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Oilers Notes: Puljujarvi, Smith, Free Agent Goalies

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While his first trade request didn’t lead to a move, it seems that Puljujarvi’s second attempt could be more successful. Per Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, sources have confirmed that the Edmonton Oilers winger is “ready to move on for a fresh start” outside of Edmonton. He adds that the Oilers are “ready to oblige” and are already speaking with “at least four teams” in order to secure as high of a return as possible for the former top-five pick. Spector also consults a group of pro scouts to gauge an opinion on what Puljujarvi’s value is on the trade market, and the responses came generally along the lines of a second or third-round pick. TSN’s Chris Johnston confirms Spector’s reporting that several teams have engaged the Oilers in trade discussions regarding Puljujarvi, and he goes further, naming the Senators specifically as a team believed to be in the mix.

This is not Puljujarvi’s first time seeking an exit from Edmonton, but this time it seems more likely thanks to his improved play. The first time, Puljujarvi had not established himself as an NHL option and the possibility of a return to Finland was looming over the entire process. Now, Puljujarvi is coming off of a successful season as an Oiler, where he scored 14 goals and 36 points in 65 games. The 24-year-old winger offers an intriguing package of size and skill, and it’s no surprise that a team like Ottawa, who drafted their own power forward in Tyler Boucher tenth-overall at last year’s draft, would be interested. What will be surprise, though, is his ultimate destination, as Ottawa is only one of several teams vying for his services.

Now, for some other notes regarding the Edmonton Oilers:

  • On the Insider Trading segment of TSN’s Sportscentre program, Darren Dreger reported on the situation with Oilers starter Mike Smith, who has one year remaining on his contract at a $2.2MM cap hit. Per Dreger, Smith and GM Ken Holland will meet this week to discuss the player’s future, and in all likelihood the result will be that Smith will be placed on long-term injured reserve for the rest of his contract. Smith battled injuries during the Oilers’ run to the Western Conference Final, and although he had a strong season (.915 save percentage) he only got into 28 regular-season games. At 40 years old, Smith could be prioritizing his long-term health over a quick return to the ice, a choice that is definitely respectable.
  • With Smith no longer in the picture, then, the Oilers will need to target a new number-one goalie. Per Dreger, Holland is expected to delve “deep” into the free agent market this summer in search of a goalie, and Dreger specifically names Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Jack Campbell and St. Louis Blues goalie Ville Husso as two candidates for the job. Smith’s play was the subject of lots of conversation during the playoffs, and many believe that the Oilers are an elite goalie away from true Stanley Cup contention. With Smith’s anticipated placement on LTIR, it looks like Holland will be on the hunt for names like Campbell, Husso, or other top goalies.

West Notes: Forsberg, Horvat, Oilers Coaching Staff

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Recently, we covered how Filip Forsberg and the Nashville Predators’ negotiations on a new contract had been difficult, with both sides still “far apart” in terms of what a potential extension would look like. A week later, the situation remains uncertain. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on the status of the negotiations today, clarifying that while the gap between the team and player is said to be less than $1MM per year, there still has not been “a lot of progress” on finalizing a deal. With the eight-year term already agreed upon, that relatively small gap in the negotiation could cause the situation to drag on until potentially even the start of free agency.

With the gap under $1MM, it’ll be extremely interesting to see if Forsberg remains a Predator. He is the team’s all-time leading goal scorer and among their most important players. GM David Poile is a firm negotiator, and the Predators’ reluctance to give n0-trade protection on deals has been well-publicized. So, with that reputation in mind, it’s fair to wonder if Poile will let that six-figure gap be the reason Forsberg departs Nashville. From most fans’ perspectives, it seems like an easy question: the small bump in cost is worth avoiding the trouble of finding a replacement player. But to cement a deal with the long-tenured Poile, who is no stranger to letting important players leave in free agency, perhaps Forsberg will be the one who will need to compromise.

Now, for some other notes from across the NHL’s Western Conference:

  • While J.T. Miller has been the name most frequently mentioned in trade rumors, Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat actually has an identical contract situation, as he too will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. But unlike Miller, Horvat probably won’t be on the move anytime soon, hence his absence in the rumor mill. Per Thomas Drance of The Athletic (subscription link), the Canucks are “completely invested” in retaining Horvat beyond the expiry of his current contract. It’s easy to see why, as Horvat is among the team’s most important leaders and is still a highly effective on-ice talent. The 27-year-old pivot crossed the 30-goal plateau last year for the first time in his career and should be in line for a moderate raise from his current $5.5MM cap hit.
  • The Edmonton Oilers finalized their coaching situation when they removed the interim tag from coach Jay Woodcroft’s job title. Now, it seems that Woodcroft’s full coaching staff is taking shape. Per Dreger, Oilers assistant Brian Wiseman is “moving on” from the team, while fellow coaches Dave Manson and Glen Gulutzan are expected to stay in Edmonton. Wiseman is a former twelfth-round pick who has been an assistant coach in Edmonton for three seasons. Before then, he was part of the coaching staff at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. While a return to the college ranks is possible, Wiseman will certainly have options, as Dreger reports that he is set to have “strong interest” from a “variety of teams.”

Free Agent Focus: Edmonton Oilers

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Free agency is now just a few weeks away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in mid-July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  Next up is a look at the Edmonton Oilers.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Jesse Puljujarvi – A trio of top young forwards is hitting RFA status this year for the Oilers but it is Puljujarvi that will draw the most attention. Whether that is because of his draft pedigree–fourth overall in 2016–or the obvious upside that just oozes out of his 6’4″ frame, the big forward is a constant topic of debate in Edmonton. There are moments when Puljujarvi looks as though he’s taken that next step. Fourteen goals and 36 points in 65 games was a nice improvement, and his defensive ability was proven (at least through the underlying metrics). But then in the playoffs, he once again disappeared for long stretches and saw his ice time slashed dramatically.

Coming off a two-year contract and needing a qualifying offer of $1.41MM, Puljujarvi could take the Oilers to arbitration if they let it get that far. Where he fits into next season’s roster is still anyone’s guess.

F Kailer Yamamoto – The 23-year-old Yamamoto, meanwhile, experienced a nice rebound campaign this season, tallying 20 goals and 41 points after his disappointing 2020-21 performance. Undersized but scrappy, the 2017 first-round pick is also eligible for arbitration and is owed a qualifying offer of just $1.175MM. Given the team’s cap constraints, a long-term deal may be out of the question, but Yamamoto appears to have solidified his place in the top-nine, even if his two-goal playoff performance wasn’t quite up to snuff.

F Ryan McLeod – Another top pick, another uncertain future, as McLeod enters free agency for the first time without arbitration rights. The 22-year-old center scored just nine goals and 21 points in the regular season but has a blend of size and speed that can’t be easily replaced. There’s probably not ever going to be huge offensive upside–especially given the role he’ll be asked to play in Edmonton–but McLeod figures to be a regular again next season and likely take on even more defensive responsibility down the middle.

Other RFAs: F Tyler Benson, F Brendan Perlini, F Ostap Safin, D Filip Berglund

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Evander Kane – There’s no mistaking the Oilers’ interest in re-signing Kane, and from a purely on-ice perspective, it’s easy to understand why. The big winger scored an incredible 22 goals in 43 games during the regular season and then posted another 13 in the playoffs. That still led the entire postseason despite Kane playing just 15 games, showing just how important Kane could be to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as a potential running mate moving forward. Still, when discussing Kane it can’t be from just an on-ice perspective, as turmoil has followed him all over the NHL. Even now, his grievance with the San Jose Sharks over wrongful termination is still undecided, meaning a new contract could be delayed well past the opening of free agency.

D Brett Kulak – When the playoffs rolled around, Kulak was arguably one of the Oilers’ best defensemen, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens for a second-round pick (plus William Lagesson and a 2024 seventh). Armed with an elite defensive stick and strong gap control, the 28-year-old Kulak would be a nice fit for the third pairing in Edmonton moving forward, as long as they can get him back on a reasonable contract. Even then, perhaps the team will go in a different direction given the youth that is coming through the system by way of Philip Broberg, who should challenge for a full-time role next season, and the continued presence of veterans Duncan Keith and Tyson Barrie.

Other UFAs: F Josh Archibald, F Derick Brassard, F Colton Sceviour, F Kyle Turris, F Cooper Marody, D Kris Russell

Projected Cap Space

If you currently navigate to the Oilers’ CapFriendly page, you’ll see a nice cap space total of more than $7.1MM. Unfortunately, that is for a roster of just 15 players, meaning there is plenty of work to be done for general manager Ken Holland to fit everyone in. Just assuming the remaining eight spots are filled by league minimum $750K players it would eat up $6MM, meaning there isn’t a lot of wiggle room for improvement (or arbitration awards). Of course, with Oscar Klefbom’s contract still headed for long-term injured reserve, and at least some suggestion that Keith could retire before the 2022-23 campaign, that number could change dramatically.

Even so, with the Oilers pushing hard to sign Kane to a big contract, there still could very well be some cap casualties in Edmonton. This group pushed further into the playoffs than in years past and knows that McDavid and Draisaitl are good enough to lead them all the way. Making sure they spend every dollar effectively is absolutely crucial for Holland and his staff this summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Puljujarvi's Arbitration Eligibilty Could Be Problematic For Edmonton

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  • Sportsnet’s Mark Spector posits that an arbitrator could award pending RFA winger Jesse Puljujarvi a contract in the $3.5MM to $4MM range this summer. That would certainly be a big blow to the Oilers who simply couldn’t afford to carry that type of contract on their books.  The 24-year-old has been more impactful since coming back to North America at the start of last season but despite some impressive underlying numbers, he still managed just 14 goals and 22 assists in 2021-22.  If that is indeed in the range of where Puljujarvi’s camp sees him landing in an arbitration hearing, it wouldn’t be surprising to see GM Ken Holland shopping him over the coming weeks.

Another Bridge Deal Makes Sense For Oilers With Kailer Yamamoto

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  • Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal examined the improvements in winger Kailer Yamamoto’s performance following the midseason coaching change which has helped give him leverage heading into contract talks with salary arbitration rights for the first time. However, he suggests another bridge deal (Yamamoto played on a one-year deal this season) is the best way to go.  Yamamoto is still four years away from UFA eligibility so a two-year would buy them a bit more time to evaluate the 23-year-old and keep the cap hit lower.  Yamamoto is coming off a 20-goal, 41-point season with the Oilers so he’ll still be getting a decent-sized raise on the $1.175MM he made this year.

Edmonton Oilers Agree To Contract With Jay Woodcroft

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June 21: After reports earlier confirmed a deal was done, the Oilers have officially announced a three-year contract for Woodcroft, taking away the interim tag. Extending through the 2024-25 season, the coach will have his chance to take Edmonton all the way after an outstanding debut in the second half.

June 19: With Edmonton making it to the Western Conference Final, the expectation was that Oilers would lift the interim tag off head coach Jay Woodcroft.  They’re getting close to doing just that as ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports (Twitter link) that Edmonton is making progress on a three-year contract with the bench boss.  Postmedia’s Kurt Leavins adds that expects the deal to be finalized by the end of the month.

Edmonton’s turnaround after Woodcroft was promoted from AHL Bakersfield to replace Dave Tippett back in February was quite astounding.  The Oilers played to a .724 points percentage with a 26-9-3 record under his tutelage, a far cry from the 8-13-3 the team had put up under Tippett in the nearly ten weeks leading up to his departure.  They showed considerable improvement defensively without significantly affecting one of the strongest offenses in the league which allowed them to finish second in the Pacific Division at the end of the season.

From there, Edmonton squeaked by Los Angeles in the first round before stunning provincial rival Calgary (who won the Pacific) with a five-game series victory.  They weren’t as successful against Colorado, however, as they were ousted in four straight.  Still, it was a strong season overall for the Oilers so the news that they’re getting closer to getting Woodcroft signed shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

While they don’t have to get it done right away, the sooner GM Ken Holland can get this done, the better.  Edmonton has several prominent pending free agents highlighted by winger Evander Kane among those eligible for unrestricted free agency and wingers Kailer Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi among the RFA-eligible players.  With minimal cap space to work with, Holland will need to focus most of his time on getting things settled on that front so getting Woodcroft’s deal signed sooner than later will give him more time to focus on their needed roster movement this summer.

Latest On Brett Kulak

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  • While the mid-season signing of Evander Kane soaked up all the headlines, the deadline-day acquisition of defenseman Brett Kulak could go down as Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland’s shrewdest move of 2022. While some scoffed at the idea of Holland dealing a second-round pick for a defenseman without an extremely long track record of proven NHL success, Holland’s bet was a solid one, as Kulak helped solidify Edmonton’s defense and provide steady, reliable play next to frequent partner Tyson Barrie. Pierre LeBrun reports on TSN that Holland has met with Kulak’s agent, Gerry Johannson, and that the Oilers “want to re-sign” Kulak. LeBrun does stipulate that the cap hit on any new contract must make sense for the Oilers, but since both Kulak and the Oilers reportedly want to finalize a reunion, it would definitely not be surprising to see Kulak return to his hometown Oilers on a new deal this summer.

Bakersfield Condors Re-Sign Five Players

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  • The Edmonton Oilers’ affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, announced five AHL signings yesterday. They are as follows: F Luke Esposito, D Yanni Kaldis, F Dino Kambeitz, D Alex Peters, and D Darien Kielb. All have signed one-year, one-way (AHL) deals, except for Kambeitz, who signed a two-year deal, and Kielb, who signed a two-way, AHL/ECHL deal. None of the five players have NHL experience, altough Peters, 25, was a third-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2014. Perhaps the most significant name here is Kaldis, who led Condors defensemen in scoring in just his second AHL season. The 26-year-old Montreal native had seven goals and 31 points in 53 games, skating 18:30 time on ice per game.

Edmonton Oilers Could Pursue Ville Husso

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Now, the 27-year-old Finn with just 53 NHL starts will be one of the top options for teams perusing the unrestricted free agent market for goalies. On The Jeff Marek Show earlier in the week, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mentioned the possibility of the Edmonton Oilers being interested in Husso this offseason. Friedman notes that there were rumors of the Oilers making Husso a mid-season acquisition around the turn of the calendar year, also making note of the fact that the Oilers could be without Mike Smith next season, either due to retirement or long-term injury reserve. With Edmonton already losing Mikko Koskinen this offseason, the organization needs more than just promising youngster Stuart Skinner in the crease. While Smith being unavailable may still force Skinner into an NHL role next season, it prevents him from having to be “the guy” too early in his development.

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