Edmonton Oilers Talk: Ken Holland Can Sign Anybody but Somebody Would Need to Go

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Cult of Hockey

Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche both acquired star power via the draft, but built supporting casts differently

Lots of star power on both teams, in keeping with the consistently high draft position both enjoyed throughout much of the 2010s.
- Both teams subsequently acquired a franchise player with a first overall selection, the Avs nabbing Nathan MacKinnon in 2013 and the Oilers Connor McDavid 2 years later.
- Each team currently includes 4 players selected in the top 4 of the draft, including superstars Leon Draisaitl drafted #3 by the Oilers in 2014 and Cale Makar at #4 by Colorado in 2017.
- Both teams added a core piece or two a little lower in the top 10, with Darnell Nurse joining Edmonton’s blueline at #7 in 2013 and Evan Bouchard doing the same at #10 in 2018, while high-scoring Mikko Rantanen was nabbed by the Avs at #10 in 2015.
The UFA route has been a major pipeline for the Oilers and the source of some 40% of their playoff roster. Among them, major contributors like Mike Smith, Tyson Barrie, Cody Ceci, Zach Hyman, and Evander Kane.
- The Avs found one significant player when they signed Valeri Nichushkin, a younger free agent who had not been qualified by the Stars in the summer of 2019.
- The other two are long-in-the-tooth vets playing depth roles, although it’s hard to overlook Darren Helm’s series-winning goal in the dying seconds of Game 6 vs. the St. Louis Blues.
Another crafty manoeuvre by Avs GM Joe Sakic was the acquisition of Nicolas Aube-Kubel via the waiver wire.
Nearly half of Colorado’s playoff roster (11 of 23) have come to the team through this time-honoured route.
- The list includes some key pieces including two-way star Nazem Kadri, first-pairing d-man Devon Toews, and oh yeah, starting goalie Darcy Kuemper.
- Ken Holland has done some serious business in this area as well, notably the acquisition of “greybeard” Duncan Keith in a controversial deal with Chicago last off-season.
- Holland did acquire a nice piece at the deadline in the form of defenceman Brett Kulak who has brought stability if not serenity to the previously problematic spot of 3LD.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m very excited to watch this series but I’m not confident it’s going to be a long one. I could see one team or the other taking this one in four or five and actually, I feel the same about the TB/NYR series but with that one I think the Rangers will get eliminated.

But just getting back to the EDM/COL series, Cale Makar had only three assists in the 2nd round after lighting NSH up for 10pts in the first round. Mikko Rantanen has to be dealing with an upper body issue because he’s only scored once in the playoffs so far and he’s averaging 2.4 shots a game with at a 4% success rate. However, Landeskog, MacKinnon, and Kadri are shooting very well with a much higher finishing rate. I mean, half of MacKinnon’s and Landeskog’s goals have come on the PP. So, the Oilers will have to be very cognizant of that trio when they have the puck in any scenario. That said, Valeri Nichushkin is an assassin that’s yet to heat up but it would be a massive mistake for Edmonton’s skaters to brush off the big Russian’s production rate to date (3g/7pts/10gp).

John Shannon said on Oilers Now yesterday that it’ll be the team that can stifle the speed of the other club that comes out of this one and to a degree I think that’s true, but, the Avs have face two really physical teams so far and you have to wonder how tender they’re feeling right now. Could they make it through another four, five, or six games against a team that is not only fast and skilled but also tough on the forecheck?

I think this one’s gonna come down to which goalie screws up the least or stays healthier the longest if you ask me, but isn’t that kind of how it goes in any series?

As for tonight, Edmonton’s lost both game 1s so far this year. Would it shock you if they dropped another one?

Oilersnation

How the Edmonton Oilers can beat the Colorado Avalanche

Darcy Kuemper was one of the best goalies in the league this year posting a 37-12-4 record, a .921 save percentage and a 2.54 GAA… Come playoffs, however, there’s been a shift in the force, if you will. Kuemper’s numbers have plummeted…
But how can the Oilers take advantage of Kuemper? Traffic to the net. It’s a recipe that has worked for them so far in the playoffs. In all situations, the Oilers have scored 30 of their 52 goals from high danger areas, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Among eight goaltenders who have played over seven games in the playoffs, Kuemper’s .811 high danger save percentage is the worst.
The Avalanche arent giving up lots of looks inside during these playoffs, but when they are, Kuemper is struggling to stop them.
I think going big-on-big in this series, much like against Calgary, is the play. McDavid against MacKinnon hasn’t been favourable in Edmonton’s favour. The shot attempts and expected goals at 5×5 have swayed fairly heavily in Colorado’s favour when McDavid and MacKinnon are on the ice together, but balances a bit adjusting for score and venue.
It seems straightforward, but I’d also just go L3 vs. L3 as much as possible. Burakovsky-Compher-Aube-Kubel has done well controlling the shot attempt share at 5×5, but have gotten caved in on expected goals. Foegele and McLeod have some chemistry, while Puljujarvi will be a key shaker there too.
Toews-Makar is as solid as they come as a pairing. They control and push the pace of play exceptionally well, but have been outscored 2-5 in terms of high-danger goals.
Jack Johnson-Manson have struggled in these playoffs. Barely breaking even in terms of shot attempt share, but have been crushed in expected goals.
Defensively, the Oilers are going to need to play a tight game and take away Colorado’s speed. They love to play a fast game, and I think that plays into Edmonton’s favour.

BLH’s Thoughts: The downfall of hard attacking fast teams is that they’re susceptible to counter attacks. So which of these two clubs are going to commit to keeping a man high so that they don’t get caught going the other way?

I do like the idea of getting in Kuemper’s grill though. He’s a fragile keeper…

That pairing of Johnson and Manson look quite similar to Gudbranson and Zadorov and Zach Hyman ate them up. Imagine what McDavid could do flying down the Jack Johnson’s wing?… Byram is going to be a fantastic dman someday IF he can stay healthy. If I were the Oilers I’d target him physically as well as Makar because as I’ve said in the past, I don’t think he’s healthy. You take away Colorado’s movement from the back end and that means their big boys have to come back in and break out of their own end by themselves or rely on Kris Russell specials off the glass and I don’t think that will dovetail well with the Avs style of play. I suppose MacKinnon could try to go end-to-end all game long if he wanted though…

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey

Asked during a recent press conference about re-signing Kane, Oilers general manager Ken Holland said he can sign anybody but someone else would have to go.
Michael Russo and Harman Dayal recently examined the trade market for Kevin Fiala… Looking at recent trades involving comparable players such as Florida’s Sam Reinhart, Russo and Dayal believe the Wild’s asking price would involve a first-round pick and a quality prospect… Clubs with potential interest could include the Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders.
Jonas Siegel and James Mirtle are uncertain over whether Jack Campbell and Jake Muzzin will return with the Toronto Maple Leafs next season.
- Campbell loves playing in Toronto but the thin market for goaltenders this summer could make it difficult for the cap-strapped Leafs to outbid other clubs…

NHLRumors.com

The Vancouver Canucks are one of many teams that could use a right-handed defenseman. Though he may not be on the trade market just yet, if the Pittsburgh Penguins decide to make John Marino available to help save some money, the Canucks should be interested.
- Brock Boeser and Conor Garland could be trade chips for the Canucks – if the Penguins are willing to take back salary.
“… I think there are a number of teams who are waiting for Barry Trotz to make his decision on what his future will be… I think Barry Trotz has let it be known to teams that he’s not in a hurray to make his choice… He’s spoken to Winnipeg. He’s spoken to Philly as Jeff reported. He’s spoken to Vegas. I believe he’s spoken to Detroit, and aslo believe he still going to speak to Dallas.” – Elliotte Friedman

BLH’s Thoughts: As it pertains to the Oilers re-signing Evander Kane, let’s say he wins big in the arbitration case and is willing to take a little less in exchange for term, Mikko Koskinen’s $4.5M is off the books this summer, throw that right at Kane with a sweetener on top and then shuffle some bodies around elsewhere.