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Cult of Hockey
9 Things
- The Patrick Kane rumblings are fun. From a contract perspective, it would be easier for the Oilers to accomplish than I had originally thought… But if I were to spend an asset(s) on another player, I think it would be another D-man.
- The Oilers have hired Keith McCambridge as the new Condors Assistant Coach… A tough-as-nails defender, McCambridge has a long resume coaching in the AHL.
- The Battle of Alberta will take on a new feel this season, with the departure of Johnny Gaudreau and Matt Tkachuk… If they can sign him longer term, Jonathan Huberdeau can come close to replacing Gaudreau’s offence.
- I get some of the concern over Warren Foegele’s salary vis-à-vis his usual place in the lineup… Would have he produced more than 12 goals had he spent more time with elite linemates just like Jesse Puljujarvi (who had 14 but in fewer games) did?… Foegele does not have Jesse’s skill level. But if the Finn cannot finish? I would not be too quick to recycle Foegele.
- The Oilers are planning to add one or two more NHL contracts to the roster before training camp, not including any possible PTO’s.
- UFA names that I have mentioned in the past and that I still think 1) Merit consideration and 2) Remain unsigned elsewhere: Wingers Sonny Milano, Evan Rodrigues, and Johan Larsson.
- And a name I keep hearing come up but who I had originally dismissed: Phil Kessel. Was his drop-off in scoring last year a blip or a caution sing?
- Going forward, Canadian-based teams will need to be cautious about building their rosters around American players. The risk of losing them due to forces that they have no control over is high.
- If the Jesse Puljujarvi camp truly wanted a trade, they would never let this file get to the arbitrator… I fully expect Jesse Puljujarvi’s number to end up above $3m. An dif the club felt Puljujarvi was a lock to be a Top-6 player, I think they would find a way to swallow that.
- … the higher that salary ends up being, the tougher it will be for General Manager Ken Holland to accommodate the trade request.
- …the ultimate return will not so much what assets Holland can attract but what kind of cap space he could create.
- While I think it is possible Puljujarvi stays on a short-term deal, at least temporarily, this longer-term script is essentially written.
BLH’s Thoughts: OK. So who would you spurn the chance to acquire Patrick Kane for? We’re probably talking about a UFA, right? So next year’s crop of dmen that should interest the Oilers includes Matt Dumba (MIN), Erik Johnson (COL), Dmitri Orlov (WAS), Travis Sanheim (PHI), Damon Severson and Ryan Graves (NJ), Vladislav Gavrikov (CBJ), Artem Zub (OTT), Radko Gudas (FLA), and Scott Mayfield (NYI).
Minny wants to move Dumba, that is no secret. Johnson would probably retire before waiving his NTC, I can’t see Orlov waiving to leave Washington, Sanheim probably could be had, Severson and Graves are realistic if NJ is still out of the playoffs by the deadline, Gavrikov I like, I don’t think Ottawa are dealing Zub, Gudas I’d love as a playoff rental, and Scott Mayfield is an absolute beast but I don’t know if Lamoriello is trading him.
Now, some of those defensemen would really help Edmonton down the stretch and in the guts of the post-season but how many teams do you know are able to shut down three or four superstars if Patty Kane came to the Oilers? I think all the Oilers would have to do is beef up the bottom-six and bottom pair on defense if they could get Patrick Kane and they’d be golden.
Whether you agree with it or not, I listened to McCambridge’s spot on Oilers Now and the impression I got was that the Oilers brought him in to teach their young dmen how to play a bit old school. Specifically, Vincent Desharnais’ name was brought up. I wonder if Philip Broberg ends up spending some time with the Condors for this reason because he puts himself in a position to get smoked a lot. Maybe McCambridge can show him a trick or two that would make the other team’s forecheckers think twice about bum-rushing him so much.
On the Tkachuk trade, the Panthers won that deal in my opinion. I don’t think Huberdeau will stay in Calgary when the Capitals are going to have well over $20M in cap space next summer and Ovie might need a new setup man to help break Gretzky’s record plus Darryl Sutter… They might be able to get Weegar to re-sign though and their blueline is pretty deep as it is without him. With him, it’s even deeper and when you add that to the team having one of the better goalies in the league, that’s a great start.
If Huberdeau does leave (He’s going to want $10M/yr on his next contract and he’s already pissed about the trade) and Weegar ($6M/yr on a new deal?) follows him out the door, I don’t necessarily think that will mean CGY will need to tear it all down though. That would be daft and Brad Treliving would have those two traded at the deadline before seeing them walk for nothing. Add to that the ridiculous stable or UFAs that’s going to be available next year… They’d be able to regroup fairly quickly.
Warren Foegele played 128 minutes with Connor McDavid last year and 97’s GF% without the big winger was 59.60. Together they were evens at 50% and unsurprisingly McLovin’s GF% away from Connor was 46.05%…
Now, contrast that with Puljujarvi. In 604 minutes (much higher, I know) last season, they put up a staggering 69% GF%! Connor away from Jesse saw a massive 22 point drop (47%) but Pulju away from McDavid was nearly at 60% (58%)…
(stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick)
So I don’t need to wonder what Foegele would do with Connor because the numbers couldn’t be more in favor of Jesse that it’s not even worth considering. I also find it funny that we’re talking about keeping a Canadian hockey player who was healthy scratched in the playoffs over a Finnish one who outscored him in few games (Finn can’t score? What?)…
Although, we’ve seen in the past where the Oilers have tried sticking bottom sixers up with McDavid before… More often than not it’s ended in failure and even more frustration for the Oilers captain. Besides, the Oilers have Hyman and Kane to play with 97… Why in the world would there be any consideration being paid to Foegele here? Trade him (Sorry Warren… Nothing personal.), keep Jesse, and let’s put this stupid narrative behind us.
Interesting to see Leavins going on record and saying that there’s been a trade request from Puljujarvi’s camp…
Speaking of the eventual Puljujarvi trade, it’s going to be a horseshit trade if it goes down this summer. Very Yakupov-like I’m thinking because the onus is on how much cap space is being “opened up” by moving Jesse and then who they sign to ultimately replace him.
I’m here to say that the only way Holland redeems himself in this scenario is if he can find a way to get Phil Kessel to sign in Edmonton. He’s the only player in that list that Leavins has above that will do that because he’s got scoring and championship pedigree.
For what it’s worth, Jason Gregor’s been talking about Phil the Thrill a bit lately, Jason Strudwick as well, and I’m pretty certain Bob Stauffer’s spoken briefly about the possibility of adding him too.
Trade Rumors
Spector’s Hockey
- Jimmy Murphy suggests that Pierre-Luc Dubois accepting a one-year, $6 million qualifying offer with the Winnipeg Jets creases the skids for a potential trade to the Montreal Canadiens.
- A source told Murphy that Dubois’ agent, Pat Brisson, is doing everything he can to make a trade to Montreal happen.
- Kevin Kurz reported a source informed him of “rumblings” that the New York Islanders were making a push for Nazem Kadri.
- Stefen Rosner recently observed the Islanders missed out on what he considered a “glorious opportunity” to acquire Vladimir Tarasenko last summer when the winger requested a trade from the St. Louis Blues.
- Rosner wondered if the Isles might revisit efforts to acquire Tarasenko this summer.
BLH’s Thoughts: It seems the Islanders are poised to make some serious moves before the summer is out. If I recall correctly, I think they want to move Josh Bailey, Anthony Beauvillier, and Semyon Varlamov. If they could do it, that’s about $15M in cap room and I wouldn’t put it past Lou Lamoriello to not only sign Nazem Kadri but maybe John Klingberg too. He’s stealthy like that.
