Prospect Notes: Draft Rankings, CHL Rankings, Oilers
TSN’s Bob McKenzie has come out of his semi-retirement to provide one of the most interesting lists of the year, releasing his preseason rankings for the 2022 NHL Draft. McKenzie polls ten active NHL scouts and Shane Wright, the Kingston Frontenacs superstar center, was a unanimous choice as the top player heading into this season. Not only that, but the scribe suggests that Wright probably would have been the top-ranked player in the 2021 draft had he been eligible.
That’s incredibly impressive, given that Wright isn’t a late-September birthday that just missed the cutoff. He won’t turn 18 until January, but already has teams drooling over his potential as a true first-line center. Granted exceptional status for the OHL, he scored 39 goals and 66 points in his first season of CHL hockey in 2019-20, but missed last season when his league failed to hold a season. Still, Wright dominated at the U18 Worlds with nine goals and 14 points in five games, taking home the gold medal with Canada.
- The presence of Wright in Kingston makes the Frontenacs a team to feat this season, but that still didn’t put them at the top of the CHL rankings released today. That spot went to the Edmonton Oil Kings, who look like a powerhouse in the WHL with top draft picks Dylan Guenther and Sebastian Cossa leading the way. Jake Neighbours, who is still in camp with the St. Louis Blues, will also likely be returning to Edmonton where he could very well contend for the league scoring title. Neighbours has been the talk of camp in St. Louis, with Blues head coach Craig Berube calling him a “dog on a bone” this week and Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest suggesting that he could even join the NHL team at the end of the 2021-22 season.
- The Edmonton Oilers sent cut several prominent prospects today, including Raphael Lavoie, who will have to wait for his chance at the NHL level. The 21-year-old forward had an outstanding first season of professional hockey in 2020-21, racking up 45 points in 51 games during a loan to Sweden and then returning with a strong performance for the Bakersfield Condors down the stretch. While there are several more experienced names in Oilers camp vying for the last few spots, it is somewhat surprising that he was already sent to the AHL with five more preseason games to go.
Josh Archibald Dealing With Medical Issue
The Edmonton Oilers have another preseason tilt tonight against the Winnipeg Jets but still won’t have depth forward Josh Archibald in the lineup. Head coach Dave Tippett told reporters today that Archibald is getting blood work done to try and solve a mysterious medical issue:
Arch has skated for a few days and is having some tests done. He just can’t seem to get himself up to speed, he’s not feeling like he should be. The last couple days he’s had some testing done and we’re waiting for the results of that. He’s just not getting up to speed like he should be, so we just want to check where he’s at. He’s set back a couple days here.
Archibald is the only player on the Oilers that declined the COVID-19 vaccine, but Tippett confirmed that he has tested negative every day. The head coach also suggested Archibald actually might be currently ineligible to receive the vaccine because of this health issue even if he decided to get it now. The priority now is on the current health of the 28-year-old forward.
Entering the second season of a two-year, $3MM contract that was signed in 2020, Archibald has shown he can be a valuable bottom-six player for the Oilers. After scoring 12 goals in his first season in Edmonton, he came back with seven goals and 13 points in 52 games last year. While his playing time was certainly not guaranteed given the additions the team has made and the vaccination status that would keep him from traveling with the team at certain points, losing him entirely would certainly not be ideal at this juncture.
If Archibald is held out for this medical issue, it could be an opportunity for Colton Sceviour, in camp on a professional tryout, to land an NHL contract. The team will already be executing a delicate long-term injured reserve dance to get cap compliant, which should open enough room for another depth signing like Sceviour if there is a roster spot to be had.
Oilers Shift Kyle Turris To Right Wing
- With Edmonton adding Derek Ryan this summer as their presumptive third center plus Ryan McLeod being a strong candidate to make the roster, the Oilers have shifted long-time middleman Kyle Turris to the right wing, notes Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. Last season was a tough one for Turris who started as the third center and finished as a frequent healthy scratch while spending time on the taxi squad. He’s entering the final year of his deal with a $1.65MM AAV. Nearly 70% of that could come off Edmonton’s cap if he’s waived and sent to the minors so he’ll need a strong camp to make the team and not be eyed as a possible avenue to free up some wiggle room on the cap.
Josh Archibald Declines Vaccine, Will Join Team Tomorrow
- Josh Archibald has been confirmed as the Edmonton Oilers player that has declined the COVID-19 vaccination, meaning he may miss 30 or more games this season depending on travel restrictions. Archibald wasn’t on the ice today as he finished a quarantine, but is expected to join his teammates tomorrow. Duncan Keith, who was recently vaccinated in the U.S., will not participate in camp until next Friday as he finishes his own quarantine.
Alex Stalock Not Expected To Play This Season
The Edmonton Oilers announced some bad news today, as GM Ken Holland told reporters that goaltender Alex Stalock is not expected to play this season. Stalock is being evaluated for a possible heart condition and though Holland explained that things could change down the road, he’s not counting on the depth goaltender.
Stalock, 34, is on the final season of a three-year deal signed with the Minnesota Wild in 2019 and carries a cap hit of $785K. He was expected to be the team’s third goaltender this season after he was claimed off waivers last season. Holland is not currently looking to add another veteran option to fill the role Stalock would have, meaning Stuart Skinner is likely once again penciled in as the team’s third option.
While losing a third-string goaltender is certainly not a doomsday scenario for the Oilers, it actually may be worse for them than most teams. Edmonton is currently heading into the season with 39-year-old Mike Smith as the presumptive starter and 33-year-old Mikko Koskinen behind him. The former was excellent last season and has been relatively healthy throughout his long career, but will be counted on to carry the load again without much of a depth chart behind him. Koskinen posted an .899 save percentage in 26 games and has struggled when handed the starting job for any significant stretch.
Skinner, meanwhile, made his NHL debut in 2020-21 and posted strong numbers at the AHL level. His development is coming along nicely, but as a 22-year-old goaltender with only one successful professional season under his belt, he’s still not ready to take on a big role with the Oilers. He may not need to, but losing Stalock puts him one step closer.
Oilers To Retire Kevin Lowe's No. 4
- Kevin Lowe, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2020 will have his No. 4 retired by the Edmonton Oilers on November 4. It’s fitting that the New York Rangers are in town on that night, as that’s the only other NHL team Lowe played for during his 19-year career. A veteran of 1,254 regular season games, Lowe was a core member of the Oilers teams that won five Stanley Cup championships in seven years and was still effective enough to help the Rangers take home the 1994 title at age-35. Lowe now serves as alternate governor for the Oilers after previously serving as head coach, general manager, and president of hockey operations for the club.
Edmonton Oilers’ Dmitri Samorukov Out Six Weeks
Edmonton Oilers prospect Dmitri Samorukov suffered a broken jaw during last night’s development camp tilt against the Calgary Flames, the team announced Sunday afternoon. The defenseman will be out six weeks, missing the rest of training camp and the beginning of the regular season.
Samorukov, originally a third-round pick of the Oilers in 2017, is returning to North American this season after spending last season on loan with CSKA Moscow in the KHL. He’s shown solid upside at all levels of the game, scoring 45 points in 59 games with the Guelph Storm in his last OHL season in 2018-19. He continued his development with a successful rookie campaign in the AHL, getting into 47 games with the Bakersfield Condors in 2019-20. Last season’s stint in Russia saw him post eight points in 48 games while exhibiting solid two-way skill.
While it was unlikely Samorukov would crack the roster for the Oilers this season, the injury likely hurts those chances even further. However, he’ll be an important part of the defense core in Bakersfield this season as he enters his third professional campaign. Steps forward there this season could very well lead to an NHL opportunity in the future, possibly as soon as a call-up at the end of this season or next. He likely sits as the second defenseman on the depth chart in Bakersfield behind Philip Broberg, a first-round selection of the Oilers in 2019.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Kailer Yamamoto To One-Year Deal
The Edmonton Oilers and restricted free agent forward Kailer Yamamoto have come to terms on a one-year bridge deal. The team has announced that Yamamoto has agreed to a $1.175MM contract for 2021-22. Yamamoto will be a restricted free agent again next season.
Both sides are inherently taking a risk with such a short deal. Yamamoto, 22, is betting on himself with this contract. He took a considerable step back last season after a stunning run of 26 points in 27 games in 2019-20. His numbers fell off across the board, eventually including his ice time, as his offense dried up almost entirely late in the year leading to a final tally of eight goals and 21 points in 53 games. For a player of Yamamoto’s skill and creativity, more is expected than .39 points per game, even at his young age. If the 2017 first-rounder cannot improve, he may be stuck with a multi-year contract at or close to his qualifying offer at best.
Of course, if Yamamoto greatly outplays his miniscule salary this season – which should be easy to do – then the pressure will all fall back on the Oilers. While the cap-strapped team is happy to have their young weapon under contract for cheap money this season, they may be regretting not coming to an agreement on a longer term next summer. Yamamoto has already showed that he can score with ease in the NHL, even if that was two years ago. If he can get back on track, likely slotting into one of the more talented top-six groupings in the NHL, he could put up massive numbers in 2021-22 and his price tag will skyrocket.
At the end of the day, the two sides got a deal done without negotiations dragging on into training camp and the relationship growing contentious. That was crucial, as Edmonton needs affordable young talent to buoy several big-money contracts and Yamamoto would be hard-pressed to find a better place to improve his own scoring potential and earning ability than by playing with the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The two sides could continue talking into the season and come to terms on an extension well before next off-season, potentially mitigating the impact on either side somewhat. However, a one-year bridge deal always leaves open limitless possibilities for what could come next.
Oilers Offered Adam Larsson A Fifth Year In Contract Talks Before Expansion
- As part of their attempts to re-sign him, the Oilers offered defenseman Adam Larsson a fifth year, reports Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. However, the veteran opted for a fresh start, ultimately inking a four-year, $16MM contract with the Kraken during the expansion draft negotiation window. Matheson suggests Edmonton’s offer for Larsson likely exceeded the money he received from Seattle as well.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Colton Sceviour To PTO
The Edmonton Oilers will have another experienced forward at training camp, as Colton Sceviour has been signed to a professional tryout.
Just yesterday we listed Sceviour as one of the players still available as a PTO candidate, given his 500 games of NHL experience. Last season the 32-year-old scored five goals and ten points in 46 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins, while averaging fewer than ten minutes a night.
With career-highs of 11 goals and 26 points, Sceviour isn’t going to bring a ton of offensive ability to the table but can still be a relatively useful bottom-six player. He’s joining an Oilers roster that is anything but settled in that regard, with players like Devin Shore and Brendan Perlini in the mix for the fourth line.
Just today, the team announced that top forward prospect Dylan Holloway will be sidelined for the next several months after wrist surgery, which also could complicate the Oilers’ plans. Someone like Sceviour could easily fill a 13th or 14th forward role for the first few months of the season at least while the team determines where their young talent is best utilized.
Of course, it is important to remember that professional tryouts are not necessarily only a showcase for the team that signs them. Sceviour will be able to train and compete against other NHL players while he looks for work around the league. For the Oilers specifically, the team is over the cap until they place Oscar Klefbom on long-term injured reserve, meaning a contract for Sceviour could also come down the line after some other transactional gymnastics take place.