Don’t you usually start these with ‘please read this’? Please read this.
Well, the roster looks set. Does it? I think there’s plenty up in the air. So far this summer, the rights-holder media has told us Josh Brown is a real option for the roster, the team is looking to add a top-six forward and that McDavid-Draisaitl will see play together at five-on-five. Each of those things indicate the roster isn’t set up in a way that Mike Babcock will want.
If grasping at straws were a skill, you’d be Gretzky. Generally speaking, people tell you their thinking when they are generally speaking. Let’s take the Josh Brown verbal as an example. The Oilers on the right side have Evan Bouchard, Connor Murphy and Ty Emberson. The next man up could be Shakir Mukhamadullin. After that? I would have thought it would be Beau Akey, but Josh Brown is apparently going to jump ahead of Mukhamadullin and become the No. 7 defender. That is not a decided roster.
For a guy who says a lot of things, you hold others responsible for throwaway lines in July. Fair. However, when we talk about adding a top-six forward, that’s a tell. We can agree McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman and Savoie are top-six forwards, and I lean toward Podkolzin staying on the Draisaitl line. The sixth man, to my eye, should be one of Ike Howard or Kasperi Kapanen. However, adding a skill forward means Kapanen to the third line and (I think) Howard to Bakersfield.
Why can’t Howard play on the third line? If the Oilers run Savoie-McDavid-Hyman on the top line, and Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Kapanen on the second line, then a third line of (say) Howard-Nuge-Joseph makes sense. That would be a line that gets offensive zone starts and the soft parade. The fourth line, Dach-Dickinson-Frederic, who could see more minutes than the Nuge line in some games, could be the frenetic shutdown trio. I don’t think that’s what Babcock will do.
What do you think Babcock will do? From what I gather, the Oilers plan to reduce the five-on-five playing time for 97 and 29, while also playing them together. Not always, but enough to be significant. So, I think Babcock will run Savoie-McDavid-Draisaitl, and then Podkolzin-Nuge-Hyman in an effort to find a second line that works.
And you dont think it will work? No, and I also believe Nuge and Hyman are going to spend time on IR and or spend part of the season playing hurt. Oilers are counting on too many fellows in their mid-30’s.
What will Babcock’s 97-29 lineup look like? My guess is Savoie-McDavid-Draisiatl, Podkolzin-Nuge-Hyman, Frederic-Dickinson-Kapanen and Janmark-Dach-Joseph. I think the kids, Howard and Josh Samanski, probably start in the pressbox and in the AHL respectively.
You’re a dink. No way that’s the roster. You’re being deliberately obtuse. I refer you to the Brown comment and the McDavid-Draisaitl confirmation. The Oilers are going to run with veterans until the veterans get hurt. Shouldn’t take long. The Josh Brown item is just a terrible idea, so there’s a chance the Oilers start poorly. Babcock isn’t familiar with the roster, and that will have to play out.
On the Lowdown today, Steve Lansky will be our feature guest and we’ll talk mlb trade deadline, Elks-Roughriders Saturday night and a little about Commonwealth during the heydey of the Eskimos. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
What might the Edmonton Oilers roster look like 5 years from now?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7480102/2026/07/31/edmonton-oilers-roster-projections-5-years/
I like the exercise: pay attention to the horizon, not just what’s in front of you.
However, your prognostications miss something, to my eye: the “marbling of youth.” Since his arrival in Oilerville GMSB has steadily made the team younger and faster. Your projected 2031 lineup looks older than I think GMSB will let it get.
ps. I get the Pasternak add, but I suggest that’s your sentiment thinking, not your math. Or, add P now. Trade for younger, faster in a year or two.
You can’t get top-six forwards in the second and third round. I don’t see the Oilers scouts finding one unless it’s pure luck, and it is unwise to count on luck at the draft table.
Are you sure about that?
Nikita Kucherov, Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Logan Stankhoven (Dallas of course), Jordan Kyrou, Ryan O’Reilly, Kirill Marchenko, Tyler Toffoli, Tyler Bertuzzi, JJ Peterka, Arturri Lehkonen, and Shane Pinto are just a few of many active top 6 players drafted in the second round.
It would seem some teams are luckier than others.
I love it.
12 names, spanning being drafted 16 years ago starting with Toffoli.
30 teams on average x 16 years is 480 2nd round picks.
12 divided by 480… you might want to start looking for more examples champ.
Oilers don’t have a first round pick to give, unless it’s Ike Howard. You could trade the 2028 first, but it probably has more value during the fall and winter of 2027. Oilers are running out of loose change.
But first rounders (the unknown young, fast talent that your 2031 lineup can’t include, but GMSB must find —because that’s his job, and that’s how McDrai continues to excite fans/make $ for owner) can be found. Podkolzin is the poster boy, of course. But GMSB keeps finding them: Kapanen, Max Jones, Shakey. You also were opining about young first rounder Kirby Dach the other day. Another undervalued player who might contribute to the marbling that drafting won’t bring.
Will any new finds make it onto that 2031 roster? I’m thinking, if GMSB is still here next year, he’ll be looking to make that happen.
Allan asked where are the young top six forwards, not late first rounders other teams have decided to make available in trade, going to come from.
Dach, Jones, Kapanen type players are unlikely to score 30+ goals like Pasta.
The question asked by Lowetide: How do you propose SB can acquire these younger top six forwards?
It’s a trick question. He most likely can’t
Who has more Value Howard or Savoie? One of these two should be traded for big-skilled-hockey sense-hands. Connor and Leon just need room to operate they tried Frederic which was unsuccessful. Bowman needs to continue finding a big guy that can score. They can be had a Patty Maroon please make it happen Stan. Stan is filling up my wish list better goaltending one of Levi-Andersen-Jarry will be outstanding this year. Come on Stan obtain Olivier no more cowering against the Panthers.
Howard had much more value to the Oilers on the ice in the next two years on his ELC than in a trade.
I’m not sure we want to go chasing Lucic again.
I think they thought Frederic had a bit of nasty in him. No Lucic that was so painful to watch. I would take a healthy Kassian. Matt Olivier is who I would chase Matt would easily score 20 as McDavid or Leon wingman. Bowman watched players run at Leon and Connor that needs to be addressed 84 game schedule is a marathon.
How did Bowman watch players take runs at Leon and Connor given they barely got hit.
McDavid was 27th on the team in hits taken/60 and Drai 30th.
This is a made up narrative not based in fact or reality….
What do you think will be the cost and term for Savoie?
I’m admittedly baffled by some of the commentors not having Hyman in the top 6. I tend to expect Babcock will either have Hyman playing with McDavid as he’s been very successful doing so or playing on the second line with Nuge.
If Leon is on the top line it’s probably Savoie – McDavid- Draisaitl
Or Podkolzin- McDavid- Draisaitl
After that rationally you are running
Savoie/Podkolzin – Nuge- Hyman
The third line will almost inevitably end up being
Fredrick – Dickinson – Kappanen unless Fredrick looks useless and one of Dach or Joseph steal his spot.
I expect some combination of Samanski – Dach and either Howard or Joseph are on the 4th line.
HYman is top six F when healthy.
Max Jones – in his end of season try-out he was absolutely an NHL player. I suspect he does well under a new coach. If he is shown what is expected and he can deliver expected results, thenI like his chances to make the team. I like Jones and Dach as big speedy wingers on a fourth line.
. You don’t have to trade for a guy if you already have him.
Will it be Babcock that pops Max Jones into a 12-15 goal scorer?
He’s likely waived out of camp – no lock for sure but he’s in the group of 2 of 5 that can’t be on the team.
I think Jones is liked by the core but that didn’t save him last year earl.
I kinda think Joseph is ahead of Jones at the moment
I agree – I think he’s all but a lock to make the team.
I think its likely Jones and Samanski that are waived/assigned and assigned.
Think it should be Janmark (skill-set duplicated by Joseph).
Truth be told, an injury prior to the season probably saves one of them.
I wouldn’t be shocked in Janmark is not ready to start the season…
This would be a good outcome. The goal is more good NHL players than roster spots available.
We are still looking to turn up young players, and importantly young players who are not just complimentary. Jesperi Kotkaneimi made the NHL as an 18 year old, he is now 25. Something went wrong, find out what. I am not convinced a player washes up at 25 years old. Anyway, find the Podkolzin please.
Whoever it was that recommended and signed Josh Brown to a three year deal; that voice is getting loud again. somebody has an agenda.
Also leads me to believe the same voice was promoting McDavid – Draisaitl to start last fall.
In-season trade target: Filip Forsberg
What do you suppose it would take for Nashville to trade their leading scorer who is on an extreme value contract of only $8.5 million for three more seasons?
With both Stamkos, O’Reilly and Josi coming off the cap shortly, they most certainly won’t need the space.
Seems to me they will big game hunting, not burning down the mission.
It does not appear that tearing down is the plan in Nashville.
Nope…they’re transitioning through the draft with 19 picks in the next two years and have added a brace of younger players including Mavrik Bourque (24) Nils Hoglander (25) and Jack Drury (26) this offseason.
21 year old W Matthew Wood and 19 year old C Brady Martin, both 1st round picks, are expected to make the roster in the upcoming season.
Yikes. If the plan is to rebuild around Hoglander and Drury they are in trouble haha.
There aren’t “building around” those players but instead filling out their roster with younger, faster players with NHL experience.
Sound at all familiar?
Still can’t believe they drafted Martin over Martone
Nashville had no centres. They would have been exacerbating a problem. More than half the teams in the NHL are looking for a 2nd line centre. Before declaring a winner, one should wait five years.
Thats too early to draft for need IMO. They should be tanking for a few years anyways. Martone had 10 points in 9 NHL games this year and is 6’3. with his draft year most years he would go top 3
When they are bottom-5 at the end of January it might be in their best interest to sell high on a 32 year old and get back Isaac Howard and draft picks.
What draft picks?
Pretty sure they could get a 2027 high first and a much better prospect than Howard for their leading scorer.
As Godot mentioned, they need centres as Stamkos and O’Reilly age out and the Oilers can’t scratch that itch.
How are they getting a high first rounder? He’s waiving his NMC to go to a lottery team?
Remember when Anaheim had zero first round picks and then they has two?
Anaheim has one 2027 first round draft pick.
Anaheim is likely concerned with trying to sign Gauthier and be cap compliant for this season, not adding a contract like Forsberg’s to their cap commitments.
I don’t see them “big-game” hunting again. They did that under Trotz and it kept them in the mushy middle which is why he was pushed out.
They’re strong on the wings, added Bourque and bottom 6C’s but continue to ask O’Rielly to play 1C and he doesn’t have the footspeed.
They have some young talent on D, but a big prob is Josi is old and they have a lot of 5,6,7 d-men on the current roster. The #2 d-man is whoever plays with Josi, but how much longer he can keep them afloat is the issue.
Re-setting their roster will take time, but trading Forsberg is not a good bet at this point.
Exactly so.
Bourque can likely become a decent 2C and Drury is fine at 3C but if they were moving Forsberg, a high end centre prospect would have to be part of the deal.
I can Google team’s prospects, copy their names, paste them here and say they are young and will make a difference, too.
So the crux is how do the Oilers acquire a top 6 forward in his 20s, not using Savoie or Howard, between now and start of camp?
For those that know this better than me, what assets do the Oilers have?
Any idea who a target may be?
What makes you state the Oilers goal is not using Howard?
I don’t think that is the Oilers goal (at least 6 Forwards can score 20 or so goals right now) but I’ll play along.
I’m assuming when you say Top-6 you mean someone better than 20 goals/40 points. Eeli Tolvanen (27) and Philipp Kurashev (26) are currently free to the highest bidder so I’m gonna assume you mean a 25-30G/60 Point player. The answer will probably surprise you.
I’d assume almost no players in that age category (28 & Under) are on teams that want to move them. When we look at the players who have (Zegras, Dorofoyev, Mavrik Bourque, Mason McTavish, JJ Peterka, Jordan Kyrou, William Eklund) the return is often “underwhelming” for what we perceive those players to be worth. Often it’s a first plus something and the something is a third rounder, third liner, young D, etc.
For the Oilers, they have a 2027 2nd, 2028 1st & 2029 1st but they’d probably prefer not to trade those away at this point without seeing the team play. As for other assets, Podkolzin, Savoie, Dach & Howard have value in the 1st-3rd range depending on your point of view, Mukhmadullin has decent value at just 24 and Stastney/Emberson are probably worth about a 3rd rounder (Levi as well).
In terms of non-NHL players, Samanski isn’t worth to anyone else what he appears to be to us and along with Marjala, Clattenburg, Hutson, & Jarventie have valuish but would be the “plus” in any deal.
Regula, Akey, Cafagna, & Cibulka are all in that category as well. They’re add-ins on a pick at this point but not the centre of a deal.
Ungar & Jonsson have had intriguing careers but goalies are basically worthless without either draft pedigree or proven NHL results.
They have some interesting unsigned prospects (Denezhkin, Berezkin, Lewandowski, Lafreniere, Fischer, Sharp) but those players would need to spike this season to have exceptional value.
All that to say, most everyone has less value than we really think AND the Oilers have 2 1sts, a 2nd, and about 5 players with enough value (ie youth & cap efficiency) to build a package around to acquire a young top-six forward now (assuming that player has warts or lacks cap efficiency). That is also why I’d assume the Oilers won’t make a move now. They aren’t quite certain what they need.
I believe it was 1977 where Cherry had 11 20 goal plus scorers. 9 forwards and 2 defenceman. That’s a lot of juggling balls that cherry managed. It’s a shame the Bruins didn’t win a Cup under Cherry he managed to get the most of the entire roster. That too many men call must haunt Cheery to this day. It’s a shame what CBC did to an old fella that made their rating pop in between just to hear him rant. Whether you liked him or not he was entertaining and that’s why we watch the idiot box to begin with.
I think there is evidence to state the Oilers are not going to trade Savioe, I can’t agree with your original post that I read as placing Howard in the same category.
I very much doubt they trade Savoie as well. I might not have been clear but I listed Podkolzin, Savoie, Howard & Dach as equivalent to a 1st-3rd depending on your view. What I meant was that each of those players has a value in that range when looking at a trade. Savoie’s value would be higher than Howard’s for sure. I put it as a range because I wasn’t really trying to ascribe an individual value to any of the players.
I want Marchenko.
Yahtzee!!
Stauff alludes to the Oilers acquiring a top 6 forward as a lock but he suggests its an in-season acquisition and continues to speak of accruing first.
Need more functional toughness Bowman is well aware.
Why not Laine? He would probably sign for a low cost loaded with bonuses.He could score 30 or more goals now he is healthy.If he fails,he could be put on waivers,or sent down.It would cost nothing to bring him in.With Drai,or McD he may score more than Hyman.
Laine is completely reliant on the PP for goal scoring and is maybe the worst defensive player and one of the least motivated players in the league.
He’s be the last guy I’d sign for this team.
I dunno, I’d give him a PTO and if he looks ok, I couldn’t really see a problem with an inexpensive 1 year show me contract. Playing a motivated season with McD or Drai could stand to help him pad his portfolio with at least several more million dollars going forward.
I see the problem as he make the team worse – he’s a complete liability at 5 on 5.
PTO? There is barely time to future out which 3 of the “at risk 5” will be on the team let alone bring in try outs.
Haha, fair point.
International Jehovah’s Witness Convention down here in Calgary. Made me think of you LT. Insane amount of people flocking to the Stampede grounds.
Yuck.
I don’t think that is a successful line-up, but I guess we’ll see what shakes out.
If you take the top-12 forwards and top-6 D and have them score at the same rate as last year, that is 296 goals or 2 less than the #1 team last year. If you have the top-12/top-6 score at the same rate as last year for 75 games each (and no other goals from the remaining 126 man-games) you have 271 goals which is good enough to be #10.
The Oilers success this season will depend on improved defensive play, an improved PK and improving their team save percentage from .879 (or 28th out of 32 teams). The lines will change quite often over a season, some of the issues are already apparent, some not so apparent and the fixes sometimes come out of nowhere, sometimes are what you’d expect and sometimes are worse than the original problem. The Oilers will score and they will score a lot. They also have flexibility, cap space and extras that are better than last year. Whether this lineup is successful depends on luck and your definition of successful.
Podkolzin McDavid Savoie
Howard Draisaitl Kapanen
Nugent-Hopkins Samanski Hyman
Janmark Dickenson Joseph
Frederic
Shea Bouchard
Ekholm Emberson
Walman Murphy
Mukhamadullin
Draisaitl gets the leftovers again. Dach is probably better than Frederic but Frederic has the NMC. Dach could beat out Kapanen, Janmark, Joseph, or Samanski. The wild card is if Hutson surprises everybody…it is pretty much do or die for him.
This is a we have to see what we have in Howard before we make a trade for a forward roster. If Howard fails, the Oilers will trade for a forward to play with McDavid, and Podkolzin will slide back down to Draisaitl.
I think Draisaitl actually likes Podkolzin and Kapanen. All three are excellent skaters with decent size, grit, and defensive responsibility. Howard has skill and the boots to keep up. if he plays well defensively, that could be a good line.
I do think you have Samanski too high though and that Dach will be in the top-12.
They seem to open up ice for Leon Kapanen with his speed can get breakaways with Leon ability to sneak passes through opponents.
I think that’s really it. They’ve had the same 5-Man PP1 for about three and a half seasons so it really comes down to how he wants to play at evens when he’s the “2nd” line.
In this roster, there is no fire. For several years they have gone into the season with a lack of ability to push back. “beat on the PK bla blah” It works but has limits.
This roster will still get run over by Lightning or Panthers.
If Dach and Brown show some guts, they are going to play.
They hired Babcock to play systematic hockey, not hero hockey, not fiery hockey.
I suggest Babcock sits down with Bowman and discuss “Whats wrong with Oilers?” despite the fact they went back-to-back finals.
Systematic hockey comes up primarily because of what Caroline just did despite not having the most talent.
Then they switch back to “Oilers are too easy to play against”
Bowman has already gathered input from Oilers owner who has Dave Semenko as one of his favourite all time players.
Jackson’s player pick ups were not hard players, but Bowmans so far have been. Bowman wants to add “hard to play against” and Babcock will play them.
i agree conceptually but we have very different ideas in practice of what it means to be hard to play against.
In my concept, games are broken down to periods, specialty teams, shifts and then one on one battles.
Hard to play against means you never give up on a battle. You must win your one on one battles. Win the puck, win the hit, win the zone. Then you win your shift, your period. Never quit, never concede an inch.
Your opponent may win some and score some, but its never gifted.
Defence going into the corner see you and say “oh shit”
If it is a fight it should be because the battle has escalated and each man wont back down. If that happens I don’t care if you win or lose, just make sure you showup.
I think we are probably more similar than apart
Babcock does not take instruction from anyone. He didn’t even from an even tougher hombre in Lamorello. Bowman will be a pushover compared to that.
One should expect The Full Babcock. Why do people expect a different Babcock? Babcock makes it hard to play against by the systematic play.
I think we’ll see McDavid and Drai together quite a bit at home but less on the road. DJ spoke about the challenges coaching against the load up on the road and how much easier it is at home when you can get the proper defensive matchups.
Im not sure about running the load up at home as a standard line – that’s Knob type usage, put them together, play them every second or third shift and hope they score 2 at evens.
I think Babcock will use them together more strategically to take advantage of matchups and situations.
If we see McDavid and Draisaitl together a lot, it means the Oilers are effed. Like then, what was the point of bringing in Babcock?
You want to play and rely on systematic play to win at home and on the road. Was that not the point. McDavid and Draisaitl together means one is back to relying on hero hockey.
Maybe, maybe not. You don’t know that. We don’t know that.
Playing them together does not equate to over-relying on them or not deceasing their overall minutes from the past few seasons. It does not equate to hero hockey. I have no doubt Babcock plans on playing them together (at least at times) and also using his entire roster.
Babcock is very well known for NOT overplaying his starts – Matthews never played over 18:30 (total ice) per game under Babcock – and was often closer to 17:30 per game.
I trust he will play them apart once he realizes the 2nd line won’t score without Drai. Isnt one of his things balanced lines? Toronto fans said he sometimes had Marner on the third line
This presumes the Oilers can’t score without one of McDavid or Drai on the ice.
This is not a surety.
The last three seasons suggest that the Oilers will struggle to score without one of McDrai on the ice. Look at the McDrai on/off WOWYs. It’s ugly. Maybe improved systems play improves things a bit but the last three years are not encouraging.
I am waiting to see how Bab has them play structurally. To me it’s been a mess, which is why only the stars could produce. KK was killing offense
I have commented a few times that Adam Oates says some teams play too spread out for regular players to produce. That sure looked liked the Oilers to me without CMD or Drai, or Bouch, ring it around the boards until a blocked shot/no traffic save, or possession loss. Sometimes even with them on
Bowman has also gotten the D to the point where only 2 D aren’t strong puck movers, and Murphy can still make a good pass, Emberson getting better. That could/should help the bottom 6 a lot I think getting into the O zone and keeping it there more
They are coming from a long way back. Playing McDrai will force Babcock to find a way to get the non-McDrai forwards to produce.
they haven’t been able to in a long time. Nuge/Hyman arent getting younger either.
Sure, Howard on a Nuge-centred third line without Dickinson, now that I can understand.
I’ve always thought, and think, they will run Dickinson as 3C as I think they value him for more minutes than a fourth line center.
I can get on board with those listed bottom six lines – just don’t put Howard with Dickinson.
I still think Samanski has earned a continued spot on the team with everything he did last year including at the Olympics, in the playoffs and at the Worlds.
I fully acknowledge he may be reassigned.
Roster positions are not earned and then finalized. It’s a continuous competition to be selected for the roster and in the lineup.
Sure but there is very little left to be earned on this team out of camp – D is set, G is set and 11F spots are set.
There are four exhibition games – there is very little time for competition
Your comment is the 11F or 12F has already earned his spot on the team. No evidence this is true.
Nope, I comment that the 1 forwards are locked on this team and 11F/12F/13F are in question.
Is there any doubt of the following locks:
McDavid
Drai
Nuge
Hyman
Savoie
Podz
Kap
Dickinson
Frederic
Dach
That leaves the following five competing for 3 spots: Janmark/Jones/Joseph/Howard/Samanski.
Truth be told, I think Joseph is all but a lock and its 4 players competing for two spots.
Hutson, Marjala, Michaels, Tralmaks – no chance unless there are 3 IR injuries to forwards.
Let’s not forget about Alex Regula, definitely ahead of Josh Brown (even per Stauff). He may no lost to waivers but probably clears and he’s too good for the AHL.
I would suggest zero chance that Brown jumps ahead of Shakir.
I think, based on no evidence, is that Babcock likely shades Kapanen. The latter has been good as an Oiler, but also has a history of inconsistency (read: he was acquired via waivers). If he doesn’t produce out of the gate, I can see Babs souring on him.
When the coaching hire was confirmed, I was concerned about Podkolzin the most. However, in thinking about it a little more, I don’t know that he’ll draw the bully’s ire.
Podz is an actual NHL player with size, gritensity, and the ability to play on lines 1A through 4. He’s also played for hard coaches before (Travis Green, Rick Tocchet), though he struggled at times.
Normally, I’d agree with you but Kapanen is one of the few players on the roster (Kapanen, Hyman, Andersen) that has actually played for Babcock and had his best season (2018-19 78 GP 20-24-44) playing for him as well. Kapanen re-signed with the Oilers knowing Babcock was going to be the coach. Familiarity will likely mean we see Kapanen play a lot early and should give him the opportunity to produce.
This would seem to make sense. More interesting with a new head coach.
DJ Smith said the other day the magic sauce with MB is working hard, all of the time. Anybody that is prepared physically and mentally to do that will get their opportunities.
As Struddy says there are some that don’t get the plot, ever. Those guys are going to get into difficulty at some point, if there are any guys that are like that in the org still. And if there are, we don’t really want them on the team
The Oilers have shown they can beat most teams with ‘good’ effort and the talent level. But it’s the breakdowns at key moments that kill dreams. Can’t fail at the most key times, you have to win those moments to be a champion
This is really the crux of it. Babcock in the past has been the guy to get strict on shift lengths and effort. He doesn’t seem to be afraid of playing young guys but anyone that wants to play has to buy in and play the right way. I think that’s why Hyman vouched for him and why Kapanen/Andersen signed up for another tour of duty with him.
I think the roster is all but set except who will be the 12F and 13F.
Sublect to injury, the 3 goalies are locked, the 7D are locked and the top 11 forwards are locked.
Ya, Stauff did mention Josh Brown but he did walk that back later and mentioned only if a couple d-men are hurt or moved. His top 9D that be listed earlier this week does not include Brown.
Bob does allude to the potential to move Stastney for a depth right shot center but his intel on a top 6 forward is with accrual and in-season. I mean if Tarasenko (or Bunting) come in below $3MM, maybe.
Is there any chance Robert Thomas is actually available?
Can you imagine McDrai line and a Thomas line.
Thomas tippet Howard.
Dream big.
Josh Brown will never play again for the OIlers in the regular season.
Savoie and Howard are trade bait.
Sebastien Bisaillon called and he said never say never. I also very much doubt Savoie is traded while earning less than $2M. That’s value for a guy that can skate, PK and score 20 goals.
Savoie has never scored 20 goals in the NHL or AHL.
Could he?
Maybe.
How far is 18 from 20? I mean, do you really think that’s a hill he can’t climb? Particularly given he played 12:10 a game at evens and 0:47 a game on the power play.
You really choose some weird hills to impale yourself on. Like, really, really weird. Like, I know you’re trolling but at least put some effort in.
LOL, 18 goals as a rookie, will very little real PP time and top 6 for 1/3 of the season.
If he did that on any other team, you call him “blue chip”.
Yeah, for sure,but tell us for true… what do you think of Savoie and Howard?
I don’t mind Brown over Akey at all for 7D, LT. Akey may or may not pan out, but bottom line is he needs to play big minutes to kick his development into high gear. He missed half of last season and two years ago missed another half season due to injury. Lot of time.
Mukhamadullin will play. Different stratosphere of player than Brown. I’m surprised the Sharks parted with him — he has brought significant offence at every level. Shakir’s career is actually not so different from a young Ekholm — actually Shakir has brought a little more offence at a younger age. Shakir has put up 22 points in his first 83 NHL games; that seems not far off from top 4 level, although I haven’t checked to see how much of that is at evens.
Young Shakir is not the same level of skater as Ekholm (<50th percentile top speed vs 72 for old man Ek) — that may make the difference. If he can get faster, we may have a real good player on our hands.
If Brown is 7D, then you have to drop one of these blue: Bouchard, Ekholm, Walman, Murphy, Shea, Emberson, Mukhamadullin. Akey isn’t the guy you lose on waivers when you keep Josh Brown. It’s either Emberson or Mukhamadullin.
Currently 7D is Shakir, 8D is Stastney, 9D is Regula.
Brown/Stillman can compete for 10D/11D with Carfagna potentially driving past them all.
Stauff’s alluding to Josh Brown on the team was walked back by Stauff in saying its only if a few d-man are moved out/injured.
Maybe Ty Emberson gets moved in a trade for a top 6 winger. That would give josh brown a small chance you make it as 7th d.
I hate that you are usually right about this stuff, those lines will drive people crazy
— I’m trying to be positive and fandom blinders on but I feel I’m kidding myself
— I “know” that at best one of Savoie Kap Podz Howard can emerge as legit 80 game wingers that can add value with one of McDrai but none of them likely are for a whole season.
— I “know” we desperately need McDrai centering 2 lines but we just don’t have the horses.
— Hope I’m wrong. Just one Cup. Please.
— we are in the same boat as last many years : coach is on notice it’s cup or bust except now McD can pull a rip cord in 2027
Why can’t Savoie be that guy for a full season?
Why don’t they have the horses to play McDavid and Drai separately? I think they do.
Two SCFs, no Cup. A disappointing season. Oilerville is mostly glass three quarters empty, it seems.
A few —yourself, Gregor— are more realistic, to me.
This is a good team. There’s far more here than those losses, that season. But until we get through November with more wins than losses, and considerably more GFs than GAs, I expect there will be much complaining and many Eeyore-style postings.
Bang on, LT. As per usual.
Oilers desperately need a centre if they are going to run McDrai.
RNH is not a centre. Full stop. He is struggling to score 5v5 playing with McD. We can only imagine what his number will be playing centre without McD. That second line is going to get hammered. If the plan is McDrai then the team need a 2C yesterday.
If Podz/Hyman is a wing set, that line isn’t the nail it is a hammer.
Nice
What about the recent times when Nuge has succeeded as 2C including being the best played in the 2025 Western Conference Final (with Hyman and Kane, so Hyman and Podz now)?
Do you think that performance over six games is likely to repeat over the season? It’s possible. I don’t think so.
Over the last three seasons, w/o Drai and McD (so largely time at centre) RNH has been outscored 44-56, significantly underperforming his xGF. So it’s possible but not a reasonable expectation.