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Edmonton Oilers Acquire Dmitry Kulikov

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The Edmonton Oilers have added some defensive depth at the deadline, acquiring Dmitry Kulikov from the New Jersey Devils. The Oilers will send a conditional 2022 fourth-round pick that will become a third if Edmonton wins a playoff round.

Kulikov, 30, has been arguably the Devils’ best defenseman in his own end this season and has played more than 700 games in his NHL career. He will no longer offer much offense—he has just two points in 38 games—but is a nice addition to an Oilers team that needs to keep the puck out of their end and in the hands of their talented forwards.

The veteran can play the penalty kill and add some physicality, likely skating beside Adam Larsson in something of a shutdown pair. Kulikov is on a one-year deal with a salary of $1.15MM, adding affordability to effectiveness. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

For the Devils, it’s all about collecting assets at this point after a disappointing season. The team has some nice pieces coming, but the overall depth of the organization just hasn’t been good enough. A mid-round pick by itself isn’t going to change that, but it’s another small step towards building the full system out.

Several Players Clear Waivers

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Saturday: All four players passed through waivers unclaimed, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.

Friday: The Ottawa Senators have placed Clark Bishop on waivers in order to be able to place him on the taxi squad once again. He’s not the only one on the wire, as the Edmonton Oilers have placed veteran forward Kyle Turris and the Montreal Canadiens have placed Paul Byron on waivers. The New York Islanders have also signed Kenneth Appleby to an NHL contract, meaning he has to clear waivers to remain in the AHL.

For Bishop and the Senators, this is a simple move to regain the roster flexibility they have had for most of the season. After clearing waivers before the season began, Bishop was able to move freely between the active roster and taxi squad depending on need, saving the Senators some cash on off days. His exempt status expired earlier this month, meaning he needed to clear again to be assigned to the taxi squad. With just three points in 12 games, Bishop is likely to clear again.

Byron too should be used to this by now, given he has cleared waivers twice this season and is part of a near-daily rotation through the taxi squad. The 31-year-old forward was once an important part of the Canadiens attack but is limited to mostly fourth-line duties these days. Given his contract carries a $3.4MM cap hit through the end of the 2022-23 season, he will clear again.

Turris hasn’t cleared this season, but it won’t be a surprise if he does. The 31-year-old forward is a shadow of the player that once scored 64 points for the Ottawa Senators and is overpaid even at $1.65MM this season. Turris signed a two-year deal with the Oilers in the offseason that the team is probably already regretting after he registered just five points in his first 25 games this season. Moving his deal to the taxi squad could bury $1.075MM of it, giving the Oilers some added flexibility.

Appleby, the biggest unknown of the bunch, is a 25-year-old minor league goaltender that would need an NHL deal in order to serve as the taxi squad netminder. In two appearances with Bridgeport this season he has an .896 save percentage and there is no suggestion that he’ll ever see time in the Islanders net.  CapFriendly reports that Appleby receives a two-year contract, making him eligible to be exposed to Seattle in the upcoming expansion draft.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Oilers GM Holland: “I’m Not Going To Trade A First For A Rental”

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When the Edmonton Oilers put Kyle Turris on waivers today, speculation immediately sparked up that the team was preparing to go after one of the bigger names available at the trade deadline. The Oilers can bury part of Turris’ cap hit by moving him to the taxi squad and with Oscar Klefbom on long-term injured reserve, they have a bit of flexibility. Immediately, the thought of Taylor Hall returning to Edmonton popped into many minds, but if the Buffalo Sabres are holding out for a first-round pick, the struggling forward won’t be coming to the Oilers.

Edmonton GM Ken Holland spoke with reporters today and was clear about his limits:

I’m not going to trade a first for a rental. Maybe if the player had some term, I’d be open to it.

By a first, Holland is referring to a first-round draft pick, something he isn’t willing to move for a player on an expiring contract. That would include Hall, who signed a one-year $8MM deal with the Sabres in a unique offseason. According to previous reports, Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams has been looking for a first in any discussions on the enigmatic winger, but that is certainly not guaranteed at this point.

The New Jersey Devils did recently secure a first-round pick in trade, but that was for both Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac. They had to retain salary on both players as well, making them cost a combined $5.2MM against the cap for the New York Islanders. Even if the Sabres were to retain half of Hall’s deal, he’d still come in at $4MM for the Oilers or whoever acquires him before Monday’s deadline.

There are other rentals potentially out there as well, but it’s not clear exactly how many of them would fetch a first in a normal year, let alone this one that seems to have a heavy buyers’ market. Mike Hoffman, Nick Foligno and Scott Laughton are all good players, but it would be hard to justify handing over a first-round pick—especially when they would have to quarantine for at least a week before joining the Oilers north of the border.

The interesting thought is whether Holland—who also said the art of the deadline is just like poker—is speaking truthfully or attempting to bluff his way into a lower asking price in some negotiation. Giving that information publicly wasn’t needed and should draw even more eyeballs to the Oilers as a team to watch over the next 72 hours.

Holland: Oilers Would Like Dylan Holloway To Turn Pro

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  • In an interview with Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (subscription link) Oilers GM Ken Holland indicated that they have told top prospect Dylan Holloway that they would like him to turn pro. However, with his broken thumb, he’s still several weeks away from being available to play so that decision can be deferred for a while.  The 19-year-old had a very strong sophomore year at Wisconsin with 11 goals and 24 assists in just 23 games and if he’s healthy and willing to turn pro, he could be an interesting addition to Edmonton down the stretch.

Snapshots: Hall, Schedule, Kolyachonok

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The Buffalo Sabres could be getting closer to a trade of Taylor Hall, as Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that “there’s a sense talks have escalated.” Dreger doesn’t believe a move is “imminent” but after the New Jersey Devils pulled Kyle Palmieri over the weekend, the precautionary pull is something to watch for.

Hall is one of the top rental targets on the open market and the Sabres need to make sure they get the best package possible before the deadline. Risking him to injury in a lost season doesn’t seem to make much sense.

  • The NHL has issued a schedule update, but it will likely be followed by a further announcement this evening. The change has the Calgary Flames playing against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday April 10, when they are still technically scheduled to meet the Vancouver Canucks. With so many positive test results for the Canucks over the past week—a 17th player was added to the COVID Protocol today—their games on Thursday and Saturday were always unlikely to be played.
  • The Florida Panthers have reassigned Vladislav Kolyachonok from the KHL to the AHL for the rest of the season. The 19-year-old defenseman was a second-round pick in 2019 and became a regular for Dynamo Minsk this season, recording six points in 46 games. He’ll get his first chance of pro hockey in North America, but isn’t a stranger to these parts; Kolyachonok played two years in the OHL for the Flint Firebirds before returning to the KHL this season.

Joakim Nygard Clears Waivers

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Sunday: Nygard has cleared waivers, as expected. It remains to be seen what comes next for the Oilers forward, whose waiver placement this time around was not necessary for any roster maintenance requirements.

Saturday: The Oilers have been placing veterans on waivers throughout the season to give them roster flexibility and they have done so again as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that Joakim Nygard has been placed on waivers.

A year ago, the 28-year-old showed a bit of promise in a limited role, notching nine points (3-6-9) in 33 games, most of which were spent on the fourth line.  That was enough to earn him a one-year, $875K extension, one that actually represented a small dip in pay from the $925K he made on his entry-level deal.  However, things haven’t gone as well this season.  He cleared waivers back in January and has played in just six games with Edmonton after suiting up for 15 with Farjestad of the SHL prior to the start of the NHL campaign.

Interestingly enough, this isn’t a waiver placement to get Nygard to the taxi squad as he already is there now.  Assuming he clears once more though, his clock will be reset, meaning he can play in up to nine games before needing to clear again.

Three Players Clear Waivers

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April 2: All three players have cleared waivers and can be assigned to their respective taxi squads or minor league teams.

April 1: The waiver wire has some interesting names on it today, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Tyler Ennis of the Edmonton Oilers, Nikita Gusev of the New Jersey Devils, and Matt Luff of the Los Angeles Kings have all been placed on waivers. The trio of forwards are available for claim by the rest of the league.

Gusev’s name will stand out among the group, given how recently he was considered an up-and-coming name in the NHL. The 28-year-old made a splashy debut for the Devils last season, scoring 44 points in 66 games after signing a two-year, $9MM deal. The Devils only had his rights in the first place after trading second and third-round picks to the Vegas Golden Knights, a deal they might want to reverse if they had the chance.

In 20 games this season, Gusev has just five points and has received 16 or more minutes of ice time just twice. Since the beginning of March he has registered just one point and played a season-low 8:41 just a few games ago. With his $4.5MM cap hit that just isn’t cutting it, meaning the end to his Devils career might be coming quickly. Gusev is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and the team has several top forward prospects pushing for roster spots. One of them, the recently-signed Tyce Thompson, joined practice today for the first time. While it seems very unlikely that Gusev will be claimed, perhaps a deal could be made with a team should the Devils be willing to eat some of his cap hit. Clearing waivers would make him a more desirable trade asset, since he will be able to be placed on the taxi squad.

Ennis has been here before, clearing waivers in January for the Oilers. The undersized forward is a useful player, but one that can only fit certain roles. For Edmonton, room was needed on the active roster and under the salary cap to add Alex Stalock, who will serve as additional goalie depth down the stretch. Given Ennis has already cleared once, the chance of claim this time around remains low.

Luff started the year on injured reserve and has played just 11 games for the Kings, but doesn’t represent much offensive upside anyway. The 23-year-old winger went undrafted and has made it to the NHL after grinding it out in the minor leagues, but has just one point this season. His contract is a two-way deal worth $700K, which means he might actually draw the most interest on the wire, but just like most of the other skaters this season is more likely to clear and be assigned to the taxi squad.

Negotiation Notes: Nugent-Hopkins, Driedger, Luongo

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The Edmonton Oilers and impending free agent forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins continue to talk extension, but thus far to no avail. Frank Seravalli reports on TSN’s latest “Insider Trading” that the Oilers’ latest contract offer was “not flattering”. He believes that the extension proposal contained just a five-year term, as well as an AAV that did not serve to counteract the short term. Unsurprisingly, Nugent-Hopkins’ camp was quick to move on from the offer. However, the two sides are committed to continuing talks and there does not yet seem to be any resentment growing despite the lack of progress on a new deal. Seravalli notes that, as of now, there is no desire on the Oilers’ part to trade RNH before the impending trade deadline. Should the two sides fail to come to terms on an extension, Nugent-Hopkins will be one of, if not the most sought-after free agent. It has previously been speculated that the Seattle Kraken, who will have plenty of cap space but could be short on center talent, would be a major suitor for the 2011 No. 1 overall pick if he were to hit the open market this off-season.

  • With the Florida Panthers signing star goalie prospect Spencer Knight on Wednesday, the pressure is on to decide the future of current backup Chris Driedger. Driedger has been one of the best stories of the 2020-21 season. A veteran minor leaguer, with more ECHL games than NHL games in his career, Driedger has broken out at the age of 26. After an excellent showing in limited action last season, Driedger has continued his stellar play into the current campaign, stealing starts from $10MM lead netminder Sergei Bobrovsky. However, the Panthers stand to lose him for nothing this off-season as an unrestricted free agent. The two sides had been in communication about an extension, but with Knight now joining the fold alongside Bobrovsky, leaving Boston College after just two seasons, there doesn’t seem to be a place for Driedger beyond this season – and other teams realize this. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that as soon as Knight’s contract was announced, a number of rival GM’s reached out to Florida’s Bill Zito to inquire on Driedger. In fact, LeBrun notes that multiple trade offers have already been made. However, to this point Zito has told all suitors that he has not decided what to do with Driedger just yet. The Panthers are not only in a playoff spot, but have a real chance at a Central Division title, especially if their goaltending holds up. Removing Driedger from the equation means losing the better of Florida’s two goalies this season and replacing him with a prospect who has no pro experience. Keeping Driedger would be better for the Panthers’ Stanley Cup hopes this season, but at the cost of what could be a considerable trade return. At the end of the day, this could all come back to contract talks. If Zito and company can convince Driedger that he has a role in Florida for another year or two even with Knight in the mix, then they have all the more reason to keep him. If the goalie is unconvinced and eyeing opportunity elsewhere this season, the team might opt to move him and lean on their well-paid current starter and highly-regarded future starter.
  • Normally, playing for your country’s national team is an honor. However, given the continued threat of COVID-19 as well as the wear and tear that this condensed 2020-21 season has had on players, recruiting for the 2021 World Championship in Latvia this spring is going to be a major challenge. For Team Canada, that responsibility will fall to Roberto Luongo, who will be named the team’s GM according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. This will be the first time that Luongo has served in such a major role on the international stage, but he very likely will not have the normal assortment of stars to choose from for his Worlds roster. Dreger believes that Canada’s roster – and many others – is likely to skew young, with players still looking to make a name for themselves more willing to go play in Latvia rather than established stars. Luongo may have the tall task of picking through some inexperience and unrealized potential, or else convincing veterans to join the squad, if he wants to build a winner.

Connor McDavid Fined For Elbowing

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The Department of Player Safety has determined that Connor McDavid’s elbow on Jesperi Kotkaniemi from yesterday’s action is not worthy of a suspension, but have issued a $5,000 fine. That is the maximum allowable fine under the CBA and it will keep McDavid on the ice for the Edmonton Oilers moving forward.

The incident occurred in the first period of last night’s game after the Montreal Canadiens were already up 3-0. After Kotkaniemi had passed the puck, McDavid still tried to lay a hit and extended his elbow up into the Montreal forward’s face. McDavid earned a two-minute minor for roughing and will now have to pay a fine as well.

Though he will escape suspension, the fine will go onto McDavid’s record and be taken into account for future supplementary discipline decisions. Kotkaneimi did not suffer an injury on the play.

Snapshots: Johnson, Holloway, Becker

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Any team looking to add some ability and NHL experience to their minor league depth ahead of the trade deadline now has a new option on the market that won’t cost any trade capital. Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Adam Johnson has unexpectedly left the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks and returned to North America, the team announced. The remainder of Johnson’s contract was terminated, allowing him to sign in the NHL immediately, but judging by the club’s press release the decision hardly seemed “mutual”. Johnson signed with Malmo in December and with 12 points in 21 games, he has been one of their most productive per-game scorers alongside the SHL’s own version of the Sedin twins, brothers Pathrik and Ponthus Westerholm. Now, with the Redhawks battling for a playoff spot in the stretch run, they have lost one of their best forwards. GM Patrik Sylvegard stated that Johnson no longer wanted to be in Malmo and he felt the team deserved to only have those committed to the playoff hunt on the roster, leading to the split despite the negative impact it may have on their on-ice results. This kind of sudden departure could imply that Johnson has interest waiting for him back in North America, but that remains to be seen. As for his viability as an actual asset to an NHL contender this season, Johnson is a big played in 13 games with the Penguins over the past two seasons, recording four points despite very limited minutes, and has been a force in the AHL with 108 points in 185 games in three seasons. Johnson initially signed with Pittsburgh after just two years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth as a highly sought-after college free agent and could still have supporters in front offices across the league. His hometown Minnesota Wild could be a candidate to keep an eye on; the team has a recent history of using local products in depth roles.

  • While the impact of Wisconsin’s early exit from the NCAA Tournament has already been felt at the NHL level with the Montreal Canadiens’ speedy signing of top prospect Cole Caufield, it means that the Edmonton Oilers have their own top prospect to make a decision on. However, it may not be so straightforward for 2020 first-rounder Dylan Holloway and his pro club. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Holloway suffered a broken thumb back in the semifinals of the Big Ten conference tournament and played through the injury for two more games before the Badgers were upset by Bemidji State. Now, the team and the prospect are awaiting the results of  X-rays scheduled for Monday before making their next move. If Holloway is unlikely to be able to play again this season, then he will not be signed to an entry-level contract, at least not one that begins with the 2020-21 season. Holloway could still turn pro and begin his career next year, but if he does not sign now and burn his first season then he could be tempted to return for his junior year at Wisconsin. Holloway missed some time out of his NCAA season this year due to his participation with Team Canada at the World Juniors and the preceding training camp, but still managed to produce one of the better stat lines in college hockey with 35 points in 24 games. Edmonton would surely like to have the dynamic winger in their lineup as soon as possible, but Holloway may opt to return to Wisconsin for one last run with a roster that will return much of its talent from this year and will add some elite recruits as well. Of course, if it is determined that Holloway can continue to play this season then he is far more likely to follow Caufield to the NHL as soon as possible.
  • Boston Bruins prospect Jack Becker might be heading toward the record amount of time between being drafted and making his pro debut. The 2015 seventh-round pick is leaning towards returning for a fifth NCAA season as a graduate student, reports Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal. Becker, who is already 23, has played four full seasons with the Michigan Wolverines, but has been granted a fifth season of eligibility due to the NCAA’s COVID-19 policy. It’s worth wondering what Becker has left to gain from the college game. After being drafted in 2015, the two-way forward spent two more seasons in the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede before joining Michigan. He was nothing if not consistent as a bottom-six forward who contributed decent offense and strong defensive play over four seasons, eventually taking over the captainship of the program this past year and leading a decorated Wolverines team. Becker may not have tremendous NHL upside, but has developed a mature, two-way game and leadership abilities and could be a nice minor league asset with the possibility of a fourth-line role in the NHL. Becker is unlikely to magically develop the scoring ability to be a top offensive weapon for Michigan or even if he were to transfer to a program with less NHL talent, so a fifth season seemingly serves no purpose. If Becker returns for another college season, he will be 25 before his potential first full pro season in 2022-23. At that point will Boston – or anyone – really care to commit to an entry-level contract? Should Becker reverse course, the Bruins can offer him the chance to join one of the AHL’s best rosters in Providence, a team that has turned more than its fair share of unheralded prospects into capable NHL depth players over the years.

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