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Report Suggests Connor McDavid Intends To Give Ken Holland Two Years

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The Edmonton Oilers haven’t exactly been the model franchise since their star Connor McDavid signed his eight-year, $100MM back in July of 2017. The 22-year-old continues to do his part, having scored 224 points over the past two seasons and winning the Art Ross and Ted Lindsay awards in 2018. However, the team hasn’t built much of a winning program around him. The franchise hasn’t reached the playoffs in those two years and the teams till seems to have a questionable list of wingers to help McDavid and fellow star Leon Draisaitl. There are plenty of fans that are starting to wonder if McDavid regrets signing long-term with the Oilers.

Appearing on Sportsnet 590 radio on Friday, Elliotte Friedman said that he believes that new general manager Ken Holland will get two years to prove to McDavid that the team is heading in the right direction. However, he also believes that McDavid is getting impatient with the organization.

“I think the answer is no, he’s not patient,” Friedman said. “But he’s also willing to be convinced. I think they’ve got two years to show him they’re going in the right direction. This year and next year.”

Friedman added the he believes the team might be better off getting one more lottery pick after this season in hopes of striking it rich in a deep 2020 draft year and then take that next step, although that doesn’t necessarily mean the team isn’t intent on making the playoffs this season. Holland was active during the summer despite little cap space to work with. He traded veteran Milan Lucic to Calgary for winger James Neal in hopes the veteran might bounce back to his 20-goal scoring ways this year. He also dipped into the international market, signing Joakim Nygard and Gaetan Haas, who both made the team out of training camp. The GM also brought in veteran goaltender Mike Smith to help balance out the goaltending situation.

The team does have a lot of young prospects that are on the brink and much of it is on the defensive end. The team has 2018 first-round pick Evan Bouchard in the AHL, but he could come up at any time and become a regular. They also have prospects Dmitri Samorukov and Philip Broberg, who may only be a year away. They also have a number of young forward, including Kailer Yamamoto and Ryan McLeod and Tyler Benson, who could contribute in the near future as well and help the team take that next step. Other than Broberg, who is playing in the SHL this season as an 18-year-old, the majority of the team’s top prospects are with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL, which should be a loaded team this season.

The team also is right up against the cap, which has a lot to do with McDavid and Draisaitl’s deals, but the team also has quite a few contracts on the book that aren’t helping. The Oilers must also deal with the eventual contract of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who will be a unrestricted free-agent after the 2021 season. Edmont has to hope that McDavid is patient enough to wait around while they rebuild the team and try and get it to a point where the team is challenging for a Stanley Cup on a regular basis while McDavid remains in his prime or he could eventually demand a trade.

Oilers Activate Joel Persson, Return William Lagesson To Bakersfield

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  • The Oilers announced (Twitter link) that they have activated Joel Persson off IR and he will make his NHL debut tonight. The 25-year-old spent the last two seasons as one of the better point producers from the back end in the SHL and should give Edmonton some more firepower from their blueline.  In a corresponding roster move, the team has returned defenseman William Lagesson to AHL Bakersfield.

Injury Notes: Larsson, Prout, Raanta

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The Edmonton Oilers have internal options to replace top defender Adam Larsson, who unfortunately suffered a major injury – a fractured fibula – in the very first game of the year. The team has recalled promising prospect Evan Bouchard and could also turn to another prospect in Caleb Jones or veteran Brandon Manning, who both remain with AHL Bakersfield. However, none of those three will be a seamless fit as Larsson’s stand-in and Edmonton will feel his absence even if the rest of their defense corps steps up. Facing a six-to-eight week prognosis, the Oilers may need to look elsewhere if they want to avoid a rocky start through the first two months of the season. TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the team is not necessarily looking for a trade already, but is not opposed to going outside the organization to try to replace Larsson. McKenzie opines that a similar defender, one who can log major minutes and play a shutdown role, is not exactly available though. The one name McKenzie mentions as an affordable acquisition is recently-waived veteran Thomas Hickey of the New York Islanders, but McKenzie doubts that Hickey could adequately fill the role left by Larsson and feels his three-year contract is not worth the gamble. It seems the team is most likely going to work with their current group for the time being, with Kris Russell the most likely candidate to move up to the first pair, and will wait to see if an addition is truly needed. Of course, if the Oilers decide to truly try to replace a player of Larsson’s ability via trade, Jesse Puljujarvi remains the organization’s biggest trade chip.

  • Ahead of the San Jose Sharks’ season opener, it seemed that the final blue line spot was a decision between rookie Mario Ferraro and veteran Dalton Prout. However, both defenders ended up playing as Erik Karlsson missed the game for the birth of his child. The decision won’t be very difficult moving forward though. After missing the team’s morning skate, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz has confirmed that Prout is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury suffered in the opener. There is no timeline for his return, meaning Ferraro could have plenty of time to assert himself as a regular member on the San Jose blue line. Additionally, the team has recalled defenseman Jacob Middleton to add some more depth on the back end.
  • It looked like Antti Raanta would be healthy to begin the season for the Arizona Coyotes, but the team opted not to rush him back, likely in light of how Darcy Kuemper played in his stead last season. Raanta began the season on a conditioning stint with AHL Tuscon, but it was unclear if he would actually see action or simply treat the experience like an extended training camp. Wonder no more, as beat writer Alexander Kinkopf reports that Raanta will actually get the call for the Roadrunners in their season opener tonight. Kinkopf relays word from Arizona head coach Rick Tocchet, who says that Raanta wanted to “sharpen his game” with live action before returning to regular NHL duty and he will get that opportunity tonight. It remains unclear how long the Coyotes expect to be without Raanta as he’s on a conditioning stint, but with the recently-extended Kuemper and recently-claimed Eric Comrie in the mix, with a serviceable third-string in Adin Hill around as well, the team may be looking to make a trade from their goalie depth upon Raanta’s return.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-First Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.”  Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended.  For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now.  Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)
5th Overall: Max Pacioretty, Washington Capitals (22)
6th Overall: Jakub Voracek, Edmonton Oilers (7)
7th Overall: Ryan McDonagh, Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
8th Overall: James van Riemsdyk, Boston Bruins (2)
9th Overall: Wayne Simmonds, San Jose Sharks (61)
10th Overall: Kevin Shattenkirk, Florida Panthers (14)
11th Overall: Jake Muzzin, Carolina Hurricanes (141)
12th Overall: Kyle Turris, Montreal Canadiens (3)
13th Overall: David Perron, St. Louis Blues (26)
14th Overall: Mikael Backlund, Colorado Avalanche (24)
15th Overall: Evgenii Dadonov, Edmonton Oilers (71)
16th Overall: Alec Martinez, Minnesota Wild (95)
17th Overall: Carl Hagelin, New York Rangers (168)
18th Overall: Lars Eller, St. Louis Blues (13)
19th Overall: Alex Killorn, Anaheim Ducks (77)
20th Overall: Nick Bonino, Pittsburgh Penguins (173)

Officially the biggest jump of this exercise so far, Bonino moves up over 150 spots into the first round. Originally selected by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round, the Pittsburgh Penguins are a fitting landing spot for the two-way center. In 2007 Bonino was fresh off a high school season in which he scored 66 points in 26 games and was already committed to Boston University. A “serial winner” to steal a phrase from Mike Babcock, the young forward has found success at basically every level. A state champion as a high school player, Bonino then the BU Terriers to an NCAA National Championship game in 2009 only to set up one goal and score another in the final minute to force overtime. His squad would take home the title, and Bonino would turn pro a year later.

Though his professional career started in the Anaheim Ducks organization, the Penguins are the team likely most associated with Bonino, given his success there. In both seasons he spent in Pittsburgh, the team would take home the Stanley Cup. The first run in 2016 made a star out of the checking center when he was part of the famed “HBK Line” with Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel. Bonino would record 18 points in 24 postseason games for the Penguins that year.

Now in Nashville, Bonino is still a reliable middle-six option that can contribute offensively while being responsible in his own end. He sits 18th among all players from the 2007 draft in scoring with 248 points in 560 games, and certainly deserves a spot in the first round.

After Pittsburgh selected, the Edmonton Oilers were up for the third time in the first round. They had already picked Sam Gagner and Alex Plante, two players that haven’t yet made it onto our list. Instead of taking the American power forward Max Pacioretty that Montreal would snap up next, Edmonton decided to go with one from a little closer to home. Alberta-born Riley Nash would be their third pick of the first round, selected 21st overall. The BCHL forward was ranked 64th among North American skaters by by NHL Central Scouting, but had just dominated his junior league to the tune of 84 points in 55 games. Unfortunately, Nash would never play for the Oilers.

Despite trading up to get him at No. 21, the Oilers and Nash never saw eye-to-eye on the next step in his development and after three years at Cornell University, the team finally decided to move on. Edmonton traded his rights to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a second-round pick (which turned into Martin Marincin), only to see him leave college and sign an entry-level deal a month later. In Carolina he turned into a relatively underrated depth forward, and broke out in 2017-18 with the Boston Bruins to the tune of 15 goals and 41 points.

Though Nash never did turn into a top-end player, getting basically nothing for the pick is an unfortunate outcome for Edmonton. If they had another shot at it they would clearly pick someone else, but with the amount of talent off our redraft board who would go instead? With the twenty-first pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Edmonton Oilers select?  Cast your vote below!

2007 Redraft: Twenty-First Overall
Patrick Maroon 23.98% (106 votes)
Sam Gagner 12.44% (55 votes)
Justin Braun 10.86% (48 votes)
Paul Byron 10.63% (47 votes)
Brandon Sutter 10.18% (45 votes)
Ian Cole 8.60% (38 votes)
Karl Alzner 7.92% (35 votes)
Carl Gunnarsson 4.07% (18 votes)
Riley Nash 3.85% (17 votes)
Thomas Hickey 2.71% (12 votes)
Brendan Smith 2.04% (9 votes)
Robert Bortuzzo 2.04% (9 votes)
Colton Sceviour 0.68% (3 votes)
Total Votes: 442

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

Prospect Notes: Brown, McKeown, Bear

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Logan Brown’s agent isn’t happy with how his client has been treated by the Ottawa Senators since being drafted. Andy Scott joined TSN radio in Ottawa recently and gave his thoughts on how Brown’s career has gone so far.

I’ve really never seen another player met with such resistance by the team that ends up drafting the player early in the first round. From day one I’ve seen Logan have to grind and claw and work his tail off for every morsel of opportunity that he’s been provided. Whereas with some of these other guys, some of these elite players like Logan, it’s been a little bit easier. They get paired with top lines, top players, put into positions to excel. You look at last season, he shows up to training camp and he’s on the eighth line. He’s the eighth-line center. This is your 11th-overall pick from the 2016 draft. You know he’s played no more than two games in all the years he’s been here, playing with NHL wingers.

Brown, 21, has played six games in the NHL so far in his young career and has a single assist, but did record 42 points in 56 games for the Belleville Senators last season. The 6’6″ center has a ton of upside, but finds himself in the minors once again to start the year.

  • Captains have been announced all across the AHL today, but one of the more interesting selections is Carolina Hurricanes prospect Roland McKeown. The 23-year old defenseman was picked 50th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2014 but has already logged more than 200 games for the Charlotte Checkers after a trade brought him east. The young McKeown re-signed with the Hurricanes just last month and is in a tough spot behind the huge amount of depth the Hurricanes have amassed on the blueline. For now, he’ll take over the leadership duties in Charlotte and try to help the Checkers back to the Calder Cup.
  • Ethan Bear was officially sent to the minor leagues yesterday in a cap move by the Edmonton Oilers, but he never left the club and is expected to play in the team’s next game. Not only will the 22-year old defenseman get a chance to be a full-time player for the Oilers this season, but with Adam Larsson out for six to eight weeks he very well could be pushed into a leading role. Bear made his NHL debut in 2017-18 and got into 18 games with the Oilers, already showing that he’s much more than just a fifth-round pick. Ryan Rishaug of TSN believes he’ll either suit up with Darnell Nurse or Oscar Klefbom in the team’s next game, a huge opportunity to show he can be a reliable top-four option.

Pacific Notes: Seattle, Canucks, Puljujarvi, Palmu

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The 2021 NHL Expansion Draft is still two full seasons away, but the Seattle expansion team is not messing around in the meantime. If early indications hold true, Seattle will make their presence felt in the NHL long before they actually become an official club. On Thursday night, the second night of the new campaign, Seattle is already out scouting the competition – or more likely the 2021 free agent class and possible Expansion Draft offerings. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro reports that, presumably for the first time, a Seattle scout is at a game in an official capacity. Former NHLer Stu Barnes is set to watch the Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars square off, two talent-laden teams who will likely have tough decisions to make come expansion time. However, this is likely just the beginning. Expect Barnes and company to be a fixture at games for the next two years.

  • With the Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal and Maple Leafs’ John Tavares recently joining the elite group that is NHL captains, the number of teams without a captain has shrunk even further. The Vegas Golden Knights have yet to name the first captain in franchise history, while the New York Rangers have also been without a captain since 2017-18. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, and Vancouver Canucks have holdover vacancies from last season. However, this group is about lose yet another member. Canucks head coach Travis Green has stated that the team will formally announce their new captain ahead of their home opener on October 9. Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini confirmed as much today, stating that he, Green, and GM Jim Benning saw leadership begin to develop last season and feel they are ready to name a captain. Vancouver has already named four alternates – Alexander Edler, Bo Horvat, Brandon Sutter, and Chris Tanev – and the odds are that the new “C” will be one of the current “A”’s. If the team wants to reward loyalty and establish a veteran leader, Edler is the likely choice. If they want to anoint a young core player as the man to take the team into the future, Horvat will be the selection. Those two have a better chance than Sutter or Tanev, both of whom have seen their roles on the team questioned over the last year or so, but anything is possible.
  • Speaking with Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman writes in his latest “31 Thoughts” column that it is his impression that the team is simply waiting and hoping for a better return on disgruntled prospect Jesse Puljujarvi. Puljujarvi followed through on his threat and signed in Europe this off-season when the Oilers wouldn’t trade him. Since then, Edmonton has shifted their focus solely to moving out the young winger, but only at a fair price. Friedman writes that Holland can only hope that Puljujarvi’s trade stock gets a boost from his performance in Finland. Thus far, Puljujarvi has seven points in eight games for the Liiga’s Karpat, which puts him in the top-20 scorers early on, but not exactly at the top. Friedman does mention some actual names – for the first time – that came up in trade talks this summer but were seemingly dismissed by Edmonton: a trio of forwards including the Carolina Hurricanes’ Julien Gauthier, the St. Louis Blues’ Klim Kostin, and the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Alexander Volkov.
  • Another NHL prospect staying in Europe for a while longer is the Canucks’ Petrus Palmu. After news emerged on Wednesday that he was likely to be officially loaned to JYP of the Liiga, the Finnish club confirmed the transfer today. Palmu, a 2017 sixth-round pick who signed his entry-level contract in 2018 and played briefly in the AHL to begin last season, will continue to develop overseas for another year at least. Now officially signed with JYP, Palmu is set to make his season debut this weekend.

Edmonton Oilers Recall Bouchard, Place Larsson On LTIR

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3:40pm: The Oilers have announced that Larsson will be out for six to eight weeks after fracturing his right fibula.

12:30pm: The Edmonton Oilers have recalled Evan Bouchard from the minor leagues, assigning Ethan Bear to the Bakersfield Condors in the process. This might be more than a quick stint for Bouchard however, as the team also placed Adam Larsson on long-term injured reserve.

Larsson played last night for the Oilers and even logged more than 22 minutes of ice time, but will now need to be out for at least ten games after being placed on long-term injured reserve. The shuffle of Bear and Bouchard is to maximize the amount of cap relief the Oilers will receive, but we could easily see both up at some point given the team is only carrying five other defensemen.

This is a huge hit for an Oilers team that was relying on Larsson to be their top right-handed option this season. Bear played just over 15 minutes last night, and Matt Benning logged just under 12. If Bouchard is inserted into the lineup or the other two are moved up, the Oilers will really be pushing their luck in the top-four. Kris Russell could also very well find himself playing on the right side again, with Brandon Manning jumping in if they want Bouchard to continue to play in the minors.

Tomas Jurco Not Expected To Play Tonight, Won't Be Placed On IR

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  • Oilers winger Tomas Jurco is expected to miss tonight’s game against Vancouver after undergoing an undisclosed medical procedure, notes Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. It’s not expected to keep him out for long, however, as he will not be placed on injured reserve.  Jurco cracked Edmonton’s lineup in training camp after spending all of last season in the AHL on a minor league contract.

Poll: Who Will Win The Pacific Division In 2019-20?

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We’ve finally reached the end of the offseason and things kick off tonight in the NHL. The regular season begins in Toronto with a matchup between the Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, while the St. Louis Blues will hang their banner against the 2018 champion Washington Capitals. The excitement for the upcoming season is palpable, with even the most minor transactions generating plenty of interest among hockey fans.

With that in mind we’ve been asking you, the PHR reader, to give us your thoughts on the upcoming season. We started with the Atlantic Division, which seemed an easy choice for a good chunk of our community. The Tampa Bay Lightning ran away with the poll, earning a whopping 46% of all votes. Next was the Metropolitan Division, which wasn’t quite as lopsided. The Washington Capitals were picked by 31% of the voters to take home their fifth consecutive division title, but the Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders all got at least 10%.

The closest so far though goes to the Central Division, which is almost a dead heat between the Blues and Colorado Avalanche. Five teams received at least 10% of the vote, with only the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild falling below that threshold. The Central looks like it will be a meat grinder right to the end, but the reigning Stanley Cup champions are at least slightly ahead right now.

Lastly we’ll look at the Pacific Division, which was filled with disappointment in 2018-19. Just three Western Conference playoff spots came out of the group, with the other five teams all recording 86 or fewer points in the regular season. This time around things might be different, but will the upstart Arizona Coyotes, Connor McDavid-led Edmonton Oilers or rebuilt Vancouver Canucks really be able to challenge for the top spot? Cast your vote below and explain how you think the season will play out!

Who will win the Pacific Division in 2019-20?
Vegas Golden Knights 42.35% (498 votes)
Calgary Flames 19.64% (231 votes)
San Jose Sharks 15.05% (177 votes)
Los Angeles Kings 6.97% (82 votes)
Anaheim Ducks 5.36% (63 votes)
Edmonton Oilers 4.25% (50 votes)
Vancouver Canucks 3.74% (44 votes)
Arizona Coyotes 2.64% (31 votes)
Total Votes: 1,176

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Training Camp Cuts: 10/01/19

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Even with the season starting tomorrow, teams still have some final cuts to make today. Rosters have to be cap compliant by the end of the day. though with so much talent on waivers there might still be some last-minute moves. We’ll keep track of those right here. Keep checking back throughout the day for updates.

Arizona Coyotes (per team release)

D Ilya Lyubushkin (to Tucson, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (per team release)

F Remi Elie (to Rochester, AHL)
F Curtis Lazar (to Rochester, AHL)
F Scott Wilson (to Rochester, AHL)
D Casey Nelson (to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (per team release)

F Alan Quine (to Stockton, AHL)
F Zac Rinaldo (to Stockton, AHL)
F Dillon Dube (to Stockton, AHL)
D Andrew MacDonald (released from PTO)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

F Clark Bishop (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Julien Gauthier (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Brian Gibbons (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Gustav Forsling (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Anton Forsberg (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Max McCormick (placed on injured/non-roster)
D Trevor van Riemsdyk (placed on injured/non-roster)

Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)

G Collin Delia (to Rockford, AHL)
F Kirby Dach (placed on injured/non-roster)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

F Marko Dano (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Andrew Peeke (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Liam Foudy (placed on injured/non-roster)

Colorado Avalanche (per team release)

F Jayson Megna (to Colorado, AHL)
D Kevin Connauton (to Colorado, AHL)
D Calle Rosen (to Colorado, AHL)
D Ian Cole (placed on injured/non-roster)

Detroit Red Wings (per team release)

D Jared McIsaac (to Halifax, QMJHL)
F Chase Pearson (placed on injured/non-roster)

Edmonton Oilers (per team release)

F Sam Gagner (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (per team release)

F J.T. Brown (to Iowa, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

F Ryan Poehling (to Laval, AHL)

Nashville Predators (per team release)

F Miikka Salomaki (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Steven Santini (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (per team release)

D Matt Tennyson (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Ty Smith (to Spokane, WHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)

D John Marino (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Casey DeSmith (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)

F Nicolas Roy (to Chicago, AHL)
D Nicolas Hague (to Chicago, AHL)

Washington Capitals (per team release)

F Liam O’Brien (to Hershey, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (to Hershey, AHL)
D Christian Djoos (to Hershey, AHL)
D Michal Kempny (placed on injured/non-roster)

Winnipeg Jets (per team release)

D Sami Niku (to Manitoba, AHL)

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