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Ken Holland

Oilers Still Hoping To Add Extra Depth

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It has been a busy offseason for the Oilers.  Jack Campbell is their new starting goalie while they parted ways with Duncan Keith (retirement) and Zack Kassian (trade).  They were able to re-sign Evander Kane, got new deals done with RFAs Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto, and had enough left over to add Mattias Janmark.

All in all, not a bad summer for GM Ken Holland.  However, he told TSN 1260 (audio link) that he might not be done with his offseason work just yet:

There are some players out there that I’m still kind of looking at for the bottom part of the roster. Maybe would like to add someone on a one-year deal that is sort of undervalued because they didn’t get swept up over the first couple weeks of free agency.

Looking for late-summer bargains is becoming more of a common practice around the league especially as players continue to feel the squeeze of a leveled-out salary cap.  There should be some quality players that have to settle for PTOs or low-cost one-year deals next month and Edmonton should be an appealing place for several of them.

However, how Holland plans to fit in another addition remains to be seen.  Per CapFriendly, Edmonton is roughly $6MM over the Upper Limit right now while their two LTIR-bound players – Mike Smith and Oscar Klefbom – combine for $6.367MM.  That only leaves a few hundred thousand to work with when the league minimum is $750K.  For that matter, RFA Ryan McLeod is also in need of a new contract and after a 21-point season, he’ll almost certainly cost more than the minimum.

Accordingly, if Holland wants to make another addition – he specified his preference would be someone in their mid-to-late-20s – a trade will need to be made first.  He has seen firsthand how difficult it is to move money this offseason after parting with a pair of draft picks (and sliding down in the first round) to move Kassian and with numerous teams in spots where they either have to clear money or want to clear money, he’s going to be hard-pressed to get fair value in any sort of cost-clearing swap.

Tyson Barrie had been speculated as a possible trade possibility earlier this offseason although the departure of Keith (even though they play different sides) could push Holland towards keeping the veteran around.  Puljujarvi has been in trade speculation for months as well while Warren Foegele is another player who makes more than most bottom-six players do which could put him at risk of being moved.

If Holland has his way, there will be another newcomer on Edmonton’s roster in the fall.  But to get there, someone else is going to need to be on the way out first.

Offseason Notes: Trotz, Canadiens Draft Strategy, Kulak

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The biggest name left on the NHL coaching market is former New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz. Trotz was fired by the Islanders after taking them to within arm’s reach of the Stanley Cup final for two straight seasons before missing the playoffs in 2021-22. The 2018 Stanley Cup champion has met with quite a few teams, with many eyeing Trotz’s hometown Winnipeg Jets as his potential landing spot. According to Pierre LeBrun on TSN’s Insider Trading panel, Trotz is expected to make a decision on his future “around July 1st,” and he is expected to weigh the opportunity of a “potential management role” with the Nashville Predators.

This option may not seem likely to many fans, as Trotz is an in-his-prime coach widely seen as one of the best in hockey. But TSN’s Darren Dreger adds that getting into management is something that Trotz has “been interested in for quite a while,” and a landing spot in Nashville, where he coached from their inaugural season in 1998 through 2014, seems like a perfect fit. There are already seismic changes set to come in Nashville, with new ownership confirmed for the near future, and perhaps Trotz re-joining the organization that started his NHL coaching career could be another step in a summer of major news for the Predators.

Now, for some other notes regarding this NHL offseason:

  • At first, it might seem as though the Montreal Canadiens are one of the few teams at the NHL Draft who are best situated to sit tight and make their draft picks at their allotted slots. But that may not be the route the team chooses. The Canadiens, who own the first-overall selection and host the draft itself, have a new President of Hockey Operations in Jeff Gorton. One thing that defined the later years of Gorton’s tenure as GM of the New York Rangers was his aggressiveness in trading up in the draft in order to secure desired players. In a video released by the Rangers as part of their 2020 draft coverage, Gorton can be seen imploring his draft war room to find players worthy of moving up for. Gorton traded up at the 2018 draft to secure defenseman K’Andre Miller, and also did so at the 2020 draft, in order to select defenseman Braden Schneider. Gorton’s Canadiens own 14 picks at the 2022 draft, and with that in mind, combined with the evidence of Gorton’s prior drafts, it seems clear that the Canadiens are a team to watch in terms of trading up. TSN’s Darren Dreger seems to agree, reporting that the Canadiens are “going to try and move up” at the draft. With the draft held in Montreal, the combination of the number-one pick and the home team’s desire to trade up could make this one of the more entertaining drafts in recent memory.
  • 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.

Oilers’ Holland Discusses Kane, Coaching, Deadline Plans

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Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland took the podium today to field questions from reporters, as scrutiny and frustration grow in the market. Holland was visibly frustrated himself, noting multiple times how the team was among the best in the league at the start of December, something that he believes can happen again this season.

On the future of head coach Dave Tippett, Holland once again indicated that he doesn’t think a change is needed and suggested he doesn’t even really believe in-season firings are an option. Tippett is in the final season of his three-year contract from 2019 and so far doesn’t have a single playoff win during his tenure. The Oilers did win a qualification round game against the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2020 bubble, but failed to even move on past that round. “You can’t just keep whipping through coaches,” Holland explained, noting how many coaches have been through the Oilers organization over the last decade.

Many of the questions had to do with reports that Evander Kane is a possibility for the Oilers though, and Holland was asked specifically about the free agent forward.

Well I’ve talked to his agent. His agent is Dan Milstein, I know Dan very well because he was Pavel Datsyuk’s agent. I had lots of dealings with Dan Milstein. 

I say to you as the manager it’s my responsibility to investigate every situation, talk to managers. So I have talked to Dan. 

Holland was also clear that he does “believe in second chances” for players who have not found success elsewhere or made a mistake in the league. He obviously can’t speak directly about his Kane negotiations, but it does appear as though the Oilers are interested in the forward.

Kane does represent a unique opportunity because of his free agent status, especially for a manager like Holland who doesn’t want to offer up picks and prospects for a rental. In fact, he explained that he believes the answer is in his dressing room and will not sacrifice futures for a rental at this point. If there is a “hockey trade” to be made, it might make sense, but Holland was clear about how the Oilers need to keep building depth through the draft.

Right now none of those are on the table. 

I wouldn’t do that. I think the answer is in that locker room. Why would I trade a first-round pick or one of our top prospects to have somebody give us a little bit of a boost, and then next year we have a press conference where you’re asking about secondary scoring? The depth has to be built internally. The depth of this organization has to be the growth. 

The Oilers are off until Saturday when they will take on the Ottawa Senators in the 35th game of the season. They currently sit at 18-14-2, have lost five straight, and are now sixth in the Pacific Division, one point behind the San Jose Sharks.

Snapshots: Eichel, Devils, HHOF

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When reports surfaced about Jack Eichel’s potential availability this summer, the first team that came to many minds was the New York Rangers. The Rangers have enough young assets to land the Buffalo Sabres center and are now focused on making the playoffs after a short rebuild. Today, Larry Brooks of the New York Post writes that the Rangers have had preliminary talks with the Sabres about Eichel and that the asking price is currently “four pieces that would be equivalent of first-rounders.” The Sabres have also, according to Brooks, not yet granted any medical record access to interested teams.

Obviously, an asking price isn’t necessarily indicative of what will eventually land a player in trade talks, but that report from Brooks shows just how high the Sabres are setting their sights in this negotiation. The team is dealing with a distressed asset, as Eichel has expressed frustration with the team over a difference in medical opinions, but will still not simply give him away. The biggest question mark surrounding the $10MM center is the health of his neck, which still may require surgery this offseason. Eventually, teams will have to get their hands on his medical records and determine how much risk is involved in an acquisition beyond just his recent on-ice struggles.

  • The New Jersey Devils are in the market for a young defenseman and would consider trading the fourth-overall pick, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Devils have selected in the top ten three times in the last few years, taking Nico Hischier (first overall, 2017), Jack Hughes (first, 2019), and Alexander Holtz (seventh, 2020) in the early part of the first round. Perhaps that makes this year’s pick a little more expendable, especially with the uncertainty surrounding the 2021 class. Any trade that happens in the next few weeks has expansion draft implications, but as we examined recently, the Devils have a real opportunity to add defensemen with no risk of losing them to the Seattle Kraken.
  • The Hockey Hall of Fame is preparing to move forward with its 2020-21 induction ceremony on November 15th, though the actual event will be moved to a new venue. Ken Holland, Jarome Iginla, Kim St-Pierre, Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe, and Doug Wilson were announced as the class of 2020 last year, but because of COVID-related closures, were never actually inducted. The HHOF decided not to induct a new class for 2021 but will return to its normal voting procedure for next year.

Negotiations Break Down Between Oilers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

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After a stunning first-round sweep at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, the bad could soon get worse for the Edmonton Oilers. Appearing on Sportsnet 960 in Calgary today, insider Elliotte Friedman dropped a bomb: “That’s a negotiation that went sideways… It fell apart.” He’s of course referring to the Oilers’ negotiations with impending free agent Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, easily the third-best forward on a top-heavy Edmonton roster. After a decade of consistent production, the Oilers could now potentially watch the 2011 first overall pick walk out the door.

According to Friedman, the two sides were close to terms of an extension early in the season. He is unsure when or how things starting to break down, but Friedman adds that whatever imminent deal was once on the table is no longer there. ” I believe it was always the plan that Nugent-Hopkins was going to stay and they wanted to keep him,” Friedman stated, “And now I don’t know… it got mangled.”

While the Oilers could certainly use the added cap flexibility that an RNH departure would afford them, they would have a hard time making up his production, even with multiple additions. A career .73 per-game scorer, Nugent-Hopkins has notched 60+ point seasons in two of the past three years and in an 82-game season this year would have surpassed 50 points for the sixth time in his ten-year career. That kind of production, especially to a team that sees Nugent-Hopkins as a center rather than wing, could be invaluable this off-season. Among impending UFA forwards, RNH ranked sixth this season in points per game and many of those players around him – Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog, Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, Toronto’s Zach Hyman, and Boston’s David Krejci and Taylor Hall – are expected by most to re-sign with their current squads. Nugent-Hopkins could realistically enter the open market as the most coveted forward available. If the Oilers allow RNH to test the market, the odds that they will be able to afford to re-sign him diminish greatly.

Talks will certainly continue between the two sides. Friedman notes that there have been attempts to rebuild a mutually acceptable offer, but it obviously hasn’t happened yet. Edmonton’s early playoff exit may have changed the mindset of the player or the team, but assuming there is still interest in an extension, negotiations will probably come down to the last minute. However, generally when a deal is in place and then breaks down to this extent, it doesn’t bode well for a continued relationship. Will the 2021 free agent market become the summer of RNH?

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.

Morning Notes: HHOF, Wild, Handemark

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The Hockey Hall of Fame has postponed its 2020 induction that was originally scheduled for November 16 in Toronto because of the ongoing COVID-19 protocols. The event will be rescheduled at some point, though it is unclear exactly when it can happen. Chairman Lanny McDonald released a statement:

While it’s possible the class of 2020 could be inducted on alternative dates during the modified 2020-21 NHL season, the most likely scenario is to postpone to November 2021, either by waiving the 2021 elections or in combination with the 2021 induction class involving adjusted category limits.

This year’s class includes Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre, Doug Wilson and Ken Holland. The board decided against holding the event virtually.

  • The Minnesota Wild will be watching the draft lottery tonight closely as they have a 12.5% chance of landing the first-overall pick, but there is plenty of other work to do for GM Bill Guerin. The executive held media availability today with reporters including Michael Russo of The Athletic, giving his thoughts on many subjects including Kirill Kaprizov’s imminent arrival (he will land in Minnesota today) and the future of captain Mikko Koivu. Guerin also announced that though assistant coaches Bob Woods and Darby Hendrickson will return, the team has parted ways with Bob Mason, Minnesota’s goaltending coach for the past 18 years.
  • Fredrik Handemark signed a one-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks just a few months ago, but he’ll be staying in Sweden for a little while longer. The 26-year old forward will play with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL for the start of the year until NHL training camps open at some point in November. Handemark had 38 points in 52 games for Malmo last season.

Philip Broberg Will Join Oilers In Bubble

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The Edmonton Oilers have changed course after seeing one of their top prospects compete at training camp. GM Ken Holland told reporters today including Mark Spector of Sportsnet that the team will be taking Philip Broberg into the Phase 4 bubble with them instead of returning him to his Swedish club. The initial plan was for Broberg to only participate in Phase 3, before joining Skelleftea in the SHL for their own training camp.

Part of the reason for the switch is the fact that Mike Green opted out of the tournament, but it also has to do with how well Broberg has performed over the last few weeks. The 19-year old defenseman was selected eighth overall in 2019 and has an enticing mix of speed and size. Just coming to the bubble however does not mean he’ll get to play, as the Oilers will be taking ten defensemen.

The question now becomes whether Broberg has fought his way into the mix for a roster spot in 2020-21. The Oilers signed the young defenseman to his entry-level contract a year ago, meaning even if the team is eliminated quickly in these playoffs they could loan him to the SHL until training camps open for the 2020-21 NHL season. Getting him playing time right now is obviously important, but the Oilers also have a Stanley Cup on their mind right now and need to take the best players available to them.

Importantly, Broberg is one of the players who could see the first year of his entry-level deal burned if he plays ten games in this postseason. If he plays in fewer than that, his contract would slide forward a year (and not even necessarily kick in for 2020-21).

Hockey Hall Of Fame Announces 2020 Class

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The Hockey Hall of Fame announced its 2020 class on Thursday.  Getting enshrined in the six-person class are Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre, and Doug Wilson in the player category as well as Ken Holland in the builder category.

Iginla’s admission in his first year of eligibility should come as no surprise.  He was a premier power forward for the majority of his 20-year NHL career.  He was a two-time winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy for scoring the most goals in a single season while he won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s points leader in 2001-02 and the Pearson Award for MVP as voted by the players that same season.  Iginla sits 14th all-time in regular season games played with 1,554 while sitting 16th in goals (625), 64th in assists (675), and 34th in points (1,300).  He’s also one of only 34 players in league history with at least 1,000 points and 1,000 penalty minutes.

Hossa is another player who was elected in his first year of eligibility.  While technically he’s still an active player (he’s on Arizona’s books through 2020-21), his playing career ended back in 2017 due to a skin disorder and he has since missed the minimum three years to become eligible for induction.  He didn’t have the individual accolades that some others in this class had but he won a total of three Stanley Cups with Chicago (2010, 2013, and 2015) while reaching the Final in 2008 (Pittsburgh) and 2009 (Detroit) which made him the first player in NHL history to reach the Final in three straight years with three straight teams.  During the span of his 17-year career, only three players had more points than Hossa – Joe Thornton, Jaromir Jagr, and Iginla.  Hossa sits 57th all-time in points with 1,134 in 1,309 games.

While Iginla and Hossa got in on their first opportunity, this was Lowe’s 20th year of eligibility.  He was an impact defenseman for the Oilers during their pinnacle in the 1980s, winning five Stanley Cups with them as well as one with the Rangers in 1994.  He was never the most prolific offensively – his career high in points in a single season was 46 – but he was a very important defensive defender over his 1,254 games spanning 19 years.  He is tied for sixth all-time for playoff games by a defenseman as well with 214.

Wilson had an even longer wait than Lowe as he has been eligible for induction since 1996.  He was more of an offensive-minded blueliner throughout his 16-year NHL career and at the time of his retirement, he sat eighth overall in all-time points by a defenseman with 827.  He has since slipped to 15th overall with all but one of those now in the Hall of Fame.  Wilson won the Norris Trophy for the NHL’s top blueliner in 1982 and is Chicago’s franchise leader in goals, assists, and points by a defenseman.

St-Pierre becomes the first female goaltender to make it to the Hall.  She was a fixture for Canada on the international front, leading the way for them in international appearances by a goaltender with 89 and wins with 64.  She won nine medals at the World Championships (five gold, four silver) while taking home the best goalie award twice in those events.  She also has a trio of Olympic gold medals and one top goalie award in that tournament.  St-Pierre was also the first female player to win a regular season game in the men’s division of college hockey (CIS) while also winning two Clarkson Cups.

Holland has been involved in an NHL front office role since 1985 when he retired as a player in Detroit’s organization to join them as a scout.  He was promoted to the GM role in 1997 and the team took off.  They made the playoffs in each season under his watch through 2016 which extended their franchise record streak to 25 years.  During that time, the Red Wings were the winningest team in the league during the regular season and won four Stanley Cups.  Holland stepped down from Detroit in 2019 to become GM in Edmonton.  On the international front, he was part of the management team for two Olympics, two World Championships, and one World Cup.

Each year, the Hall of Fame is allowed elect up to a maximum of four male players, two female players and two builders (or one builder and one referee/linesman) so it was nearly a full class of inductees this time around.  A decision will be made by August with regards to the actual induction ceremony which typically takes place each November.

Edmonton Oilers Extend Joakim Nygard

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If Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland is anything, he’s loyal to his players and a man of his word. The veteran executive has shown that yet again today by extending forward Joakim Nygard. The move comes just weeks after a report emerged that Holland and company were happy with the play of their depth forwards and hoping to sign the impending UFA’s in that group. Zack Kassian was re-signed days after that announcement and now Nygard, one of the other players specifically named, can also be checked off the re-signing list. Nygard’s new deal is for the 2020-21 season and carries an $875K cap hit, per PuckPedia.

Nygard, 27, is in his first NHL season after signing with the Oilers this past spring out of Sweden. The left winger had previously been a standout performer for many years for Farjestad BK of the SHL but decided to make the jump to the top level. So far, he has recorded nine points in 33 games, but has battled injuries along the way and is currently sidelined with a broken hand. At his best, Nygard has shown flashes of offensive pop and has even spent some time on Edmonton’s little-used second power play unit. None of Nygard’s numbers this season really jump off the page, but clearly there was mutual interest in an extended relationship between player and team and at worst he is an affordable depth option, especially after taking a slight salary hit off of his $925K number this year.

With Nygard’s new deal complete, Holland can continue down the list. The other forwards named in the prior report include Josh Archibald and Riley Sheahan, who have both been valuable role players for the Oilers this season. At this rate, don’t be surprised to see both ink extensions by the end of the regular season.

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