This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!
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Sportsnet
Keith ready to put vaccine narrative behind him, focus on improving Oilers
- Let’s be clear about this: Keith did not want to get this vaccine. That’s who he is, what he believes.
- At 38 years old, Keith is a reputed health freak. His body is a temple, so careful is Keith about what he eats and what medicine or vitamins he ingests.
- As such, in 16 NHL seasons spent mostly as a top pairing, 20-plus minute defenceman in Chicago, Keith has only missed more than five games in a season three times.
- …now that he is a fully vaccinated member of the Oilers may his play dictate the ongoing conversation around Duncan Keith…
- If Keith steps in and gives Holland a stable second pairing, consistently delivers pucks to Leon Draisaitl in stride and helps Darnell Nurse become the Alpha dog of this defensive corps that he is clearly scheduled to be, then it’s all money well spent.
- And if his on-ice play and off-ice experience help the Oilers crack the glass ceiling that has been the post-season, well, missing a week of training camp likely won’t matter much….Or the reason why he missed it.
BLH’s Thoughts: I talked about this this morning. Keith’s done what a good teammate, leader, and human does. He put the well-being of others ahead of his own wishes and beliefs and he deserves some respect for that. He could’ve put Ken Holland in one helluva pickle had he decided to go another route…
Oilersnation
About Jesse…
- I was listening to TSN 1260’s Dustin Nielson talking about Puljujarvi on his show, projecting how many points he might get this season. While Nielson wasn’t willing to go with 70 points, he said 60 seemed realistic. Jesse’s career high, 25, came in 55 games last season.
- Paul Almeida of @AzorcanGlobal posted a Twitter poll asking who’d compile the most points this season. He listed Puljujarvi, Matt Tkachuk of Calgary, who put up 77 points in 2018-19, Pierre-Luc Dubois of Winnipeg, who potted 64 with Columbus a few years ago, and Vancouver’s Brock Boeser, who had seasons of 55 and 56 points back-to-back.
- I’m not convinced Puljujarvi is ready to put up 60 points or outscore Tkachuk, even playing wing with McDavid and getting some more power play time, just yet, but the possibility he could push a 60-point pace isn’t the knee-slapper it would have been 24 months ago.
- Puljujarvi still needs to show better finish around the net, but he’s spending more time there and there’s no question he’s going to get his chances playing alongside McDavid.
“There’s definitely another gear he can get to,” McDavid said. “He’s such a big, powerful man, and as you play more games you start to figure the game out a little better, you start to understand where the danger spots are on the ice and how you can get lost. There’s definitely a thinking side to the game where Jesse can take another step. That will come with time.”
BLH’s Thoughts: To think that Jesse is a finished product right now is simply being naive, but I also think it’s equally overly-optimistic to think that he’s poised for a 60 or 70pt campaign. He might get there someday, however, I think this season 50pts is the high mark that we should expect.
Last season his PPG was .45, therefore my prediction is that he’ll finish the year between 40pts and 50pts IF he plays a full 82 games because I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that his PPG metrics go up to .55 considering his age and early viewings this preseason.
The Hockey Writers (Rumors)
It appears the Canucks are extremely close to finalizing deals for RFAs Pettersson and Hughes and while both contracts haven’t been officially announced, the terms of the deal are known… As per Satiar Shah of Sportsnet 650: “Hearing Hughes nearing a 6-year deal worth slightly above $7.75M per year with the Canucks.” Puck Pedia: “A reported 6 yr deal for Quinn Hughes would cover 1 UFA year (similar to Makar).”
According to Rob Simpson of Vancouver Hockey Now, the Canucks have been shopping defenseman Travis Hamonic ahead of today’s opt-out deadline. With chatter that he’s keener to play in a U.S. market out east and avoid all of the travel restrictions that come with being on a Canadian team this season, it’s still not clear if that is actually the case.
It was reported this week that the Canadiens offered Bergevin a contract extension, one he has yet to accept. As per Eric Engels of Sportsnet, Bergevin holds the leverage as he enters the final year of his contract and his intentions seem to be to use every bit of that leverage to get the deal he wants. Engels suggests that if his asking price isn’t met, he could be willing to walk.
As per Dan Rosen of NHL.com, Vladimir Tarasenko could remain with the St. Louis Blues for most, if not all of this season if they are a playoff contender. Should they not be in the hunt, expect the team to look at moving the forward ahead of the March 21st trade deadline.
The Maple Leafs and head coach Sheldon Keefe agreed on a two-year contract extension on Thursday. Most insiders are noting this is a contract he’s earned because he’s yet to coach a full 82-game season with this team… LeBrun writes: “They believe in him, but it’s a prove-me contract at two years, no five,” LeBrun said on Insider Trading.
