Edmonton Oilers Talk: “Edmonton scouts have looked in on…”

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

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Cult of Hockey

Is a bird in the hand worth 2 in the bush for the Edmonton Oilers: 9 Things

Oilers prospect Carter Savoie scored the winner as the University of Denver posted a 2-1 victory in the NCAA West Regional Final… Edmonton’s 100th selection in the 2020 draft has gone 22-22-44 in just 37 games this season. Will Savoie ultimately be able to overcome his 5’9 frame and be an NHLer? Early returns are positive.
I would not be surprised if the club supplemented its sparse draft cupboard with a series of college signings. Speaking of which…
I’ve mentioned previously that University of Alberta Golden Bears F Noah Philp has attracted the eyes of NHL executives. Both Calgary and Edmonton scouts have looked in on Philp… At 6’3 200 lbs. and a right-handed shot Center, he has attributes many organizations would covet.

Re: Evander Kane – Given his production since arriving in Edmonton there will be NHL teams willing to offer him a deal with dollars and term. But should the Oilers step up and keep that from happening?… just letting him skate out the door should not be allowed to happen without considerable thought.
Re: Puljujarvi & Yamamoto – Has Ken Holland had a clear and long enough glimpse into their futures to sign them long term? Bridge them? Both? Just one? Hmmm.
Money and term will of course matter when it comes to Kane’s future. But so too will fit. And Kane’s chemistry with McDavid is palpable… might the wild card become how much weight Kane puts in an organization who gave him a chance when others were not willing to?

BLH’s Thoughts: I will be shocked if the Oilers get their hands on a good ‘ol homegrown like Philp considering that his brother spurned Edmonton to sign with Calgary.

If Kane walks, there are other options for the Oilers to bring in, but an argument will be had whether or not those options will be better. Edmonton should really focus on goaltending and defense this summer and then work on the forwards. Don’t get me wrong, as a hockey player, I’m a massive Evander Kane fan, but this team goes nowhere if Ken Holland can’t shore up the netminding and defence. It’s as simple as that.

Oilersnation

Nation Thoughts: What did you think of Holland’s moves on deadline day?

“Wine Guy” brought up the Tyson Barrie contract and wonders how it will affect them going forward.

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t think it’s going to affect the team in 2022-23, if you catch my drift.

“Oilcaholic” then brought up who’s made bigger mistakes Holland or Peter Chiarelli.

BLH’s Thoughts: Find me a GM who’s not made a poor move and I’ll show you a liar. Chiarelli was well on his way to building a playoff team but for whatever reason pivoted and decided more small skill was the way to go… Then he said “fuck you” and gave Mikko Koskinen that massive deal the day before he was fired… You screw with the bull and you get the horns.

While I like the move, I question why the Oilers haven’t gone all-in yet. We are in year three of Holland’s tenure, and we hear the same comments each year… If it’s not now when the Oilers are having a good season, then when is it?

BLH’s Thoughts: If this is what a good Oilers season looks like, call me Miles Davis.

Every year Tampa Bay finds a way with no cap space. Colorado continuously takes advantage of having Nathan MacKinnon on a team-friendly deal. Even Calgary pushed all their chips in this year.

BLH’s Thoughts: Okay everybody, pay attention. I’ve got a question for you. Can anybody tell me the difference between the Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, and the Edmonton Oilers? There may be more than one answer…

When Holland was brought in it was to bring stability to the organization and it was to develop a program that would turn this team into an annual playoff contender and not for three, four, five, or six years, it was for the long haul, baby! Ten, fifteen, maybe twenty years! Guess what? You can’t do that by going all-in every year and if you put down your Kokanee for a moment and look at how many times Holland has actually gone “all-in” in his career, it’s not been at the trade deadline… It’s been in the summer…

So you’re going to have to be patient if you agree that having the Oilers as a playoff team for the next ten years is a good thing.

The goaltending market wasn’t ideal this year, and there were still options out there. Scott Wedgewood is the biggest example of that.

BLH’s Thoughts: Career AHL goalie doesn’t exactly scream “Stanley Cup saviour”. Sure, he’s had a solid year but he’s still giving up more than three goals a game on average. How’s that better than what Edmonton has already? Besides, the Oilers have Stuart Skinner if the desire is to bring in a good AHL netminder. Why spend the assets?

Goaltending is a massive issue that likely will harm us in the playoffs. It should’ve been addressed over the summer and even the summer before. It wasn’t, and now we are in a situation where we know what our outcome will be.

BLH’s Thoughts: Holland did address it both times but both times he was submarined by another offer. Those are the facts, read ’em and weep. I mean, c’mon people. How long are you going to ignore what actually happened because it’s starting to get embarrassing.

Aside from ignoring the fact that it takes two to tango, Ken Holland has said in the past that he doesn’t like giving goalies huge contracts because there’s not that much of a difference between the top tier and middle tier aside from their annual pay…

That said, he might change his tune soon like he did when he fired his coach for the first time in his multi-decade NHL career. Time will tell on that front…

I think Holland believes in this group which could be his biggest kryptonite. Goaltending has improved under Jay Woodcroft. The numbers back it up. However, we saw the benefits of having an elite goaltender last in the playoffs against Winnipeg. Goaltending makes the biggest difference in the postseason.

BLH’s Thoughts: Two things, Connor Hellebuyck’s .950 save percentage is an outlier. He got hot at the right time and guess what? He cooled right the fuck off in the 2nd round against Montreal where his save percentage screamed back to Earth hence the Jets losing in four straight to the Habs… So is that the goalie you want? A guy that’ll get white hot for a time and then go colder than a witch’s titty right after?

The Other thing, Mike Smith was outstanding in that series vs. Winnipeg, it was the depth scoring that killed the Oilers in that series. WPG threw a blanket over Connor and Leon and that was game, set, match…

The reason Holland believes in this group is because when it’s healthy, it’s a contender (outlying Flames game aside). How many instances can you find where this team was bad for an extended period of time this year when chunks of the roster weren’t on the IR? You can’t.

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey: Bruce Garrioch recently reported it’s believed the Senators and Montreal Canadiens could be among several clubs attempting to sign Claude Giroux if the Florida Panthers forward tests this summer’s free-agent market.
- Stefen Rosner believes Anthony Beauvillier has until the remainder of this season to prove he deserves to remain a part of the New York Islanders. The 24-year-old winger has been inconsistent this season with just 10 goals.
The Daily Goal Horn: Rangers GM Chris Drury, we’re told, was in on Nick Leddy before the Red Wings sent the one-time Islanders defenseman to the Blues in a five-asset deal.
- And Lamoriello, honoring the pledge he made at Zdeno Chara’s free-agent signing in September that he would not trade the 45-year-old defenseman, ended talks with the Blueshirts before they could even begin.
- One name that the Isles had interest in last summer was Jakob Chychrun of the Arizona Coyotes. If it’s a hockey trade they are looking for that is one they will likely revisit.
NHLRumors.com: Elliotte Friedman reported that the Montreal Canadiens had been talking trade with the Ottawa Senators about forward Colin White. Talks were pretty far along before the deadline and could be revisited this offseason. Canadiens GM Kent Hughes was White’s agent.
- Chris Johnston: “I think there was actually a much bigger trade discussed between the Coyotes and Habs, there were roster players involved so it was a complex deal that didn’t end up happening but it could be revisited at the draft”
- Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes said during the first intermission of their game against the Florida Panthers said that he had a potential deal involving Jeff Petry at the trade deadline that fell through.