Oilers talking to Patrick Marleau, Tyler Pitlick, and Brian Boyle

Are you getting ready for the most exciting part of the offseason where the free agent courting period begins and the Oilers rumors start flying high and hard?

But just a preface before getting into what I was told.

I’m not an insider per se. What I mean by that is, just as most people back home in Canada or the United States, they know people who know people involved with hockey clubs. I’m just lucky enough to know a few people close to the Oilers organization and I just relay what I’m told. Nothing more and nothing less. Is any of it true? I’m of the belief that a percentage of it is.

Now, you don’t have to take what you read here as the gospel and I’m sure that none of you will because not everything that I’m told comes to fruition as negotiations can change at the flip of a switch. So at the very least, take what you read here today as entertainment, water cooler talk if you will and if what you read here on Beer League Heroes comes true someday, high fives all around!

This came in late last night from one of my sources (who is neither Garfield nor Tracy Lane but she’s “reporting” it as well on Twitter):

“Todd McLellan is talking to Marleau about the possibility of signing with Edm. But, Oilers brass really likes boyle. Boyle is supposed to come for a private visit (No media) on Tuesday or Thursday. As for Pitlick, Oilers are definitely interested in bringing him back, but it’s believed that he DOES want to test the market. See what nibbles he gets.”

I asked about dollars and term and the response was thus:

“Marleau would be a 2 year term probably. Looking at atleast $3M per. Atleast. If not, more. This is Patrick Marleau were talking about”

“Pitlick is looking at a 2 or 3 year deal. If edm only offers another 1 year, he’s gone. I believe he’s looking for $2M-$2.5M on that term“

I don’t think that the Oilers can afford to sign Pitlick for that price point and that’s too bad. I really like him.

I didn’t really get anything with regards to contract details on Boyle but I was curious how these contracts might hit the salary cap and was offered this bit of insight:

“Oilers can offer max $3.5M.”

“If you only go 2 years. Any longer than that, it’ll f*ck your cap.”

“Still have to sign Kassian too. And find a stop gap D. 3-4 names for stop gap D are Stone, Franson, Wideman and 1 more.”

So that means the team is most likely out on Nick Bonino because he’ll be getting around $4M or more, right?

My Thoughts:

• I think this would be an outstanding move. If Marleau could come in on a 2yr deal @3.5M and replace Eberle’s points for two and a half million dollars cheaper… Beauty.
• Imagine the wealth of playoff knowledge and experience that would come along with a Patrick Marleau.
• And this is a player that turns it on during the post-season as opposed to the player that was just sent to Brooklyn. 120 points in 172 games played in the playoffs. That is bloody good my friends.
• I think a lot of people would be worried about the faceoffs and how Marleau has been a winger more often than a centre in his career. Well, his career FO% is 51.3 and that’s a number I can accept.
• Between Boyle and Marleau, it’s a tough call isn’t it? There’ll be more teams lining up for the “younger” and bigger Boyle for sure. Hard to say if the Oilers could get him to sign for under $3.5M and only for a couple of years though.
• Patrick Marleau, on the other hand, is closer to 40 years old than 30 and has a history with Todd McLellan. He can still skate and he can still put points on the board but what is more important right now, production or size + elite faceoff abilities?
• The Oilers nearly made it to the conference finals without a stud on the dot right? But there were nights when they could’ve used a bit more production.

So stay tuned folks. Silly season is upon us!