Gaetan Haas is a wildly popular player for a man who scored just five goals in his first NHL season. I did the season ending grades for The Athletic and had Haas and Jujhar Khaira with the same grade. It looked to me at that time, and does today, that only one of the two will be back next season. Interesting addition.
THE ATHLETIC!
The Athletic Edmonton features a fabulous cluster of stories (some linked below, some on the site). Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. Proud to be part of The Athletic, check it out here.
- New Lowetide: Can the Oilers find Connor McDavid’s ideal winger this summer?
- New Daniel Nugent-Bowman: The two coaches who had the biggest influence on Dave Tippett
- New Jonathan Willis: The 5 reasons why the Oilers re-signed Gaetan Haas
- New Jonathan Willis: Can (and should) the Oilers trade Kris Russell?
- Jonathan Willis: How Edmonton could have left 2010 draft with both Taylor Hall and Ryan Johansen
- Lowetide: Kailer Yamamoto’s NHL comparables offer Oilers fans hope for the future
- Lowetide: Top 20 prospect update: A lot of movement and some impressive graduations
- Lowetide: Mavrik Bourque a quality option for the Oilers in the draft
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Inside the franchise-altering decision to pick Leon Draisaitl over Sam Bennett
- Lowetide: Adam Larsson’s Oilers future uncertain as ‘sexy’ options emerge
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: One-on-one with Wayne Gretzky: On the time he visited Moscow during the Cold War
- Jonathan Willis and Lowetide: Discount forward options the Oilers could pursue in free agency
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: ‘Oh my God, Edmonton’s picking first’: An oral history of the 2015 NHL draft lottery
- Lowetide: Comparison of Oilers, Flames drafts 2010-19 closer than it should be
- Lowetide: The most potent lines in Oilers history
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: On the time Dave Semenko fought Muhammad Ali
- Lowetide: Why Jan Mysak could be a value pick for the Oilers at the 2020 Draft
- Jonathan Willis: The Oilers overcame malice in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to join the NHL
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Remembering Jacques Plante’s brief tenure with the Oilers at age 45
- Lowetide: Oilers need to find (or get) real value in William Lagesson
Many of you have taken advantage of the 90-day free trial this week, so I wanted to remind everyone a final time that clicking on the story link takes you directly to the free trial. And thanks to those who joined this week.
50-MAN ROSTER (37)
Riley Sheaham, Tyler Ennis, Patrick Russell, Mike Smith, Mike Green, Markus Granlund, Brandon Manning, Tomas Jurco, Brad Malone, Josh Currie, Keegan Lowe and Shane Starrett are the remaining UFA’s.
I wonder if Khaira is moved out, with Sheahan signing and the Oilers running McDavid-Draisaitl and Sheahan on the checking line with Haas the energy line pivot. I like Haas’ speed, his ability to draw penalties and interrupt sorties. He didn’t score enough, his faceoff totals aren’t fab, and I wonder if he lands on a line (eventually) with a lefty center. That would allow each man to take strong side faceoffs. One thing about Haas? He didn’t play much against elites (132 minutes, 26 percent of his overall five on five time according to Puck IQ) but he performed well in those minutes:
If you had to offload one of these men, who would it be? Khaira’s penalty killing is my checkdown for keeping him, but is quality PK work enough to keep a player on the roster? Suspect we’re about to find out.
2008 Harvest Moon
The Edmonton Oilers were one of the quietest teams in the NHL this weekend at the draft. The offer sheet signing of Dustin Penner (and subsequent lay down by Anaheim) meant that Edmonton would be standing in the shadows for much of the heart of this draft.
Compounding the problem was the inability to acquire a draft pick in round 2 or 3. Looking at the transactions it appears as though many teams were willing to trade picks but lesser picks in this year’s draft were part of the asking price.
Simply put, the Oilers didn’t have the currency required to get in the game based on the facts before us. One quibble with that statement would be that the New York Rangers acquired pick #90 with a prospect “in the range” of Jean-Francois Jacques. On a day when quality was available well into the 4th round it might have been an opportunity missed as Jacques will be waiver eligible this fall if and when he is sent away.
Round One: RW Jordan Eberle- A perfect combination. A strong argument can be made that Eberle was the best player available and he certainly addressed a need (shooter) in the system. He’s a May 1990 and 16 (tied for 4th in the WHL) of his 42 goals (tied for 4th in the WHL) came on the powerplay. A quality pick and immediately one of the 5 best prospects in the system (I’ll rank them all next weekend with a new top 20).
Round Two: None. Kevin Prendergast stated the price was so ridiculous they decided to sit and wait where they were. Kevin Lowe said they might have moved up had they pulled the trigger on the 2 needs for the NHL team (top 2line F and toughness) but the extra NHL and fringe talent (Stoll, Torres, Pouliot, Schremp, Jacques) was held back for another day.
Round Three: None. There was still quality on the table at this time and most certainly the Bourret trade at #90 is a tell that the Oilers could have been in the mix (the two teams involved, NYR and Phoenix, are “Oiler friendly” and one imagines Edmonton decided not to offer a superior talent to Bourret which is not a difficult task). We all have our opinions, but I think Edmonton needed to pay their way in to the third round and pick up another asset with Jacques. Perhaps I’m overvaluing the player, but Bourret is no screaming hell I’ll tell you that much right now.
Round Four: D Johan Motin. A solid, if unspectacular pick and generally speaking we adopt this player type as our own when the Oilers brass give the seal of approval. Stay at home type with size and a mean streak, he apparently can be exposed in areas and is no sure thing. Still he’s rather safe for the 4th round and my bet is he’ll play at some point in time with the big club.
Round Five: LW Phillippe Cornet. His scouting report reads like a pure tweener. He’s skilled but he isn’t fast, he’s got some try but isn’t overly physical. Somewhat similar to Stephane Goulet at first glance, but players with his resume taken in the fifth round do not have a terrific history of success. This is where the Kyle Brodziak’s of the world, the plumbers, find their homes and begin the long process of grinding themselves into useful role players. A real long shot from here.
Round Six: C Teemu Hartikainen. This is the type of player who can get somewhere from this point in the draft. Good size and strength combination, he has feet of clay but some pluck and desire. Finns seem to be genetically predisposed to playing well in the North American style and based on his resume this fellow would seem like a worthy candidate. The third most valuable player taken by the Oilers this weekend.
Round Seven: D Jordan Bendfeld. Tough as nails enforcer who will go right to pro (he’s a draft re-entry, former Coyote selection). This is an organizational hire who someone in management likes for what might be a variety of reasons. There are probably 100 kids with more talent that didn’t get drafted today and another 100 with the same talent who could be signed as minor league free agents tomorrow. I don’t think these kinds of picks are terribly wise simply because it’s a bullet in the organizational gun and you might as well pick a “draft and follow” player who may emerge as something else again one year from now. Having said that, if this were my kid Lowe had just drafted I’d be crying on the deck with a beer in my hand right now so what the hell let’s leave it alone.
The Oilers weekend came and went and we’re still left with the need for a shooter and some grit on the big club and a plethora of players who are NHL players or near NHL players with not enough deck chairs for the fall dance. Among the things that are more likely today than they were a week ago are Marty Reasoner being passed over because of roster problems, JF Jacques hitting the waiver wire and Curtis Glencross finding a new home. Nothing really got done but that Eberle kid is a terrific story and looks like a player.
We’re porridge.
Quick notes on 2008 from 2020
Looking back, I was fairly obsessed with getting back into the second and third round, while NHL teams also correctly valued those picks more than J.F. Jacques. The second round had some NHL goalies (Jacob Markstrom, Jake Allen) along with talented skaters like Roman Josi, Justin Schultz, Derek Stepan, Travis Hamonic and Marco Scandella. The third round was less abundant, but Adam Henrique, Zack Smith and Michael Stone were available.
Sheahan was a good pickup last year to plug a gaping hole at 3C and PK, but he is sub-optimal in terms of speed, offense and even ES defense. He got beaten or made nasty mistakes numerous times last year at ES in the defense zone which led to GA. So he’s not fast, not physical, limited offense, LHS and prone to mistakes at ES. Not ideal as a 3C. He did OK last year at 3C (better than Khaira or anyone else we had available would have done) but this is one position we need to improve at.
In contrast, Haas was much less prone to defensive mistakes as Bruce outlined on the CoH podcast today (one of the best on the team) and with more experience might have 3C potential if he can get stronger. He has more raw offensive skill than Sheahan, but it’s unclear if he can score much more, and you do have to piss more than drops as 3C. More comfortable with him going forward at 4C.
Pavel Zacha as a target makes sense to me as a youngish 3C – maybe a deal can happen if NJD is interested in JP and a spare dman like Benning.
Sounds even better. Geometry as the only true science from which to build meaning is an idea that stretches back past Plato. Let me know if you read it.
Nuge does not play 3C, he plays 2C or top 6W – hence why the Oilers are looking for a 3C with a lower cap hit.
Nuge is do a raise but I think most Oiler fans hope/believe it won’t be overly material – in the $7MM range (subject to new NHL economics).
Here Here!
Love it! Guess what George would have to say about the Covid hysteria?
defmn,
This is the book:
https://www.amazon.com/Conceptual-Spaces-Geometry-Thought-Bradford/dp/0262572192
Yup, that sounds exactly like what I was hearing. And it sounds like neuroscience is backing his theory… that the mind conceptualizes ideas, meanings, abstractions in much the same way it does with space, geography, placement of self within space etc.
lol so now they’re no better than the post office.
No, I haven’t.
On Amazon The Geometry of Meaning: Semantics Based on Conceptual Spaces is listed?
Is that the one?
If you get it I’d love to hear what you think.
BTW if you use Amazon they are backed up. I have been waiting for about a month now for the last book I ordered.
Haas is one of Holland’s Heroes – unsung signings that came to the Oilers, didn’t blow defensively until they could eventually start scoring a few goals.
So far Holland is strong like Sather but will he be ruthless culling the dead wood like Slats was?
defmn,
Off topic, but you haven’t by any chance happen to have read Peter Gärdenfors book, The Geometry of Thinking, have you?
I’ve never heard of it till today, but it looks like something I need to get.
He had a knack for seeing the absurdities for what they are.
Agreed. I just like my life neat and tidy. 😉
defmn,
defmn,
Both of these posts are well-argued, IMO. I would amend one point though… the replacement player (for Khaira, Benning, Pujo) doesn’t have to come back in the very same deal. But he does have to in the very same off-season.
Saw him at the Jube too, but back in the 80s. There was no other comedian I wanted to see more, so when I heard he was coming, I threw some hard-earned student loan money his way.
This is a huge overpay for a cap dump.
Keep in mind that given the economics of the League going forward, cap dumps are going to be even more costly this off-season than they were last. And damn they were expensive last year.
No team is going to let TBL out of cap jail by giving them a 1st rounder.
Not to mention, Johnson is only a part-time C, and doesn’t PK. He’s not a 3C in the way Sutter, when healthy, is a 3C. With age working against him, plenty of term left, and the huge variance year-to-year in his scoring numbers, it remains to be seen whether this is the cap hit TBL can actually dump.
Harpers Hair,
Thank you, Kelly.
That’s cute. It’s kinda like how Pettersson used to be a C.
Just call it balance.
Now that’s some expensive overlap.
Nuge is a winger. And when Nuge played C, Draisaitl was a winger. You know that.
And yet Nuge is paid $6 million and due for a raise.
Go figure.
True, Coyle at $5M will overlap with Krejci for 1 season before he’s UFA. Then they’ll be back to 2 centres making $5M+.
No one said Johnson can’t play, the issue is that TB can’t afford to pay their 3C $5M. You said that yourself.
Very few teams see that as a sensible way to spend their cap dollars, much less teams who employ the top 2 centres in the NHL (who recall, play 35 of the 50 even strength minutes each night)
Thanks to those who invested time in Covid research. When it first hit things. WAS helpful.
Now, we are at a point where we know things. Perhaps this isn’t the best forum for posting aggregated random news links.
It’s becoming political in general. When I have time, now, to peak in, and am faced with it. Not enjoyable for me, if I can’t comment without a lot of coddling, and call things that are wrong headed out.
It makes me want to stay away, mostly because of how things are moderated here. The folks that could care less, and have no investment, reign free with their baiting and misinformation, the offended tread lightly.
I think N64 is becoming dead wrong. The information links are the type invoking paranoia in the weak minded. At first I appreciated the news collecting. That was weeks ago.
Godot shit the bed so hard on Covid, there is a hole in that home right to the source of the outbreak in China.
Keep calm, wash hands. and carry on, my fellow Lowetidians.
Kirk out.
And an absolute genius.
By ice time, Charlie Coyle is the Bruins 3C.
His ticket next season is $5.25 million.
Tampa is always in a cap churn.
The emergence of Brayden Point and his $6.75 million cap hit makes Johnson too expensive given Kucherov and Stamkos pulling in $18 million.
Doesn’t mean Johnson can’t play.
Saw him less than a year before he died. He was at the Jubilee. An incredible performer.
Nobody suggested trading Puljujarvi and/or Benning for Sutter.
I don’t know who you’re considering 3C in Boston. Only Pastrnak, Bergeron, Marchand and Krejci make more than $3.2M…
You’re telling us that TB needs to unload their 3C because they can’t afford him.
3C in Pittsburgh makes $4.1M.
Russell’s deal is only for 1 year, Johnson’s is 4 years, all after age 30. Let someone who’s looking for a 2nd line forward spend the assets on Johnson.
Why I miss George Carlin.
https://youtu.be/JSbT7JVNEU4
If we could get a Neal compliance buyout then I would consider trading Russell for Sutter and playing him as 3C. But in this economic climate, nobody is taking Sutter’s $4.5 million contract in real dollars in exchange for Russell’s $2.5 million in real money (only $1.5 after July 1). If VAN does not want to retain at least $1.5 million before July 1 then no deal. There is a market for Kris Russell at $1.5 real dollars after July 1 next year. Real cash is going to be more important to most teams than cap next year.
If VAN and Sutter agree, perhaps deal JP to NYR for Georgiev to get a youngish 1b goalie, sign Ennis, and we are pretty much good to go.
Boston and Tampa off the top of my head and Pittsburgh is close. But what do they know?
Did I mention the deal also includes getting rid of Kris Russel?
Yes I did.
Whoa, lets hold on a second – you are talking about Brandon Sutter, right?
The trade was Rusty for Sutter – negative value contract for negative value contract.
Both Benning and Puljuarvi are positive value assets and either, by himself, is an over-pay for Brandon Sutter.
No?
The Oilers ARE winning now. They need an upgrade at 3C to a competent player. They don’t need to spend $5M and 1st round picks to fill 3C adequately. How many teams pay their 3C $5M on merit?
I would give up the 1st for a JT Miller type, but not Johnson.
Too old. Too many years at 5 million.
I like Neal (apart from the contract) as he brought goals and a very good attitude to the team. He made a positive difference last year with his hot start and leadership. But if his contract can be ditched for free (in cap terms) through a compliance buy-out, then you do that in a NY minute.
Khair’s contract is almost zero problem and you have to like his PK work and willingness to physically engage. But his results for first half of the year were horrific and he was a very large negative at ES last year. Honestly I give him one last shot and move him at the deadline next year if can’t get his act together (BOS supposedly wanted him this year so he has a market).
Ennis is fine as a cheap signing but he’d have to take a lower cap hit to get more than one year (two max).
Sheahan did some decent work at 3C but that’s a slot you need to improve on next year in terms of both speed and skill. A 31% GF% doesn’t cut it (like Khaira) plus his wheels are mediocre and he’s not very physical. You only keep one of Khaira or Sheahan, and my pick is Khaira as he might improve. Last season was probably peak Sheahan and it’s not good enough.
The player really just needs to not get fed like Sheahan did.
Sutter would be fine as one example and likely only “costs” Russell.
No.
The Oilers should be interested in winning now…not in 3-5 years.
What is your solution?
Do you know, if you randomly start 5 metronomes out of sync, within a few minutes they sync up perfectly.
https://sciencedemonstrations.fas.harvard.edu/presentations/synchronization-metronomes
It’s called Weak Coupling and can be observed in nature
The phenomenon of spontaneous synchronization is found in circadian rhythms, heart & intestinal muscles, insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas, ambling elephants, drummers drumming, menstrual cycles, and fireflies, among others.
This is an argument AGAINST keeping the pick?
Last night:
Emillio Petterson, drafted in the 6th round, touted as a fantastic signing by the flames management who is stocking with talent.
Tonight:
Tyler Maden, one of top drafted prospects not in the NHL, labelled “a former third round pick” (and a 2nd round pick and a depth forward approaching 300 NHL games not worth a mention).
Narrative spinning 101!
Well, some contending team is going to get a RH 3C who scored 29 goals in his last complete season.
I’d wager they won’t regret it.
I do.
I don’t think Johnson is worth a 1st rounder. Not with that contract.
Anybody that has a blocked youngish centre who is interested in one or the other or both.
I just need a guy that can score 12-15 goals and PK. Johnson doesn’t do it for me.
Well…that’s for the faint of heart…I always use a “lash” which perks things right up 🙂
Harpers Hair,
What is this nonsense of 1 teaspoon of Nandos? More like 1 litre right?
No. But it has to be better than Johnson. I broke my own rule to respond to you on a hockey question. Please don’t make me regret that by putting words in my mouth.
Curious who you are trading Benning and Puljujarvi to?
Tampa already has 4 RHD on the roster and are loaded with high end wingers.
So the consensus seems to be, keep the first round pick who MIGHT contribute in three to five years.
A reminder the Oilers will be picking in the same range as the 2017 draft when they picked Yamamoto.
defmn,
My thoughts exactly.
Will wait to see your suggestion with a player that can actually move the needle at all.