Edmonton Oilers Rumors: “…he would absolutely be my pick for being the next guy that gets brought in.”

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Oilersnation

Monday Mailbag – Zack Kassian’s future with the Oilers

How much stock do you put into preseason performances?

It’s a moving scale. Early on, I don’t really put any stock into the results or how players are playing because the level of competition is usually pretty low… As we get closer to the final games though, I keep more of an eye on things and that’s when players competing for a roster spot can really win a job. – Yaremchuk

BLH’s Thoughts: Fair take I reckon and I feel the same way. If a player who’s slated to be a fringe NHLer is lighting the league up, I temper the expectations until the rosters get a little more regular season-like. Now, if that skater continues to play well against NHL-quality opposition, then you can allow yourself to get somewhat excited, but even then, you need to take into consideration if that player has a history of scoring in bunches or a history of getting all their work done early on in the year.

My advice is don’t get mesmerized by the glow of the preseason goal lights.

Is anyone concerned about the number of new players the Oilers have on the roster this year and how long it will take them to get up to speed?

They are all NHL veterans, except for Bouchard. So I don’t see it being a big issue overall. – Gregor

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m not concerned. It might take some time to get up and running but how many teams didn’t bring any new players in this year? Everybody has to deal with this challenge to some degree or another.

Gregor brings up a valid point in that Edmonton’s new additions are of the veteran type and therefore getting up to speed should take less time.

Friedman and Marek brought up the Oilers goaltending again on 32 Thoughts, so who would be everyone’s pick for an ideal mid-season trade acquisition?

Doesn’t it feel like Anton Khudobin is already an Oiler somehow? I don’t know why I get that vibe about the goaltending situation but he would absolutely be my pick for being the next guy that gets brought in. – Baggedmilk

BLH’s Thoughts: Well, so far in the Holland regime, you could telegraph most of the moves the club was going to make, at least when it came to bigger name moves. So, I’m thinking if Holland makes a trade, it’ll be for somebody we’ve already dug into. Joonas Korpisalo, Chris Dreidger, Alexander Georgiev, somebody like that.

If Kassian is having a good season, should we make a trade to have some flexibility with the Yamo and Jesse contracts next year? Or if he’s having a good season do we need him in our post-season lineup?

I’ll have a better idea when Kassian actually shows up to play. Once that happens, we’ll take it from there. – Brownlee

BLH’s Thoughts: If Kass is having a good campaign, you hold on to him until the draft and then deal him. There’s no sense in getting rid of a good player in-season when there’ll be bigger market in the offseason.

What are everyone’s guesses as to how the top three teams will look in the Pacific Division?

Edmonton first, Vegas second and Vancouver third. I believe Edmonton will be better than many think and that Vegas will take a small step back. – Gregor

BLH’s Thoughts: I’ve said in the past that I think the heart of Vegas left town with Fleury and Reaves, so their team identity will be a bit different and I reckon their rank in the standings will be impacted. I like the Canucks a lot better this year than last and of course I think Edmonton could win the division, but I’m not going to say who’ll land where. I’ll just say that I reckon the Oilers, Canucks, and Golden Knights will finish in the top-3 of the Pacific Division.

The Athletic

What might Oilers do if Kailer Yamamoto’s goal scoring slump continues?

Midway through 2020-21, though, Yamamoto fell into a scoring slump. A career start that saw him score 19 goals on 114 shots (16.7 shooting percentage) disintegrated in the second half of the season (one goal on 35 shots).
Yamamoto played fewer minutes with Draisaitl in the second half, but the results were better during his goal scoring slump. The reasonable conclusion is that Yamamoto’s play remained quality as a two-way player and as a passer. He wasn’t putting the puck in the net, but the line was producing at the same rate.
It’s unlikely the general manager had the idea of moving Yamamoto down the depth chart in mind when signing Zach Hyman, but the big free-agent prize for the Oilers over this summer can play both wings.
Brendan Perlini, who has played so well during preseason, can also play either wing. Kassian is being used in prominent roles during preseason and Kyle Turris appears to have regained some of his scoring touch.
If things falter, and we’re assuming a change with Yamamoto but it could be an injury or someone else in a slump, the roster has enough quality to call upon depth line wingers.
Based on his age, skill set, resume and chemistry with Draisaitl, the bet is he remains on the No. 2 line and solidifies his status as a legit top-six NHL winger.

BLH’s Thoughts: Let’s just say that Ken Holland went out and addressed this issue with the additions of Hyman and Foegele. Perlini, Kassian, Turris, they could all spot-fill on the second line with zero issues.

The problem comes if there needs to be a more permanent replacement found. That could require a trade or the graduation of somebody in Bakersfield.

I know that Lowetide is high on his small skillers, but being Killer’s size and succeeding in the top-six is a really tall order and his analytics crashed hard in a lot of categories last season offensively. Defensively he was fine and that’s why I think he’d be so good on a dedicated shut-down 3rd line. He wouldn’t have to worry about his offense there and I reckon he’d find the net a bit more considering the quality of opposition he’d face.

NHLRumors.com

Rob Simpson of Vancouver Hockey Now: One NHL executive said that trading for a player that is not vaxxed is “a non-starter.”

Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic: (mailbag) The Boston Bruins will start the season filling the No. 2 center position internally. If it doesn’t go well, they will look outside the organization.

If they looked at San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl, it would start with a first-round pick and a prospect.
Guessing that Patrice Bergeron will sign a one-year contract at $6.5 million including bonuses.

TSN: Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 radio when asked about Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly and his contract situation.

“Should Morgan Rielly take again that quote/unquote hometown discount? Well, I don’t know that he should. He’s been a real good Toronto Maple Leaf but I also know that he loves Toronto, and like a lot of players before him, he wants to play out his days with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he’s also earned his position from a business perspective… So that one is going to be interesting to watch and unfold, and north of eight would be a hometown discount.”