On the roster only Ekholm can handle that and he’s slowly wearing down. Cap hit is decent but 5 years and two NMC years is again putting us in a corner if things don’t work out.
I never even heard of him until we signed him.
I certainly had and had suggested him in the days leading up.
I don’t think the deal is risky at all – at the end of the day it’s only $4MM (less than Deharnais and Ceci, the same as Dumoulin, etc., etc. and the term works great as I think his floor out-values the $4MM (and he played at a greater than $4MM value last season).
He’s not replacing Nurse and I don’t agree that need a “cycle-breaker” but a transition d-man works great.
He has very little hard miles on him. If he quietly does his job without really noticing him then we have struck gold for the next 5 years.
Last summer Bowman moved the entire $5MM left in the Evander Kane contract and got a fourth round pick back for what I believed was generally viewed as a negative value contract – Kane is a net negative at 5 on 5 without even taking in to account his stick infractions.
This summer Bowman moved the entire $9.25MM X 4 of Darnell Nurse while working with 3C eventually 4 team market and got back a young former 20th overall, 6’4 good skating dman just establishing himself in the league – at the age these types of dman often start to find their comfort level and game. He then used that money extremely wisely/reasonably in a market going off the rails. On the heels of signing Murphy for less AAV and almost the same term as Deharnais got (and Dickinson for the same term and almost $2MM less than older Boone Jenner got).
Let’s give this man his flowers.
This offseason is definitely pushing me to evaluate my previous position on Bowman. The Nurse trade was quite impressive.
Last paragraph on this is exceptionally bang on.
Not what nurse brought or cost. What value in balanced dynamic for his and teams best interest past fork in road.
The appearance of bouchard and undeniability of best fit usage for him on top of unstable core transitioning to different stable one thsn conditions thst contract was given, on top of changed market.
Like not just dumping him for sake of dumpimg feels very unoiler like breath of fresh air.
And another one bites the dust.
Rogers has abruptly shuttered Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver.
Interesting that the radio station is the radio rights holder for the Canucks.
Hopefully some crafty smaller station swoops in and bargain bin salvages easy bake oven premade working format with takent all in place
Disappointing.
Rogers Sports and Media is shutting down its Sportsnet 650 radio station in Vancouver and Sportsnet 960 station in Calgary, as well as four other stations.
Rogers says it will continue broadcasting Vancouver Canucks games on one of its radio properties in that city but will no longer produce Calgary Flames broadcasts for radio.
Radio like newspapers is withering away. Online rules all. I can’t remember the last time I listened to radio or bought a newspaper
Unlike Oiler fans Canucks and Calgary have a fair weather following. Mushy middle teams at best No viewers no money see-ya
After that Nemec contract, Walman’s is improving by the day.
Walman’s contract is and was fine, he just has to stay healthy. He’s a unique player in that he is a tank with good skating and skill
If he’s healthy this year, he’s going to be a massive piece of success.
Walman is over 220 pounds for a man that size he can actually dipsy doodle around most players in the league. I like Walman I hope he flattens a few Panthers and Flames players
That’s partly why I like him around. I don’t remember if he’s fought, but I suspect only players that are fighters really want a piece of a guy built like that. And by that I mean he’s 6’1 and that weight, he’s a beast for a hockey player
Plus: it’s in his blood. His uncle was Jake “Raging Bull” Lamotta.
Jackson and Bowman have been continually downgrading the roster since the day they took over on July 1, 2024. They have been in chase mode since their disastrous first two months, and they are slowly falling further and further behind.
The only positive thing is that the Western Conference on the whole is in decline and transition. All the established strong teams are in decline and the rising ones are not quite ready for prime time. I do not see anyone in the West as unbeatable. All the really dangerous teams are in the east, and the Oilers will only have to beat one of them.
You also think Bouchard is bad.
My position has always been is that Evan Bouchard is Larry Murphy.
Larry Murphy never finished higher then 3rd in a single season for points by a defenseman.
He’s surpassed.
Al MacInnis is my comparable for Evan Bouchard. Bouch is gonna win a Norris, I just hope he’s wearing Oilers threads when he does.
You make it sound like Larry Murphy was nothing special. Did you watch Larry in his prime? Bouchard would jump at the chance to gather 287 career goals with 929 assists. I know you would like to see Bouchard a more rounded player he’s only 26 let’s see what asshole Babcock has in store for expectations of Bouchard.
And over 1600 games played. Murphy was a train that just kept rolling. It was awesome when the Leafs couldn’t rid themselves of him fast enough, and then he does 4 seasons more and grabs a couple Cups with a great team.
Some might say rebuilding the roster and moving or letting go under performing players, fixing the cap, and replenishing org depth, while respecting the players that were there and giving them a chance to earn their keep, is pretty good work. In two seasons
They are rebuilding a roster that they blew up in two months in the summer of 2024. The current roster is worse than the one they inherited on June 30th, 2024.
I agree that they have done that. Now what Bowman did to possibly clean it up here has been good, as well as adding young depth. The next steps are very important.
Step by step seeing younger reinforcements filling in positions since bowman took full control.
Jackson transition brand name binge seperate from what bowman has done here as far as longer term base seems to be stabilizing.
Holland left the team with Drai on an expiring $8.5MM deal and Bouchard on an expiring $4MM deal. Bowman got them both signed with fine deals (value deals a year later) but Bowman did not get the benefit of the MASSIVE value deals for those two players the prior few seasons.
Holland left the team with unsigned Broberg and Holloway, the former having been completely block by Holland’s signing of Nurse for 8 years, acquisition of Ekholm signed for four years and acquisition of Kulak who he then re-signed for 4 years – and then bringing up Deharnais for his coach to play over Broberg.
Wow. What do the cool kids say these days? Your take is sus and your giving low key Eeyore.
Prospects?
Most fail.
Present value rules.
If you can get it. Which is why Cup winners use all avenues to acquire players
In general a winning organization’s strategy should be to develop 1-2 prospects per year (a 1st rd pick and a college FA), and expend other picks to acquire warm-blooded NHL players.
2nd round picks can be exchanged for real players (eg Connor Murphy), 3rd and 4th rounders for depth.
Trade Martin Gernat for Pat Maroon every day of the week.
Until you end up at point you have to ship your younger top goal scorer out for magic bullets you maybe can trade for some immeciate value at deadline…while also using them to pay to remove some inefficient contract out to have space because mark stone on LTIR no longer a solution.
Every path has a breakdown if followed like gospel.
The truth is never easy and rarely definitively linear simple
In the grey confident truths delivered are likely false prophet oversimplified flawed arguements.
Reading that carlson actual came back asking for 15 mill x7 before signing Philly offer actually made ne step back for a second and think of framing clearer.
Like verbeek got caught exact same way as oilers did just with more expensive main core player and a false sense of security regarding “free cap”.
Like i had wasted time trying to respectfully debate on here -> like the on paper number of 43 million “plus dumping the millions wasted on mactavish contract…(only he has lots of trade value…but contract is a waste also clearly)
Hubris. Like verbeek’s day of reckoning shouldn’t be suprising from a few angles.
1. His defense vet depth all had walking free and to a man were all on higher range of possible D ufa available -> carlson 8.5×2, trouba 8.25×4, gudas 1.5×6
-> assumed carlson 9.5 ish x 1-2, trouba 5.5 ish x 2-4 & gudas 3.5 ish x 2-4
TO SIGN OR REPLACE:
EST cap -> 19.5 closing in on half their imaginary over-inflated “free open space”
Actual cap -> 18.25
2. The honeymoon phase of rebuild was ending and rent was coming due on key pieces of developed “core” like that free cap clearly wasn’t very free.
-> easy estimate 12-15 million for carlson if wisely commited long term max
-> all bets off but guessed at least 10 million for a x 5 years for cutter “cutthroat” gauthier (near fresh off bus from his lindros in philly surely not “team friendly) looking now like 12.5 AT LEAST on max 5 yr if verbeek wants that cheap.
TO SIGN OR DIE:
EST cap -> 23.5 million ish
Likely actual -> 30.5 million
Then thinking about what they just did to mactavish. Like has offseason after sort of commiting to him as core and verbeek in season even maybe ready to fire kid from a cannon….like you need to build a core before you start setting magic “internal cap”….like he’s been a shit show just meat grinding talent.
2019 9th overall Zegras (25 yrs old)
-> signed 2023 summer 5.75×3 yrs (RFA 26)
-> major injury in 23/24 season… tossed sell low to philly summer 2025 after less than stellar results in recovery season 24/25
2020 6th overall Drysdale (24;yrs old)
-> shoulder injury missed most 22/23
-> signed 2023 2.8 mill x 3 yrs (RFA 26)
-> 2023/24 sent to philly with 2nd for
Cutter
2021 3rd overall Mactavish (23 yrs old)
-> 2025 signed 7.0x 6 million
-> literally 1st draft developed verbeek bets with “core” contract
-> after 4th full season, 1st on new contract unceremoniously clear management looking to “dump him”
-> summer 2026 they dump him as fast as they can for 15th and 29th overall picks.
So like 2nd gen shiney new core has bern given no reason to bet on the Ducks.
2022 10th overall mintyukov
-> just finished ELC
-> 23/24 1st duck season (knows “old core” played with them
2023 2nd overall Carlsson
-> just finished ELC
-> 23/24 1st duck season (knows old core played with them)
There just seemed like an obvious green arrow on their heads as likely a really easy club to nancy kerrigan kneecap damage entire process in next couple off seasons. I’m pumped briere next level suplexed that weakness.
Like hilarious level disaster:
-> with mactavish joining high end tossed out at bottom of value they had developed for bonus cap
-> NONE of that defense depth returning full steam ahead kid gloves off sink or swim!!
-> they have just under 10 million which likely isn’t even enough to get cutter’s ink on new contract by a long shot.
I’ll be suprised if verbeek doesn’t end up walking the plank in next season or 2. There aren’t going to be many more trouba/kreider paid to take cap hits and even if there are they not only will no longer be in minority of teams able to absorb hit the literally soon not be able to afford to.
Like this is fastest level crash after jumping on bandwagon yet FIB.
Username change might have made your death kiss even more potent.
You should seriously start sending management you beat band pestering us here about flowers when they get canned.
Luck involved rebuilding in flat cap just getting bonuses all over the place for not trying to compete does not equate to great msnagement.
You would have known that if it was edmonton in that position.
Not written to gloat overly. Primarily as at some point i hope you get over whatever bad man in oiler jersey did to you here. Like you have value way more added when not insanely tilting narratives just to piss in people’s cornflakes.
Reverse Midas touch indeed.
Vancouver
LA
Anaheim
Dallas
… SJ just signed and traded for 17.5 million of chaos D in Nurse and Trouba, with Celebrini and the rest of the kids coming due for big extensions.
We need to encourage HH to jump on to Florida’s bandwagon next.
These contracts are overpays for sure, but their defence is infinitely better than it was last year. That might not be saying much, but the defence is better and the team is better because of it.
You forgot incessisantly badgering EVERY POST when seattle was on the most insane level PDO heater and like if you did watch games it was nuts “acts of god” seeing eye multi bounced pucks that were point shot wide until blessed goalathon behind entire top 9 are 20 goal scorers the penultimate “by commitee” edition that are surely 1st place in division dominants!!!
That is my personal favourite version of “did you get roofied in 80’s on a party boy bus night out or something?”
I think it’s a good idea to get that a GM is not the final decision maker. They are managers for owners. Their main job is not winning a Cup for most, as Sather said it’s ‘bums in seats’
It doesn’t matter how rich an owner is, the team has to run on it’s revenues. There are legalities and rich people don’t burn fat stacks on hobbies. When things get weird the owner’s fingerprints are usually there
Fair. Just when it clicked what was already in philly reading an article….like holy shit. That woukd be like eberle and nurse pumped hall might jump over after RNH sold to st louis for two late 1st rounders level “core building excercise”
Not perfect but like that is a core jettison at rapid pace no faith or real rope given kids (coming back from injury or 1 bad season dead weighted)
PuckPedia
@PuckPedia
The Senators signed 38 y/o F Claude Giroux to a 1 year $2M cap hit, $5M AAV contract
$2M Base Salary
$3M Performance Bonus
PB: $1.5M for 10 GP, 500K for 40GP, 500K for each Conference finals and Stanley Cup
Includes full NMC
I would not have loved that contract.
I believe he had a smaller base the prior year.
“Despite my personal view, Holland’s approach was the most successful during the McDavid era.”
For me Holland experienced the most success, but his approach is a big part of why, with two generational forwards and a D blowing the cover off KH’s G & R book, they couldn’t get there. Because of weak cap management largely driven by a lack of creativity and vision, snookering depth
The GM that called him mediocre was right
Holland, for all his flaws, left the team with the core of a consistent contender. Jackson/Bowman immediately effed it up in their first two months.
Skinner, Bouchard, Broberg, Nurse, Ekholm, McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Hyman, McLeod, Holloway (along with two nice role players on D in Kulak and Deharnais [three for those who like Ceci]). And there was actually a lot of cap space available July 1 after the first Stanley Cup loss to the Panthers. And all the future first round draft picks were still available.
Except for:
-re-signing Kassian and Chiasson making it impossible to re-sign Nurse at a reasonable cap hit and length.
-overpaying on Nurse’s long term extension by at least two million and also giving him an NMC.
-Inexplicably signing Jack Campbell for too much and too long.
-Trading Kesselring and a third to rent Bjugstad.
-Neither extending nor trading Holloway and Broberg, which lead to the OS.
-trading a first round pick for Henrique.
So to say Holland left a core because he didn’t trade Connor Leon or Bouch who are the core? Different strokes, but I’m glad Skinner, Nurse, McLeod, Kulak, Des, Pickard are gone. Their weaknesses are the things that don’t contribute to Cups
Bro is gone because of Holland and Holloway while being a good player I don’t think can be relied on, prefer Podz. He may have left the firsts but he also gutted the org
Holland left the team with Drai on an expiring $8.5MM deal and Bouchard on an expiring $4MM deal. Bowman got them both signed with fine deals (value deals a year later) but Bowman did not get the benefit of the MASSIVE value deals for those two players the prior few seasons.
This is not true. Draisaitl and Bouchard both has one year left on their contracts on June 30th, 2024. Holland was not GM on the 1st day of July 2024, the first day when Draisaitl and Bouchard were eligible to sign extensions.
Sorry, one year left.
Point being, Holland had those two massive value contracts his entire tenure which were gone shortly in to Bowman’s tenure. I’m simply pointing out that those two players at their cap hits during Holland’s entire were massive advantages as two of the best value deals in the league – Bowman made it to the SCF in his only season with those deals.
I think the pandemic hurt him, too. Holland might be the best of a bad bunch, but until the Oilers get back to a Game 7 SCF, Holland is the leader in the clubhouse.
He has that feather in his cap, for me I think he more along for the ride with the trio hitting crazy highs, as were the coaches
There were also the injuries to Sekera, followed by Klefbom that impacted Holland’s tenure. Everyone, everywhere expected Larsson to resign … then his father died, and he needed a change of scenery.
That’s 3 top 6 D-men.
If Klefbom was healthy during that pandemic season, then Nurse does not get as much PP points to jack up his counting stats, and his contract extension would not have been as high. If they had Klefbom, and Nurse asked for the moon, they could’ve walked away from the contract demands and traded him.
Is 4-1 running up the score in soccer ? If it’s not then I wish Belgium had made it more one sided. Our ‘leader’ is a national embarrassment. ** face palm emoji **
At this point, I think it’s fair to suggest your “leader” is a global embarrassment.
Hmm for some reason I thought barry lives in the US.
Maybe we’re misreading him completely and he lives in Belgium….
I had a nagging feeling so thought I would check and confirm:
barry.moore23
⊘
February 19, 2026 9:57 am
I’m an American guy cheering for Canada. Thanks for letting me be part of your world …
Thanks Side. I appreciate you guys.
100% correct. And I should have said my “leader”. Sorry my Canadian friends i did not mean to get you anywhere near my country’s disaster. Ugh.
Democracy is an inherently messy endeavour but it’s better than the alternatives.
— a cursory look at the sv% of Jarry Andersen reveals you’d be hard pressed to come up with a starting tandem that has had over say 75 starts the last 3 years. You need to add Skinner into the mix to get another combo.
— one of the criticisms always when trying to break in a young goalie is giving them the reps to set them up for success. Oil notoriety very poor over the years on this. I don’t see how Levi gets his reps unless one of the others is injured
— while the logic is defensible for both Levi and Anderson in practice I don’t see how it works.
— seems like throwing a bunch at the wall and reasoning that it’s going to work out because the new coach is going to make it all better.
Jarry is around for insurance on Andersen missing time with injuries. They’ll carry three goalies to start the season, but I suspect Andersen and Levi will get the starts.
My take is Jarry is going to get the most then Andersen as long as both are doing the job, and they will have Levi practicing and training in the NHL with Aubry, and will spot him in to gain experience. If things go sideways they figure it out
— volume isn’t a replacement for quality
— both Jarry and Andersen have been well well below replacement goalie for many years.
— Levi hasn’t played a game in NHL
— sure we don’t know what we don’t know but it’s a lot of hope. Like they really bad regular at season goalies among the worst for a bunch of years …
Jarry has early season runway to prove capable if 1A/1B. Levi has all season runway to establish confidence he can be 1A/1B quality established before decision on next contract.
Anderson recovering from injury likely doesn’t mind idea off easing in now and again. With s net he maybe can sieze on a playoff run.
Both anderson and jarry might miss some games due to injury risk higher than average.
Calculated risk mitigation over what’s best or worse that can happen river boat gambling.
No chance desperate in season deal a 2nd, kulak and tske full cap hit back of a goalie dubas would like to trade contract from weak position….jarry injury only reason ingram got traction was the mistake in order of moves last season.
Most here were adamant ingram wasn’t right call to pull as 1st string. I still say that was nonsense position to take with no hindsight need attached.
This is 100% false for Andersen, including this past season.
Per Woodley, Andersen had the toughest environment for goalies in the league last year. No, not a high number of quality chances – low shots but when shots did come, often high danger and off the rush.
He had an expected save percentage of .864 and was well above that.
Levi has played 39 games in the NHL, going 17-17-2 with 3.29 GAA and 0.894 sv%.
He’s even played 1 game for Team Canada at the 2022 Olympics.
He’s been one of the top 5-10 ranked goalie prospects in all of hockey for the past 4 years. Scouts have had lots of time to evaluate him, and none have soured on him.
The knock on him is size … but the he’s got talent. Small goalies can succeed in the. NHL … Saros, and Wolf are recent examples. Curtis Joseph, Ed Belfour, Marty Turco were all less than 6 ft.
A GM can only get who they can get based on a lot of variables. Having more options is better than less options, no?
This trio has to be the best that the Oil have presented since forever. If they don’t get insurance like in recent years we’d all complain about lack of goalie depth. I actually feel very good about both Andersen and Levi, add on top of the Jarry rebounding this year, I see the Oil finishing first in the division.
I’ll do my best to paraphrase OP yesterday, paraphrasing goalie coach Kevin Woodley, plus my own paraphrasing from my own Woodley-listenings:
-both of Jarry/Anderson have history of injuries
-both are big men (Anderson much heavier); Reverse VH is hard on the bodies of big men; better defensive environments will help, as will less games
-Levi is smaller, quicker, plays a different style
-you cannot compare Anderson (or Jarry) SV% w others because both played in poor defensive environments (the CAR def env is a very interesting study: low shots, but high percentage dangerous; we all know now how the Oilers leadership group played below average defensively); SV% is a team stat as much as it is a goalie stat
-given the size of NHL goalies, given their work-rate and consequent injury rates, we’re likely seeing more 3-goalie rosters for the duration of seasons
Here’s the most recent Woodley on the Jason Gregor show, talking about Oilers goalies: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-jason-gregor-show/id1705771805?i=1000775711918
My bad: Andersen, not Anderson
Tired of hearing “they can pick up a few big name players at the trade deadline”.
Still need to be cap compliant on day one of the playoffs.
Unfortunately, I think injuries to aging veterans will take care of that problem.
I’m more concerned with the acquisition cost of players at the deadline. Not much point in saving every bit of cap space till the deadline if you can’t outbid the teams you’re competing with in the trade market.
Giroux signing would have been the finishing touch on this roster for me. I really talked myself into seeing him as the RH faceoff specialist. Probably would have left us with around $3M or more of remaining cap space.
I think it just changes the strategy. The Oilers lost to overloaded teams 4 times and didn’t themselves and injuries weakened them. If Bowman is hard core enough he adds depth and some guys don’t play unless there are injuries, which seem to be a playoff feature for the Oilers as LT said
Cap compliant 20 man roster though*
They are already around $8.5M for the most expensive 20 man roster before scratching a Jarry, Frederic, or any other bigger contract as needed to fit something in
The Oilers wil have a 23 player roster with oodles of cap room to deal with injuries and whatnot and still have a full roster.
The Oilers wil have no issues being cap compliant – they have tons of cap space.
Their issue is cutting down players to get to the 23 player roster.
Presuming no injuries (which is not likely), they will need to:
1) waive both Stastney and Regula with Shakir and Emberson as 6/7D
2) move two of Janmark, Jones, Joseph, Samanski, Howard off the roster
Fantastic depth and, if there are injuries and short term IR stints, they have the cap room to call guys up and keep a 23 player roster (short term IR provides a roster spot but no cap relief).
With all due respect to Darnell Nurse, I keep waiting the RCMP to show up at Bowman’s office for the absolute robbery of the Sharks in that trade.
I like that Bowman keeps getting these players that just look like “throw-ins’ included in his trades. He’s sneakily building up the organizational depth.
It was good business for no retention and to add 2 players as well. 1 is an NHL player at this point (ceiling unknown, even a strong 5, 6 is fine) and 1 might well be.
I liked Nurse, thought he got the dirty end of the stick a lot of times. Some of the times, like any player, it was on him.
First Jones, then Dach and now Zack Sharp?
Sharp is likely a distant bell but, from Grier, he was a must-have by Bowman in the deal.
It’s his Columbo tactic: “Oh just one more thing… I’m sorry to bother you, but I need something for the bus league too.”