Coming from an Edmonton Oilers fan’s perspective, BLH comments on the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Rodion Amirov, Anthony Cirelli, Alexis Lafreniere, and more!
Do you know the story about the man who saved the Edmonton Oilers? Watch it here!
These three players will be Edmonton’s breakout kids in 2020-21! Read it now!
BLH has made a starting lineup of the best Oilers to have played at the World Juniors! Check it out!
Five Oilers-related things that BLH is thankful for. You’ll love #5!
- NBC Sports: If the New York Islanders wanted to add a new defender, their best options might be someone like Slater Koekkoek, Sami Vatanen, Ben Hutton, or Zdeno Chara.
BLH’s Thoughts: What about promoting from within? Noah Dobson is a pretty good young defender, no? Then there’s Sebastian Aho and David Quenneville. Both very nice prospects who could use a chance. Another notion might be to trade one of their higher-priced forwards like Josh Bailey and his $5M/yr contract for a defenceman.
- NHL Network: Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman says they still have a lot of work to do and feels hopeful for the future thanks to their young stars and recent draft picks.
BLH’s Thoughts: Yzerman is doing a masterful job once again. I’m amazed to see how far Bill Torrey’s reach has gone over the decades.
Torrey->Jimmy Devellano->Ken Holland->Steve Yzerman.
That’s nearly 50 years. Amazing. Now we get to see the master and the student go head-to-head to see who can make the Oilers or the Red Wings great again the fastest.
- Mark Masters (TSN): Hockey Canada’s Scott Salmond says it’s not out of the question that Alexis Lafreniere could still join the team for the upcoming World Juniors.
BLH’s Thoughts: Ryan Rishaug was saying on TSN1260 yesterday that if any players who are expected to play in the tournament test positive after Nov.29th, they’ll be ruled out. So I wonder what the deadline is for Lafreniere to join?
I’ve been pondering the doomsday scenario where Team Canada can’t ice a squad for the WJHCs this year due to the ‘VID. I know, listening to Rishaug daily on the radio, there’s an element of panic setting in for this team because they have to make their cuts off of basically what happened before they got shut down. In addition to that, they’re not going to play any exhibition games really.
But let’s be honest. This is Team Canada. If the ‘VID doesn’t take them right out of the competition, they’ll still be a favorite for the gold.
- Joe Smith (The Athletic): Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien Brisbois recently noted that there’s a lot of progress being made on new deals for RFAs Anthony Cirelli and Eric Cernak but that there are still a lot of balls in the air and nothing’s been finalized.
BLH’s Thoughts: Tyler Johnson, Yanni Gourde, Ondrej Palat, and Alex Killorn are the candidates to move. It sounds like Johnson is the most likely to go as I’m hearing there are a lot of people who feel he’s lost a step in his skating.
- Boston Hockey NOW: Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney says it’s still “status quo” with regards to a new deal with Zdeno Chara and he hopes to reconnect with Chara’s camp soon.
BLH’s Thoughts: Chara’s just going to sit back and watch everything play out between the PA and the league. When that’s all sorted, I imagine is when we’ll hear more chatter as to where he’s playing next season IF he’s playing at all. My bet is that he’ll be back in Boston. They could use him for another year.
- Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet): Agen Mark Guy of Newport Sports is leaving the hockey business. In the past, he represented players such as Steven Stamkos, PK Subban, Bo Horvat, Alex Pietrangelo, etc.
BLH’s Thoughts: I’ll be honest, I’ve never heard of Guy. Regardless, he’s represented some massive clients in the past including Edmonton Oilers goaltending prospect Dylan Wells. Good luck to him on his next endeavor.
- Denis Taipov: KHL club Salavat Yulaev has begun negotiations with Maple Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov on a two-year extension. It would run until April of ’23.
BLH’s Thoughts: This is pretty much par or the course with regards to high-end Russian prospects. I have to wonder though if the Maple Leafs would prefer Amirov to come over to North America sooner with the way the kid is tearing up the KHL right now.
- Hockey Canada: The IIHF and Hockey Canada have appointed an all-Canadian officiating crew for the upcoming 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton, AB.
BLH’s Thoughts: Great. This won’t give anybody any ammo to complain with if the Canadians get some questionable calls that go their way. I get it though. The ‘Vid… It’s messing with the logistics a bit. I guess though, on the other hand, how many officials come in from other countries to officiate during this competition every year?
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