Speculating from an Edmonton Oilers fan’s perspective, BLH comments on the latest NHL rumors featuring players such as Jonathan Quick, Kyle Turris, Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook, and more!
The News and Rumors
- Dan Rosen (NHL.com): The Colorado Avalanche traded for Brandon Saad back on October 10th. Saad is entering the final year of his deal. Contract extension talks with the Avs haven’t started yet.
BLH’s Thoughts: Saad in Colorado is going to be a very interesting experiment. On Paper, a player with the attributes that he possesses combined with the likes of Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen is mouth-watering, but if Saad has plateaued and he’s merely a $6M 3opt winger, Joe Sakic gave up a really good defender to get him in Zadorov and I wonder if that doesn’t come back to haunt him in the playoffs. It’s not like Saad wasn’t playing with good players in Chicago either. Kane, Toews, and DeBrincat are pretty damned good.
- Ted Wyman (Winnipeg Sun): A recent poll of Jets fans revealed that nearly 80% do not want Patrik Laine traded and Jack Roslovic is who they’d prefer the club moves. In addition to that, they feel that the team should be given one more season to get sorted.
BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t suppose this sort of news is going to make Jack Roslovic want to return to Winnipeg anytime soon.
Reality check time. The Jets had their time and blew it. They had one of the best d-cores in the league at one time in addition to one of the league’s best top-6 and a bloody good goalie too.
If the Jets were being honest with themselves, they’d know that it’s a great time to rebuild on the fly and the right trade using Laine could expediate things.
- Mike Chambers (Denver Post): Blue chip Colorado Avalanche prospect Alex Newhook could join the Avs after his sophomore season at Boston College is complete. Although there’s no clear indication that is what the player wants to do.
BLH’s Thoughts: Adding a talent like Newhook would be fantastic, but who’s coming out of the lineup to fit him in? Also, if he leaves college to join the Avs, the clock on his ELC starts ticking. Is that something Colorado wants to do?
- Kurt Leavins (Cult of Hockey): “Kyle Turris not only entered free agency with Edmonton on his list, he may have initiated contact via his agent.”
BLH’s Thoughts: I remember hearing all off-season from insiders in Edmonton that the city and the club left a really good impression on the players who participated in the play-ins and playoffs but at the end of the day, the Oilers only managed to sign two notable free-agents; and the writing has been on the wall with Barrie for nearly half-a-decade.
So, let’s boil it down to one notable UFA in Turris.
Ipso facto, nothing has really changed from a city point-of-view aside from some new buildings downtown. It’s still cold as hell in the winter and as much as I love my old Edmonton, it doesn’t hold a candle to a lot of the other markets off the ice.
What has changed is the on-ice product. The roster has improved, the losing has stopped, the drama around the team has lessened, and in due time, the team itself will be the draw because it will be one of the best teams in the league annually thanks to some of the drafting and contracts from the Chiarelli era as well as Ken Holland’s astute work over the last two off-seasons.
- Pat Hickey (Montreal Gazette): With the Canadiens focused on Cayden Primeau’s development in the AHL, the three goalies remaining – Lindgren, Michael McNiven, and Vasili Demchenko – will have to fight for the last spot with the Rocket in Laval. Things might be better for Lindgren if the Canadiens decided to trade him since the chances of him playing for the Canadiens are slim.
BLH’s Thoughts: Lindgren is definitely in a tight spot. Maybe a loan to a European club or a release would get him on a better track.
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