We have made it through training camp and now wait for last minute moves. Will the Oilers keep Owen Michaels or Josh Samanski? Is there a trade in the air? After going 4-0 and having all areas look good, there’s a peaceful calm in the nation. Of course, Game 1 of the regular season brings possible hope and tragedy. First 20 games are huge.
CERTAIN OILERS (20)
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Jason Dickinson, Zach Hyman, Vasily Podkolzin, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kasperi Kapanen, Mathieu Joseph, Trent Frederic, Colton Dach, Alex Formenton, Ike Howard, Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard, Ryan Shea, Connor Murphy, Jake Walman, Ty Emberson, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Tristan Jarry, Devon Levi
This group seems secure unless there’s a trade. If I had to pick a vulnerable player it would be Ty Emberson based on training camp deployment. Mike Babcock prefers a bigger player (Shakir Mukhamadullin) over Emberson, even to the point of having a lefty play on his offside. There was much talk about it before and during camp (I believe Godot was saying Babcock would have sticks aligned). Mike Babcock has surprised us a little.
UNCERTAIN OILERS (4)
Ike Howard, Jason Dickinson, Josh Samanski, Owen Michaels , Alex Formenton, Quinn Hutson, Max Jones, Spencer Stastney, Josh Brown
This isn’t a problem if the team makes a deal, but it’s too late to waive anyone. In order to get to 23 men by 3pm Edmonton time today, the Oilers have to make a trade or send a player to the minors. Dickinson to the IR helps but the money stays on the books. Names who could go to Bakersfield include Michaels and Samanski.
THE DISTANT BELLS (5)
Owen Michaels, Viljami Marjala, William Nicholl, Connor Clattenburg, Eduards Tralmaks, Jason Dickinson (ir), Matt Savoie (ir), Mattias Janmark (ir), Aku Raty, James Stefan, Brady Stonehouse, Alec Regula (inj), Damien Carfagna, Beau Akey, Riley Stillman, Atro Leppänen (inj), Tomas Cibulka, Frederik Andersen (ir), Matt Tompkins, Samuel Jonsson, Connor Ungar, Nathan Day, Eemil Vinni, Rudolfs Berzkalns, Seth Griffith, Caden Harvey, David Lewandowski, Rhett Pitlick, Simon Tassy, Zach Bookman, Andrew Robinson, Samuel Sjölund.
These are the injured guys, and I think the Dickinaon injury is the only one attached to mystery. He could be out a short time, but the Oilers ‘day-to-day’ tends to be somewhere between five days and four years. So it’s a range of possibilities. Alec Regula and Atro Leppanen will go straight to the minors when activated. Damien Carfagna was sent out, but if injuries hit I can see him back here. Or he could get dealt, bet there’s some interest in him.
On the Lowdown today, we have feature guests Rachel Kryshak (12:40) and Jason Gregor (1:20). We’ll chat Oilers, Elks, Jays, wild NFL weekend and more. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Puckpedia has the Oilers down to $228k in cap space left, due to the Dickinson, Savoie, Janmark and Anderson injuries. They may have been ok before Dickinson, but having to keep all that space on IR (ie for Regula who would’ve been sent down) means they are tight to the cap as of today.
This makes the idea of a trade more plausible, just a bit trickier, since it has to be dollars in, dollars out, imo.
A trade for a passable RHC would be a nice punctuation mark (not sure which one) on a solid camp.
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Who you got in mind? Pageau level? Stenlund? Give me names CBO4EVR
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I remember lowetide regaling us for years about logan stanley as being a unique skillset, he has finally signed a 1 yr 1.5 milly deal with the isles. Interesting player, surprised he got so little considering his size, truculence, and skating ability.
It always makes me wonder when it was almost unanimous that Logan Stanley would be getting a 3-3.5 million dolar deal with term and he ends up signing end of september for chump change (nhl version).
what are in these private models that the nhl organizations are utilizing, obviously something has appeared in the model that is affecting the fact that this team is essentially playing 2 wingers as centers ahead of samanski.
I thought his defensive responsibility along with his cleverness would make him a babcock type, but his skating may be the limiting factor.
Innate talent limitation
I can buy a traffic cone for much cheaper that would be similarly effective.
I see Stanley as a slow clumsy skater with poor agility and horrible puck skills. Maybe I see it wrong but his maybe toughness is not enough to offset the lack of hockey skill.
I’m not surprised he got signed cheap I’d also not be surprised if he was healthy scratched often. Vinnie D is a better player in my opinion.
Not trying to be a jerk to your comment but for me I value that player type very lowly.
My guess is Samanski doesn’t provide a lot of physicality and that’s Babs reluctance on him but I believe time will change his opinion.