Edmonton Oilers Trade Talk: Karlsson, Barrie, McLeod v. McLeod, and More!!!

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GM11: Devils vs. Oilers

Who to Watch for New Jersey

#63 Jesper Bratt – This guy is en fuego! Four goals and four assists in his last half dozen minus one and only on 14 shots no less.
#41 Vitek Vanecek – The big Czech netminder is playing very well at the moment sporting a 3-1-0 record on the year. His SV% is probably something that could improve (.903) but his GAA is just an ass hair over two. With a good performance tonight, he could steal one for the Devils. IF he’s starting that is.
#86 Jack Hughes – Obviously Hughes is the main star of the show with this club but I hear time and time again from Bob Stauffer (Oilers PxP colorman) that Jack’s not as good as he’s hyped up to be. The former no.1 overall pick has three points in four games against the Oilers and is getting better and better every year. In his last give matches, he’s tallied seven points and I wonder if tonight might be the night Jackie Boy crams it down Stauffer’s cramhole.

Who to Watch for Edmonton

#13 Jesse Puljujarvi – The Bison King’s chances are coming and that’s key. If he was just going out for a skate each night, there’d be cause for concern, but he’s getting into the right positions consistently and on top of that he’s become a hitting machine. Guess we can thank Evander Kane for harping on him for that. I also want to point out that he’s got a PDO of .911 right now and that tells me that he’s just a tad unlucky so far. Maybe when Coach Woodcroft realizes he’s better suited for the top-six than Yamamoto, some of his more traditional stats will improve.
#2 Evan Bouchard – Tonight will be a big test for Uncle Evan. The Devils have a plethora of different styled attackers and they shoot and shoot and shoot. It will be of the utmost importance that Bouchard’s passing is on point as well as his shot blocking ability.
#91 Evander Kane – He’s said to be a streaky scorer and he netted himself quite the hatty last game out. If it’s true that he scores in bunches, it would make sense to bet on his name hitting the scoresheet tonight.

BLH’s Thoughts: This game has the potential to be a helluva barn burner. The Devils have only shot fewer than 36 times ONCE so far this year and that was against the Colorado Avalanche and they won that game 1-0. New Jersey plays an insanely aggressive style and it’s working for them so far.

Now, I don’t know if it will work for them against Edmonton, mind you. The Oilers have a very potent counter attack with McDavid and Leon leading the way, but I think tonight’s game is going to be a throwback to the 80s. I mean, look at NJ’s bottom six,

Sharangovich (3g/3a) – Mercer (4g/2a) – Boqvist (1a)

Wood (2g/2a) – McLeod (1g/3a) – Bastian (1g/2a)

(In brackets are their stats in their last five games)

Good Christ, if the Oilers bottom six were scoring like that the local media would be creaming their pants with the dynasty days comparisons. Instead, Edmonton’s top-six is breaking the bank as usual.

I want to say that Edmonton can win this because their defensive game is better but NJ has held their opponent’s shots to no more than 25 this season… That said, during the Oilers recent 5-game winning streak they’ve won four of those games whilst giving up 35 or more shots. So… We’ll have to see on this one because the Devils are on their own 4-game heater.

As I write this the starting netminder hasn’t been named but I’m hoping it’s Stu Skinner because he’s played way better as of late. I’d rather give the Dallas game to Campbell to be honest. I feel like him being a former Star might give him some added motivation.

Lowetide

The NJD have a higher goal share than Edmonton at five-on-five, and score a higher number of goals-per-60 at five-on-five than the hometown Oilers. New Jersey has 10 skaters posting more than 1.50 pts-60 at five-on-five, some rugged types and some finesse types, and they’re in a groove, too. NJD goaltending is a half bubble off plumb, that may be the difference should the home team win tonight.

BLH’s Thoughts: As one of LT’s commenters noted, “Take the over!” and I agree.

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey

TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran observes the San Jose Sharks are “already in selling mode”. He points out Erik Karlsson is looking like his old self as an elite puck-moving defenseman and “looks as if he’s auditioning for a trade.”
THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle suggests the Leafs could need a trade to snap out of their current tailspin… Mirtle suggested Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun or Anaheim’s John Klingberg as possible options. Others included Columbus’ Vladislav Gavrikov, New Jersey’s Damon Severson or Arizona’s Shayne Gostisbehere.
THE ATHLETIC: Arpon Basu reports the Montreal Canadiens will face a delicate balancing act of managing their surplus of forwards this season. They’re currently carrying 15 forwards but will have to move one of them once defenseman Joel Edmundson returns from injury.

BLH’s Thoughts: Edmonton’s been watching the Habs lately and I remember Bob Stauffer bringing up Jake Evans’ name over the summer in reply to somebody asking him about Tyson Barrie getting traded. Add that to how Stauffer was talking about the Oilers making a couple of “subtle” additions this year, a forward in the $2M-range (as Evans is) and a defenseman making around $3M (this is Carson Soucy out of Seattle), and you can see how Edmonton and Montreal might be able to help each other out.

Another thing, Ken Holland is well known for going after big name vets. Do you think that Erik Karlsson would fall under that category? Expensive add if he could in terms of money and assets, but at the same time… This is Erik Karlsson we’re talking about. Could you imagine a 3v3 OT featuring McDavid, Draisaitl, and him?