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2017-18 Primer: Edmonton Oilers

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With the NHL season now just a week away, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the Edmonton Oilers.

Last Season: 47-26-9 record (103 points), second in Pacific Division (lost to Anaheim in second round)

Remaining Cap Space: $8.33MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Ryan Strome (trade, New York), F Jussi Jokinen (free agency, Florida),

Key Departures: F Jordan Eberle (trade, New York), F Benoit Pouliot (buyout), F Matt Hendricks (free agency, Winnipeg), F Tyler Pitlick (free agency, Dallas), F David Desharnais (free agency, New York), D Griffin Reinhart (expansion, Vegas)

[Related: Edmonton Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Jesse PuljujarviPlayer To Watch: F Jesse Puljujarvi – While most of the eyes will still be focused on Connor McDavid no matter where the Oilers are playing, Puljujarvi should command some attention as well. The fourth-overall pick from 2016 won’t turn 20 until next May, and seems to be in a dogfight to even make the roster out of camp. Kailer Yamamoto, the team’s top pick from the most recent draft is giving Puljujarvi all he can handle as he tries to prove that he’s ready to take the next step in the NHL.

That next step is an important one, as Puljujarvi had an up-and-down season a year ago. Starting the year with the Oilers, he rarely saw enough minutes to really make an impact and was eventually sent down to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Once there, he slowly found his game before going on a tear to prove that he could dominate in the minor leagues. The 18-year old scored 28 points for the Condors, which actually ranked fifth among forwards despite playing in only 39 games.

The training wheels are off now though, and if Puljujarvi is to make this team he’ll have to perform. While there is no chance of him being labelled a bust this early in his career, a breakout would go a long way to helping the Stanley Cup contending Oilers reach that next level.

Key Storyline: When the Oilers committed $168MM to two players this offseason, they locked themselves into the same yearly salary cap struggles the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks have endured. While obviously both franchises have experienced immense success, they each took home their first Stanley Cup while at least one of their “Big Two” was still on a more reasonable contract. That’s this year and this year only for the Oilers, as McDavid’s record-setting $12.5MM cap hit kicks in next summer.

It’s not to say that the team won’t be able to compete once it does—Pittsburgh and Chicago have both won subsequent Cups while paying big prices—it’s that this theoretically should be one of the best chances they’ll ever have. While McDavid is sure to be among the handful of top players for the next decade, he’s already there and earning only $925K (plus bonuses) in salary. The question will be have the Oilers done enough to build a team around him for this season in order to take advantage of that.

The Oilers have $66.7MM committed to this season, and just over $60.7MM on the books for next. The difference is that this year that’s projected out from 24 roster players, while next there are only 13 under contract. The $8.33MM in cap space this year is one of their greatest assets, and no one should be shocked if they’re aggressive in-season going after rentals. While they can’t take on money for the future, they should be as close to the cap as their budget allows this year when it’s all said and done.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Robby Fabbri To Miss Entire 2017-18 Season

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In an incredibly disappointing turn of events, the St. Louis Blues announced today that Robby Fabbri will miss the entire season after re-injuring his surgically repaired left knee. Fabbri, who was profiled as our “Player to Watch” for the Blues this year, was originally thought to have just a minor aggravation, but clearly there was structural damage once again.

Fabbri played just 51 games last season after tearing his ACL in early February. At that point, he had 29 points and was well on his way to setting several career-highs. The 21st-overall pick in 2014, Fabbri is a dynamic offensive player who was a pick by many to break out in the next few years. That will obviously have to wait, and ruling him out so early does throw into question what kind of a comeback he’ll eventually have. Knee surgeries can be tough to come back from, especially for players who are known for their quickness and lateral movement.

The Blues have been ravished by injury early on, losing Zachary Sanford for five to six months and seeing Alex Steen and Jay Bouwmeester go down to broken bones. The latter two will be re-evaluated at the end of camp, but neither is expected to return very soon. It was going to be tough to replace those players already, but Fabbri’s injury will just put even more stress on a team that has struggled to progress in the playoffs. While there are young talented players coming like Klim Kostin and Jordan Kyrou, it will likely be a while before either can make a real impact. Kostin remains in training camp, but Kyrou was sent back to junior today.

NHL Officially Approves Rule Change For Offside Challenge

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The NHL’s Board of Governors officially approved the rule change to asses a minor penalty to any team who challenges an offside unsuccessfully. The coach will no longer require his timeout to make the challenge, but risks putting his team down a man for two minutes should he be incorrect. The offside challenge still must occur only after a goal has been scored.

While this will certainly reduce the number of challenges this season—something that fans and coaches alike can get behind—there were countless instances last year where it wasn’t obviously clear whether the player was onside or not. Those close calls will be tough to challenge as a coach, as you could both allow a goal and put your team at a disadvantage directly afterwards. Hopefully this will make only the most egregious mistakes stop the game for the referees to confirm or overturn the call.

One may worry though, that since linesmen seemed to blow fewer plays dead last year for offside knowing that they could always go back and check, it could result in goals that shouldn’t have been allowed under normal circumstances but are still too close to risk challenging. Remember, if it is blown offside but in fact shouldn’t have been, there is no way to challenge anyway.

Other than the minutia of whether or not a play is blown dead, this likely will accomplish the goal for the league of reducing the amount of lengthy delays during an NHL game. Several times last year reviews took close to ten minutes, completely changing the flow of the game and allowing viewers at home to click off to other programming. As baseball has instituted recently with the manager’s clock, review mechanics only work if they’re done in a timely fashion; otherwise, the benefit of “getting the call right” is far outweighed by the frustration of waiting for a decision to be made.

A.J. Greer Out Indefinitely With Concussion

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The Colorado Avalanche were dealt an injury blow today when the team announced to reporters that A.J. Greer suffered a concussion and will be out indefinitely. Adrian Dater of BSN Denver had noticed Greer wasn’t at practice, and filled us in afterwards with the news. It’s not Greer’s first injury this training camp, as he’d previously dealt with a hand injury and lacerated lip.

While there is no timetable as of yet, it’s a tough way for Greer to start what was expected to be a big season for him. The 20-year old was penciled into the lineup after impressing at the minor league level and in a short call-up last year, and has all the talent to contribute right away. His size and nose for the net allowed him to score 15 goals last year as an AHL rookie, after leaving Boston University early the year prior.

The Avalanche aren’t expected to compete for the Stanley Cup this year, but players like Greer, J.T. Compher and Mikko Rantanen have things headed in the right direction. The youth of the team up front is impressive, and they could easily climb out of the very bottom of the standings should someone break out. We’ll keep an eye on whether Greer is able to bounce back from this concussion quickly, or whether it lingers and holds him out of the lineup long-term.

R.J. Umberger Released From PTO

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Though it was a good story while it lasted, the Dallas Stars have officially cut R.J. Umberger, releasing him from his professional tryout. After a year away from the game, the former Flyers and Blue Jackets forward was given a chance by Ken Hitchcock, a former coach, but couldn’t show enough to earn an NHL deal.

It was unlikely Umberger was really ever in contention for a spot, though as the season inched closer some believed he could earn at least an AHL contract. Instead, he’ll have to look elsewhere if he wants to return to the professional hockey ranks.

In 779 career games, Umberger scored 392 points including registering at least 20 goals in five different seasons. Once one of the most consistent power forwards in the game, his play fell off a cliff upon a return to Philadelphia in 2014 and he was bought out in the summer of 2016. He’ll earn $1.5MM from the Flyers this season to complete the buyout payments.

Nineteen Players Placed On Waivers

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As always during the last few days of training camp, the waiver wire is filled up with fringe NHL players that have been cut from their teams. Jordan Nolan was the only player claimed from yesterday’s crop, but there are some more interesting name in today’s group. Here are the waivers for September 27th, thanks to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports:

Emerson Etem (ARI)
Ty Rattie (EDM)
Dillon Simpson (EDM)
Michael Mersch (LAK)
Andrew Crescenzi (LAK)
Niklas Svedberg (MIN)
Cal O’Reilly (MIN)
Zack Mitchell (MIN)
Alex Grant (MIN)
Kurtis Gabriel (MIN)
Landon Ferraro (MIN)
Patrick Cannone (MIN)
Matt Taormina (MTL)
Petteri Lindbohm (STL)
Chris Butler (STL)
Beau Bennett (STL)
Stefan Matteau (VGK)
Liam O’Brien (WSH)
Zach Sill (WSH)

Jordan Nolan Claimed By Buffalo Sabres

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The Buffalo Sabres have claimed forward Jordan Nolan from the Los Angeles Kings, after the team placed him on waivers yesterday in an attempt to send him to the minor leagues. Nolan was a somewhat surprising cut after playing at least 44 games for the Kings in each of the last five seasons.

Jordan NolanNolan, 28, is a big-bodied gritty fourth-line forward who actually saw the most ice-time of his career last season, averaging almost 11 minutes a night. While he’s not an offensive force—his career-high is 10 points in a season—he can still add some toughness and quite a bit of NHL experience to a Buffalo lineup that will be relying on several young players. Buffalo GM Jason Botterill had this to say about his newest acquisition:

We’re happy to bring Jordan into the mix. His size and speed, along with his experience with a successful organization like the Kings, make him an asset to the organization.

There is no guarantee that Nolan makes the Sabres either, but he’ll have a chance to show what he can do. The team may try to sneak him through waivers of their own in the next few days, which would allow the Kings to reclaim him.

Lisa Dillman of NHL.com was first to break the news.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Morning Notes: Karlsson, Sanford, Rooney

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Erik Karlsson is the key to the Ottawa Senators, and with him still nursing an injury the team may get off to a rough start. Emily Sadler of Sportsnet broke down a Pierre Dorion interview, in which the Senators’ GM talks about a hopeful October return for the team captain.

If Karlsson doesn’t get back into the lineup quickly, the Senators will have to rely on other players to step up into a bigger role. One of the possibilities is Thomas Chabot, who has impressed in camp and looks about as ready as you can be to jump into the NHL. Chabot, one of the premiere prospects in the entire league, plays a different game than Karlsson and is left-handed, but has had a positive impact almost every time he’s touched the ice. The Senators play a very structured defensive system, and if he can familiarize himself quickly he could be an elite possession player right away.

  • Zach Sanford underwent successful surgery on his shoulder yesterday, and will be out the expected five to six months. Blues fans had hoped Sanford would push for a full-time spot this season after coming over from the Washington Capitals in the Kevin Shattenkirk deal, but will be out for most of the season after dislocating his shoulder this summer. The 22-year old scored five points in 13 games down the stretch for the Blues, but will have to fight to get back into the lineup in 2018.
  • The New Jersey Devils have recalled Kevin Rooney from Binghamton, in what was essentially a paper transaction. Though Rooney was sent down yesterday, he never actually left camp and will likely suit up for the Devils tonight against the Washington Capitals. He won’t crack the opening day roster, but there is potential for Rooney to see some time with the big club at some point this season. He made his NHL debut last year, but was held scoreless through four games.

Training Camp Cuts: 09/27/17

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We’re now just a week away from the start of the regular season, and teams are starting to get down close to their opening night rosters. Over 100 players were cut yesterday, and there will be many more today. Keep it right here for all the cuts as they happen.

Arizona Coyotes

F Emerson Etem – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Boston Bruins

G Dan Vladar – Providence (AHL)

Calgary Flames

F Joseph Cramarossa – Released from PTO

Colorado Avalanche

D Jared Cowen – Released from PTO

Columbus Blue Jackets

F Vitali Abramov – Gatineau (QMJHL)
F Nick Moutrey – Cleveland (AHL)
F Justin Scott – Cleveland (AHL)
F Calvin Thurkauf – Cleveland (AHL)
F Alexander Broadhurst – Cleveland (AHL)
D Andre Benoit – Cleveland (AHL)
D Cameron Gaunce – Cleveland (AHL)
D Dean Kukan – Cleveland (AHL)
F John Mitchell – Released from PTO
D Brady Austin – Released from PTO

Dallas Stars

F Brian Flynn – Texas (AHL)
D Brent Regner – Texas (AHL)
F R.J. Umberger – Released from PTO

Edmonton Oilers

F Ty Rattie – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Dillon Simpson – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Florida Panthers

F Jayce Hawryluk – Springfield (AHL)
F Maxim Mamin – Springfield (AHL)
F Sebastian Repo – Springfield (AHL)

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Jeff Tambellini To Retire, Coach At Michigan

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Former NHL forward Jeff Tambellini may be retiring from pro hockey, but he seems to have his next career already planned out. The University of Michigan revealed tonight that Tambellini will return to campus to finish his degree and has been named an “undergraduate assistant coach”. Tambellini himself has yet to recognize his retirement, but may never actually do so in any official capacity.

Normally, “graduate assistant coach” is a title given to recent grads helping out with their alma mater’s program in some way. Tambellini’s new title of “undergraduate assistant coach” is almost unheard of, but fitting for the former All-American who left Michigan a year early after three dominant seasons. He returns to finish his degree with over a decade of pro hockey experience under his belt.

A first-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2003, there were high expectations of Tambellini that only increased with each collegiate season. Yet, once he turned pro, the small, speedy forward struggled to skate around the opposition like he could in the NCAA. The Kings traded him to the Islanders after only four games with the team, sending he and Denis Grebeshkov to New York for Mark Parrish and Brent Sopel. Tambellini carved out a bottom-six/AHL depth role for himself on the island and played for New York for four more seasons, accumulating 46 points in 176 games. Tambellini played his final NHL season in 2010-11 with the Vancouver Canucks, posting a career-best 17 points and +10 rating in 62 games and playing in the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins.

Since then, Tambellini has had an up-and-down experience as a globe-trotting veteran. He was a force to reckon with in his first pro season outside the NHL, scoring 45 points in 50 games with the ZSC Lions of the Swiss NLA. Injuries limited his production in his second season with the Lions, so he moved on to Sweden, where he played well for MODO. He again struggled in the following year, splitting his time between the SHL and NLA, but not finding results in either location. 2015-16 marked an attempted NHL comeback, as Tambellini signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Despite impressive production in the AHL, Tambellini did not see any NHL action and headed back to Sweden last season, where he struggled mightily and, at the age of 33, likely decided it was time to hand up his skates.

However, his new opportunity with the Wolverines should allow Jeff to follow in his father’s footsteps. Steve Tambellini played ten years in the NHL, but is likely best known for his later work off the ice. Steve was the GM of the Edmonton Oilers from 2008 to 2013 and also previously worked for the Vancouver Canucks and Team Canada. He is currently a scout for the Anaheim Ducks. While Jeff seems to be heading more in a coaching route rather than toward a front office future, it is clear that hockey intelligence runs in the family and Jeff could have a shot a great coaching career, beginning with his return to Ann Arbor this season. Who knows, if coaching is a great fit for Jeff, he may end up back in the NHL, this time behind the bench, before little brother Adam Tambellini, a New York Rangers prospect, makes it to the big time himself.

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