Details On Dion Phaneuf Trade List
Dion Phaneuf submitted a new 12-team trade list to the Ottawa Senators recently, blocking deals to all but a dozen clubs around the league. Pierre LeBrun of TSN was first to announce that he’d sent it in to the Sens, and now gives us some details on who is on the “yes” list. The Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers all could acquire Phaneuf without the Senators asking his permission. 
Trade lists are usually about leverage for the player, trying to block teams that he think could want to acquire him. That gives him the ability to pick and choose where his next destination is, and not just be uprooted without warning. In this case, it seems more to do with geography than anything else as both the Canadiens and Oilers could theoretically use a player like Phaneuf.
The 32-year old has never played outside Canada, suiting up for Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa over his career. He’s made it clear he enjoys playing in his home country, making Edmonton and Montreal easy destinations. Los Angeles on the other hand may have more to do with his wife, Elisha Cuthbert and her television and film career. Cuthbert’s current show “The Ranch” films in Burbank, California making Los Angeles an easy landing spot for the pair.
The Kings would likely be uninterested in Phaneuf, and it would be hard to see either Edmonton or Montreal pony up the money for him over the next several years. Phaneuf incurs a $7MM cap hit for the next four seasons. As Darren Dreger of TSN spoke about this morning, Ottawa will have to retain some of his salary in order to facilitate a move, should they be serious about trading the defenseman. It would be much easier to sell a team on a $4.5-5MM Phaneuf for the next few years, but that would require a hefty investment from the Senators.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Six Teams Have Expressed Interest In Jordan Eberle
According to John Shannon of Sportsnet, the Edmonton Oilers continue to get calls regarding Jordan Eberle. Six teams have apparently made an inquiry up to this point, with several others sure to come after the expansion draft is over and rosters are more flexible. The winger had an incredibly inneffective playoff run but remains one of the most consistent goal scoring threats in the league after another 20-goal season. While his cap-hit ($6MM) is a tad high, it only has two years left on it and wouldn’t wreck any team’s salary structure going forward.
We’ve heard that the New York Islanders have expressed interest, and several other goal-starved teams like New Jersey or Carolina are sure to make at least an inquiry have they not already. While Shannon doesn’t go into details on who the six teams are, it’s easy to see that there could be more than that. Edmonton for what it’s worth aren’t obligated to trade him. Though they would like to improve their defense corps, and have enough scoring to compete even without the 27-year old winger, they won’t give him away for just anything.
It’s also unlikely they deal him before the expansion draft, because any defenseman they get back they’d have to expose. Andrej Sekera has a no-movement clause, and unless he was asked to waive it (which does not appear to be the case) their protection slots are full. Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson aren’t going anywhere, and the Oilers won’t want to move Eberle for a prospect or draft pick package, meaning it’s more likely to come down after the draft if at all.
Pacific Notes: Foo, Tanev, Treliving
The Union College standout Spencer Foo looks to be closing in on a decision as to where he will sign in the NHL. The right-winger netted an impressed 62 points in 38 games as a junior. An Edmonton native, he appears to be closing in on signing with the Edmonton Oilers, per Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. He has also been linked to the Flyers, where he would almost certainly see a more favorable landscape when it concerns openings in the top-12 forward group. Foo, leading scorer of the Dutchmen, was announced as one of the 10 semi-finalists for the Hobey Baker award. The forward plays a gritty, greasy game and already appears to have embraced the physicality of an adult game. He has enough offensive upside to easily grow into a top-9 role.
- Dallas is still on the hunt for a defenseman to aid newly acquired Ben Bishop, and according to Matheson have interest in Vancouver’s Chris Tanev. He only played 53 games last season, and struggled a bit alongside the rest of his Canuck teammates. Matheson ponders whether Dallas would be willing to move the #3 pick if more pieces were added, but this is difficult to imagine unless the addition is a far bigger get, probably including the Canucks’ own #5 selection. Second pairing defenseman are generally worth 2nd or 3rd rounders, whereas Dallas will have the opportunity to draft a real difference maker at their current position, conceivably standout defensive prospect Cale Makar. Dallas wants to compete now but the decision ultimately lies in Vancouver’s court.
- Calgary has a large decision ahead of them, and it seems as though they could be the icebreaker on the goalie front. GM Brad Treliving has tough work ahead – the Flames seem intent on letting Brian Elliott go after his post-season struggles, and he’s arguably the best free agent goalie available. The team has been linked (with varying degrees of certainty) in trade talks to New York’s Antti Raanta and Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury, and Arizona’s Mike Smith is a name that has been widely mentioned as available. Treliving will likely want to sort the situation out before July 1st when the pickings will get far slimmer. Peter Budaj and Mike Condon are options, but there will be other teams lobbying for their services.
Snapshots: Foo, Gavrikov, Panthers
Spencer Foo joined Bob Stauffer on 630 CHED today and the college free agent confirmed that he has whittled down the interest from “over 20” to “under five” teams on where to sign his first NHL contract. The Oilers remain in that group, the childhood team of Foo growing up in Edmonton. Foo also revealed that he would have been named captain of the Union College team, and his younger brother would be have been joining him this season had he stayed.
The Hobey Baker finalist scored 62 points in 38 games during his junior team before deciding to turn pro this summer, and was one of the most dynamic players in the country. He has delayed his decision so far to finish his school year, instead of signing and playing this season like other NCAA players. At 23, he should compete for a spot in the NHL right away wherever he signs.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have been trying to convince Vladislav Gavrikov to come over to the NHL for some time, and according to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express the young defenseman is trying to get a visa in order to come over for a medical. According to Eronko Columbus has offered him a deal with an AHL “out clause” meaning that he would be allowed to return to the KHL should they try to send him down. The report also indicates that the contract would include “full bonuses”, though it’s unclear if that means signing, performance or both. Gavrikov played quite well this season for Yaroslavl, suiting up for 54 games. He also played for Team Russia at the World Championships, logging time against top competition.
- The Florida Panthers have signed six players to AHL contracts, inking Francois Beauchemin (not the one who plays for Colorado), Matt Buckles, Ryan Horvat, Anthony Greco, Matt MacKenzie and Evan Cowley. All six will report to the Springfield Thunderbirds next season. The biggest name may be Cowley, who finished his NCAA career with an incredible .955 save percentage as the backup at DU. The former fourth-round pick is an interesting goaltending prospect for the Panthers down the line, perhaps capable of developing into at least an NHL backup.
New York Islanders Interested In Jordan Eberle
In the latest edition of Insider Trading on TSN, Darren Dreger reported that the New York Islanders are among several teams have interest in Edmonton Oilers forward Jordan Eberle. Dreger makes it very clear that there is “no guarantee” that Eberle even gets dealt.
Eberle has been in the news lately as a possible trade candidate as the Oilers start to figure out how their salary structure is going to shake out with extensions for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. GM Peter Chiarelli recently admitted that they would likely have to move a player out at some point, and Eberle is one of the most expensive players on the roster currently (tied with Milan Lucic and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins). 
Chiarelli has shown he’s willing to move out big-name players recently, with the trades of Taylor Hall and Nail Yakupov last year. While Eberle may not have quite the same value that Hall did when he recouped Adam Larsson, the 27-year old winger is one of the most consistent goal scorers in the league. He’s scored at least 20 goals in all but one of his full seasons, and still has two years left on his contract before becoming a free agent.
The Islanders have been starved for top-line wingers for years, though their forward group did show improvement as the most recent season went on. Eberle would give them another right-handed option up front in what has been a very lefty-heavy group.
Dreger mentioned Travis Hamonic as a possibility, and as we examined yesterday moving him or another defender would clear up some of the expansion problems for the Islanders. The Islanders will have plenty of competition if Eberle really does hit the trading block, but have all the assets to acquire him if they want to.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Expansion Primer: Edmonton Oilers
Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.
After a decade out of the playoffs, the Edmonton Oilers rebounded in a big way with over 100 points and making it to Game 7 of the second round. Connor McDavid lead the NHL in scoring, while Cam Talbot lead all goaltenders with 73 games played. Leon Draisaitl finished top-ten in scoring and cemented his place as the best Oilers forward in the non-McDavid category.
The Oilers made one of the biggest moves of the off-season, trading superstar forward Taylor Hall to New Jersey for Adam Larsson, who played a big role in solidifying the team’s defence. Late off-season free agent signing Kris Russell played top-four minutes. Mid-season, GM Peter Chiarelli traded Brandon Davidson to Montreal for diminutive center David Desharnais.
Their success this season proved to management that their Stanley Cup window is one or two moves away from being a legitimate contender. With one season until McDavid’s upcoming big contract enters the picture, Chiarelli has some freedom to go for it. The expansion draft may create an opportunity to acquire a big name. Here’s a closer look at their situation:
Eligible Players (Non-UFA)
Forwards:
Leon Draisaitl, Jordan Eberle, Zack Kassian, Jujhar Khaira, Mark Letestu, Milan Lucic (NMC), Patrick Maroon, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Iiro Pakarinen, Zach Pochiro, Benoit Pouliot, Henrik Samuelsson
Defense:
Mark Fayne, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, David Musil, Griffin Reinhart, Andrej Sekera (NMC), Dillon Simpson
Goalies:
Laurent Brossoit, Cam Talbot (NMC)
Notable Exemptions
F Connor McDavid, F Jesse Puljujärvi, F Drake Caggiula, F Anton Slepyshev, D Matt Benning, D Darnell Nurse
Key Decisions
The Oilers only have one decision to make ahead of expansion. It helps tremendously that their superstar captain, three highly-touted forward prospects, and two future top-four defensemen are all exempt. The Oilers will go the 7-3-1 route.
Heading into the trade deadline, it appeared that the Oilers would lose the emerging Davidson to Vegas. The Oilers have Oscar Klefbom, Larsson, and Andrej Sekera for the three defensemen protection slots. With that in mind, Chiarelli traded Davidson to Montreal for Desharnais. The trade didn’t necessarily work out for the Oilers, with Desharnais not being able to solidify the Oilers’ third line and injuries piling up on Edmonton’s blue line at the end of their series against Anaheim.
Trading Davidson also means that the Oilers are going to lose someone else. 
The major choice the Oilers have to make is between Jujhar Khaira and Mark Letestu. The veteran Letestu has one year remaining at $1.8MM. He had 35 points, including 11 power-play goals, after overtaking Jordan Eberle as the right-shot option on the Oilers’ number one power-play unit. However, he’s also a 32-year-old fourth line center coming off high highest point-total in four seasons and a UFA next summer. In 2015-16, Letestu struggled when thrust onto the Oilers’ third line. The Golden Knights are not likely to have sufficient center depth to cover for Letestu at 5-on-5, so they’re liable to look elsewhere.
They may look no further than Khaira, who is just beginning his NHL career. He scored one goal in 10 NHL games last season before suffering an injury. He also had 20 points in 27 AHL games, showing offensive potential enough to one day develop into a third line checking center. Khaira is the kind of young talent that Vegas could look for instead of a 30-something bottom-six forward like Letestu.
Other possible selections include Laurent Brossoit, Griffin Reinhart, and Benoit Pouliot. All five of the above mentioned Oilers are waiver-eligible, meaning there’s no added benefit to taking one of the younger players. It shouldn’t have to be mentioned, but there’s no way the Oilers expose Eberle. Despite his down year, Eberle was still a top-60 scoring winger in the NHL and that is far too valuable to flush for one season of a down shooting percentage.
While the market is flush with goaltenders, Brossoit could be an interesting option as the Golden Knights’ backup for their inaugural season. GM George McPhee could select several options for the starting job and then trade them to teams needing help in the blue paint and use Brossoit as the backup. The young goaltender has played very well at every level, from leading the Edmonton Oil Kings to a Memorial Cup-berth, to successful years starting in the ECHL and AHL, and a good run as the Oilers’ backup during the second half of last season.
McPhee is willing to take on bad contracts, if the price is right. Pouliot could be one of those redemption options. After several years as a middle-six forward with good analytics, aggressive play, and solid penalty killing, Pouliot fell off the map in 2016-17. He had just 14 points in 67 games and zero points in the playoffs. At $4MM, he’s too expensive to spend two more seasons in Edmonton as McDavid and Draisaitl move on from their entry-level deals. But on an expansion team, he could return to a top-nine role and return to the mid-30 point range that he’s hit so consistently before.
The likeliest selection is Reinhart. The 2012 4th-overall pick has developed slower than expected, but by several accounts was the best defenseman on the Oilers’ AHL team last season. While he’ll never live up to the expectations that come with his draft position (one slot ahead of Morgan Rielly and two ahead of Hampus Lindholm), Reinhart can still become a dependable fifth defenseman who excels on the penalty kill. That has value, and his draft pedigree suggests there’s a player there.
With all that in mind, the Oilers would be better-served offering up Letestu instead of Khaira. Of course, Chiarelli may decide to hold on to the player who has proven he can score 30-plus points and play well on special teams, instead of a player who may be that in the future.
Projected Protection List
F Leon Draisaitl
F Jordan Eberle
F Zack Kassian
F Jujhar Khaira
F Milan Lucic (NMC)
F Patrick Maroon
F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
D Oscar Klefbom
D Adam Larsson
D Andrej Sekera (NMC)
G Cam Talbot (NMC)
Out of the unprotected players, Reinhart has the best pedigree and is young enough to still develop into a legitimate top-six defenseman. Khaira and Brossoit also have NHL-potential, and should be options for Vegas. Chiarelli and McPhee could also work out a trade where Vegas take an expensive player like Pouliot or Mark Fayne in exchange for a prospect or pick, but that’s far from guaranteed. As a future division rival, McPhee may not be inclined to help out Edmonton for less than a high pick or top prospect. Between Pouliot, Iiro Pakarinen, Fayne, and Brossoit, the Oilers meet the exposure requirements. At his year-end availability, Chiarelli told reporters that the Oilers were going to lose someone that they would rather keep. However, the Oilers situation is far better than most teams; the most likely options are their backup goaltender, fourth line center, or an AHL defenseman.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Morning Notes: Foo, DeFazio, Stransky
Spencer Foo has been on the radar of NHL teams for quite some time, and when he declared that he would not return to Union College for his final season the negotiations ramped up. Yesterday on Oilers Now radio with Bob Stauffer (starts around 14:30), Gerry Johansson from The Sports Corporation (Foo’s agency) reported that the undrafted forward has narrowed his list to just a few teams, including the Edmonton Oilers.
Foo grew up in Edmonton and has attended their development camp in the past leading many to believe that they were a front-runner for the Hobey Baker finalist. Foo has a ton of options though, as previous reports indicated that most of the league was interested in him. After scoring 62 points in 38 games as a junior, that interest is hardly misplaced.
- Mark Stepneski gave us a couple of interesting tidbits today, including that Brandon DeFazio has reportedly signed with Kunlun of the KHL. Stepneski is working off an RSport report that has DeFazio signing a one-year contract with the club. The AHL forward had another 20-goal season this year, his third straight. Despite that, he has just two games of NHL experience and will now test his luck in a different professional league.
- Another Texas Stars forward is likely on his way to the KHL, as Matej Stransky is close to a deal with Severstal Cherepovets. Though his KHL rights are actually owned by CSKA Moscow, he’d be transferred after signing a deal according to RSport. Stransky was selected by Dallas in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, but has never made it up to the NHL. He did however lead the AHL Stars in goals this year (27) and is a big heavy winger that looked like he may have a future in an NHL bottom six. The 23-year old is a restricted free agent, and should Dallas qualify him they would retain his rights until he would normally hit NHL unresticted free agency.
Evening Notes: Chayka, Boogaard, Oilers
Coyotes GM John Chayka spoke with Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports and provided decent insight into the team’s strategy headed into the summer. Chayka is the youngest general manager in the league and has become infamous for his cap management strategies. Chayka seems highly interested in acquiring a player from a team worried about losing an asset for nothing. Although many other GMs will be seeking to accomplish similar deals, Chayka looks to be relatively aggressive on this front. He tempered Mike Smith trade speculation, saying “there’s a value to our team that Mike has, being an All-Star and our rock; his value is extremely high but if someone wants to pay an even higher value for him, that’s the industry.” There is also no news as to Shane Doan‘s retirement decision. Chayka emphasized the increasing urgency among all GMs as the expansion draft seems to have every organization slightly on edge.
- The case for wrongful death filed against the NHL on behalf of the late Derek Boogaard has been tossed out, according to the Star-Tribune. Boogaard died at the age of 28, after a long enforcer career with the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers. He received multiple brain injuries and relied on opioid pain killers as treatment, which led to an addiction that eventually resulted in his demise. Fighting has declined substantially over recent years in the NHL, as both the NHL and NHLPA are looking to reduce incidents of traumatic brain injury. The debate over the role of violence in the sport remains a hot-button issue, but players still generally vote in favor of fisticuffs when surveyed. That the Boogaard case has been dismissed on technicalities is a setback for safety advocates, as there is a looming lawsuit in U.S. courts which seeks to prove that the league has been reckless in its regard for player safety in relation to concussions. Whether these off-ice lawsuits will impact the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, or the way penalties are called, remains to be seen.
- The NHL released the results of a fan vote for the greatest team of all time in honor of the 100 year anniversary – with the 1984-85 Edmonton Oilers taking top honors. The 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins came in at number two, followed by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens.
Oilers Likely To Wait To Trade Eberle Until After Expansion Draft
Edmonton Oilers’ forward Jordan Eberle‘s name seems to come up in trade talks quite often. He recently appeared at No. 6 on TSN’s first edition of “Trade Bait,” and the belief is that moving the 20-goal scorer this season makes the most sense as the Oilers must free up cap space to eventually lock up both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to extensions. The hope is they can use Eberle to acquire a top-four defenseman the team needs. Several key defensemen are on TSN’s list, including Anaheim’s Sami Vatanen, Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin and Mathew Dumba, and New York Islanders’ Travis Hamonic – all right-handed defenseman, exactly what the Oilers need.
However, while Edmonton Journal’s David Staples believes that while moving Eberle will be inevitable, trading him before the expansion draft is a big mistake. If the team trades Eberle for a defender, that would force Edmonton to switch from a 7-3-1 protection scheme to a 4-4-1 scheme, meaning the Oilers would have to sacrifice one extra forward to the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The Oilers then would be only be able to protect Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl, Milan Lucic and Patrick Maroon (McDavid is exempt). The team would then have to protect four defensemen, including the new acquisition, Andrej Sekera, Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson.
That would likely expose veteran enforcer Zack Kassian to the Golden Knights, something that they wouldn’t have done in a 7-3-1 scheme. Kassian was critical to the team in the playoffs as he stood up for his teammates and protected the likes of McDavid and Draisaitl. Staples believes that general manager Peter Chiarelli would prefer to keep him as he’s playing the best hockey of his career. A loss at wing of Kassian and Eberle might also force Draisaitl to stay at the wing, rather than move to center like the Oilers want.
So even though there may be quite a few defensemen available over the next two weeks, there are few scenarios in which trading Eberle for one makes any sense until after the expansion draft. Staples even hints that Las Vegas is likely to be overloaded in defenders after the expansion draft and looking there for a top-six defenseman would make more sense, although that does not solve the problem of unloading Eberle’s $6MM contract.
Randy Carlyle Inks Extension In Anaheim
Head coach Randy Carlyle has been extended as head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, per the team’s twitter. The contract is good through 2018-19, with an option for 2019-20. Trent Yawney and Rich Preston will be returning for at least one season, with Todd Marchant returning as Head of Player Development.
The organization is opting to stay the course in what many anticipated could be a tumultuous summer. With Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry getting another playoff older, and Randy Carlyle in the midst of his second tour of duty in Orange County, those central figures all look to remain locked in place for the foreseeable future. Although familiarity is often a good thing, there was a subsection of the Anaheim fanbase hoping for greater change. All three were present when the Ducks won their first and only Stanley Cup 10 years ago. Carlyle had been let go in 2011 before returning this season. His stint in Toronto was the topic of great scrutiny league-wide, but his all-time coaching record remains a sterling 410-283-93.
It’s hard to argue with his relative success this year, however. If the Ducks had lost to the upstart Oilers in the second round, perhaps this extension wouldn’t sit quite as well with fans. These Ducks had a fantastic regular season performance with Carlyle at the reigns, finishing 46-23-13. Their resilience in the post-season (exemplified by a 3-goal comeback late to win Game 5 against Edmonton) was the marvel of the league. Captain Getzlaf looked totally rejuvenated and ready to lead his team back to Finals contention, while youngsters such as Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler made great strides in their game. Carlyle’s hard-nosed brand of hockey was adopted by this team, which got them to Game 6 of a Conference Final. Whether or not his old school mentality will lead to success long-term remains to be seen. GM Bob Murray doesn’t seem concerned, and stated his unequivocal confidence in the bench boss.
Marchant has done quite well in his front office role since he retired as a skater to don a suit back in 2011. In those 6 years, Marchant has played a large part in the successful ascendance and development of young draftees Fowler (2010), Rakell (2011), John Gibson (2011), Josh Manson (2011), Hampus Lindholm (2012), Frederik Andersen (2012), Shea Theodore (2013), Nick Ritchie (2014), and Brandon Montour (2014). His familiarity with the last two years’ draft picks will be invaluable as well, as Jacob Larsson (27th OV 2015), Julius Nattinen (59th OA 2015), and Max Jones (24th OA 2016) try to build pro careers. Assistant Trent Yawney was promoted from the Norfolk Admirals 3 seasons ago, after his head coaching career in Chicago ended in disastrous results back in 2007. Rich Preston has served has an assistant coach for multiple teams dating back to the 1990s, with a successful return to coach his hometown Regina Pats that ended in 2013.