Speculating from an Oilers fan’s perspective, BLH comments on the latest Edmonton Oilers news as well as the freshest NHL speculation featuring players such as Zdeno Chara, Nick Leddy, Patrik Laine, and Jonathan Marchessault, and many more!
#NHL21 will be out in just a few days. Meanwhile @JrPens91 and I have just finished writing Chel Guide.
Until the end of the week, buy it on presale for $5 off: https://t.co/5h0f9S5Uo0 https://t.co/5bQf1nnNKJ pic.twitter.com/TZlYMpgYE1
— Jack Han (@JhanHky) October 13, 2020
The News and Rumors
- Elliotte Friedman (Sportsnet): The Nashville Predators have had interest in Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault this off-season.
BLH’s Thoughts: I speak to this below.
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- Slater Koekkoek is a potential option for the Vancouver Canucks.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have had some interest in trading for Coyotes d-man Jason Demers this off-season.
- Doesn’t see Jake Virtanen getting to arbitration and he could see Josh Leivo returning.
- Hearing Mike Hoffman is considering a one-year deal for his next NHL home. If he does that, there’s a good chance that he and Taylor Hall head to market next summer as the leaders in goals per game for all free agents 31 and under. Déjà vu all over again.
BLH’s Thoughts: Hoffman has a chance to do something that Hall didn’t want to utilize and that’s go to a team that has a good chance of winning. If he signs with a top-club for fewer dollars, he’s going to score his 25-35 goals like he does BUT he’s also going to keep his value up so that when he hits the free-agent market again next season, there will be teams lining up to sign him at a higher number.
- Dan Kingerski (Pittsburgh Hockey NOW): The Penguins are considering bringing back defender Trevor Daley, but it isn’t the main priority for them.
- Pierre LeBrun (TSN): Patrik Laine’s agents do confirm that it probably would be mutually beneficial to both the player and the Winnipeg Jets if he is traded.
BLH’s Thoughts: Let’s get this done already. Carolina has the defenders to help Winnipeg and the Jets have the winger the Hurricanes are clamoring for.
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- Zdeno Chara is in a holding pattern, no rush. Bruins are the frontrunner, but teams keep calling Chara’s camp and it’s a possibility he plays somewhere else. Also says the format of next season might play role in Chara’s decision to continue to even play or not.
BLH’s Thoughts: I think it was Lowetide talking about the Oilers bringing Chara in on Twitter last night. I don’t know if he was just throwing things out there but signing the big man would be right down Holland’s alley and we know that Russell and Jones can play the right-side.
Now, Chara isn’t the player he once was, but he can still destroy whatever is in his path. He’d be a great addition for a long playoff run…
- Adam Vingan (The Athletic): Predators GM David Poile says they’re not done in free agency: “I think we’re open, and we have cap space. We’re going to look for opportunities.”
BLH’s Thoughts: I wonder if Nashville will start to weaponize some of that extra cap space if they don’t get their ideal signings? They’ve got just under $13M at the moment and there are teams like Tampa and Vegas looking to get rid of some good players right now. Maybe Poile asks for a 1st rounder to take on that kind salary?…
- Joe Smith (The Athletic): The Tampa Bay Lightning don’t want to trade Alex Killorn. They have not approached Braydon Coburn about a trade yet and for now, Yanni Gourde is not part of any trade talks.
- Arthur Staple (The Athletic): The Islanders are adamant that Nick Leddy won’t be moved. Ryan Pulock’s arbitration award could reach $6M and if they want to move Andrew Ladd, a 1st round pick plus more would need to be in play.
- Hearing UFA Matt Martin and the Isles are working towards a new deal. Believe as many as seven teams inquired about Martin when free agency began last week but sounds like he wants to stay on the Island.
- Frank Seravalli (TSN): The ask for Darcy Kuemper, Joonas Korpisalo, or Elvis Merzlikins is a 1st AND a 2nd round pick.
BLH’s Thoughts: No wonder those players haven’t been moved yet. I mean, if CBJ is going to be in a bit of a pickle with the expansion draft protection list in the event they can’t move those two netminders, why pay a premium for them? Just wait it out and see how much they lower the price. Same thing with Arizona, but instead of a protection list to worry about, they’ve got to worry about having the money to keep the lights on. Patience will pay off in the case of those targeting these three players.
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- The Oilers offered Taylor Hall somewhere in the range of $4.75M for one year and the Boston Bruins only offered him multi-year deals.
BLH’s Thoughts: Could you imagine if the Oilers had been able to sign Hall for that in addition to adding Tyson Barrie and Kyle Turris? But now we wait until next off-season to go through this whole soap opera again. Good times…
- David Pagnotta (The Fourth Period): New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello has been working the phone lines in an attempt to shed salary and is believed to be actively trying to move defenceman Johnny Boychuk and winger Leo Komarov. It is believed this week’s acquisition of two second-round draft picks from the Colorado Avalanche for defenceman Devon Toews could be used as part of a deal involving either Boychuk or Komarov.
- The Carolina Hurricanes are exploring the markets for a top-six forward and GM Don Waddell is looking for options in both the free-agent market and the trade market. They are believed to have interest in such forwards as Mike Hoffman, Anthony Duclair, and Mikael Granlund.
BLH’s Thoughts: Can we just get the Laine-to-Carolina trade done and over with? And if were a betting man, seeing how the Hurricanes covet the Finns, out of those three names mentioned by Pagnotta; Granlund is the one I’d say is most likely to sign there.
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- The Boston Bruins remain in the hunt for a top-six forward and a defenceman as GM Don Sweeney continues to explore the markets for both. The Bruins could package Jake DeBrusk for a top-six scorer or continue to pursue unrestricted free agent forward Mike Hoffman, who remains unsigned at the time of this article being published.
BLH’s Thoughts: Jake DeBrusk IS a top-6 scorer, why are they screwing around with him like this?
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- Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin says they’re finalizing the transfer docs to have Jesperi Kotkaniemi play in Pori in Finland until the NHL season gets going.
BLH’s Thoughts: This year is a fantastic year to be following the SM-Liiga!
The Oilers Speculation
How do you have the Oilers lining up next year? I think that there’s a lot of flexibility in their forward group as it stands but I don’t think the same can be said for the club’s defense.
This is how I would run the forward lines to start the season if I were coach.
Line 1: Neal-McDavid-Kassian
Before James Neal started getting banged up, he was banging in the goals for Edmonton. He scored 11 goals in 14 games in October to start his tenure for the Oilers and I don’t see why he couldn’t repeat that. Having him and Kass flanking McDavid gives the league’s best player a couple of big bodies to open up space for him after he gains entry to the opposition’s zone as well as two vets who are very capable working in the muck.
Line 2: RNH-Draisaitl-Yamamoto
Ask yourself, what do you want in a forward line?
- Skill? Check!
- Size? Check!
- An elite two-way player? Check!
- A sniper? Check!
- An elite playmaker? Check!
- Grit? Check!
- High hockey IQ? Check!
- Physicality? Check!
This line has it all and it was the best trio in the NHL last season after being put together. Not only that but when Coach Tippett went away from it in the play-ins, they lost the series. The team didn’t even look alive until he reunited these boys. Keep it together and leave it together.
Line 3: Ennis-Turris-Puljujarvi
Are there really any other options you’d put here? This is a soft minutes offensive line. They’ll get the other team’s 3rd pair and a lot of offensive zone starts and there’s no reason to believe they won’t outscore the opposition on most nights. Puljujarvi is presented with TWO very skilled veteran linemates, so in theory, he should be able to produce from the get-go.
Line 4: Chiasson-Khaira-Archibald
It is what it is, a heavy checking line where the team’s special teams contributors play 5×5. I don’t know if Chiasson will be an Oiler by the time the 2020-21 season starts but if he is this is where I’d have him. I don’t expect this line to score a lot but Chaser might have the best snap shot on the team and putting him on his off-wing would put him in a better position to score. Archie and JJ should be the ones tasked with causing some havoc down low in the other team’s zone. If deployed correctly, this line could really grind on whoever they’re facing.
How would you set up the lines?
