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Edmonton Sun
OILERS NOTES
- McDavid has drawn 10 penalties in his last eight games after five in the first 15, as former Hockey News columnist Ken Campbell pointed out. So, yes, the NHL predictably paid attention when there was a howl about the craziness of the early season blind-eye to calls.
- McDavid had five minors before getting 15 PIMs Sunday. In his first six seasons he finished with 18, 26, 26, 20, 28 and 20 PIMs.
- Tippett said Cody Ceci, in Covid protocol since Nov. 30, could be back skating Wednesday. He said the defenceman needs a couple of (negative) tests. When Ceci returns, they will have to send a defenceman back to Bakersfield.
- Injured goalie Mike Smith, out since Oct. 20 (suspected sprained ankle), and defenceman Duncan Keith, hurt in Dallas Nov. 23, weren’t on the ice either before or during the optional skate with Sunday’s scratches Monday at noon.
- Niemelainen had four more hits Sunday giving him 16 in his three games. Sending Dustin Brown flying Sunday was his best since he came up from Bakersfield. Brown is one of the NHL’s better hitters himself.
- Defenceman Philip Broberg did not have a good game against LA, only getting 10:25. He’s run the gamut, playing 23:34 against Vegas to half that against the Kings.
- Wild captain Jared Spurgeon, who got his one and only NHL hat-trick here Feb. 21, 2020, is back skating with the team but the defenceman won’t play Tuesday (lower body).
BLH’s Thoughts: Peaks and Valleys, right? Niemelainen is having an awesome start and now the NHL’s rigors are starting to settle in for Broberg.
When Cody Ceci comes back this week, would you pair him with Niemelainen and give them the role of shutdown d-pairing? And when Duncan Keith comes back, would you have him on the third pairing if Neemo is still playing well?
Lowetide.ca
- Man, I feel bad for Ryan, he’s having a ghastly season and it could mean the end of his NHL career. I don’t know if Tippett can play him again. He’s 3-16 at five-on-five goals and they go in from the moon as soon as he steps on the ice.
- One thing we can’t answer is this: WHY does this keep happening with third- and fourth-line centers?
- Is it because they don’t play enough, is it because the ice time is tailored to 97 and 29? I don’t know.
- However, in the two seasons previous to this one, Ryan was 49-36, plus-13 at five-on-five.
- My answer has been erosion, but he’s one season removed from 18-12 goals five-on-five.
- It could be Ryan, but I think the role asked of these men going back to Mark Letestu is just too much. Too much sitting followed by too much ask. Has to be. Can’t prove it.
BLH’s Thoughts: “Too much sitting followed by too much ask.”… Makes sense to me. So what kind of player do you put in that role if it can’t be an older vet or a spry young rookie? Will the team be forced into trading above value for or over-signing somebody in their prime to play third line center?
Personally, I think Ryan McLeod’s future is 3C but he’ll need a couple of more competent and self-motivating wingers. For example, I know this probably is out of the question, but I’m talking about players like Zach Hyman and Jesse Puljujarvi. These two never take a night off and always bust their ass, the puck doesn’t always find them, but you’re never questioning their work ethic. Tyler Benson has been like that this year too as has Colton Sceviour. Problem with those two is that they’re probably better off on the 4th line considering the Oilers most likely need some wingers with more of a tendency to produce on the third line.
Ya know, I wouldn’t be opposed to trying Hyman on the third line and Foegele on the 1st line for a short time to see what happens. Or what about Foegele, Nuge, Hyman for a period? Put Leon and Jesse with Connor, Yamo with McLeod and Sceviour, and Benson with Ryan (or Turris) and Kassian?
I’m just spitballin’ here. Trying to find a solution to this team’s lack of drive.
What would you do with the roster sans making a trade?
The Daily Goal Horn
- Luongo Next Canucks GM?: Stan Smyl is now the Interim General Manager with Ryan Johnson being named Interim Assistant GM… Several names have already been bandied about, including veteran executive Jeremy Rutherford… as soon as Benning was let go one named leaped to the top of my list – Roberto Luongo.
- Islanders Woes Continue: Two names that the team has been attached to are Sharks forward Evander Kane and Canadiens defenseman Ben Chariot. Lamoriello will need to move some salary out in the process and also get some help from a third party to fit these two in under the cap.
