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Oilersnation
Draft Diaries: Leaving Montreal with lots of questions
- What will the defense look like next season?
- I really do think that a deal will get done between Brett Kulak and the Oilers. His reported ask of $2.5 million is very reasonable and he performed very well.
- Why aren’t they still trying to move Tyson Barrie?
- I think they need to not only re-sign Brett Kulak, but also trade Barrie and use part of the cap savings to go find a more defensively reliable player for their third pairing.
- Who is going to be this team’s starting goaltender next season?
- The Oilers have reportedly been very interested in Campbell for a bit now and those rumblings are legit.
- Ken Holland should absolutely go make a move for Talbot. He’s been incredibly consistent with the Wild and he would be cheaper than the options available in free agency.
- Which forwards will the Oilers prioritize?
- I do not think giving Evander Kane a multi-year deal worth around $7 million is not the best route for this team to go.
- If you can get Giroux, who is a more versatile player, for around $5 million on a two or three-year deal then you might have enough money to go add a piece like Dylan Strome as well.
- Will the Oilers move Warren Foegele or Jesse Puljujarvi?
- Bob Stauffer said the Oilers weren’t done moving out salary and could still trade a player making more than $2.5 million. That’s where Warren Foegele comes in.
- We know they’re trying to move Puljujarvi, but they didn’t get a deal done at the draft. That really doesn’t mean much considering they weren’t planning to just dump him for a draft pick, but it was still surprising that a deal didn’t get done.
BLH’s Thoughts: Here’s a bold proclamation, how the Oilers’ defense looks today isn’t how it will look by the weekend. I have a feeling Nikita Zadorov’s coming to town and probably another veteran defenseman along with him. Could it be his partner from Calgary, Erik Gudbranson?
Ken Holland isn’t exactly bent over a barrel right now with regards to Tyson Barrie and a potential trade. He’s got time to see who’s going to miss out on John Klingberg, Jeff Petry, and now Brent Burns is on the block. Once that becomes clear he’ll be able to pick his targets. Montreal and Seattle still seem like prime destinations to me and if nothing materializes, no big deal. He’ll still have a really good puck-moving veteran defenseman on his squad.
There’s about a 95% chance that Jack Campbell will be joining his buddy Zach Hyman on the Oilers, but never underestimate the abilities of a desperate GM…
Evander Kane isn’t going to find a team with two better centermen to play with but he’s looking for term and Edmonton’s not willing to go more than 4yrs it seems. Maybe he’ll circle back after he’s seen what’s out there.
I do like the idea of Claude Giroux and Dylan Strome joining the team though. I don’t know if it’s at all realistic, mind you. But if there’s a way to push Yamamoto to the third line to play with Ryan McLeod and potentially Dylan Holloway, that would be a very fun scenario to watch play out.
If Giroux heads elsewhere though, David Perron is one of the cheekiest bastards in the league and he scores a ton for being 34 years old. Clutch goals too…
Evan Rodrigues made only $1M last year but put up 43pts. He can skate like the wind too.
Dominik Kubalik was in the rumor mill as somebody the Oilers liked last season. Could they get him on the cheap?
Vlad Namestnikov or Ilya Mikheyev are a couple of intriguing Russians who’d add some skill and possibly 20 goals to the roster.
Would you be willing to take a real flyer on a guy like Andre Burakovsky? 22 goals and 61pts for the Avs last season. Big bodied, sniper, and is only 27. He would be asking as much as Evander Kane, if not more though and wouldn’t bring an ounce of snarl.
Speaking of snarl, there is very much a part of me that wants the Oilers to sign both Brendan Lemieux and Nic Deslauriers for the clubs 4th line just for the entertainment of it all. That said, Danton Heinen, Johan Larsson, and Rem Pitlick would probably be better options if winning interests you.
Obviously as a fan of the team I want the Oilers to retain Puljujarvi, but the longer this drags on, the more uncertain I am of that happening. The team is saying that there’s not really a market for him right now and that’s okay. One will grow once the big wingers have been signed from free agency, but the Oilers have nobody to blame but themselves. They allowed the local media to run wild on Puljujarvi and it tanked his perceived value on the trade market.
Of course, there’s always the off-chance that Holland gets him to sign a 2yr deal and promises to move him in-season, but that’s the kind of scenario I wouldn’t expect to take place until later in the summer and there’s always the chance that somebody offer sheets Jesse or they go to arbitration. Either way, however this trade goes down, know that the return on JP is nowhere near a reflection of his ability as an NHL player and he’ll show that sooner than later.
With McLovin’, who knows? It’s probably not a great idea to move a guy after a tough post-season and he does have the size, speed, and grit to be a really good 3rd line winger with McLeod. His hands are questionable, but you could never question his work ethic. I think eventually he’s moved on from to make room for Dylan Holloway, but there’s no rush.
Oilersnation
Bargain Bin Shopping
- Before you yell “hitting doesn’t matter,” take a moment to realize it still is a factor in today’s game. Darren Helm, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Erik Johnson, Jack Johnson, Nico Sturm, and Gabriel Landeskog all averaged over nine hits/60. Tampa Bay had seven players at nine hits/60 in the playoffs.
- In 2020 Tampa Bay maintained their skill, but added Blake Coleman, Barclay Goodrow and Patrick Maroon and that gave them an element they didn’t have previously. The Oilers can’t just lose the physical presence they had last season.
- Mason Marchment had a breakout season with Florida last year.
- He’s a 6’4″, 210 pounds left shot winger who scored 18 goals and 47 points in 54 games.
- He had 114 hits (8.97/60).
- The concern about Marchment is this was his only productive NHL season.
- Ilya Mikheyev is looking to cash in after scoring 21 goals in 53 games.
- He has great speed, is a relentless forechecker and very good on the PK.
- In 2021 he had 107 shots in 54 games, but fired 147 last year in 53 last year.
- He did average one more minute/game last season.
- He shot more and scored more as his SH% went from 8.2% in 2020, to 6.5% in 2021 to 14.3 in 2022.
- [Dylan] Strome had 51 points in 58 games in 2019 and scored 22 goals and 48 points in 69 games last season.
- …a one or two-year deal with a $2-$2.5m AAV could benefit both sides.
- The challenge for me is does Strome compete hard enough regularly?
- Kubalik made $4m last season with a $3.7m AAV. He scored 30 goals in his first season with the Blackhawks, but his goal totals have dipped each year since.
- Frank Vatrano has scored 24, 16 ,18 and 18 goals the past four seasons, all of them in Florida, except for 22 games when he was traded to the New York Rangers this season. He isn’t physical, but he’s competitive and he’s a very smart player.
- Mattias Janmark could help the bottom six. He has signed three consecutive one-year deals, with Chicago, Dallas and Vegas. He can kill penalties and he’s been consistent offensively producing 25, 21, 24 and 25 points the past four years.
- What about Max Domi on a one-year, show-me deal?
- There are other quality forwards available ranging from Andre Burakovsky, Andre Copp, Nino Niederreiter, David Perron, Ondrej Palat, Ryan Strome and Vincent Trocheck, but I sense they could sign for $4.5m or more. Edmonton would be better off signing two quality players at $3m AAV than one at $5m.
BLH’s Thoughts: The Oilers have increased their compete quotient over the last few seasons with the additions of Mike Smith, Zach Hyman, Kailer Yamamoto, Warren Foegele, Cody Ceci, and the now retired Duncan Keith. I suspect they will continue that trend with regards to the team’s bottom six and bottom two pairings on defense unless there’s an outlier that can be acquired like Evander Kane who provides both skill and muscle. Nikita Zadorov would be another.
What we know from Edmonton’s drive to the Western Conference Final is that they fizzled out when the bottom six couldn’t produce and as such, in my mind, that has to be a priority for them starting tomorrow.
Trade Rumors
Spector’s Hockey
- Josh Beneteau lists the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks among six potential destinations for Evgeni Malkin when he goes to market on July 13 as a free agent. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals could be other options.
- In his latest “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman speculated the Colorado Avalanche could become a suitor for Patrick Kane if the Chicago Blackhawks winger were to request a trade this summer.
- Sheng Peng reports new Sharks GM Mike Grier didn’t shut down speculation his club could look into trading Brent Burns.
- Matthew DeFranks recently examined what’s on the offseason “to-do list” for Stars GM Jim Mill. Find a top-four defenseman to replace the departing John Klingberg and adding a scoring forward are among his priorities, along with fending off possible offer sheets for goalie Jake Oettinger and re-signing scoring star Jason Robertson.
The Daily Goal Horn
- Imagine for an instant Malkin lining up with Alexander Ovechkin in a Capitals uniform? If the Penguins let him walk, I could totally see it happening.
- Vladimir Tarasenko is starting to be discussed as reports surfaced he has not rescinded his trade request and is still looking to be moved… One team that could be interested are the Carolina Hurricanes.
NHLRumors.com
- If the Oilers could get David Perron for three years for around $4.5 million per, he would be an ideal fit. He’s a legit top-six winger and is not easy to play against.
- A source said that the Boston Bruins and David Krejci are in negotiations.
- The Winnipeg Jets didn’t qualify forward Evgeny Svechnikov. Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland has liked Svechnikov back to their days in Detroit.
- There is speculation that the New York Islanders are interested in pending UFA Nazem Kadri.
- Irfaan Gaffer: “This is true. 4×4.5 is what the Oilers offered. Guys in the room, specifically the most important ones want him back. Oilers don’t get nearly as far in the post season without Kane. Even the biggest bargain hunters would know 4.5 is low.”
- It’s not a surprise that the Edmonton Oilers didn’t trade Jesse Puljujarvi at the draft for a draft pick. GM Ken Holland is looking for a player and not a pick. A change is needed though.
BLH’s Thoughts: And as you know, what the important guys in Edmonton’s locker room want, they get… Wouldn’t it be a real kick in the nuts if Puljujarvi came back and Kane signed elsewhere? 4x$4.5M is lowball though.
Do you think there’s any way that the Capitals could bring in Tarasenko AND Malkin? That would be nuts because they need a goalie too. Bobrovsky too obvious? Varlamov? There seems to be a theme here…
