Edmonton Oilers Talk: “Wouldn’t be surprised if Oilers see Yamamoto as a third-line RW” Says Oilers Beat Writer

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!

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Edmonton Sun (Jim Matheson)

OILERS NOTES: Koskinen for Korpisalo is just shuffling deck chairs

His penchant for giving up early goals in games and being shaky after that for several minutes rather than shaking it off like Mike Smith is a concern. He also had a horrifying night late in the season where he gave up four goals on four shots to Vancouver.
He can’t play more than four or five games in a row and have his level stay high. He doesn’t have a starter’s mentality, like many NHL goalies.
They do need to get younger because there’s a gulf between the 39-year-old Smith and the 22-year-old farm team prospect Stuart Skinner.
While his name has been out there in trade rumours for weeks, the latest—to Columbus for their 1B Joonas Korpisalo, with the Oilers also offering up either a good draft pick or high-end prospect like Dmitry Samorukov to move on from Koskinen?
Korpisalo, while younger (27) and cheaper ($2.8 million) is probably what his stats say he is: 160 games, .905 save percentage over six NHL seasons. He’s a good goalie but he has never played more than 38 games in a season as a pro
He has not proven that he has a 50-55 game starter mentality. Koskinen has a better save percentage (.908 to .901) over the past three seasons. Last season, Koskinen’s .899 save percentage, while far from good, was better than Frederik Andersen, Jonathan Quick and Matt Murray, and better than Korpisalo
Columbus might be reading the tea leaves, feeling the Oilers will do anything to move Koskinen, including throwing in a nice sweetener, but that likely isn’t the case. They would have done it for Darcy Kuemper, but not Korpisalo.
Underlying worry: Koskinen has heard his name in trade rumours so often, he comes to camp in a battered mental state. He doesn’t have Smith’s “I’ll show you” fire.
The Oilers were serious about Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf but Anaheim’s $4.5 million contract pitch ended that.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Oilers see Yamamoto as a third-line RW possibility because of his dogged checking. And, yes, Zack Kassian could move up to a second-line spot.
- “He’s more alert when he plays on the top two lines,” said a pro scout.

BLH’s Thoughts: Look, if the Red Wings can get their hands on a young starting goalie for a 3rd rounder, in no reality should Joonas Korpisalo get anything more than that unless Columbus is being asked to take on Mikko Koskinen’s full ticket.

Man, the Oilers fanbase can be a fragile bunch. The vitriol that was spewed when pundits like Matheson and Stauffer tweeted out that Kassian could start next year in the top-six was embarrassing. You had folks comparing that move to Milan Lucic getting played in up the lineup… What?! Of course, those are the same people that said Ethan Bear is better than Jeff Petry and Caleb Jones is better than Duncan Keith…

The fact of the matter is, Kassian plays a more engaged game when he’s on one of McDavid’s or Draisaitl’s wing and that is exactly what we want from him. To add to that, Yamamoto was fantastic on the third line in the playoffs with Ennis and Haas, how much better could he be with McLeod and Foegele?

Folks need to step back from the ledge and give these boys a chance…

Cult of Hockey (David Staples)

Edmonton Oilers sign grinding winger Warren Foegele to three-year deal

The Edmonton Oilers have signed new winger Warren Foegele, 25, to a three year deal at $2.75 million per year.
In the last few years Foegele has scored like a second-like forward in the NHL, 1.83 points per 60, good for 160th out of 451 regular NHL forwards.

BLH’s Thoughts: Hmmm. If Foegele’s AAV is $2.75M/yr, I wonder what Jesse Puljujarvi’s next deal will look like. Surely it’ll will be higher, maybe something around $3M-$3.5M/yr like Tomas Hertl made on his second deal with San Jose right after he’d put up 46pts.

The Daily Goal Horn

NHL Rumors: Henrik Lundqvist wants to play

Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev is rumored to be on the trade block. If they trade him, there’s a growing belief the Rangers could bring back The King for one more season and give him the proper send off he deserves.

What are the Islanders doing?

General manager Lou Lamoriello must take joy in telling no one what’s going on. He also seems to be able to keep anything from leaking. Arthur Staple who covers the team for The Athletic suggests that Zach Parise and Kyle Palmieri are signed. He thinks Casey Cizikas and Travis Zajac are too.
Why is it so important for Lou to keep this under wraps? Does he feel it would hurt him in negotiations with other players? Or in any trade with another team if they know the exact cap situation?
The Islanders are connected to disgruntled forward Vladimir Tarasenko. So maybe there is something to that.