November 21, 2019 /

2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM24: Oilers @ Kings – Three Players to Watch

The Edmonton Oilers brought a bigger boat into San Jose’s chummed up waters and shot down the Sharks and their recent 5-0-1 record against the Northern Albertan team. So McDavid and company are walking on sunshine as they head into Los Angeles to take on their former coach and his unmerry Kings.

Going into this game, what I want to know is if this team is maturing as a group. We’ve seen the Oilers have great games only to follow them up with stinkers and then the next game, play well again. It’s the kind of roller coaster that a developing team tends to ride. So if this hockey team can go into LA and post up another six goals but this time limit the Kings to one or two (instead of five like last time), that would be a good indication for me that we’re seeing a team on the verge of becoming a Stanley Cup contender.

Zack Kassian’s Next Deal

There’s been lots of chatter recently about pending UFA Zack Kassian’s next contract with the Oilers and my feeling is that Ken Holland loves to reward his veterans but he handed out some inflated deals during his final years in Detroit. Darren Helm‘s extension, as well as, Justin Abdelkader‘s to be more specific.

Now Helm was 29 years old when Holland signed him to a 5-yr deal worth $3.85M per year and Abdelkader was 28 years old when he put pen to paper on a 7-yr contract that is paying him $4.25M a season.

Helm was coming off of a 13g 13a season and apart from being a loyal soldier for the Red Wings, I haven’t the foggiest idea why Holland would’ve given him a near-$2M raise. Whereas Abdelkader had just finished a second consecutive year with 40+ points (a feat he’s yet to reach since), so I can understand the raise to an extent there.

On the other hand, a player Oilers fans should know well, Dan Cleary, signed a contract that could represent the other end of the spectrum here.

On January 23rd, 2008, a 29-year-old Cleary signed a five-year pact with Detroit with an AAV of $2.8M. The season prior, the former Oiler had 40pts in the regular season but also 12 pts in 18 post-season games.

Much like Cleary did early in his career, it’s taken Zack Kassian some time to find his groove, but it appears he’s discovered his sweet spot alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. You might say he’s the Kevin Stevens to their Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. You might also say that Kassian is nowhere near the player that Stevens was and you’d have a point too. Kass’ career-high is 29pts when he was playing with the Vancouver Canucks. He’s never reached the 40pt mark, but I think there’s a good chance that he does that this year and maybe for one or two seasons after this. All I’m saying with the comparison is that Stevens was a very good power forward in his day and he opened up the ice for his linemates to work their magic.

It will be very important for Ken Holland to re-sign Kassian but for the right term and dollar amount. Next year he has a plethora of contracts coming off the books and all of that $23M in cap room will look very tempting to spend. The thing is, there are restricted free agents that need to be signed, right? Ethan Bear is going to command a pretty penny. What will Darnell Nurse as for? What about Caleb Jones if he’s to be a full-time NHL player from now on? Joel Persson is an RFA as is William Lagesson and Shane Starrett.

Then there are the UFAs like Riley Sheahan, Patrick Russell, Joakim Nygard, and perhaps Mike Smith could be tossed into that group of players that the Oilers might be interested in bringing back.

The Oilers GM has a chance to learn from past mistakes. Those made by him and others. He has a golden chance to build a dynasty in Edmonton, so he’d best not muck it up by overpaying players he doesn’t have to.

My hope is that Kassian will sign a three-to-four year contract worth between $2.5M and $3.5M. Maybe the contract Sam Gagner signed with Vancouver would be a good example? That was a three year deal with an AAV of $3.15M. What do you think?

The Next Ten Games Part Three

The first ten games of the 2019/20 season went quite well for the Oilers, more so at the start than the end, mind you. The second ten games were equal to the first ten and it saw the team get a bit better from an analytical point-of-view. Now, the third installment might be the most important as we’ll pass American Thanksgiving (11/28) in this block. I think it was Elliotte Friedman that said 78% of teams who are in a playoff spot by this holiday tend to stay in that spot. I say the Oilers finish this segment of ten games with twelve points out of a possible twenty.

11/14 Colorado (11-5-2) (h): I like the Oilers’ chances against a third-string backup. Won’t be easy though. (WIN) WIN
11/16 Dallas (9-8-2) (h): The Stars are 8-1-1 in their last ten here and I don’t see Edmonton slowing them down. (LOSS) LOSS
11/19 San Jose (8-10-1) (a): Embarrassed from the spankings the Sharks have been giving them since last season, I think the Oilers bounce back here. (WIN) WIN
11/21 Los Angeles (6-11-1) (a): The Kings don’t scare me. Easy points for the Oilers. (WIN)
11/23 Vegas (9-8-3) (a): The Golden Knights are a dangerous squad and this game could go either way. I’ll take Vegas here as their home advantage is massive. (LOSS)
11/24 Arizona (11-6-2) (a): Having already lost twice to the Coyotes, Edmonton will find a way to secure the two points here. (WIN)
11/27 Colorado (11-5-2) (a): I reckon by this time, the Avs will be healthier and that much more dangerous. (LOSS)
11/30 Vancouver (10-6-3) (h): The first game of a B2B with the Canucks on a Saturday night and on the eve of Jesse Puljujarvi’s signing deadline. I’ll take the distraction-free Canucks. (LOSS)
12/1 Vancouver (10-6-3) (a): Revenge is a dish best served ice cold… (WIN)
12/4 Ottawa (7-10-1) (h): Much like the Kings, the Senators don’t have a lot going for them. (WIN)

Records as of Nov.14th, 2019.

Three Players to Watch for the Kings

  • #19 Alex Iafallo – This speedy winger has seven points in his last ten games and has worked his way from the farm in Manchester to LA’s first line left-wing. He’s a bit of a sleeper, but keep an eye out for him on Kopitar’s wing.
  • #9 Adrian Kempe – I don’t know what this guy has done to offend Todd McLellan because every time I’ve seen him play he’s looked dangerous. He’s fast, gritty, and plays a solid two-way game. I’d love to have him on the Oilers.
  • #8 Drew Doughty – What will DD have in store for McDavid and Draisaitl for this one? Doughty has long been a thorn in the side of Edmonton’s star players going back to when he and Taylor Hall had a running feud and he always seems to get a goal when playing Edmonton.

Here are the lines that LA ran in their 3-0 loss to the Coyotes. I’d definitely expect LA to turn on the McBlender and to start Jonathan Quick.

Three Players to Watch for the Oilers

  • #16 Jujhar Khaira – Three goals in his last two games but has played really well for his last three games. I’m not shocked to see him up with Nuge on the second line
  • #77 Oscar Klefbom – Klef has EIGHT assists in his last five games and he was locked-in versus San Jose. He’s quietly having a Norris trophy-caliber season and leads the NHL in avg TOI per game.
  • #97 Connor McDavid – 21pts in his last ten games and you know he’s going to turn it up against Drew Doughty. Might the question not be IF he scores a goal, but how many goals he scores?

It would make sense to leave the lines as is after a win like that and being on the road, but Tippett hasn’t been afraid to switch things up. Also, Matt Benning is questionable and all indications out there are that Adam Larsson will be playing. In addition to that, Bob Stauffer said that Mike Smith will be starting. Here’s what Edmonton iced vs. San Jose:

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CategoriesBeer League Hero Edmonton Oilers NHL

TagsEdmonton Oilers Los Angeles Kings NHL Zack Kassian

Beer League Hero Written by:

I'm the Beer League Hero! I am from Camrose, Alberta but I make my home in Taipei City, Taiwan. I've been through the ups and downs and the highs and the Lowes, the Bonsignores and the McDavids, the Sathers and the Eakins but I'll never leave my Oilers, no matter what! They're with me until the end and then some. GO OILERS GO!