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The Jeff Marek Show
Are the Canucks Really Different than Last Year
- Jeff Marek – “Everyone is going to be chasing a second-pairing D and it’s going to cost them a first-round pick.”
- Greg Wyshynski – “The draft pick part of this is very interesting though. If you’re on the bubble and you are pushing in your chips to get your David Savard, Ben Chiarot-type guy and he costs you a one (first-round pick), like are you going to be allowed to trade that one? Don’t you have to be firmly ensconced in a playoff spot, considering this draft in order to give up this first-round pick?”
- Jeff Marek – “So if a first-round pick means a couple extra dates at home, I don’t know if it might be the GMs decision but team president and right to the top team owner. I’m pretty sure they are pretty cool with it.”
BLH’s Thoughts: Look, as it stands, the Oilers are already dipping their toes into the market for defensemen. Rumors have them connected to John Klingberg (ANA) and Jakob Chychrun (ARI), right? So it only makes sense that they’ll be doing their due diligence on others as well.
Now, if a top pairing defenseman like Klingberg is available, it only stands to reason that he’s going to cost AT LEAST a 1st rounder if not another PLUS prospects or a young established forward like Kailer Yamamoto or Jesse Puljujarvi.
Chychrun, I’d argue is a solid 2nd pairing dman and the Coyotes are asking for TWO 1st rounders or the equivalent to that in terms of players/prospects added.
My position on this is that if the Oilers can get a really solid 2nd pairing left-shot defender and all it costs them is a first round draft pick, do it because the personnel they have right now filling in at that spot on the roster is having a really difficult start to the year and Philip Broberg isn’t the answer this year or next.
Of course, that player wouldn’t just cost a first round pick, correct? Edmonton has themselves in a bit of a pickle with regards to their salary cap situation. So somebody would have to be included and seeing as the right side of the roster has yet to score a goal, there might be a few candidates available to make a trade with.
The other thing to consider and it’ll be something that gets beat to death until the deadline or until it’s been traded is that Edmonton’s first rounder will most likely be in the latter half of the available selections and that should be how they’ll be for the foreseeable future.
So my question to you is, would you part with a first rounder for the following players?
- Dmitry Orlov (WAS)
- Ryan Graves (NJ)
- Vladislav Gavrikov (CBJ)
- Joel Edmundson (MTL)
- Radim Simek (SJ)
You might be able to come up with some better left shot options, but I like these players because they’re older and they’re more stay at home. They’re a better fit to partner up somebody like Tyson Barrie or Evan Bouchard and they play on clubs that aren’t shoe-ins for the post-season. Also, for what it’s worth, I’m not 100% sure if they’re all healthy at the moment or not. So don’t hold it against me if one of these guys is hanging out on LTIR right now.
I think it’s really easy to go through a though exercise like this when the team isn’t winning. However, I stand my by declaration that the defense that is currently being deployed by Dave Manson and Jay Woodcroft is not up to snuff. It is not a championship caliber group and requires a significant upgrade on the 2nd pairing.
Brett Kulak is a very good 3rd pairing option but not any higher.
Ryan Murray has shown to be nothing more than a no.7 defender so far and at what point do we start to make the Jason Garrison comparisons?
Markus Niemelainen is also are 6/7 defender right now but I would argue he’s the guy that needs to get getting the reps. So if that means Kulak plays up a slot, fine. Get the Finnish Ray Donovan out there and if that plan fails, then it’s what it is. Make the trade, get the proven defender and let’s roll!
Game Six: Pens vs. Oilers
Three Players to Keep an Eye on For Pittsburgh
- #71 Evgeni Malkin – I’ve always said this, but he’s the main attraction for the Penguins. He’s so much more fun to watch that Crosby.
- #43 Danton Heinen – Has been playing so well that he’s graduated to the top line to play alongside Sid and Rickard Rakell.
- #26 Jeff Petry – Former Oiler tends to have himself some decent games when he comes back to town.
Three Players to Keep an Eye on For Edmonton
- #71 Ryan McLeod – He’s been skating very well as of recent and alongside Puljujarvi and Foegele, that 3rd line has been very effective.
- #2 Evan Bouchard – 1 assist so far. I’m looking for him to break out of this dry spell tonight. He’s way too good of a passer to be putting up such pedestrian numbers.
- #56 Kailer Yamamoto – The media in town are starting to see a little bit of blood in the water with regards to this player’s lack of offense to start the year. It’s not only that, mind you. He’s not really been as effective in the muck. We’re used to him going into the scrums and walking away with the puck, but he’s getting muted nearly every time he gets the puck…
The Pittsburgh Penguins are 3rd in the NHL in even strength scoring with 20 goals at 5v5. The Edmonton Oilers are currently in 31st in the NHL with 8.
Both teams have given up a Special Teams goal against in all 10 games they've played.#LetsGoOilers @HeavyHockeyNet
— Dash (@dashinthepark) October 24, 2022
BLH’s Thoughts: Pens are flying right now and the Oilers are not. The Crosby vs. McDavid battle is firmly ensconced on Sid’s corner with a 3-9 record if I recall correctly. So it’ll be up to Connor’s teammates to really pull a rabbit out of their hats tonight. I mean, they did it against a very deep Carolina team, so why would it be so hard to believe that a win vs. a streaking Pittsburgh club is out of the question?
However, if you really want a reality check, click this link.
My advice, SCORE FIRST!
Trade Rumors
Spector’s Hockey
- SPORTSNET: Jeff Marek reports the Arizona Coyotes management wants to trade Jakob Chychrun, who has asked to be moved to a contender.
- “It’s essentially the equivalent of two first-round picks, plus. So, that would be a combination of prospects, picks and players as well,”
- SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Carolina Hurricanes are expected to reach a decision soon regarding Ethan Bear. The 23-year-old defenseman has not yet suited up this season.
- Friedman believes the situation will be resolved soon. He believes a team will make an offer that the Hurricanes will find agreeable, or he gets into the lineup or ends up on waivers.
- TORONTO SUN: Michael Traikos suggests the Maple Leafs should trade promising Nick Robertson to the Arizona Coyotes for Jakob Chychrun.
- SEKERES AND PRICE: TSN analyst Darren Dreger was asked which defensemen the Vancouver Canucks might target in the trade market.
- Short-term options could include Danny DeKeyser, Thomas Hickey or Jason Demers.
- In the long-term, perhaps Chychrun becomes more affordable at the trade deadline.
- The Anaheim Ducks’ John Klingberg could be another deadline option as well as the Ducks’ Kevin Shattenkirk or Dmitry Kulikov, the Coyotes’ Shayne Gostisbehere and Troy Stecher, the Seattle Kraken’s Carson Soucy, and the New Jersey Devils’ Damon Severson.
BLH’s Thoughts: Do you think there’s a chance that Ken Holland would part with BOTH Kailer Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi if it meant he could get a more proven right winger as well as an upgrade to his defense? Is that something you’d entertain?
