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The Athletic
What I’m hearing about Oilers’ offseason plans
- “Given Edmonton’s cap situation, Bouchard signing for anything more than two years appears unlikely… If and when the bill comes due for Bouchard, the impact won’t be quite as negative (as Nurse’s).”
- “The player the Oilers are leaning toward moving is Yamamoto… The hope is that another team is willing to take a flier on Yamamoto, who’s still just 24 and was a first-round pick in 2017, without the Oilers having to retain salary or offer a sweetener.”
- “If Yamamoto leaves, does that mean Ceci stays? The short answer is not absolutely, but likely yes.”
- “The Oilers fear the cost to upgrade on Ceci at top-four right defence is too prohibitive at this point… keeping Ceci and re-evaluating the situation before the trade deadline is a realistic option.”
- “…the Oilers plan to check in on (Erik) Karlsson again.”
- “Soon-to-be former Chicago captain Jonathan Toews was a target for the Oilers early this year. He will be again — only with limitations.”
- “There will be no Zach Hyman-type offer issued to anyone on Canada Day.”
- “…the Oilers will be carefully watching the list of RFAs to see who isn’t qualified by June 30. They’re hoping they can get an undervalued or underperforming young player or two on the cheap that way.”
- “The Oilers are willing to re-sign all their three pending UFAs — Nick Bjugstad, Mattias Janmark and Derek Ryan.”
- “…the Oilers are leaning toward qualifying Kostin if they haven’t signed him by the end of the month.”
- “Jack Campbell isn’t going anywhere.”
BLH’s Thoughts: Like I’ve been saying, I think it’s going to be a quiet summer in Edmonton with intentions on making a massive splash at the deadline.
Yamamoto is probably the only “notable” subtraction that gets made. My feeling is that it’ll be easier to deal Ceci around the deadline.
Toews/Karlsson… There are other teams in better situations to add those two.
As far as Bjugstad and Janmark go, the big American pivot, unless he’s willing to sign on the cheap, he’s as good as gone. The Oilers have the likes of RNH, McLeod, and it sounds like they’re going to give the Philp boy a test drive to see if he can handle NHL competition. I think they’re also going to look for another right-shot center (Drew O’Connor?) that’ll sign a lucrative two-way deal in the even Philp doesn’t cut it.
With Janmark, right after the season ended I heard one of the MSM journos who cover the club say Janmark was quite unhappy with his utilization this year. Daniel Nugent-Bowman is hearing the opposite. So, who knows there.
Holland has a good history with the Ruskies and if Kostin loved playing in Edmonton so much, it shouldn’t take long for an agreement to be made. However, this is exactly the kind of contract that’ll tell us if Ken Holland learned anything from the Kassian deal.
Of course Jack Campbell isn’t going anywhere… This summer.
Lowetide
OILERS ACQUIRE AND SIGN JAYDEN GRUBBE
- “He’s a big center, two-way type, works hard and is aggressive on the forecheck. Lots of talk about being a leader.”
- “His offensive output is pedestrian. Over half of his points last season came on the power play, it’s unlikely we’ll see him get five-on-four time in the AHL, let alone the NHL.”
- “I’d say the Oilers acquired a player who has a chance to be a solid AHL center, with some NHL time possible.”
- “Craig MacTavish once said (about Teemu Hartikainen) that to make the NHL, even in a depth role, you need to provide some offense.”
BLH’s Thoughts: I think they blew a 5th rounder on somebody that doesn’t project to be anything more than a 2nd-line AHLer (if that). He doesn’t score, his shot is questionable at the junior level, his separation speed isn’t there, and the year his stats blew up, half were on the PP.
There was no need to waste that draft capital on that type of a player they could easily sign in the summer. I thought Holland had no interest in dealing in “green bananas”…
If leadership and character was so dear to the club, why bring in a 20yr old for that? It takes years to accrue that kind of respect from teammates and coaches. Plus is Colin Chaulk going to play the kid? He had Lavoie, Tulio, Savoie, Philp, and Bourgault sitting in the press box at different times last year…
Just, for me, Grubbe’s on a 3yr ELC, do the Oilers really believe he’s going to be an NHL-ready player between now and his 22nd birthday?
That said, is Ken Holland interested in some other clients that belong to Grubbe’s agent, Kevin Epp? Andreas Johnsson, Travis Hamonic, Ryan Reaves, Darren Helm are all UFAs this summer and I don’t think it would be hard to create an individual argument for each of these guys as to why they might benefit the Oilers.
Food for thought.
Trade Rumors
Spector’s Hockey
- Luke DeCock reports Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell intends to go the trade route this summer rather than through free agency to bolster his roster for next season.
- “I think the trade route is something we’re going to explore very heavily before free agency,” said Waddell during his end-of-season media availability yesterday. He indicated he’d like to boost the Hurricanes’ scoring but would also like to add some size to his roster.”
- If the Avs look to free agency, Proteau suggested bringing back Ryan O’Reilly to provide the grit and experience they need for a deep playoff run.
- Proteau also suggested the New Jersey Devils’ Timo Meier or the Vancouver Canucks Brock Boeser. Meier is a restricted free agent who might become available via an offer sheet…
- Scott Powers recently listed several trade targets for the Chicago Blackhawks if they wish to weaponize their cap space for 2023-24.
- Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland, defenseman Tyler Myers and winger Brock Boeser topped Powers’ list. Other options include Washington Capitals winger Anthony Mantha and New York Islanders winger Josh Bailey.
BLH’s Thoughts: I’m thinking that Carolina and Winnipeg will be talking. The Jets have some big physical forwards that the Hurricanes could use. Do you think they’d take a swing on Anthony Mantha and/or Evgeny Kuznetsov?
Jesus, the Avs are going to have around $20M to spend this summer? The sky’s the limits for them, I say.
If Chicago is smart they’ll do the opposite of what Edmonton did and they’ll insulate the Bedard boy with high-end vets immediately. It’s too bad Toews has to move on because he’d be a great mentor. Van Riemsdyk, Killorn, O’Reilly, Nick Foligno, Zucker, Lucic… All good older players who the Blackhawks could pay handsomely to help bring the next great NHL star along.
Do it the way Pittsburgh did when Crosby arrived and Mark Recchi, John Leclair, Ziggy Palffy, and a 39 year old Mario Lemieux were there. In 87’s 2nd year the Pens added a 40yr old Gary Roberts and in Sid’s 3rd year they brought in Petr Sykora.
