Coming from an Edmonton Oilers point of view, BLH provides you with excerpts from the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation from all of the internet’s best sites including Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, Sportsnet, The Athletic, TSN and more!
From Oilersnation (Jason Gregor)
Free Agency Warning: Term Crushes Teams
- Between 2012-2018 there were 60 UFAs signed to 4+ year deals. So far 18 have been bought out and 12 finished their careers on LTIR or in the AHL. That is 50% and the only reason there weren’t more is because agents realized you could structure deals making them almost buyout proof. Think about that for a moment: Teams are willing to sign buyout proof deals. If the deal needs to be structured that way, isn’t that a sign it likely won’t work out? And I didn’t include players who were pending UFAs and re-signed with their team. Jeff Skinner comes to mind.
- The organizations need to understand that most long-term deals are crippling.
- It isn’t ideal to overpay in salary, but if you do that on a shorter term, the damage doesn’t have long-lasting effects down the road.
- Accepting you have to overpay in free agency is not a successful business plan.
BLH’s Thoughts: There’s a ton of talk that the Oilers are going to go hard after Zach Hyman and I’m hoping he’s this year’s Jacob Markstrom. Maybe Vancouver gets the winger and that’ll leave Edmonton to go the much smarter route with Taylor Hall and/or Tomas Tatar.
I get why the team wants Hyman, he’s a hound dog and he’s fantastic in the muck and he’s going to run through a wall to score a goal as well as stop one, but he’s going to cost and arm and a leg and it’s a contract that will come back to haunt Holland, just like the Justin Abdelkader one from his days in Detroit.
All I’m saying is that if Hall is willing to sign for four or five years at a shade over $5M/yr, I’d rather take that bet than a max term one with Hyman PLUS think of all the fan excitement and jersey sales that would come from being able to bring him back…
Lastly, do you think there’d be a player of similar style to Hyman that might be available at the trade deadline? Could Max Domi be of service for a playoff run?
ICYMI:
– Hall close to deal in BOS
– Tor after Landeskog and Kuemper
– Edm after Kessel for Koskinen
– Panthers resign everyone
– Yandle bought out
– Edm after Hyman's rights— Mathew Panchyshyn (@mathewjdp) July 15, 2021
From Spector’s Hockey
NHL Rumor Mill – July 15, 2021
SPORTSNET: Eric Francis reports Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving quashed a recent rumor suggesting winger Matthew Tkachuk wanted out of Calgary. “There’s nothing to it,” said Treliving. He’s also touched base with other clubs to gauge interest in several of his players coming off disappointing seasons.
- Contract extension talks have begun between Treliving and the agent for Johnny Gaudreau. The winger’s limited no-trade clause kicks in on July 28, prompting some to suggest he’d have to be moved before then if a new deal cannot be reached.
- Team captain Mark Giordano appears a prime candidate to be snapped up by the Seattle Kraken in next week’s expansion draft. The Flames could leave him unprotected. Discussions between Giordano and Treliving on the subject are continuing.
BLH’s Thoughts: Yes, trading Tkachuk and Gaudreau would set this team back and they won’t be able to move Monahan, so that leaves Elias Lindholm and an aging Mikael Backlund as the next most realistic options.
I believe they should move one for an upgrade on defense. They’ve got their goalie, they’ve got some up and coming wingers in Mangiapane and Dube, so the next move should be to shore up the D if they feel like they’ll lose their captain to Seattle.
There is another plan, albeit a less savory one. They could tank the next couple of years and gun on drafting in the top-5 of the next two drafts which would net them two bloody outstanding forwards possibly.
Merzlikins admits that Matiss Kivlenieks saved him, his wife and the baby they are expecting. They were 20-30 feet behind him. God. Heartbreaking. #CBJ
— Mark Scheig (@markscheig) July 15, 2021
From The Daily Goal Horn
Sabres lower price on Jack Eichel
- The Buffalo Sabres have lowered the asking price on Jack Eichel. I gathered back in late June that GM Kevyn Adams was trying to generate more interest in his injured and disgruntled star, and now Elliotte Friedman is confirming that in his latest podcast.
- Let’s say it’s now 3 pieces instead of four. That should draw more teams to the table. However, if the Sabres are not willing to eat some of that $10 million cap hit, they aren’t getting that return. Primarily because only a handful of teams can take on the full hit. The Rangers and Ducks being the two teams that standout.
BLH’s Thoughts: Sounds like the Sabres aren’t liking the offers they’re getting, eh? Well, why not create a bidding war for Eichel by lowering the ask and inviting more teams to wade into the waters? Of course, the other GMs may smell blood in that water and simply wait Adams out too and see how far he’s willing to budge the closer we get to the NHL entry draft.
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