Derek Ryan – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – EDMONTON OILERS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 21:43:51 +0000

COLUMBUS, OH - FEBRUARY 25: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid #97 prior to the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Edmonton Oilers at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on February 25, 2023. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire)

Review: Somehow, even after winning back-to-back Art Ross Trophies, Connor McDavid found yet another level to his game. He scored 64 goals and 153 points in 82 contests last season, giving us one of the greatest individual performances we’ve ever seen. As if that wasn’t enough, Leon Draisaitl had an amazing season in his own right, contributing 52 goals and 128 points while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman had career years with 104 and 83 points, respectively. Unsurprisingly, Edmonton led the league offensively with 3.96 goals per game, but all was not well. Jack Campbell was nothing short of a disaster, posting a 3.41 GAA and an .888 save percentage in 36 contests. At least rookie Stuart Skinner emerged with a 29-14-5 record, 2.75 GAA and .913 save percentage in 50 games, but relying on a young goaltender has its drawbacks. With the stakes risen in the playoffs, Skinner struggled, and Edmonton was ultimately eliminated in the second round to the Golden Knights. Skinner was yanked three times in that six-game series, undermining the efforts of McDavid and Draisaitl, who combined for 11 goals and 17 points versus Vegas.

What’s Changed? Very little. Connor Brown signed a one-year, $4 million deal with Edmonton and he’ll have a chance to earn a top-six spot. Mattias Janmark agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract and will likely be penciled in for the third line. Other than that, it will be essentially the same team as last year.

What would success look like? Anything short of winning the Stanley Cup would be disappointing. That might be unfair, but it’s what’s to be expected for a team that has McDavid and Draisaitl in their prime. That duo basically guarantees that the offense will be fine. A healthier season out of Evander Kane – he played just 41 games last year – would give them another strong scoring option. Brown is also an interesting pickup. He missed almost the entire 2022-23 campaign with a torn ACL, but at his best he’s a solid secondary scorer who could gel well with Edmonton’s elite forwards. Of course, the single-biggest boost would be a bounce back season from Campbell.

What could go wrong? Not that Campbell is a safe bet to rebound, and Skinner isn’t a sure thing either, given that he has just one full NHL season under his belt. There’s also a chance Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins will significantly regress after performing far above their norm last year, which would threaten to turn Edmonton’s attack into little more than the McDavid-Draisaitl show. The elite duo can make the Oilers competitive on their own, but they can’t win the Cup without ample support.

Top Breakout Candidate: Dylan Holloway had just three goals and nine points in 51 contests last season, but he averaged a mere 9:35 of ice time. Holloway has the potential to play a far bigger role and thrive in it. The 21-year-old is entering his sophomore campaign, so he might still need more seasoning and breaking into the top-six will be difficult. Still, he has a chance to be a valuable secondary scorer this year.

Forwards

Connor McDavid - C

A strange-but-true fact about McDavid’s historic season is that he didn’t lead the league in five-on-five points. Despite lapping the field in overall point production, becoming the first player to reach 150 since Bernie Nichols in 1989, he was only fourth in even strength points. He more than made up for this on special teams, as Edmonton’s top unit was the closest thing to an automatic goal in modern NHL history. McDavid obviously being the straw which stirred the drink and recording 71 points there alone. The explanation behind his 5-on-5 production was the Oilers shooting below 10% when he was on the ice, which included him scoring on a strong 16% of his shots. McDavid was still dominant, so much so that he won the Hart almost unanimously, so his 5-on-5 results demonstrate that there still was still another level he could have reached. It goes back to Edmonton’s recurring problem of surrounding their star player with good linemates. They still received a good season out of Zach Hyman, but they eventually had to revert to placing Draisaitl back on his wing after other options didn’t work. It’s an ancillary issue in the regular season but came back to haunt them in the playoffs where McDavid’s linemates scored only five goals on 46 of his setups. Still dominating on the power play, the Oilers star could get his points. Repeating their performance at 5-on-5 is what kept them out of the third round.

Leon Draisaitl - C

When Draisaitl retires, he could own a place in NHL history of the most seasons scoring 100+ points while not leading his own team. Built almost like a Hockey Voltron, Draisaitl has an unorthodox combo of being an elite shooter and an incredible passer while having a massive upper body that makes taking the puck away from him borderline impossible in the offensive zone. He is the master of the coffin-corner one-timer and still catches goaltenders off-guard with them. Also, one of the best at scoring off his backhand and elevating the puck from close-range. Still arguably a better passer than a shooter from a sheer degree of difficulty standpoint. He can move pucks from the wall to the slot effortlessly and his vision is almost unmatched. That said, there is still a question of “what do we do with him” in the Oilers lineup, as he was once again moved back between centering his own line and playing alongside McDavid. Draisaitl’s play-driving improved dramatically last year, finding ways to clean up his play in the defensive zone and make up for his lack of footspeed. Moving back to McDavid was more due to the Oilers needing more scoring from their top line in the playoffs than Draisaitl’s struggles. Enters this season in the same boat as his co-star where you know you’re getting outstanding results in the regular season and the playoffs are the next hurdle.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - LW

The number of NHLers who take 12 seasons to hit 100 points is probably low. In modern times, it happens about as often as a solar eclipse, so Nugent-Hopkins surprised a lot of people when he hit this milestone. Bringing new meaning to the term “power play specialist,” his point total with the man advantage (53) topped his entire total from last season (50). While not the catalyst, he played his part is making the Oilers power play a machine, patrolling the middle and always staying in motion so that their top guys always had a passing option open from a dangerous area. It’s not something you expect to continue at this level, but RNH has been a great power play guy in Edmonton for years now. He is the type of forward who you can use in a lot of ways, going from McDavid’s winger to a third line center, RNH usually gives you a solid level of play. This season was also one of his stronger years in terms of 5-on-5 scoring as well, where he didn’t always have star teammates to lean on. His versatility is a great tool to have, although it makes predicting next season a riddle. He’s not going to repeat the ridiculous powerplay numbers but getting back to the 65–70-point level he was at his peak shouldn’t be out of the question.

Zach Hyman - LW

Everyone on that Oilers top power play unit seemed to master the details of the game that made it great. For Zach Hyman, it was becoming a master at working the net front role. Using his body to catch loose pucks and quickly put them in the net, being a moving target instead of a stationary screen and popping out into the slot if the play was behind the net. The results speak for themselves, scoring 15 power play goals after having 11 total for his entire career before the season. He has been the perfect complement to McDavid, and it goes beyond his penchant for creating high danger chances. Hyman excels as the winger who can follow up plays to setup entries, creating a small bridge in the neutral zone to help McDavid and others gain speed and get closer to the net off the rush. It makes the relationship between him and the Oilers star more of a two-way street instead of McDavid doing all the work while Hyman goes to the net. Edmonton has gotten their money’s worth there and this is before factoring in the work he does on the penalty kill. Finding the third guy is the next challenge, as Hyman’s great in his role but doesn’t score or take many shots from distance, which is the one piece missing on the Oilers top line.

Evander Kane - RW

His second season in Edmonton was disrupted by a freak accident where he suffered a skate laceration on his wrist. Was a productive player with 13 points in 14 games before the injury and scored only 15 points the rest of the year. His game didn’t change much despite the injury, still the shoot-first, pass-second player he has been for his entire career. Kane was also less reliant on McDavid to score goals, tallying eight alongside Draisaitl whereas he only scored one goal away from McDavid at five-on-five last season. The more finesse part of his game was missing after the wrist injury, still shooting the puck often but missing the target and flubbing chances he usually gets. Also, less involved in helping move the puck up ice compared to previous years, not handling the puck much in the neutral zone and more of a secondary off-puck option on zone entries. Scored all but two of his goals at 5-on-5, as he didn’t see much power play time except for spot duty on the second unit. Brought in as support for McDavid, Kane’s spot in the Oilers lineup is known as of right now, but the revolving door nature of the Oilers wingers could lead him back there before the season is over.

Connor Brown - RW

Getting hurt in a contract year is always a bummer, especially for a player in the middle of the pack like Connor Brown. He has a chance to make up for some of that this year, signing a one-year incentive-laced contract with the Oilers. There is always an opportunity that you get slotted on their top line with their wing depth and McDavid might even vouch for his old OHL teammate. Brown brings a lot of qualities that make him a good fit with McDavid, but he’s going to have a good season regardless of where he slots. A hard-working winger who loves having the puck on his stick, Brown had a few good years in Ottawa playing high in the lineup. He was a fixture on their penalty kill and was one of the more aggressive players in the league at poaching for short-handed chances. Always hunting pucks down and has decent playmaking skills if in the right environment. Not a great finisher, but not far removed from a 21-goal season where he showed flashes of it. Edmonton could be looking to recapture some of that magic but at minimum they have a good third liner who will hold the fort down while their stars are on the bench.

Mattias Janmark - LW

If you’ve watched random highlights of Janmark, you might be tricked into thinking he has star potential. With speed to burn and decent puck-handling skills, many teams have given the Swede a call over his career. Even if he has one of the lowest conversion rates on breakaways, Janmark has forged a nice career as a solid defensive player and penalty killer. He’s good at using his speed to help clear pucks to relieve pressure and disrupt cycles. He’s also remarkably consistent in his production, scoring exactly 20-25 points in each of the last five years with three different teams. You know what you’re getting with him and it’s probably why the Oilers opted to retain him on another one-year deal. The important thing about playing in the Oilers bottom-six is to be at least a neutral player and Janmark can hold his own there. He gets more minutes than your average bottom-sixer, playing in the 14–15-minute range because of how much he is relied on the penalty kill. Formed a very solid checking line in the latter half of the season with Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod that actually controlled play in addition to not giving up much defensively.

Warren Foegele - RW

Foegele is a great example of how it sometimes takes a while for a high scorer in junior or the AHL to figure out how to be a checker. Even if they have the skillset, there is more to playing on an energy line than just getting in on the forecheck, playing at 100 mph and crashing the net. There are more details that go into it and Foegele seemed to have mastered them in his second year with the Oilers. His line with Ryan McLeod was excellent not only at preventing chances and goals, but also tilting the ice and knowing how to set the table for the McDavid line. Foegele has all the skills to be a great checker, he’s a great F1 who will get in on the forecheck and is excellent at recovering pucks. Now it’s been about using his teammates better to keep the cycle going instead of everything directly going to the net. It’s not a pretty game, but he was effective for Edmonton in his role. This could change this year depending on how the Connor Brown experiment shakes out and who else is next in line for that winger spot.

Ryan McLeod - C

A high scorer in the AHL, McLeod’s game at the NHL level is all about defense, although a new breed of it. We often associate puck-possession and things like transition, but McLeod is one of those players who has it translate to more defensive results. When he is on the ice, the Oilers usually have the puck in the defensive zone. He is very good at getting back to help the defense and moving the puck up ice on his own to flip the territorial game for Edmonton. Creates easy entries for himself through breaking up plays in the neutral zone and is deceptive with striking off the rush. He developed as a skill player in the minors, so the ability is there even if it’s not his role. Covers a lot of ground in the defensive zone getting to loose pucks without taking many strides and it helps his lines calm the waters at 5-on-5. Still only 23, he’s found a role on the Oilers and it’s an important one as they were looking for anybody to bring that calming effect at 5-on-5 while their stars are on the bench. Last year was the first time the Oilers had a positive goal differential without McDavid on the ice and McLeod’s play is a huge reason for it. Might be unknown around the league but certainly not in Edmonton.

Defense

Evan Bouchard - D

The potential Jenga piece for the Oilers going forward, this season was a big coming out party for Bouchard, specifically the playoffs. They spent most of the season trying to find a partner for him, as Bouchard was clearly top-four on a roster filled with players more suited for the 5/6 role, it took a trading for Ekholm to consistently get Bouchard in the 22-23 minutes range. They finally had a partner who could complement his high-risk game, covering more ground for him in the defensive zone so he could focus on playing the puck and starting the rush instead of trying to do everything as he did for most of the year. His offensive skills are unmatched on the Oilers blue line, it’s just the other details with being a defenseman that have been a work in progress, most notably exiting the zone against a heavy forecheck and playing too aggressive in the neutral zone. A better defense partner should help unlock his full potential. At the very least he is getting a lot of power play time next year and is poised for a monster year in terms of point production.

Darnell Nurse - D

Nurse’s play is often a lightning rod topic among Oilers fans. A good chunk of it is related to the contract he signed after a career season, which made him the fifth highest defenseman in the league at the time. The other is that watching him play will usually have you on the edge of your seat if you’re a fan. He’s an attack-minded defenseman at heart, sprinting out of the zone at the first opportunity and taking a lot of shots off the rush as the trailer. It’s a strategy that works for Edmonton sometimes, this year being a slight return to form from a production standpoint. This is also true for the defensive side of the game, as Nurse will often chase the puck or look to lay a big hit on players entering the zone. Often caught out of position or making a lot of mistakes that give opposing forwards a lot of open ice. It’s something you can coach out of players, but Nurse has to play aggressive to be effective and this just comes with the territory. He’s made up for this by not forcing as many plays out of the zone and giving way to some of their stronger puck movers when exiting the zone, but the overall package will continue to keep Edmonton’s heart rates high.

Mattias Ekholm - D

Edmonton made one of their best trades of the Ken Holland era by acquiring Mattias Ekholm at the deadline. A minute eater who can wear a lot of hats, this was exactly the type of player they have been missing for years. Ekholm doesn’t have that game-breaking skillset, but he does the little things that make life easier for Edmonton’s elite players. The most important is recovering after mistakes. Edmonton will try to push the pace more when their top guys are out and sometimes turnovers will happen. Ekholm is the type of player who won’t panic when that happens and quickly gets the puck out of the zone after. He was brought in to be paired with the offensive-minded Evan Bouchard, so it was a great fit from the start. He also has the sense of knowing when to force a play and when to clear the puck off the glass, although it’s usually the former as he’s an excellent passer with great vision. Also facilitates offense without accumulating a lot of points. A steadying presence from the point who can get pucks down low without risking turnovers. The only concerns with Ekholm are age and his durability as he gets closer to 35.

Brett Kulak - D

A problem solver of sorts for the Oilers defense, Kulak is someone who knows his role by now. He doesn’t get top minutes or get a lot of puck touches, so he is impactful when he gets the chance. Always standing up at the line to deny entries, doing an excellent job of taking away space in the defensive zone and occasionally jumping into the play (being out there with the third line means he’s usually one of their best options). Last year was a little rockier for him than usual, as the Oilers attempted to pair him with blossoming star Evan Bouchard and it wasn’t long before he was relegated back to the third pair with Tyson Barrie. Eventually he got a consistent partner in Vincent Desharnais and Kulak got back to his usual game after that. Surprisingly set a career high in points thanks to 13 secondary assists. One of the Oilers better retrievers of the puck but not the most dynamic puck mover, which has kept him lower in the lineup despite his strengths. Arguably the team’s most steady defenseman in the post-season, as he was on the ice for only four goals against.

Goaltending

Jack Campbell - G

Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Edmonton Oilers have a goaltending problem. Jack Campbell, brought in as a pricey free agent after seemingly wearing out his welcome with the rabid Toronto fanbase, stumbled in his attempts to take the long-suffering team the distance. He managed to regain some of his game’s strongest elements down the back stretch of the season, controlling his movement and sitting back to allow his defense to help structure breakouts and coverage while he focused on eliminating open space in net with simple movements and fluid transitions. But his start with the Oilers was shaky; he struggled to find his rhythm behind the Western Conference competitors, ultimately losing his position as the team’s number one to up-and-comer Stuart Skinner.

The good news for Oilers fans is that it appears the days are gone of doggedly attempting to milk all the value possible out of every goaltender contract signed. Head Coach Jay Woodcroft seemed to abandon the Dave Tippett-era tendency to give deferential starts to the higher-paid veteran in net, opting to ride with Skinner when Campbell was struggling and happily going back to Campbell whenever he seemed up to the task. It was a refreshing change of pace after watching Mike Smith struggle to put up league-average numbers through three seasons, and it seemed to benefit both goaltenders in the long run. But still, it’s hard to overlook the fact that the Oilers have Campbell signed for another four years of five million per season against the cap, and he put up a -16.77 goals saved above expected as the team’s backup – only nine of the league’s 75 goaltenders with sufficient starting data last season did worse. The team will need to see Campbell continue his bounce-back from the back half of the season through the entirety of the 2023-24 season, or they’ll have to consider finding a way to move him out for a more steadying presence. With captain Connor McDavid turning 27 this season, Edmonton has to consider what they need to do to capitalize on the star’s window to push and become a legitimate threat in the postseason; unless Campbell bounces back definitively, he’ll fail to fit that bill.

Projected starts: 35-40

Stuart Skinner - G

The Edmonton Oilers have gone so long without seeing a goaltending prospect pan out in their favor, it seemed almost too good to be true last season when rookie Stuart Skinner gently took control of the crease from veteran Jack Campbell. But as the season progressed, it became abundantly clear; Skinner was exactly what the team needed, and he was there to stay.

Skinner, a 2017 draft pick out of the WHL, put up bumpy numbers in his first two pro seasons; he struggled to approach a .900 save percentage in either 2018-19 or 2019-20 at either the AHL or ECHL level, waffling between the two leagues without finding much success in either. But despite a rocky NHL debut in his third pro year, Skinner finally started to find his feet; he established better tracking skills and fine-tuned his technical foundation while cleaning up his game reads and becoming more patient on his skates. He initially lost a little bit of the creativity that had made his game so exciting to watch as a prospect in the CHL, but fans saw some of that spark return during Edmonton’s postseason run in the spring of 2023 as he proved he was unafraid to throw technique to the wind and mix in some old-school goaltending style when it suited him. It was like he learned to relax once he found his footing with some better technical foundations, and that’s a promising sign that his impressive game play last year wasn’t just a flash in the pan. The question, though, will be just how much he can shoulder a heavy workload if Jack Campbell continues to struggle. He held down the fort for a whopping 50 games last season and will likely need to do the same this year – while he’s still young, the kind of wear and tear that immediately taking on a starter’s workload at the NHL level can put on a young goaltender could start to qrip at the seams of his skill a little bit.

Projected starts: 50-55

NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS EDMONTON OILERS – Oilers have been a freight train since the trade deadline, but return of Stone, team defense, make Vegas a tough out

Scott Cullen — Mon, 01 May 2023 22:30:22 +0000

EDMONTON, AB - NOVEMBER 19: Vegas Golden Knights Defenceman Nicolas Hague (14) clears the puck from Edmonton Oilers Center Connor McDavid (97) in the first period during the Edmonton Oilers game versus the Las Vegas Golden Knights on November 19, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire)

VEGAS vs. EDMONTON

After dispatching the Los Angeles Kings in six games in Round 1, the Edmonton Oilers head into a second-round matchup against the Pacific Division winning Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights might have finished higher in the standings, but the Oilers are the team that is both favored to win the series, and one of the top favorites to capture the Stanley Cup.

The Oilers have been a freight train since the trade deadline, so it appears that they have momentum on their side, but the Golden Knights made short work of the Winnipeg Jets in the first round and are not likely to be an easy out.

Forwards

One of the benefits of having two superstars is that it is so difficult to shut down both. As ridiculous as it sounds, the Kings could have felt okay limiting Connor McDavid to three goals and 10 points in six games (a 41-goal and 137-point pace in 82 games) in the first round, but then Leon Draisaitl notched seven goals and 11 points in the series. They combined for 11 power play points in the first round.

The Oilers received four points against Los Angeles from wingers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, and Klim Kostin. Edmonton’s depth forwards may not be scoring much, but they are controlling play. Edmonton controlled more than two-thirds of expected goals against Los Angeles when Kostin, Derek Ryan, Warren Foegele, and Ryan McLeod were on the ice.

For the Oilers to make a Stanley Cup run, they will need production from more than McDavid and Draisaitl, and it appears that they have enough quality depth to handle that responsibility.

The Golden Knights don’t have elite scorers like McDavid and Draisaitl, but there is still plenty of forward talent on hand.

Jack Eichel finally arrived in the playoffs, for the first time in his career, and he contributed three goals and five points with 17 shots on goal in five games against Winnipeg, a good start. Eichel’s line is not the most dangerous for the Golden Knights, though.

Chandler Stephenson and Mark Stone both had eight points in the first round, and Brett Howden chipped in four points, while the trio controlled 60.7% of expected goals while outscoring Winnipeg 5-1 during five-on-five play.

Forward depth is a strong suit for the Golden Knights. William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, and Reilly Smith are proven performers, even though Marchessault managed just two assists in Round 1. Vegas has also received quality contributions from the likes of Michael Amadio, Ivan Barbashev and hard-hitting wingers Keegan Kolesar and William Carrier. The return of Carrier to the lineup bumped Phil Kessel to the press box for Game 5 against Winnipeg.

While Vegas looks like they might have an edge in forward depth, the question is whether that is going to be enough to overcome two of the most prolific scorers in the league.

Defense

When the Oilers moved out Tyson Barrie as part of the deal to acquire Mattias Ekholm at the trade deadline, Evan Bouchard was the defender set up to step into a first unit power play role. While Bouchard and Ekholm were effective at evens against Los Angeles, controlling 54.7% of shot attempts and 51.4% of expected goals during five-on-five play. Bouchard kicked it up a notch on the power play, though, scoring eight of his 10 first-round points with the man advantage.

The Oilers outscored the Kings 5-2 when the pairing of Darnell Nurse and Cody Ceci were on the ice during five-on-five play, but Edmonton managed just 45.2% of shot attempts and 45.8% of expected goals in those situations, so there is some defensive vulnerability.

Brett Kulak, Vincent Desharnais, and Phillip Broberg round out the defense corps and all three had solid underlying numbers against the Kings. Desharnais was outscored 5-2, but that seems like randomness since the Oilers were controlling 62.8% of expected goals with Desharnais on the ice.

The Golden Knights used eight defensemen in Round 1, with Brayden Pachal and Ben Hutton getting into the lineup as injury replacements for Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb.

Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez were the top pair against Winnipeg. The Golden Knights controlled 51.6% of expected goals and outscored the Jets 8-3 with that duo on the blueline. Theodore and McNabb both missed Game 5 against the Jets, but when they were on the ice together Vegas had 56.1% of the expected goals during five-on-five play against Winnipeg.

Nicolas Hague and Zach Whitecloud are a strong third pairing for Vegas, when the team is healthy. They can move up the depth chart when Theodore and McNabb are out.

Vegas is a strong defensive team, allowing 2.78 all-situations expected goals against per 60 minutes, the third lowest rate in the first round.

Goaltending

Edmonton’s rookie netminder Stuart Skinner started all six games against the Kings in the first round, winning three. He was pulled after the first period in Game 4, with Jack Campbell stopping 27 of 28 shots to lead the Oilers to a pivotal victory. Skinner was an above average starter during the regular season but had a .890 save percentage against Los Angeles. If the Oilers are going to go on a Stanley Cup run, they will need better than .890 goaltending.

Even though he played just 11 games for the Golden Knights in the regular season, spending most of the year in the AHL after recovering from hip surgery, Laurent Brossoit was the clear starter in goal going into the series against Winnipeg, and Brossoit posted a .915 save percentage in five starts. He may not be one to steal too many victories, but solidly average goaltending can go a long way.

This is not a series in which either team can be supremely confident in their goaltending. Anything can happen with a goalie in the small sample of a playoff series, but the range of outcomes is practically infinite when it comes to relatively unproven options like Skinner and Brossoit.

Special Teams

Edmonton had a historically strong power play during the regular season, and it was even better in the first round against Los Angeles, ranking first among playoff teams with 20.96 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play. This is an area where Edmonton’s elite talent takes over.

The Golden Knights power play ranked 10^th with 7.06 goals per 60 during five-on-four play in the first round. That comes after ranking 19^th in goals per 60 during the regular season, so there is a clear difference in quality between the two teams when they have the man advantage. This is standard for the Oilers, of course.

While Edmonton’s penalty killing ranked 11^th in the first round with 11.87 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill was torched for five goals in 14:45 of four-on-five play (20.34 goals against per 60 minutes) against Winnipeg, the second worst rate in the first round of the postseason. Vegas allowed 85.42 shots against per 60 during four-on-five play in Round 1, the only team to surrender more than 70 shots against per 60. That’s a small sample, but it is ugly in a small sample.

If Vegas’ penalty killing is indeed a liability, then facing an Oilers power play that has been historically great figures to be an enormous problem.

Conclusion

Momentum is riding with the Oilers and even though they finished two points behind the Golden Knights in the standings, Edmonton had a better goal differential and had the league’s best record (17-2-1) after the trade deadline. That leads to Edmonton being favored even though Vegas holds home ice advantage.

Vegas has been an excellent defensive team and has been boosted by the return of Mark Stone for the playoffs. Is that enough to help them hold off the Oilers? It’s possible, but I’m still leaning towards the superstars carrying the series for Edmonton. Oilers in 6.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – EDMONTON OILERS – NHL Player Profiles

Corey Sznajder – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 16:11:28 +0000

EDMONTON, AB - MARCH 19: Edmonton Oilers Center Leon Draisaitl (29) uses his speed to track down a loose puck in the first period during the Edmonton Oilers game versus the New Jersy Devils on March 19, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Connor McDavid

The scary thing about McDavid’s 2021-22 season is that he was relatively unlucky when it came to shooting luck and he still finished with 123 points. The game comes so easy for him that it’s rare for the Oilers not to get at least one scoring chance per shift with him on the ice, so an average shooting year for him is a career season for most. It was an interesting season or him. He was still an elite player at creating off the rush but didn’t have the scale breaking stats like the previous year. Instead, he was deferring to teammates on entries and trailing the rush instead of leading it. Still having an elite impact on driving offense and making up for any lost ground on the power play, where his 44 points were more than some team’s entire goal total with the man advantage. There was also an effort to improve his play away from the puck, as he had the Oilers playing less run-and-gun and more of a full-rink press. Keeping play in the offensive zone and deferring to someone else or making the simple play instead of trying to force things. He could still break the game open if he needed to, as most saw in the playoffs where he dragged the Oilers to the Conference Finals on his own. That version of McDavid is still present, but the Oilers are getting to the point where they don’t need him to go into superstar mode every night to win.

Leon Draisaitl

Accuracy is the name of the game for Draisaitl regardless of he’s passing or shooting the puck. A selective but lethal shooter, Draisaitl’s 55 goals would have led the league most in most seasons and he matched it with 55 assists. He’s a selective, but lethal shooter who will turn low-percentage plays into high-danger plays. Most scorers will look to find the “soft” area in the defense and with Draisaitl, that area extends all the way to the boards, as he can beat goaltenders from some awkward and impossible angles. Arguably the best player in the league at doing this not named Sidney Crosby. His passing is just as good, excelling at pulling pucks off the boards, threading the needle between defenders and turning 50/50 puck battles into scoring chances. Style points don’t count but the degree of difficulty of Draisaitl’s playmaking is something to behold. He passes the puck off his backhand as hard as some players shoot it and he usually finds the tape. It’s how he’s been able to put up ridiculous scoring numbers every year despite his team getting outshot and outchanced while he is on the ice. The deceptive nature of his game also makes the Oilers power play click because he can score from just about anywhere in the zone and find someone open for a deflection chance even if they’re covered. Now that he's playing center full-time (when healthy), he gives Edmonton the most explosive one-two punch in the NHL.

Zach Hyman

The Oilers had certain expectations for Zach Hyman when they signed him to a seven-year contract. They wanted him to be McDavid’s wingman, score on a lot of rebounds and provide a forechecking presence to a team that lacked it. Hard to not be pleased with his first year. He scored 27 goals and was a great third wheel on McDavid’s line for most of the year and giving the Oilers penalty kill a counter-attacking dynamic with five shorthanded points. The calling card with Hyman has always been forechecking and scoring “ugly” goals, usually scoring by circumstance instead of getting to the net. It’s an important quality to have on your top line, as the Oilers found out in the playoffs where Hyman had 11 tallies, three of them coming on the power play. Finding a running mate for McDavid has been long-term problem for McDavid and while it cost them, Hyman filled this void in his rookie year. His play away from McDavid is a bit of a concern, as he was underwater in terms of scoring chance and goal differential when he wasn’t on a line with the Oilers captain. It’s not a surprise given the Oilers forward depth issues, but Hyman is a good forechecker with decent puck skills and should be able to drive his own line if push comes to shove. This will be more of a concern when he’s deeper into his contract but for now, he is set to have another good year as McDavid’s wingman.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

The remaining member of the Oilers old core, RNH is the most plug-and-play type of guy the Oilers have right now. Whether you put him in the middle, on the wing, with McDavid or in the middle-six, he’s going to play his role and give you a high floor with what he brings. That said, he spent most of the year on Draisaitl’s wing and the Oilers had a tough time keeping the puck out of their own net while that line was on the ice. A mid-season line switch moved RNH to essentially a third line center role and he excelled as a checker, providing a stabilizing presence in the Oilers bottom-six and keeping the team’s heads above water while their two money maker lines did their thing. It’s a tough way to use a center making over $5 mil., but RNH’s defensive game has value. He is one of their best forwards at retrieving pucks to exit the zone and the Oilers desperately need to win the minutes where their two stars aren’t on the ice. He made up for his lack of 5v5 offense on the power play, recording 22 assists with the man advantage and playing a variety of roles. His versatility makes him a valuable player but a tough one to project due to the volatile nature of the Oilers lineup. They will continue to feed him power play and penalty kill minutes, though.

Jesse Puljujarvi

It’s hard to believe how much of a lightning rod the former third overall pick was for Oilers discourse last year. Puljujarvi played a very similar game to Zach Hyman as a complementary player for McDavid, he just didn’t finish on as many of his chances, which unfortunately was his major drawback. No Oilers player was on the receiving end of more high danger passes than Puljujarvi and he scored only nine five-on-five goals on 140 scoring chances. Puck skill is one of the more frustrating parts of his game, as he will often skate himself out of room when he gets a good chance from close range or just mishit the puck, turning a high danger chance into one that’s easier to stop. It only takes one good year to change this narrative, though and it’s better to have a topliner who is producing chances and not finishing than doing neither. Aside from that, Puljujarvi is coming off a fantastic year, as the Oilers were a dominant team when he was on the ice. Part of it is the McDavid effect, but “JP” has come a long way as a defensive player, always in a good position to help retrieve pucks to get McDavid the puck in space or being a nuisance on the forecheck to keep their top line on the ice. If the goal-scoring ever comes around, the Oilers top-six will be a force.

Kailer Yamamoto

A high-motor player who will never cheat you on effort, Yamamoto had a decent bounce-back year after a disappointing sophomore campaign. He scored 20 goals for the first time in his career was a Swiss Army Knife type of winger for the Oilers, moving around the lineup filling whatever niche the coaching staff needed. While productive, his impact has been a little inconsistent, as he’s had a tough time driving play despite his strengths with recovering pucks and his willingness to go to the net. Part of that is because he doesn’t produce much offense in volume, posting one of the lowest shot rates on the Oilers and going stretches of games where he didn’t even test the goalie. Playing so much with McDavid and Draisaitl, he might have some hesitance to taking the reins on his line, deferring to the more talented players while assuming the worker bee role he’s had for most of his career. It’s tough to say if this is what was going on with Yamamoto, but he showed in the playoffs that he can drive a line, being a forechecking menace in the Calgary series and starting most of the plays with Nugent-Hopkins as his center. Seeing that reminds you that there is another level he can reach as a player even if he is in a pretty good spot now.

Ryan McLeod

Every prospect has different expectations. For Ryan McLeod, the Oilers only needed him to hold down a third- or fourth-line spot while being a neutral in terms of driving-play or suppressing goals. His impressive AHL production carrying over was secondary. His quickness gives the Oilers depth a different element from previous years, as it was rare for their third or fourth line to try and push the pace in past years. Also made him useful with covering up for the Oilers lack of mobility on their blue line, you would see him retrieve pucks for breakouts more often than their defense, even leading the rush on some shifts. The year was a grind for him, Edmonton struggled to find consistent linemates and McLeod would have to play a lot of one-man shifts where he would go from one end to the other without much payoff in the offensive zone. It was the role he needed to play, keeping the scoreboard from changing during stretches where the game becomes a slog. He is an example of how a skilled prospect can use those tools outside of creating offense because you still need to skate and connect the dots to keep the puck out of your own zone.

Evander Kane

Fresh off a buyout with the Sharks, Kane showed the Oilers that he can still score goals, tallying 22 in his 43-game stint and 13 more in 15 playoff games. Getting the “McDavid bump” on top of a career best shooting percentage, Edmonton re-signed him for four years in hopes that a full season can give McDavid a long-term solution on the wing. It’s tough to say if he can repeat this next year, as Kane has always been a shot-volume player who converts on a low percentage of his chances. The playmaking of McDavid might fix that, but line combos are always subject to change throughout the year. It’s a little concerning because 10 of his 5v5 12 five-on-five goals came while he was on a line with McDavid. By comparison, he scored only one five-on-five goal with Draisaitl centering him, which should give fantasy player some concern if the Oilers juggle their lines. His limited play-driving and passing skills make Kane a very one-dimensional player whose value is going to be determined by his goal-total, so this is a boom-or-bust signing for Edmonton.

Warren Foegele

The former Erie Otters star spent most of the year playing wing on the fourth line with his ex-Carolina teammate in Derek Ryan with some penalty killing duty thrown in. Last year was the first time it looked like he accepted his role as a grinder in the NHL, as he was still in the prospect mindset with Carolina. He had such a hot start to his NHL career that you would see him try to recapture that, making a lot of high-risk plays every shift and trying to make plays that he didn’t have the hands or precision to finish off at this level. With Edmonton, he looked a little more comfortable in his skin as a checking line player. Playing a straight-line game, not looking to carry the puck in much at all and relying more on his tenacity and forechecking to create an impact than making any plays. The result were decent impacts at five-on-five, but nothing spectacular. He also saw some power play time on the second unit, playing the netfront role and having a few pucks go off him for goals. There was more offense to Foegele’s game at one point, but this seems to be the role he has settled into for now.

DEFENSE

Evan Bouchard

Only 22 years old with the face of a grizzled veteran, Bouchard was a major lifeline for the Oilers defense. He is the prototype of what most teams look for in a young defenseman, standing over six feet tall with great puck skills and a big shot from the point, and Edmonton didn’t hold him back from showcasing this in his first full season. He carried most of the offensive load at five-on-five on their blue line, emerging as their best passer on breakout and when making plays in transition, and his shot gave defenders another thing to worry about when defending McDavid’s line. Edmonton is going to be a team that thrives on quick-strike offense, so Bouchard’s play in this area is a huge development for them, especially when it comes to leading counterattacks. His aggressive playing style did hurt him at times. He was very aggressive with stepping up at the blue line or going for a poke-check. It resulted in him negating some rushes, but he also got burned just as much. It’s an area of his game that’s fixable, especially if he’s paired with a reliable partner like Brett Kulak, and you want a guy like Bouchard to push the pace when he can. They will look to find a happy medium between the two extremes next year.

Tyson Barrie

Relegated to third pair duty, Barrie’s main purpose on the Oilers is to get the puck to McDavid or Draisaitl on the power play and not get destroyed at five-on-five. It’s easier said than done now that he’s not playing as many shifts behind the Oilers top line, which means he defends on more of his shifts and doesn’t get any opportunities to start the rush like in his Colorado days. It’s a tough game for a smaller defenseman like Barrie to play because offense is his calling card and playing more of a grinding style caters to his weakness. That said, players like Bouchard surpassed him in the lineup so this is the role he needs to play unless the Oilers deploy him differently. Which could happen if he starts the year paired with rookie Phillip Broberg. Barrie will continue to eat on the power play unless Bouchard or Darnell Nurse takes his spot. He has run the top of the umbrella on their league leading power play unit for a couple of years now, so it’s tough to see it changing for continuity purposes.

Darnell Nurse

It was a tale of two halves for the Oilers high-octane defenseman. He was paired with a similar player in Evan Bouchard, acting as both the aggressor and the fireman depending on the situation. They played behind the McDavid line, supplementing him on offense but getting burned for a lot of goals against. Once Jay Woodcroft took over, Nurse was switched to a shutdown role with Cody Ceci. Surprisingly, the two worked well and gave the Oilers blue line some stability, having one pair for offense and one for shutdown minutes. Nurse’s defensive play improved, giving up fewer chances off rushes and the Oilers played a more controlled game in front of him. He had to pick his spots on when to join the offense, but the Oilers were better off as a group. It’s an interesting way to use Nurse because his strengths are all from the red line in. He is very dangerous as the late man and can be lethal if he has any daylight with the puck but exiting the zone under pressure and shaking off forecheckers has never been his strong suit. Playing the shutdown role where he’s relied on for safe, responsible clears takes some workload off him and while he did well in that role, it’s a lot for someone carrying a $9.25 million cap hit for the next eight years. The 16-goal season where he was always pushing for offense made him one of the highest paid players in the league, even if it wasn’t the most optimal way to use him. Bouchard’s emergence took some of the burden off him and him switching roles so seamlessly is encouraging for the Oilers, even if his contract is going to be tough to deal going forward.

Brett Kulak

After exhausting most of their in-house options, the Oilers settled on trading for Kulak to round out their defense. The 28-year-old is a jack-of-all-trades defenseman can play most styles and found his niche in Edmonton as a penalty kill specialist who can help salt games away. He isn’t very big, but can skate with most top forwards, keeping them to the outside when defending entries and join the play if he needs to. He was a calming presence alongside Tyson Barrie on Edmonton’s third pair, with an elevated role late in games when the Oilers were defending a lead. Not much offense is expected of him, but he can pitch in here-and-there thanks to his great mobility and the Oilers could have him playing higher in the lineup with Duncan Keith’s old spot up for grabs. He was a reliable defender in Montreal with the only knock on his game being his play in front of the net, as his strong positioning and stickwork with defending entries doesn’t always translate to boxing out forwards. His strength with keeping play out of the defensive zone makes it not as big of a problem, though.

GOALTENDING

Jack Campbell

Edmonton has seemingly been trying to finally figure out what’s going on in their net for the last 15 years. Now, fresh off the heels of a two-year stretch under the microscope in Toronto, Jack Campbell is next up as a candidate to help the team right the ship. It’s another high-pressure situation for Campbell – but this time, he won’t be coming on board to be the team’s number two.

The once-highly-touted American netminder offers a sharp contrast to the goaltender he’ll be taking over for as the team’s clear-consensus starter. He lacks MIke Smith’s almost confrontational aura, instead opting for a “buds all day” approach that endears him to fans but can look a little less competitive overall. He plays differently, too; gone will be the days of a veteran giant manning the crease nearly from behind the goal line, replaced instead by a nimble and slightly more modern goaltender who plays a bit more centered in the blue paint and seems perfectly willing to let his defense control zone breakouts on their own. This could mean structural changes for the Edmonton blue line, although that was likely already on the horizon with Dave Tippett’s departure still fresh on the team’s mind.

The good news for Edmonton is that Campbell, who seems to thrive in a more team-oriented environment than Mike Smith ever did, shouldn’t need to worry about navigating a potentially tricky dynamic with Smith. The elder goaltender, while still under contract with the Oilers for the 2022-23 season, is expected to miss the season with a long-term injury – paving the way for Stuart Skinner to sit as the team’s number two and for Campbell to focus on his performance, not on losing starts to a hyper-competitive tandem partner. But the bad news is that Skinner remains relatively unproven on the NHL stage. This leaves Campbell without the lifeline that Smith’s experience likely would have afforded him should he find himself struggling consistency-wise during the season.

Projected starts: 60-65

OH, CANADA! – NHL Trade Deadline Edition

Jeff Veillette — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 14:57:40 +0000

Welcome back to “Oh, Canada” – a weekly journey across Canada’s temporary North Division, exploring stories that may have happened throughout the week. With the NHL’s Trade Deadline occurring on Monday Afternoon, this week’s issue will be a quick glance at each team’s transactions in the days and hours before the cutoff.

COLUMBUS, OH - FEBRUARY 10: Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno (71) looks on during the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on February 10, 2020. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire)

Calgary Flames

April 11^th: Traded G David Rittich to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 3^rd Round Draft Pick in 2022
April 12^th: Traded F Sam Bennett and a 6^th Round Draft Pick in 2022 to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Emil Heineman and a 2^nd Round Draft Pick in 2022

With the disappointing season that the Flames have had, it wasn’t a big shock to see them look more towards selling than buying. Nothing short of a miracle will get them into the playoffs at this point, so it stands to reason that the team would look towards refilling the cupboard a bit.

Which pieces would go, though, was the bigger question. Rittich’s departure makes sense given his upcoming free agent status and the long-term commitment the team has with Jacob Markstrom, but Bennett was a bit surprising. After all, we were only days removed from him telling the world that he was no longer interested in being traded! But, when a haul like the Flames received – a second-round pick and Heineman, a recent second-round pick himself – becomes available, the equation changes and you’re suddenly okay with moving a bottom six forward.

I think there is still a little more the Flames could’ve possibly done here. Derek Ryan, for example, feels like the sort of player they would have likely gotten phone calls on but chose not to move. But with so much of their core locked up to term and a lot of uncertainty around the league at the moment, it makes sense that they didn’t want to go into a snap fire sale at the highest level. What they did get done should be considered a particularly good effort.

Edmonton Oilers

April 12^th: Traded a Conditional 4^th Round Draft Pick in 2022 to the New Jersey Devils for D Dmitry Kulikov

The Oilers didn’t do a heck of a lot to add, and with the team in the position that they are, that decision seems like a confusing one. Ken Holland talked about a look towards next year as a spending year, telling reporters “I don’t know that you can be all-in every year. I think you pick and choose.”

To Holland’s credit, the Oilers could find themselves in a very flexible position next year, with a bevy of contracts coming off the books to supply them with $27 million in cap space. On the other hand, some of those names (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Adam Larsson, Tyson Barrie, Kailer Yamamoto, Mike Smith) will take up a decent chunk of money to either re-sign or replace, and there’s no guarantee – especially in Smith’s case – that they put up the same results next year.

Not to mention a few other factors at play here like, I don’t know, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl producing at career-high rates, and while Toronto seems to be a formidable potential opponent, they’ll still have Vegas to deal with when the divisions go back to normal next year. It seems to me that while the team aren’t sure-fire favourites, they’re good enough to have a shot, and so long as you have a generational talent in his prime available, you push forward. Instead, all that happened is a minor pick for depth transaction – Kulikov is a body who can play games and minutes and that’s important to any playoff team, but he’s not going to be breaking any games.

Montreal Canadiens

April 12^th: Lost D Victor Mete on Waivers to the Ottawa Senators
April 12^th: Traded a 7^th Round Draft Pick in 2022 to the Philadelphia Flyers for D Erik Gustafsson

The Canadiens have a bit more of an excuse for a quiet deadline, given that that they had lost four of five going into the deadline and seem to mostly be playoff-secure right now due to the Flames’ failures, rather than their own success. It’s very reminiscent of last year’s team – perhaps the sign of a core that is decent, but still not ready to be in the contender conversation for a little bit.

They also already made their splash in acquiring Eric Staal on March 26^th, and with just one point to his name in the six games since (albeit an OT winner), that may have given Marc Bergevin some pause on attempting another. They did make an intriguing attempt at a buy-low, though, in acquiring Flyers’ defenceman Erik Gustafsson, who probably has the most shocking-to-stumble-upon 60-point season of any active NHLer (2018/19 with Chicago).

I don’t think Montreal is expecting to get a repeat of that out of him, and with an expiring contract, they likely don’t have time to find out. But he’s a perfectly capable defenceman who can contribute in the defensive zone, even if he appears to be a shell of his former self offensively. Given the loss of Victor Mete to waivers earlier in the day, the low-cost bet appears to be sound.

Ottawa Senators

April 11^th: Traded D Mike Reilly to the Boston Bruins for a 3^rd Round Draft Pick in 2022
April 12^th: Claimed D Victor Mete on Waivers from Montreal Canadiens
April 12^th: Traded D Erik Gudbranson to the Nashville Predators for Brandon Fortunato and a 7^th Round Draft Pick in 2023
April 12^th: Traded D Braydon Coburn to the New York Islanders for a 7^th Round Draft Pick in 2022

Victor Mete

It should come to no surprise that the Senators would be sellers in a clear rebuild year, but after the way Erik Gudbranson and Brayden Coburn were talked about as invaluable members of the team by DJ Smith in the weeks prior, there was some wonder whether he was asset-pumping or sure that they’d stick around.

It seems the answer is neither, as both have moved on and neither fetched much – 7^th round picks in later years, and a warm-body contract in Fortunato. It stands to reason for the Senators to take what they could get there, though, and as the market for big, defence first, non-play driving defencemen fades year after year, what they could get just wasn’t much.

Redemption came in their other two transactions. Getting a 22-year-old Victor Mete for free from the Canadiens via waivers, presumably with lots of ice time now available to him, was a great free wallet. Even if he doesn’t amount to his previous hype, he still at least seems to be a young, capable NHLer, so the potential on the acquisition is nearly all upside. Mike Reilly would be a tough loss to a team in a more competitive position but given that he will be out of his prime by the time the Senators are ready, getting a third round pick in a buyer’s market is a solid alternative.

Toronto Maple Leafs

April 9^th: Traded a Conditional 7^th Round Draft Pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets for F Riley Nash
April 11^th: Traded a 1^st Round Draft Pick in 2021 and a 4^th Round Draft Pick in 2022 to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and 4^th Round Draft Pick in 2021, for F Nick Foligno (two salary retentions) and F Stefan Noesen
April 11^th: Traded a 3^rd Round Draft Pick in 2022 to the Calgary Flames for G David Rittich
April 12^th: Traded F Alexander Barabanov to the San Jose Sharks for F Antti Suomela
April 12^th: Traded a 5^th Round Pick in 2022 to the Anaheim Ducks for D Ben Hutton

Few, if any teams were more active in trying to check all possible boxes than the Maple Leafs in their deadline week. Nash brings them a fourth line, absence-of-event defensive forward, and acquiring him first gave Toronto some LTIR flexibility as he recovers from a sprained knee. Rittich gives them a fourth goalie to play regular season games while they figure out which of Jack Campbell, Frederik Andersen, and Michael Hutchinson are healthy and/or good. Ben Hutton has played games throughout the season and will be a warmer option should a depth defenceman be required. Over in San Jose, the Leafs get to do a favour to a European signing who didn’t work out and find him another spot to try to make a name for himself, while getting back a player who can play centre if their depth severely lessens.

The big fish here is obviously Foligno, who fetched the biggest return of any rental forward this week. Toronto is hoping that he can be the piece that brings it all together – someone who bolsters their sandpaper while contributing a solid two-way game. His familial relation to the city through his father Mike helps create an early bond with the fanbase.

From a traditional perspective, I think the Maple Leafs checked a lot of boxes. They sharpened their tools up front, on defence, and in goal. There are some arguments to be had about the costs, mostly on the Foligno trade, and whether a spend that steep could’ve been better put towards a higher-talent player. But in an interesting plot twist, Kyle Dubas has stuck with conventional wisdom, and we’ll see where it takes them.

Adam Gaudette

Vancouver Canucks

April 12^th: Traded F Adam Gaudette to the Chicago Blackhawks for F Matthew Highmore
April 12^th: Traded a 4^th Round Draft Pick in 2021 to the Chicago Blackhawks for D Madison Bowey and a 5^th Round Draft Pick in 2021
April 12^th: Traded D Jordie Benn to the Winnipeg Jets for a 6^th Round Draft Pick in 2021

Traditionally, this is one of the best weeks in the year to wonder what exactly the Vancouver Canucks are thinking, as this is right about the time where this management group has frequently let sharper minds in the fanbase down. Usually, this is the time where you expect the Canucks to sell and replenish their pick capital, only for them to case a bunch of pre-prime aged reclamation projects in hopes that what Jim Benning once liked about them can be found again.

Now, looking at the above list, it’s easy to say that they’ve literally done just that once again. They extended Tanner Pearson instead of trading him, they kept Brandon Sutter, they kept Travis Hamonic, they kept Alex Edler, they didn’t move out anyone with term, and they come out of this all with only a couple low picks and two 25-year-old longshots. But I’d argue, for once, that they can take a pass on this one.

With the Canucks in a completely unenviable spot due to their COVID-19 outbreak, I understand the interest in doing right by the players and avoiding moving them whenever possible this week. Most reports seem to suggest that Gaudette preferred to move, and given his position as potential patient zero, I can see why they made it work for him. Benn was unlikely to return next year and moving him to a Canadian team to minimize disruption was likely something he was happy with. I’m kind of into the Madison Bowey play as well – his NHL career hasn’t been great to date, but he’s at the very least a solid tweener, and the average value gap between a 4^th and 5^th rounder isn’t significant.

In normal circumstances, I’d be all over dunking on this deadline. This time? We’ll give them a pass. It’s fine given how up against the wall they were.

Winnipeg Jets

April 12^th: Traded a 6^th Round Draft Pick in 2021 to the Vancouver Canucks for D Jordie Benn

So, on the note of Benn, Winnipeg was where he landed, as the Jets’ only move of significance this week. In him, they get a veteran who has seen his way around the league, making stops in Dallas, Montreal, and obviously, Vancouver on his way to his new home. He’s best known as a physical, shot blocking defenceman who can put up a limited, but existent rate of production, and has some comfort on the penalty kill. Most underlying metrics aren’t super high on him, though the popular Evolving Hockey Goals Above Replacement model has him as Vancouver’s second most positively impactful player this year.

Suffice to say, while he’s not a slam dunk acquisition, he’s the kind that a team can make for a sixth-round pick and be satisfied. That’s especially true if you’re the Winnipeg Jets, who for all of their scoring talent and their elite goaltending, simply do not have a strong defence core. As it stands, we’re talking about a team where Neal Pionk seems to clearly be their top defenceman, with no one, even the high-priced Josh Morrissey, really stepping up to declare themselves as a well above-average piece, let alone be a star.

The big question here is – could they have done more? As mentioned last week, there was talk of Mattias Ekholm, but Nashville’s price got excessive quickly. David Savard may have been an interesting add, though he ultimately landed in Tampa Bay. Not outbidding Boston on Mike Reilly is the one that really confuses me, as the cost of a third-round pick was little to nothing for a player like him. The Jets are in a great position to go for it this year, and while Benn helps, I’m just not sure it’s enough of a leap forward in that position. Then again, when you have one of the best goalies in the world at your disposal, maybe you don’t have to do much defending.

Fit The Bill – Calgary Flames 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 20:27:42 +0000

Review/State of Play - Expectations were running high in Calgary heading into the season. They had made the playoffs in coach Glen Gulutzan first year after missing for six of the previous seven seasons. An emerging young core and some additions on defense (Travis Hamonic) and goal (Mike Smith) meant to push the team further, costing them draft picks and ultimately not drafting until the fourth round in the 2018 NHL Draft.

The team collapsed down the stretch only winning 12 of their final 36 games in a crushing disappointment. Coach Gulutzan was fired as a result, replaced by Bill Peters in the off season. He comes from the Hurricanes featuring a strong possession game.

Offensively they struggled finishing 27^th in the league for goals for and the third worst power play in the league. Their supposed team strength with an enviable defense group they allowed the 10^th lowest shots against in the NHL, but 13^th worst in goals against of 2.96 per game. Smith was not the answer in net. Brian Burke having moved on and a new coach, GM Brad Treliving decided to blow things up with a blockbuster trade.

Blockbuster blow up - They moved their leading scoring defender in Dougie Hamilton (17 goals and 44 points – tied for the league lead in goals), in a package with Bill Peters old team that netted them Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. Leaving with Hamilton was Michael Ferland who played primarily with Gaudreau and Monahan and promising prospect Adam Fox. Replacing Ferland will either be Lindholm or James Neal, acquired through free agency.

Hamilton’s departure leaves a big hole as he and Giordano formed one of the best duo’s in the league. Hanifin is only 21 years old and contributed 10 goals and 32 points in his third NHL season. A high draft pick, he may benefit from the mentoring of either captain Mike Giordano or steady Travis Hamonic – allowing him to develop with some insurance. The Flames still boast a strong defensive corps of Giordan, T.J Brodie, Hamonic and Michael Stone without Hamilton and the upgrade on the wing was crucial to improving the offense. Hamonic was a disappointment in his first season, but a year of acclimatization should help. Brodie also regressed, along with others, and chemistry with Hamonic did not come. Peters will bring a new approach, but has a tool set to work with.

Elias Lindholm, 23 years old signed a six-year extension ($4.85 AAV) with the Flames after being acquired locking him up through his prime. Peters familiarity with both players (Hanifin remains an RFA for the moment) may have been key – and the signing reinforced his confidence in Lindholm. He can play either center or right wing giving some options to the coach.

CALGARY, AB - FEBRUARY 01: Calgary Flames Center Sean Monahan (23) takes a break during a game between the Calgary Flames and the Minnesota Wild on February 01, 2017, at the Scotiabank Saddledome, in Calgary AB. (Photo by Jose Quiroz/Icon Sportswire)

Offensive retooling - Up front hey have budding superstars in Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, with Matthew Tkachuk emerging last season with 24 goals. Neal and Lindholm fill in a void on right wing to go with strength on the left side in Gaudreau and Tkachuk.

The added depth down the middle signing 31-year-old Derek Ryan, who also played with Peters in Carolina, in free agency to a three-year contract ($3.125 AAV). He contributed 15 goals last season and as importantly won 56.5% of his faceoffs taking the second most on the team and led the regulars on Carolina in CF% with 56.55% - and third in the league for players over 1000 minutes - interestingly behind Dougie Hamilton and Mark Giordano. Peters is a possession guy and Ryan improves his team in that area.

A disappointing season from 22-year-old Sam Bennett and 23-year-old Curtis Lazar. Bennett contributed only 11 goals and 15 assists in his third NHL season and Lazar acquired from Ottawa with some contributed two goals in 65 games and endured some really challenging stretches. They are both young enough to turn it around, but the organization must be anxious for signs of development. 23-year-old Mark Jankowski contributed 17 goals and played a regular shift last season. He has played well in the NCAA and the AHL and the team has been patient in his development and is considered an important piece of the near future. Austin Czarnik signed as a free agent for two years ($1.25 million AAV) and the Flames hope he can contribute after finishing third in the AHL in scoring last year.

The rest of the forward group is solid with 29-year-old Mikael Backlund emerging as one of the best two-way centers in the league and was rewarded with a six- year contract ($5.35 million AAV). He, Matthew Tkachuck and Michael Frolik were teamed together most of last season and represent a strong shut down line that can provide timely scoring.

In net Mike Smith has one more year on his contract at $4.25 million. Smith can be brilliant and was to start the season contributing to the optimism in Calgary. Unfortunately the Flames fortune would follow his. He had groin issues to end the season and his GAA ballooned to 3.45 and his save percentage was 0.896 after the all-star break. Goal remains an enormous question mark.

Outlook - The Flames are young and developing still and have a mature defense group that ranks against most in the NHL. If Smith can be heroic, they could be a very good team this season. A playoff spot should be the goal and attainable.

Top Ten European Players Coming to the NHL in 2015

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 21:09:10 +0000

Last summer I wrote a piece called the Top Ten European Players Coming to the NHL and other than ranking Jiri Sekac to low and Petri Kontiola to high it worked out pretty well. In an attempt to improve on the first installment of this annual piece and help you identify some potential sleeper fantasy hockey players to target in upcoming drafts, here is my top ten list for the 2015-2016 season

1. Artemi Panarin, LW - Chicago Blackhawks

Age 23 5’11, 170 lbs Contract:$812,500Panarin is the clear number one player on this list after having a great season in the KHL and at the World championship where he scored ten points in ten games. He is a sure-fire top six option in Chicago this upcoming season and the trade of Patrick Sharp only cements that tremendous fantasy option. Panarin is only 23 years old and has signed a two year contract with a cap hit of $812,500 according to General Fanager which makes him extremely attractive in keeper leagues with a salary cap.

Projection: 50 points

2. Steve Moses, RW - Nashville Predators

Age 25 5’9” 172 lbs Contract:$1 million

The American born Moses was undrafted into the NHL but at age 25 has plenty of international experience and finished seventh overall in KHL scoring last season while producing two points in seven games for USA at the World Championship. Moses is another small player who has great sped and is a pure sniper. Moses will have his work cut out for himself if he is to earn a top six role with the Predators over proven NHL talent such as James Neal, Craig Smith and Taylor Beck on the right wing. Moses signed a one year one million dollar contract with the Predators and will become a UFA next summer so he represents a gamble as a boom or bust player. If he fails to crack the roster you will have wasted a draft pick, a roster spot and some cap room unless you can send him to waivers. If he produces he could see a significant jump in pay as a UFA next summer.

Projection: 30 points

3. Sergei Plotnikov, LW/RW – Pittsburgh Penguins

Age 25 6’2” 205 lbs Contract: $925,000

Plotnikov plays a very physical game which should help ease his transition to North American hockey, but his skating is a concern. He is not as prolific a scorer as Panarin but should find a home on the Penguins top nine making a career in front of the net and digging pucks out of the corners. His contract is only for one year but he is a RFA after that and at 25 represents a very good fantasy option in keeper leagues. In a league that scores peripheral stats like hits and penalty minutes I would bump him up over Moses.

Projection: 30 points

Re Plotnikov from 30 Thoughts .... I like That stop/start comment is important. pic.twitter.com/gkaoKXjTZK

— Gus Katsaros (@KatsHockey) July 9, 2015

4. Alex Burmistrov, RW Winnipeg Jets

Age 23 6’1” 180 lbs Contract: $1,550,000

Burmistrov was a first round (eighth overall) selection of the team from the Atlanta era. Burmistrov is a highly talented winger, a typical Russian sniper. The knock on him is his lack of any form of a physical element and poor defensive responsibility. In terms of fantasy hockey as long as he is scoring points he has value. The question is will he earn the Coaches confidence enough to see playing time relevant enough to produce?

Projection 30 points

5. Viktor Tikhonov, C Chicago Blackhawks

Age 27 6’2” 189 lbs Contract: $1,040,000

The Grandson of Legendary Russian star of the same namesake, this will be Tikhonovs’ second attempt in the NHL. The former first round pick of the Coyotes from 2008 should fit in on the Hawks third line behind countryman Artem Anisimov. Tikhonov is a versatile forward who is responsible defensively but there is some question to how high his offensive upside is.

Projection: 25 points

6. Sergei Kalinin, C/RW New Jersey Devils

Age 24 6’2” 190 lbs Contract: $925, 000

Kalinin perhaps has less offensive upside than his Russian counterparts ahead of him on this list but the Devils are desperate for some youth up front and despite suffering a scary head injury earlier in the season the Devils signed the Russian forward. He has NHL size and is a versatile player that represents a good depth two-way option for the Devils. His fantasy upside is questionable but he is worthy of a late round gamble for sure.

Projection: 25 points

7. Joonas Kamppainen C Boston Bruins

Age 27 6’2” 209 lbs Contract: $792,500

Kemppainen is already 27 years old and as such a veteran to pro hockey and should be NHL ready to assume a role on the Bruins bottom six as a role player. He has the size and all-around game to succeed in the NHL and has some offensive upside as well as evident in his nine point performance in eight games at the World Championship for Finland. His contract is a one year deal that sees him as a UFA at terms end.

Projection: 20 points

8. Evgeni Medvedev, D Philadelphia Flyers

Age 32 6’3” 187 lbs Contract: $3,000,000

Medvedev will join a very crowded Flyers blue line that consists of six under contract NHL defenders and top prospects such as Ivan Provorov, Samuel Morin, Robert Hagg, Travis Sanheim and Shane Gostisbehere who are all going to challenge for playing time. Medvedev will have no time to adjust to the smaller ice and North American game. He is a tall but slight defender who is very experienced and smooth skating two-way defender with a nice long active stick. Could be an excellent mentor for Provorov.

9. Markus Hannikainen, LW Columbus Blue Jackets

Age 22 6’1” 189 lbs Contract: $717,500

In the short term, Hannikainen projects to play on Lake Erie in the AHL as he adjusts to the smaller ice and North American game. In the long term, he has top six potential in the NHL. At this point, he is an investment in deep keeper leagues and any NHL action he sees this season should be considered a bonus.

Projection: 5 points

10. Andreas Martinsen, C/W Colorado Avalanche

Age 25 6’3” 220 lbs Contract: $742,500

Martinsen is a big physical forward who loves to drop the gloves and crash the net, old time hockey style. He should adjust to the North American style quickly and his skating skills are not a liability as well. While his fantasy value is primarily going to come from hits and penalty minute contributions, his five points in 12 playoff games in Germany offer some hope his skill set can pass at the NHL level. Expect Martinsen to play the majority of his games with San Antonio this season and hope he can fight his way onto the Avalanche roster.

Projection: 1 point

Honorable Mention: Derek Ryan (Carolina Hurricanes) led the SHL in scoring last season with 60 points and was named the league MVP. At 28 years old his potential is limited and he is what he is, a 5’10 170 lbs winger. Vojtech Mozik (New Jersey Devils)has some time to spend in Albany before he will pass several promising young defenders on the Devils defense depth chart, but the potential is there. Eetu Laurikainen (Edmonton Oilers) played junior hockey in the WHL but went undrafted in the NHL. Given the Oilers lack of depth in goal he is worth mentioning, but is a long term project.