As we sit in our comfy chairs awaiting the next move that will solidify the Edmonton Oilers roster a tad more, we’re forced to speculate. And so today I want to chat a bit about the rumblings I’ve heard regarding some roster moves that could be in the works.
FOREWARNING
*As I say with almost every post like this, believe me or not, it’s up to you. I’m not Dreger, McKenzie, Rishaug, or Stauffer for that matter. I’ll tell you what I hear and you can take that as bullshit or you can believe it. It’s no skin off my ass either way. But don’t be rude about what you read. That’s all that I ask from you as a reader.
I write, you read.*
HURRY UP BURNABY JOE!
The title of the post gives it away but it’s my belief that the Oilers are biding their time and waiting on the results of the Tyson Barrie arbitration hearing which will take place on July 29th.
Nothing new here but it looks like the Avs are in for the same culture shifting move that the Oilers themselves took part in when they traded Taylor Hall to the Devils for Adam Larsson. Speculation has calmed down as of late but right around the draft Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene were thought to be available.
Now nothing has been released to say that aren’t still on the block and there’s nothing I’d love more than to see two of Landeskog, Duchene, or Barrie become Oilers but that’d be a deal done in my dreams. Besides, could you see the Oilers parting with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle, and/or Leon Draisaitl to get, say, Barrie and Duchene or Barrie and Landeskog?
But an Eberle for Barrie deal could very well be on the table depending on the outcome of said hearing.
MINOR MOVES AND THE DEFENSE
Brandon Pirri is still on the Oilers radar and from my understanding he’s got the Oilers on his radar as well but this is a move that would surely be dependent on Edmonton moving Yakupov.
- Earlier this week we talked about a deal that would send Yak to Florida for right-handed dman Alex Petrovic. This was quickly quashed by some pretty big names in the media and very quickly I might add (almost too quickly to not have a modicum of truth to it).
- Pirri has amassed 80 points in 166 games played. Not bad for a guy that can’t seem to find a permanent home the last three years and is yet to be signed this offseason.
- Brandon Pirri has been mentioned by Bob Stauffer in the past on his show, so his name should be of no real surprise to those following the Oilers closely.
I’ll tell you why I think this would be a good fit for the Oilers.
- Cheap, bonus-laden contract.
Pirri wants to find a place to put his roots down in. He can score at the NHL level, there’s no doubt about that but after playing on three teams (Chicago, Anaheim, and Florida) in three years, the 25-year old will be looking for something solid, something the Oilers can offer.
- He can float in the middle six and contribute on the PP.
- He’s got a history that tells us he can produce.
- He’s averaged 135 shots over the last two years and a 13.15% shooting percentage. Compare that with Yakupov, whose had an average of 159 shots and a shooting percentage of 6.8% over the last two years… Efficiency leans towards the former 2nd round pick in 2009 on this one.
- The caveat to those stats is that in 2014/15 Pirri put up 22 goals in 49 games with Florida and had a 15.4% shooting percentage… That’s extremely high. His career shooting % is 13.6.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmWkd0u67ss
Griffin Reinhart and Darnell Nurse to start the year in Bakersfield.
- This would be a rare smart move on the Oilers behalf. Neither dman are ready for the pro game and putting them in the position to not only be good players but to dominate is something I am definitely in favour of.
James Wisniewski is still an option for the Oilers.
- The Oilers are using Wisniewski as their backup plan in case any deal with Barrie falls through. I’ve been told it’s down to term not money.
*NEW* Anton Lander is being actively shopped.
- I’m not sure how the Oilers could ever think they’ll get any more for him that Yakupov right now. Lander has completely fallen off of the cliff and if anything he’s suited for a 4th line role on the wing. If he was right-handed this might be a different story but would he pass through waivers another time? If so, the Oilers might want to explore the European loan route as they did a couple of seasons ago with Jesse Joensuu
*No reason to get skeptical or anything but the Oiulers have not had great success with players from Finland named Jesse… Niinimaki, Joensuu… I hope to the hockey gords that Puljujarvi is different…*
Don’t get me wrong, I really like Anton Lander because he works his ass off, unfortunately it’s not translating. I wish it would because I’d hate to see him go to a team like Detroit and find his mojo again because you gotta wonder if he’s still got the potential to be a Frans Nielsen-type? He’s not THAT old.
*Last One* Remember when Jim Matheson asked Peter Chiarelli about Yakupov’s trade request at the draft and PC told him there was no trade request from Yak or his agent? A lot of us wondered what Chiarelli was talking about… Well, as it turns out and from what I’ve been told, there’s something to it.
Nail might’ve been upset at not getting top 6 minutes…
- To that I say, he should’ve performed better on the ice and in the practices.
- I’m going to butcher the fack out of this quote but a player of some importance (and forgive me for not remembering who) once said that he got paid to practice and games were just the cherry on top.
FURTHER TO THAT…
The Oilers have about $9 million left in cap space. Would they add both Wizniewski AND Barrie if it were possible? Could they? How would that affect Mark Fayne? One would think that he’d be moved ASAP, right? His contract you couldn’t have sitting in the pressbox nor would you want to.
But having Larsson, Barrie, and Wisniewski would take care of the right-handed puck-moving defenceman problem once and for all AND it would let the Oilers send Reinhart and Nurse to Bakersfield with no risk attached.
Klefbom-Larsson
Sekera-Barrie
Davidson-Wisniewski
Oesterle/Fraser
As we all should know by now, it is silly season and hockey rumours are bound to find their way into our timelines more often than not. Take what you read here or any other place with a grain of salt and use your own judgement.
Let me know what you think about all of this speculation in the comments below!
One more day to get in on our Beer League Heroes Teepublic Sale! Tees are only $14 and I made a special Beer League Heroes shirt to commemorate it!
Sign wiz
Give up the Barrie dream. It isn’t happening this summer. That would put the Oilers in the position of having to protect 4 defencemen at the expansion draft. The way this roster is constructed they would clearly prefer to protect 7 forwards and 3 dmen.
Further to this, your suggestion a deal for Barrie would be centred around Ebs is laughable – unless you plan to throw in next year’s first rounder and Brandon Davidson.
Larsson cost Chia Taylor freaking Hall, and Barrie clearly holds equal or greater value. I don’t see him giving up three solid pieces, and I don’t see him giving up anyone on the roster who is right handed. A more likely scenario is Leon Draisaitl straight up; but we know that’s not happening, either.
Wisniewski would be a better option on a two year deal, and could be exposed to Vegas without much danger of losing him. I think we see Reinhart or Davidson plucked from Edmonton next summer.
Hey! Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment!
The value of a player is only dictated by the person trading for him/her. Every GM in the league knew that Hall was available and surely anybody that was contacted by Chiarelli did their best to bend him over a barrel and go in dry. Shero’s offer was the least painful to go through with.
The Avs are in a situation not so different from the Oilers in that their current group of players just can’t seem to get it done and the Avs have no intention of getting rid of their coach to try and remedy the problem. Barrie’s value will be that of what is paid to get him. Be it Eberle or perhaps Pouliot and a 1st rounder will be enough. Maybe Brandon Davidson will do it? Who knows what Roy and Sakic will take for him?
As for the expansion draft, count on the Oilers going the 4-4-1 route and protecting Lucic, Nuge, Eberle, Drai, Larsson, Klefbom, Sekera, Davidson, Talbot IF they don’t go out and get a Barrie-like dman.
very good post totally agree except the fleecing part market value is market value larson has very nice contract for top 3 d aswell salary cap era trades have to be viewed from many angles i agree wisnewski on a short term contract as u say to expose him to the expansion draft
No harm in thinking positive thoughts. Weird stuff happens and as much as it can happen against the Oilers it can happen for the Oilers.
1. Yak could mature into a mature NHL player this year. And he has tons of talent. I hope he comes to camp firing on all cylinders and it carries fiercely into the season on McDavid’s RW. Speed kills. Yak had a terrific shooting % his first year, under Krueger. What Scrivens said about him is true — he’s criminally misunderstood. His growing up will mean he doesn’t try too hard and try to do too much, and lets the game come to him.
2. Eberle for Barrie could happen. Just because the Oilers were fleeced in the Hall and Reinhart trades doesn’t mean they’re trading’s butt boy. Puljujarvi happened. McDavid happened. Zen.
3. The idea of Barrie and (a healthy) Wisniewski is waaaaaay cool.
4. May it be so that the Swedes, Klefbom and Larsson, form some sort of mystical and synergistic pairing of Vikings – Yar!
Great points Joe!
I’d love nothing more than for Yak to break out beside McDavid. It would be of enormous help if the Oilers could have three pairings of scorers (McD/Yak, RNH/Ebs, Drai/Pulju) at some point.
Mystical Swedes! OK-AL!
The problem with this theory is if it goes to arbitration Barrie cannot be traded for 1 year.
The Avs can sign and trade, no waiting period needed here. Or if the choose to walk from the arbitrators decision, they can trade his negotiation rights to the Oilers. Where do you get your info?
i think expansion changes everything can only protect 7 forwards 3 defence and u have to protect sykara no trade clause u have same reason larson and u wanna protect klefbom if u get barrie we are bound to lose 1 of our 4 im ok with what we have done so far be patient one more year we have had in my opinion good needed changes and if u dont think good atleast chia not afraid to try this team was brutual no backbone no d we are tougher to play against today and our d is better not good enuff but better im ok with waiting til expansion done unless sumthn to good falls in lap
I’m fine with signing Wisniewski and end there. You hit it right on the head below with “As for the expansion draft, count on the Oilers going the 4-4-1 route and protecting Lucic, Nuge, Eberle, Drai, Larsson, Klefbom, Sekera, Davidson, Talbot” that is my choices as well.
I would not trade Eberle for 2 reasons 1) he is our strongest RW scorer we are to week on the whole right side 2) McDavid stated that he wants to play with Eberle and PC has already may have caused some tension with McDavid by not informing him that Hall was traded. I’m not saying PC needs McDavid’s permission, but with a player that is going to be to “face of the franchise” keeping him in the loop of things that effect him would benefit everyone.
Keeping Nurse and Reinhardt in the AHL next year is what i would do as well I would also keep Puljujarvi in the AHL for development and Cap reasons