Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Oilers Rumors

Markus Niemelainen Signs With Edmonton Oilers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Edmonton Oilers have finally convinced one of their 2016 draft picks to come back to North America, signing Markus Niemelainen to a two-year entry-level contract. The hulking defenseman has spent the last three seasons in Finland’s top league after playing two years of junior hockey in the OHL. Had the Oilers not been able to get him under contract, Niemelainen would have become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

There’s a lot to like about the 6’6″ Niemelainen, who is actually an incredibly good skater for his size. While there still isn’t a ton of offensive upside in his game, the Oilers would likely be happy with a rock-solid stay-at-home option after taking him in the third round.

Whether he can translate that strong defensive play to the NHL level is another question entirely, but Niemelainen has all the tools to be an effective bottom-pairing presence that logs heavy minutes on the penalty kill.

Brad Malone Signs AHL Deal To Remain With Bakersfield

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Journeyman forward Brad Malone may not be playing on an NHL contract for the next two years, but he will be content to stay in the same place for a while longer. The 30-year-old forward will remain in the Edmonton Oilers organization by signing a two-year AHL deal with the Bakersfield Condors, the affiliate announced. After playing with four different organizations over five year span, Malone has now spent three years with the Oilers and has two more years with their farm team to look forward to.

Malone, a standout college player at the University of North Dakota, has always been a productive AHL player. A fourth-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2007, he recorded 36 points in 67 AHL games as a first-year pro in 2011-12. The mark still stands as a career-best, but eight years later Malone was poised to break that mark this season with 31 points through 49 games prior to the suspension of the season. Over his career, Malone has also been a valuable NHL depth piece, contributing 85 points in 161 games with Colorado, Edmonton, and Carolina Hurricanes, with whom he scored a career-high 15 points in 2014-15.

However, Malone did not see any NHL action this season (so far) for just the second time in his pro career. He will be on the wrong side of 30 as of next month and it is clear that he is not going to become an NHL regular at this point in his career nor do the Oilers see him as worthy of a contract slot as a depth piece either. He remains a valued veteran presence in Bakersfield and can still produce and perhaps he can earn another NHL contract if he keeps his play up. For now though, he will settle for a familiar place to play and will have to work to prove that he can still be an Oiler in addition to a Condor.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Theodor Lennstrom

at CDT | by 1 Comment

After playing the last three seasons in the SHL, Theodor Lennstrom is ready to make the leap. The Edmonton Oilers have signed the free agent defenseman to a one-year entry-level contract.

Lennstrom, 25, has been a reliable contributor during his three years at the highest level in Sweden, recording at least 15 points in each. The smooth-skating defenseman can move the puck quickly and effectively, though there are still questions about his overall game.

For the Oilers, there’s nothing wrong with taking a swing at a player that has shown he can compete at a high level, given how they have only just started to build the depth required to contend for the Stanley Cup. A one-year deal presents very little risk, but will leave Lennstrom a restricted free agent and under team control next summer.

Edmonton Oilers Extend Gaetan Haas

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Edmonton Oilers have made it official, signing Gaetan Haas to a one-year extension for the 2020-21 season. Ryan Rishaug of TSN reports that the contract will carry a salary of $915K. Haas was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Haas, 28, was signed out of Switzerland last year after a strong showing at the IIHF World Championship. Though he had dominated the NLA for several seasons, it wasn’t clear exactly what he would bring to the NHL. The Oilers were pleasantly surprised when they got a reliable depth forward they could plug in every night, as Haas recorded 10 points in 58 games.

Along with Joakim Nygard (who notably defeated Connor McDavid in the Oilers fastest skater competition), Haas provided some more skill and speed to a group that desperately needed to keep up with their star players. His return gives the team another option down the middle for next season on a more than reasonable cap hit.

Oilers Expected To Re-Sign Gaetan Haas

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

While there won’t be many big contracts handed out during this current stoppage in the schedule, some teams haven’t shied away from handing out smaller deals.  It appears that the Oilers could soon be one of them as TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports (Twitter link) that the team is expected to re-sign center Gaetan Haas.  He is slated to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

The 28-year-old joined Edmonton as an undrafted free agent last summer after spending the previous decade in the Swiss NLA.  While he showed some offensive potential in that league by picking up at least 33 points over his final three seasons there, that failed to translate to much NHL success as he has just five goals and five assists in 58 games while averaging 9:42 per night.

However, as someone that’s already familiar with Edmonton’s system, there would be some value to bringing him back for a deal that’s close to his $925K price tag.  Their cap situation means that they will need to have several players on low-priced deals and they already know that he can hold his own on the fourth line or serve as injury insurance.  However, after being waiver-exempt this season which Edmonton used to get him in a couple of games early on, he would need to clear waivers to go to AHL Bakersfield in 2020-21.

Stretch Run Storylines: Edmonton Oilers

at CDT | by 8 Comments

As things stand, the NHL is planning to have games resume at some point over the coming weeks.  Assuming the regular season continues, there will be plenty of things to watch for over the stretch run.  Over the weeks ahead, PHR will examine the top stretch run storylines for each team.  We continue our look at the Pacific Division with Edmonton.

No one was quite sure what to make of the Edmonton Oilers coming into the 2019-20 season. Back in 2016-17, the team made a promising playoff run, suggested that Connor McDavid was set to take Edmonton to years of deep playoff runs. Instead, the team collapsed for two straight years, being bounced from the playoffs both years and struggling with a weak defense and a lack of top-six talent. Add a new general manager in Ken Holland and the team under new head coach Dave Tippett is back in the playoff race, beginning to look like that 2016-17 team.

Hart Trophy For Draisaitl?

McDavid may be the face of the franchise, but Leon Draisaitl has been grabbing many of the game-to-game headlines as the German center has finally moved from McDavid’s wing to center his own line and has found success. He has formed his own line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto, which has had great success throughout much of the second half of the season. The 24-year-old who had 50 goals and 105 points a year ago, has already surpassed that point total in less games. He has 43 goals and 110 points through 71 games and is leading the league in scoring.

Could Draisaitl be joining McDavid as a Hart Trophy winner? He is 13 points ahead of McDavid who is second in the league in scoring. With the turnaround success of the Oilers, who are in second place in the Pacific Division, Draisaitl may just be the lead candidate for the trophy.

Trade-Deadline Acquisitions

The Edmonton Oilers picked up three players at the trade deadline in a hope to bolster their defense and their offense to another level. The team gave up two second-round picks in order to pick up the speedy Andreas Athanasiou, while also moving a future fifth-rounder for winger Tyler Ennis. They also moved Kyle Brodziak and a fourth-round pick to Detroit for veteran defender Mike Green.

However, the Oilers have yet to get much of a return on those investments as Athanasiou has appeared in just nine games with just one goal. Ennis has fared better with two goals and four points in nine games. Green has appeared in just two games due to injuries. The hope is all three can make significant strides when/if play resumes. However, if the season is cancelled, the Oilers will only have Athanasiou left as the other two will be unrestricted free agents and no guarantees that they will return next season.

With so few games under their belt, the learning curve for all three players could be significant as they have to learn a new coaching system and how to play with new linemates.

Loss Of A Teammate

With all the tragedy stemming from the COVID-19, the Oilers suffered a separate loss when forward Colby Cave passed away on Apr. 11 when he was placed into a medically-induced coma due to a brain bleed. The forward had appeared in 44 games with the Oilers over the past two years and he played in 11 games this year with Edmonton.

While he wasn’t a full-time player with the Oilers, he was a big part of the team and the Oilers will have to deal with that loss as a team. How the team handles it could have a big effect on how the team performs in the playoffs when/if the league gets the season re-started.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Edmonton Oilers Linked To Theodor Lennstrom

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Veteran Swedish defenseman Theodor Lennstrom has informed Frolunda HC that he will not honor the final year of his contract and will not play in the SHL next season. The question now is where exactly he will play. Swedish source Kvalls Posten seems confident that the answer is the NHL, as they report that Lennstrom is choosing between a number of offers, but seems most likely to land with the Edmonton Oilers.

Lennstrom, 25, was undrafted out of Sweden and has never played anywhere else but his native country, but finally seems ready to take the next step in his career and sign an entry-level contract in the NHL. Lennstrom is an offensive defenseman, excelling in the skating and possession aspects of the game. His defensive game is likely not quite ready for the NHL though and he may need to start in the AHL upon arriving to North America or else play in a sheltered, power play-dependent role at first.

If he is to succeed at the top level, Edmonton seems like a strong choice. Kvalls Posten notes that team has two fellow Swedish defensemen in Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson, as well as a former teammate of Lennstrom’s in Joakim Nygard. On the other hand, the Oilers do have a decent amount of depth on the blue line and that position battle would become even more crowded if another Swede defender, top prospect Philip Broberg, also decided to jump to North America this off-season. There remain a number of other teams interested in Lennstrom as well, specifically the New Jersey Devils as a top suitor for his services, so his decision is far from made.

West Notes: Pietrangelo, Talbot, Gagner

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The season isn’t even over yet, but the St. Louis Blues have been busy adding talent to their future with two signings on defense. The team extended defenseman Marco Scandella, while agreeing to term with collegiate Scott Perunovich on a contract. That leaves quite a bit of depth on the Blues’ blueline and leaves even more questions on whether St. Louis intends to sign pending unrestricted free agent Alex Pietrangelo to a long-term deal.

In his most recent mailbag, The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford (subscription required) writes that he believes the Blues continue to prioritize signing Pietrangelo and believes that his $9MM AAV asking price might now be too high and he might have to accept less or a short-term deal as the NHL deals with the effects of COVID-19. Regardless, the Blues will likely have to unload some contracts to make a deal possible as Rutherford suggests the team is likely going to have to move backup goaltender Jake Allen or buying out forward Alex Steen. Allen, in particular, could have some value after posting a 2.15 GAA and a .927 save percentage in 24 appearances, and could attract some teams looking for help in net as he will have one year remaining next year at $4.35MM.

  • Speaking of goalies, Calgary Flames veteran Cam Talbot, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis, that he is looking for one more chance to be a starting goaltender again and that will be his basis for signing with a team. “I wouldn’t rule out coming back, but, obviously, my goal coming here was to show the rest of the League that I still have it in me to be a starting goalie and I think I accomplished that,” Talbot said. The 32-year-old had a bounce-back season in Calgary after signing a one-year deal with the Flames with a 2.63 GAA and a .919 save percentage in 26 appearances as the backup to David Rittich.
  • In his most recent mailbag, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector suggests that there is a strong likelihood that the Edmonton Oilers will re-sign fourth-line center Sam Gagner to another short-term deal. He believes that Edmonton general manager Ken Holland looks at Gagner as a future member of his front office in the same way he looked at Dan Cleary, Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby when he was with the Detroit Red Wings. On top of that, Gagner is likely looking for a one-year deal at under $1MM, a contract that a team like Edmonton would value considering how top-heavy the team is in expensive contracts. Edmonton is also Gagner’s family’s home, suggesting that is where he would prefer to stay.

Potential Compliance Buyout Candidates: Part II

at CDT | by 15 Comments

As the current Coronavirus crisis wears on, it seems more and more likely that the NHL will not return to action soon and when play resumes, it will almost certainly not be the full remaining regular season schedule. That lost revenue is expected to impact the 2020-21 salary cap, perhaps even keeping the current $81.5MM upper limit in place. Given that teams expected an increase, initially projected to be between $84-88.2MM, this stagnation could have a harsh impact on a number of clubs’ cap situations. As such, many expect that compliance buyouts will return in some form or fashion to ease that pain. These buyouts, which do not count against the salary cap, would allow for teams to open up space that they otherwise expected from a cap increase.

After taking a look at the first ten teams, we move on to the middle third of the NHL:

Detroit Red Wings: Justin Abdelkader

– When Abdelkader signed a seven-year extension with an AAV of $4.25MM following his career-best season in 2014-15, it was perceived to be a bargain at the time and few expected that it would turn out poorly. Yet, with three years still to go Abdelkader has failed to impress in each of the first four seasons, recording a total of just 78 points and consistently missing time due to injury. On a young rebuilding team, the 33-year-old forward’s slow, plodding game is not a fit and his salary is not commensurate to his role on the club. New GM Steve Yzerman wouldn’t hesitate to buy out the career Red Wing if given the opportunity.

Edmonton Oilers: James Neal

– Last summer’s swap of Neal for Milan Lucic was labeled as two teams exchanging bad contracts. However, Neal got off to a hot start and ended up with 19 goals and 31 points despite being limited to just 55 games due to injury. That being said, the 32-year-old forward, who was a -20 this season, is still probably the worst contract on the team. The likelihood of Neal playing up to his remaining $17.25MM over three years seems slim and the Oilers could use the cap space to add a younger, better winger. If Neal has earned the trust of the team, Kris Russell could be bought out before his final year at $4MM.

Florida Panthers: Sergei Bobrovsky

– Would the Panthers move on from Bobrovsky just one year after handing him a seven-year, $70MM deal? That could be the biggest question of the off-season if compliance buyouts become reality. The star goalie’s first season in Florida could not have gone worse as he posted a career-worst GAA and didn’t boast a shiny save percentage either. Expected to be the Cats’ savior in net, Bobrovsky was anything but. If they hesitate to cut ties with Bobrovsky and his play does not improve, he would undoubtedly become the worst contract in hockey. Though on the other hand, if Bobrovsky goes elsewhere and succeeds and Florida cannot find a suitable location, some would surely say that they didn’t give him enough of a chance.

Los Angeles Kings: Jonathan Quick

– The rebuilding Kings have been trying to move Quick for a couple of years now and it would be a surprise if they did not take advantage of a compliance buyout opportunity. A holdover contract from the days of yore, Quick’s ten-year, $58MM deal signed in 2012 remained a bargain for the first half of the term until Quick hit a wall last year. While his play rebounded this season, Quick is still not playing up to the all-world level that had become the norm. L.A. is still a ways away from contending and can make more use of extra cap space over the next three years than a goalie who is past his prime.

Minnesota Wild: Zach Parise

– The Wild and new GM Bill Guerin came awfully close to trading Parise at the deadline this season and in recent years players who have been rumored to be leaving Minnesota are always eventually dealt. However, the potential trade included the team taking back bad salaries to facilitate the movement of Parise’s remaining five years and $37.69MM. Although Parise showed a return to form somewhat over the past two years, he has never been able to replicate his numbers from earlier in career and the team has generally been unhappy with the results of their 13-year gamble. If the possibility to dump the 35-year-old Parise without any cap repercussions opened up, it would become a serious conversation. More interesting would be if the Wild also discuss Mats Zuccarello as a buyout candidate after he was a bust in the first of a five-year, $30MM deal.

Montreal Canadiens: Karl Alzner

– While there will be those that find some of the bigger names on Montreal as intriguing buyout candidates, Alzner seems like an obvious choice that will improve the roster without any risk of releasing a good player or upsetting team chemistry. Few players in recent history have had their team turn on them following a major contract as quickly as the Canadiens did with Alzner. After signing the physical defenseman as a top free agent in 2017, the Habs decided just a year later that he was not worthy of an NHL roster spot following a difficult first season. Alzner has played just 13 NHL games over the past two years, buried in the AHL for the remainder. With two years at $4.625MM remaining, Montreal would be happy to be completely rid of Alzner’s contract rather than receiving just minor saving from sending him to the minors instead.

Nashville Predators: Kyle Turris

– For a long time, Nashville GM David Poile was opposed to handing out expensive, long-term contracts. That policy served him well for quite a time, as the Predators ended up with a number of tremendous values on the roster. Since the team has started to move away from that practice, things have not gone so well. Turris is the poster boy for this statement. He signed a six-year, $36MM extension with Nashville not long after being acquired by the club early in the 2017-18 season and has never lived up to the expectations. His 54 total points over the past two years is less than the one-year total the season prior to his joining Nashville. Turris has become an expendable player, not only missing time due to injury but also as a healthy scratch. The team has been eager to move him and they likely wouldn’t hesitate to do so with a compliance buyout.

New Jersey Devils: Cory Schneider

– An overpaid, under-performing starting goalie is one thing; an overpaid, under-performing backup is another. It has been quite a time since Schneider was the top man in net in New Jersey and young Mackenzie Blackwood has now taken the reins. However, Schneider’s horrific numbers over the past two year suggest that he isn’t even capable of being an NHL backup at this point in his career. With two years remaining at $6MM, Schneider’s might be the worst goalie contract in the league and a rather obvious buyout candidate.

New York Islanders: Andrew Ladd

– Ladd, part of the infamous 2016 class of terrible free agent contracts, Ladd has never provided adequate value to the Islanders compared to his $5.5MM AAV. The team finally buried him in the AHL this season after recording just 71 points through his first three years. With the majority of their forwards signed to substantial long-term deals, there is almost no chance that Ladd can ever work his way back into the NHL mix for the Islanders. New York was ready to move him at the trade deadline and would be quick to buyout the final three years of his deal rather than continue to pay major money for him to play in the minors.

New York Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist

– While it would be a sad day for the Blueshirts and their fans, the reality is that Lundqvist is the best use of a compliance buyout on the team. New York was considering moving young Alexandar Georgiev at the deadline rather than continue to carry three goaltenders, as Igor Shesterkin looks like the starter of the future and King Henrik has become an immovable contract. However, the team would be far better off retaining both young goalies and moving on from Lundqvist, who at 38 years old had the worst season of his career and still has a season remaining at $8.5MM. That’s a hefty salary to pay the man who would be your third-string goalie next season if Georgiev is not moved. The Rangers have no shortage of options though if they cannot overcome the loyalty they feel toward Lundqvist. Defensemen Marc Staal, $5.7MM AAV, and Brendan Smith, $4.35MM AAV, have both outworn their welcomes in New York and would not be missed in the final years of their respective contracts.

Stay tuned for Part III coming soon.

Oilers Forward Colby Cave Passes Away

at CDT | by 15 Comments

Oilers forward Colby Cave has passed away at the age of 25.  The family released the following statement today:

It is with great sadness to share the news that our Colby Cave passed away early this morning. I (Emily, his wife) and both our families are in shock but know our Colby was loved dearly by us, his family and friends, the entire hockey community, and many more. We thank everyone for their prayers during this difficult time.

Oilers GM Ken Holland and team chairman Bob Nicholson also issued the following statement:

On behalf of the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club and the Bakersfield Condors, we wanted to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends after the passing of our teammate Colby Cave earlier this morning. Colby was a terrific teammate with great character, admired and liked everywhere he played. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Emily, his family and friends at this very difficult time.

Cave was placed in a medically-induced coma on Tuesday after suffering a brain bleed overnight and underwent emergency surgery to remove a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain soon after.  While the procedure was successful, he remained in a coma until his passing today.

Cave played in 67 career NHL games over parts of three seasons between Boston who signed him as an undrafted free agent back in 2015 and Edmonton who claimed him off waivers in January of 2019.  Earlier this week, his agent Jason Davidson indicated that Cave’s situation did not appear to be linked to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The entire staff at PHR joins the rest of the hockey world in sending our condolences to Cave’s family and friends.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top