It’s time to get into the #AskBLH mailbag one more time! This is where you ask me any question you’d like and I give you my honest answer. Topics might simply be centered on the Edmonton Oilers, but I encourage folks to step outside that box and ask me whatever is on their minds.
Now, I hope to get around to everybody who sends me their question, but sometimes it doesn’t work out. In that case, I will do my best to get back to you on the ol’ Twitter machine.
THE MAILBAG!
@dashate24 asks: Why do we want to trade Lucic for a more useless player?
Good question my friend! I think it’s just a matter of giving guys a fresh start in other markets. What I’m wondering is why the Oilers are the ones having to sweeten the deal if the Canucks are the ones who really want Lucic?
@AhmedMayta asks: Realistic free agents Oilers should target?
You know what Ahmed? I think it’s going to be really hard to gauge this until we know what the roster is going to look like the night before Canada Day. I would say they should go after players like Dan Carr, Brandon Pirri, Joonas Donskoi, and Brian Elliott, but if they find a way to clear up some cap space by trading some of their bigger tickets, that changes things. You might see them go after players like Gus Nyquist, Marcus Johansson, or Anton Stralman then.
@adnacOilGhost asks: You replace Bob Nicholson as CEO, what’s the very first thing you do?
Oh! I like this question. I’d make it as affordable as possible to go to regular season games for everyone. Bringing down the prices on healthier food options would be a must for me. I’d do what it takes to make the in-game presentation one that rivals that of Vegas’ or Nashville’s. The fan experience is really important to me, so I’d try to maximize that potential the most.
I enjoy anarchy a bit, so I’d also give media passes to the Oilers bloggers out there who pass my rigorous interview process.
As for the team itself, I’d encourage my GM to expand the scouting team as much as possible. I feel like teams really skimp out here. I want scouts everywhere, including Asia. I’d be having hockey camps all over the world promoting the brand and keeping an eye out for talent.
@dashate24 asks: Is it possible that Poolparty (Puljujarvi) gets an offer sheet at $2M x 4 years, and if he does, do we take the 3rd rounder?
I’d match it. JP at $2M for four years would be an amazing contract.
@ArchivistSports asks: What do you think JP will do this June/July?
I think he’ll head home and resume his off-ice training and participate in his annual charity games. Whether he comes back in September or not, we’ll have to wait and see on that.
@Tusen_bitar asks: Why and when you have chosen Oilers?
I was born in 1980, so one might consider me to have been born into the Oilers. My father tells me stories of cheering for Edmonton when I was a very young lad during their Cup dynasty days but I don’t really remember much about that.
As I got older I gravitated towards the Red Wings because of Yzerman/Coffey/Federov and the Penguins for Lemieux/Jagr/Coffey in the early 90s. I liked Peter Forsberg and the Avs for a while and also the Maple Leafs when Curtis Joseph was playing net for them too.
But I always had the Oilers in my back pocket. It wasn’t really until they started to get really bad as to when I ramped up my interest in the team and I simply haven’t found a reason to not cheer for them since then.
@OilDoug asks: What happens with Lucic this offseason. Stay? Go? What comes back?
He gone. What comes back for him? Who knows? It sounds like a player who needs a change of scenery like Milan.
@LonnbergMari asks: If Leavins is right and part of the team just doesn’t want to play with him, what should a smart gm do? Resign or trade and in either case, just hope for the best?
I’m torn on this. Aren’t we sick of the locker room cliques on this team yet? If Holland believes there’s still something in Jesse, he could sit down those guilty of alienating Jesse and give them a stern grilling. Then at the same time, sit Pulju down and tell him it’s time to grow up and that we don’t always work/play with people we like.
But if things are simply too broken, he would find a way to move him and get a good like-aged player in return. My fear in this scenario is that Jesse hits his stride on another club and the Oilers get burned though.
When it’s all said and done though, the players have a job to do, so they should go and do it.
YESSA! https://t.co/TmPhFT9Qhx
— BLH (Edmonton Oilers Enthusiast} (@BeerLeagueHeroe) June 11, 2019
THE 2019 NHL ENTRY DRAFTS 1ST AND 2ND TEAM ALL-STARS by Keith Fries
With this article, I thought it’d be fun to try and construct all-first and all-second teams for this year’s draft-eligible prospects.
Keep in mind that I went with the player’s primary position.
All-First Team
LW – Matthew Boldy / C – Jack Hughes / RW – Kaapo Kakko
LD – Bowen Byram / RD – Moritz Seider
LG – Spencer Knight
A forward line made up of Boldy, Hughes, and Kakko would likely be nicknamed, “Goals and Grit.”
While Hughes maybe is more on the “goals” side than the grit one, there’s no doubt that he’s flanked by some rough riders with skill. We know of Kakko’s explosive offensive abilities, but Boldy also shows a propensity to score. All three are great puck movers. Speaking of which, there’s Byram whose bread and butter is getting the puck out of his own zone. Playing alongside the physically imposing Seider would make those breakout rushes much easier for Byram. Once the puck enters the offensive zone, both defensemen have the ability to jump into the play as a fourth-forward. In their own zone, Seider is the more reliable defender of the two and is helped in net by arguably one of the best goaltending prospects of all-time. Knight, who some would say has franchise potential, doesn’t need much help in front of him to be the brick wall that he is.
This starting line-up certainly helps, though, but even if playing with an All-Worst Team, Knight would find ways to make his squad seem competitive.
All-Second Team
LW – Peyton Krebs / C – Alex Turcotte / RW – Cole Caufield
LD – Philip Broberg / RD – Victor Soderstrom
LG – Dustin Wolf
Krebs, Turcotte, and Caufield would not only be a hell of a trio, but could legitimately be one of the best power play units, in history.
Krebs’ distribution game is off the charts, and with his smart reads and calculated timing, could dish out some beautiful primary assists to either Caufield or Turcotte. We know Caufield is arguably the best sniper in his entire draft class, but Turcotte’s shooting stroke is just as pretty and just as effective. While he may be more of a playmaker, like Krebs, Turcotte has the kind of slick mitts that you want in a centerman to either set up his linemates or finish with a remarkable shot. On the back end, they’re flanked by two highly-skilled Swedish-born defensemen, Soderstrom and Broberg. While Soderstrom handles more of the defensive duties – sound play in his own end, moving the puck along the boards, or manning the point, Broberg is able to jump into the rush with his lightning quick speed and heads up play. The two would make a formidable pairing, with a complimentary skill set. An argument could be made about who slots in at goaltender, here – possibly Ilya Konovalov or Mads Sogaard – but there’s no argument in my mind. Wolf has been lights out since debuting in the WHL in 2017 and has received nothing but criticism along the way – all because of his undersized frame. His IQ, compete level, and maturity are all well beyond his years.
