Edmonton Oilers Talk: Holland Did the Right Thing Protecting Kassian and Archibald

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 (Zach Laing)

Why the Edmonton Oilers made a mistake by protecting Zack Kassian in the expansion draft

It was an easy decision to protect a young, still promising prospect in Benson, but Ken Holland went against his own volition to protect low-floor, low-ceiling bottom-six grinders in Kassian and Archibald.
When he’s on his game, he’s a dynamic player for the Oilers. He’ll play physically, get to the dirty areas, and puts up points. The problem is that more often than not this isn’t the type of game he brings to the ice.
At 30 years old with $3.2-million AAV and three years left on his deal, there’s a very good chance he doesn’t finish the length of his contract an Oiler.
For years, we’ve all heard out of Detroit how Holland loves to overripen prospects and allow them to develop before putting them in the NHL.
While Kassian and Archibald aren’t the types of players the Kraken would likely select in the first place, the Oilers in turn chose to expose an easy layup pick for an expansion team. Once again I don’t think the Kraken would take Kassian. But the risk of losing Benson, to me, is not worth it when I look at the Oilers organization.
According to prospect projections from JFresh Hockey, Benson has a 44 percent chance of playing 200 NHL games with a positive WAR. His career NHLe for the AHL has him as a ~40 point/82 gm season player in the NHL.

BLH’s Thoughts: The Oilers absolutely did the right thing protecting Kassian and Archibald over a 23yr old AHL winger who only has a 44% chance of making it to the NHL for 200 games. I’d put my money on Archie and Kass playing another 200 games in the NHL, wouldn’t you?

It’s funny that Laing calls Kassian and Archibald “low-floor, low-ceiling bottom-six grinders”, but last I checked, that’s kind of what Benson was being projected as…

As far as I’ve been told in the past, Seattle would’ve had interest in Kassian if he were left unprotected. Considering the Kraken would’ve been realistically picking between him, Khaira, and Lagesson, how could you even intimate that they wouldn’t? And considering how well he skates and what he’s like in front of a full arena, the energy he’d have starting with a new franchise? C’mon…

Lastly on this, I would think that Holland would be less concerned about facing Benson in future games between the Kraken and the Oilers than Kassian…

From Lowetide.ca

WHAT TO DO?

Last year, day one free agency was nuts, as always. Even in the pandemic, the richest deals could choke a horse. Here are the top-10 deals from day one:

St. Louis Blues signed D Torey Krug to a seven-year, $45-million deal ($6.75-million AAV)
Calgary Flames signed G Jacob Markstrom to a six-year, $36-million deal ($6-million AAV)
Toronto Maple Leafs signed D T.J. Brodie to a four-year, $20-million deal ($5-million AAV)
Calgary Flames signed D Chris Tanev to a four-year, $18.5-million deal ($4.5 million AAV)
Vancouver Canucks signed G Braden Holtby to a two-year, $8.6-million deal ($4.3-million AAV)
Washington Capitals signed D Justin Schultz to a two-year, $8-million deal ($4-million AAV)
Anaheim Ducks signed D Kevin Shattenkirk to a three-year, $11.7-million deal ($3.9-million AAV)
New Jersey Devils signed G Corey Crawford to a two-year, $7.8-million deal ($3.9-million AAV)
Minnesota Wild signed G Cam Talbot to a three-year, $11-million deal ($3.67-million AAV)
Dallas Stars signed G Anton Khudobin to a three-year, $10.5-million deal ($3.5-million AAV)

How many of those look worthwhile a year later? Players who were a little or a lot disappointing included Markstrom, Holtby, Shattenkirk and Crawford. What about the days that followed? Well, the big name was signed after day one, but after that teams didn’t spent much more than $3.5 million at the high end. Better value was available after the fever broke:

Buffalo Sabres sign LW Taylor Hall to a one-year, $8-million deal ($8 million AAV)
Montreal Canadiens sign W Tyler Toffoli to a four-year, $17-million deal ($4.25 million AAV)
Edmonton Oilers sign D Tyson Barrie to a one-year, $3.75-million deal ($3.75 million AAV)
Detroit Red Wings sign G Thomas Greiss to a two-year, $7.2-million deal ($3.6 million AAV)
Boston Bruins sign F Craig Smith to a three-year, $9.3-million deal ($3.1 million AAV)

If Holland can avoid spending $7.5 million on Gabriel Landeskog, or going $6 million times six on Zach Hyman, things should begin to ease once Brandon Saad and Tomas Tatar are the top options. There are a pile of goalies, so Holland might grab a partner for Mike Smith in the $3 million range.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m with LT here, but I reckon Holland will indeed make a splash on day one.

Now, with that in mind, my memory is hazy but haven’t the Oilers swung and missed on at least one big name FA target each year that Holland has been in charge? I could see that happening again with Hyman.

What I’m hoping is that the splash is on Adam Larsson though and to be honest, I don’t mind the idea of Barrie coming back either. That would mean Ethan Bear or Evan Bouchard would be moved to the left side or right out of town though…

Day two shopping is where some good deals could be had but considering the amount of players that are on the trade block this year, it might make sense to wait even longer to see who gets smoked out.

From NHLRumors.com

Pierre LeBrun: Have been told that the Seattle Kraken are taking a deep internal look at Carey Price. He’s got a big contract and it’s not an easy decision.

In the end doesn’t think that the Kraken will select him but there may be a better chance than first thought.

Frank Seravalli of Daily FaceOff: Medical records of those who are left unprotected are available to all teams. Sources say that there may be some health concerns for Price. He’s had an MRI and there is a hip injury that may require surgery. Price will see an expert later this week and more may not be known until Friday. The draft is Wednesday.

Steve Simmonds: Two NHL GMS said that Kraken won’t be selecting Price.

Matthew Sekeres: With the Arizona Coyotes trading goaltender Adin Hill to the San Jose Sharks it took away a likely option for the Seattle Kraken.

That may lead the Kraken to take a closer look at Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby. There is a report that the Kraken will take Florida Panthers goalie Chris Driedger.

Bill Meltzer: Chuck Fletcher (Flyers GM) said that they will continue to look for help that would help lower their goals against.

Bill Meltzer: Would think that they are looking at players like Montreal Canadiens pending UFA Phillip Danault or Toronto Maple Leafs Alex Kerfoot.

BLH’s Thoughts: Today it’s being reported that Ron Francis has the green light to take Carey Price if he wants and I’m all for it. As much as it could be a massive pain in the ass for the Oilers, I want to see an absolutely stacked Kraken team with a bloated salary cap hit the ice in 2021-22.

Give me Hall, Tarasenko, Price, Driedger, Giordano, Eberle, Zucker,Landeskog, etc. and release the Kraken, baby!

I’m jacked to see this new team and can’t wait to see them face the Oilers!

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