Cal Nichols passed away Saturday at the age of 84. In a city that doesn’t throw around the phrase ‘beloved owner’ often, Nichols is a universally revered name in this city. He and the other owners who kept the team in Edmonton did hockey fans a massive favour. Perhaps the Oilers will pay homage to Nichols and the rest of that brave crew in the days to come.
The Oilers news cycle is in ‘mall walk’ mode currently, but it’s about to speed up in a major way. Please read this.
I think we’re going to see changes this fall, and by that I mean players heading out in exchange for arrivals who fit the Mike Babcock template.
Babcock has control of this team in a way we haven’t seen since Craig MacTavish was coach. MacT had the power to play or not play (ask Jason Chimera, Jani Rita and Rob Schremp) no matter the pedigree, and I do believe Babcock will find some of the players coming to camp wanting.
More urgent, Babcock is going to find out in a quick hurry he needs to do something at center. His choices are playing Connor McDavid on the top line and Leon Draisaitl on the second line OR putting in a requisition for a veteran two-way center who can outscore at five-on-five.
If Babcock checks down to a center depth chart of McDavid-Draisaitl-Dickinson-Samanski he should be set. However, he is a stubborn coach (that isn’t always bad) and the vision that has been planted in his brain, may remain.
I am also completely unsure of his Ike Howard evaluation. Babcock may find him wanting, and Howard hasn’t built up huge trade value since his arrival in Edmonton.
We will start saying goodbye to the internal depth chart we carry in our brains about this time next week. My guess is Babcock will love Colton Dach, Trent Frederic, Vasily Podkolzin, Connor Murphy and Josh Samanski. Among those who will see instruction, Ike Howard, Jake Walman, Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (if he is the second-line center) will need to adjust.
The Oilers rookies play the Flames rookies at the Saddledome tonight. Howard, Dickinson, Quinn Hutson and Connor Clattenburg will be the most prominent names, and we’ll see how they shine. I’m looking forward to the game, hoping to remember my Oilers+ password.
On the Lowdown today our feature guest is Jason Gregor. We’ll talk about the Elks, Oilers, Cal Nichols, and the NFL weekend. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube. See you on the radio!
Can the Edmonton Oilers build trade value in the minor leagues this season?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7590324/2026/09/14/edmonton-oilers-prospects-ahl-trades-value/
Frederic and Dach seem more interested in hitting people than being hard-on-the-puck and tracking back hard.
Toughness for Babcock means being hard-on-the-puck. His teams have never been particularly physical. They are smothering.
Tomorrow at midnight is the last time teams can offer 8 year contracts.
Should the Oilers try to lock up Savoie as many teams are doing with their young stars?
Babcock is looking for a few good men.
Howard became very tenacious in pick retrieval in the back half of last season and has talked about working on getting quicker and heavier to propagate that skill set.
He is full effort out there and committed to working on all zones.
We don’t know what we don’t know. It Babcock could very well love the kid and what he will bring.
Will be fascinating to find out.
I think we’ll see plenty of the center depth chart with the duo split in the road and plenty of the opppsite at home.
Nuge/Hyman away from McDavid and Drai are 50% goal share over the last three seasons at 52% expected. Add Podz there and that line could be very good, at least for stretches.
Playoffs 2025 is a year in the past and Kane/Nuge/Hyman killed a final four team with Nuge leading the charge – best skater on the series. Swap Podz for Kane and let’s roll. It may be Howard, not Podz, that’s a different look but that is a legit talented player – let’s go!
That’s a great find on Nuge and Hyman without McDavid. If they get Podz i could see it working especially against softer comp. Concerning that they were running Podz with McDrai in the early skates, hopefully it’s nothing.
Who plays with Connor & Leon?
I am way too excited to watch this rookie game tonight.
I presume the flames have quite a few good prospects I don’t know about but Samanski and Howard (along with Hutson and Marjala and Carfagna) should have overt impact performances.
Hope to see Jonsson and Vinni split.
Hope Clatt plays, he’s still not 100% from hurting his ankle at development camp.
I do think RNH has a chance to pop in the same vein as everyone talking about McDavid. It wouldn’t shock me to see Nuge have the best two-way season of his career. His results have eroded the last two seasons but his skills really haven’t and I think Babcock may be able to empower him (light a fire under him) this year
Maybe he’ll finally put up 50 points
Giving him defined responsibility against lower comp could see his points improve. Or, having him do heavy lifting to assist a tough match third line could see the third line outscore. I definitely prefer the latter, but again, we are throwing darts on how Babcock is going to do roster construction.
Bring on the season!!