Edmonton Oilers Talk: Is This Guy Legit?

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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Off the Top of My Head

On Hyman

“I don’t think you can measure his contribution just in terms of goals and assists,” Johnston told Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer on Friday. “He has increased his scoring rates every season that he’s been in the NHL, so there’s no problem there, but he’s a culture driver. He’s a very hard worker. He lives his life the right way and he’s a great teammate.”-Chris Johnston, Toronto Star
“… I know one thing about Smitty, if somebody is pissing him off in front of the net, then that’s the guy I want. To me, that was the best free agent signing for quite a while on this team.” – Ron Low, Former Edmonton Oilers goalie and head coach

On Yamamoto

Won’t be surprised to hear something is finalized – two years with a $1.5M to $1.75M AAV – this coming week.

On Edmonton’s Team Toughness

“I think it’s still around,” said Low who believes Hyman and Warren Foegele will add grit up front. “I don’t think you have to fight every night, but you definitely have to show up. I don’t know if you have to fight has much as you have to have the people who are willing to fight.” – Ron Low

On Rookie Camp

…the guy I’m keeping an eye on is goaltender Ilya Konovalov. At just five-foot-11, Konovalov is absolutely tiny by today’s standards in the drop-and-block era. Now 23 with four seasons with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv of the KHL under his belt, it’s about time we get a first-hand look to see if he’s a legit candidate to patrol the blue paint when Smith and Mikko Koskinen are done.

BLH’s Thoughts: If Yamamoto signs a two-year deal and Jesse Puljujarvi has himself another good year for the Oilers, there are going to be some interesting times ahead as Pulju’s current deal expires next summer. Lowetide reckons Xavier Bourgault could come in at compete for a spot in 2022 and if he shows well, Ken Holland might be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I’m excited for this little Russian netminder. He and Nashville’s netminder, Saros, are just little guys by today’s standard, but you know who else wasn’t that big, Curtis Joseph and Bill Ranford. Both were 5’11” according to Elite Prospects’ site, but they made up for their lack of size with their athleticism and electrifying game-saving stops. Can Konovalov be the next great Edmonton Oilers netminder and follow in the footsteps of those two legends?

I’m not too worried about Edmonton’s team toughness. In fact, I’d say that Ken Holland might’ve addressed it to some extent over the summer with the style of players he brought to the Oilers. Dave Tippett’s squad will be that much better in the muck this season and in front of the net; if you ask me, those are the places where the toughest players in the league make their living…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah7mkTyAAgs

Edmonton Sun

Holloway’s broken thumb may not be healed fully

The first-round 2020 draft pick didn’t play in Bakersfield after his college season ended because he wasn’t ready for games. But the Oilers thought his hand would be fine after a summer of rest. But it might still be a concern.
It’s been five months since the forward had surgery after he was injured in a game against Penn State.
Defenceman Dmitry Samorukov, who had surgery on his shoulder in February while playing in the Kontinental Hockey League for CSKA, may not be completely healed either. His rookie camp on-ice status is up in the air. The left shot defensive blue liner is ticketed for Bakersfield.
Cooper Marody has to clear waivers if he doesn’t make the Oilers this season after signing his $750,000/$150,000 two-way deal Saturday. Interesting to see if he plays right-wing or centre in camp.
Ethan Bear, who was traded for Foegele, could be in the Carolina third pair with Ian Cole as his defence partner.
“Eighty-five per cent of our prospects will be in Bakersfield this season, with a few exceptions like (Carter) Savoie (Denver University), (Xavier) Bourgault (Shawinigan, first-round pick),” said Holland.
The Oilers rookies will play the Flames rookies at Rogers and in Calgary on Sept. 20.

BLH’s Thoughts: Broken thumb, broken wrist, broken scaphoid, who cares at this point? The important part is that it’s not fully healed twenty weeks after surgery was performed to fix it and another bit of surgery could be on the table… This isn’t normal. Somebody has messed up or this is a very special case.

Spector’s Hockey

THE ATHLETIC: Joe Yerdon examined what the Buffalo Sabres might do if Jack Eichel isn’t traded before the start of the season.

Yerdon speculates the Sabres could put Eichel on IR and send him home to await a trade.

STLTODAY.COM: Jim Thomas was recently asked by a reader if Vladimir Tarasenko could return with the Blues rather than be traded before the start of this season.

Thomas was asked about the rumors linking Tarasenko to the New York Islanders but doesn’t think a trade is possible. The Islanders are over the salary cap now and would have to clear some salary even if the Blues retained part of Tarasenko’s annual average value.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson believes the bridge-deal negotiations between the Oilers and RFA winger Kailer Yamamoto have as much to do with the club’s limited cap space as the uncertainty over where Yamamoto fits within the roster. “Is the restricted free agent a top-six winger or a third liner?”, asked Matheson.