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Oilers Rumors

Babcock, Maurice Not Looking To Coach In NHL This Season

January 21, 2022 at 12:57 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 8 Comments

The turmoil surrounding the Edmonton Oilers resulted in several jerseys being thrown on the ice after a 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers. As silly as it sounds, jersey tosses have often come just ahead of a coach’s dismissal, as Ron Wilson and Travis Green can attest. The situation with Dave Tippett in Edmonton is an evolving one, as Ryan Rishaug of TSN explains that though a change isn’t imminent, it is a “day-to-day process” at the moment and suggests that a poor result against the Calgary Flames tomorrow night would likely leave no choice for general manager Ken Holland.

With Tippett’s future unclear, some have suggested that Mike Babock, a long-time colleague of Holland’s with the Detroit Red Wings, could be a potential answer in Edmonton. Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that Babcock has no intention of coaching in the NHL this season and will be staying with the University of Saskatchewan through March. Babcock is technically still under contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, meaning hiring him would come along with buying out at least a portion of the remaining money owed. The eight-year contract he signed in 2015 paid him $6.25MM each season through 2022-23.

Another name, Paul Maurice, has also been thrown into the mix after he resigned as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets earlier this season. Similarly, Dreger reports that Maurice will not be coaching in the NHL for the rest of this season. Maurice is certainly a candidate for the Oilers or another NHL team moving forward, but is taking some time away from the game to refocus.

In terms of candidates for Edmonton then should they move on from Tippett, Rishaug explains that assistant coach Glen Gulutzan would be the most likely on an interim basis. Bakersfield Condors head coach Jay Woodcroft, who previously served as a video assistant under Babcock and Holland in Detroit, would be a candidate for the full-time job but Rishaug doesn’t expect the team would want to commit a multi-year contract to him midseason when the candidate list is so short.

Of course, any change in regard to the Oilers’ head coaching position is speculative at this point and obviously dependent on how the team plays moving forward.

Dave Tippett| Edmonton Oilers| Glen Gulutzan| Mike Babcock| Paul Maurice

8 comments

Oilers Have Shown Interest In Joonas Korpisalo

January 20, 2022 at 9:00 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 21 Comments

With Mike Smith injured once again, Mikko Koskinen struggling, and the Oilers in a tailspin at the moment, they’re on the lookout to try to shore up their goaltending.  To that end, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported in the latest TSN Insider Trading segment that Edmonton has kicked the tires on Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.

With Elvis Merzlikins inking a five-year, $27MM contract extension at the start of the season, he cemented himself as the starter of the present and future in Columbus, basically making Korpisalo expendable.  The 27-year-old is also on an expiring contract with a $2.8MM AAV and while Edmonton’s salary cap situation doesn’t exactly give them much in the way of flexibility, some retention and some good fortune on the injury front could make a move doable.

Prior to this season, Korpisalo’s track record had been decent with a .905 SV% and a 2.90 GAA over his first six NHL campaigns.  Those aren’t numbers that scream a sizable upgrade but mediocrity would still be an upgrade on what Edmonton has had at times over the past few years, Smith’s strong 2020-21 campaign notwithstanding.

However, this season has been another story.  Korpisalo has a 3.95 GAA and a .882 SV% in 14 games, the worst numbers of his career by a significant margin.  Edmonton’s goaltending has struggled this season but the trio of Smith, Koskinen, and youngster Stuart Skinner have done better than that.  In that sense, there’s some question on how much he’d move the needle for the Oilers and whether or not that’s the best use of their very limited cap room.

While Edmonton needs a longer-term upgrade, affording one with their cap situation would be a significant challenge.  Even a higher-end rental starter would be tricky with the Oilers in a money-in, money-out situation and the fact that few are available; TSN’s Darren Dreger noted in the same segment that Chicago’s Marc-Andre Fleury wouldn’t be a great fit for that reason.

In the end, all that GM Ken Holland may be able to afford is a nominal improvement at best and when you factor in Korpisalo’s track record, that’s about all he’d be.  While there wouldn’t be a ton of upside with such a move, he’d at least give them some insurance between the pipes and with Holland not being interested in moving top young assets, this would be a move that could be made without moving those future pieces.  With Edmonton not in a position to accrue cap space since they’re well into LTIR, it’s also a move that they wouldn’t have to necessarily wait until closer to the trade deadline to try to make and with the Oilers struggling, Holland may be forced to try to do something sooner than later.

Columbus Blue Jackets| Edmonton Oilers Joonas Korpisalo

21 comments

Dylan Holloway Nearing Pro Debut

January 20, 2022 at 3:52 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 8 Comments

  • Dylan Holloway, the 14th overall pick in 2020 and a member of the Edmonton Oilers, has yet to play in a professional game since signing out of the University of Wisconsin. That will soon change as Holloway has reached a point in his injury recovery that he will soon report to the Bakersfield Condors for game action. A brilliant sophomore campaign with Wisconsin led to an entry-level contract last April for Holloway, one that will see the first year burned whether he plays in the NHL or not this season. Multiple wrist surgeries (and a stint in the COVID protocol) have kept him out so far, but Hollway is now medically cleared for action.

Edmonton Oilers| Vegas Golden Knights Dylan Holloway| Shane Wright

8 comments

Smith Claimed, Lagesson Clears Waivers

January 19, 2022 at 1:00 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Jan 19: While Smith has been claimed by the Detroit Red Wings, Lagesson cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Oilers’ taxi squad.

Jan 18: The Edmonton Oilers have placed William Lagesson on waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Gemel Smith of the Tampa Bay Lightning has also been placed on waivers as he nears a return from the injury that has kept him out through the first part of the season.

Lagesson, 25, played just 7:29 in the Oilers brutal third-period meltdown on Saturday night, and has gotten into just ten games this season overall. Waived at the start of the season, he cleared and spent a good chunk of the year in the minor leagues. A fourth-round pick in 2014, he has four points in 37 career NHL games, not exactly what would draw much attention from other teams.

Still, in the era of COVID-related absences, you never know who will be grabbed off waivers as an emergency replacement. Lagesson does carry a cap hit of just $725K, less than the league minimum salary and something that could be of interest to a cap-strapped contender.

Smith meanwhile hasn’t played at all this season, but his placement on waivers suggests that period on the sidelines could be coming to an end. The 27-year-old forward has cleared waivers several times in the past, including last January. It seems almost guaranteed that he will clear again, given he has just eight games (at any level) under his belt since the start of 2020-21.

Edmonton Oilers| Tampa Bay Lightning| Waivers Elliotte Friedman| Gemel Smith| William Lagesson

0 comments

No Imminent Changes Expected In Edmonton As Losses Pile Up

January 17, 2022 at 12:07 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 17 Comments

The COVID announcements are coming fast and furious today, but one is an especially important absence. The Edmonton Oilers have placed Stuart Skinner in the protocol, meaning he won’t get another chance to steal the net this week. Edmonton will have to go back to Mikko Koskinen and Ilya Konovalov as Mike Smith remains injured and Alex Stalock is just starting his comeback attempt.

Skinner, 23, was the subject of much frustration over the weekend as he allowed five goals to the Ottawa Senators in a brutal loss for Edmonton. The Oilers entered the third period up 3-1 on the 30th-ranked Senators, but ended up losing 6-4 after a powerplay tally from Josh Norris put Ottawa on top with just a few minutes remaining. While Oilers fans seem mostly willing to give Skinner a pass, for now, the goaltending situation has been a firestorm all season as the team tries to find a way out of their current freefall.

The Oilers are 3-10-2 since the start of December and have allowed at least four goals against in nine of those games. They now are set to welcome in the red-hot Florida Panthers on Thursday, a team that has scored 50 goals in its last eight games (6.25 per game). Koskinen, who hasn’t won a game since the first of December, will need to carry the load until Skinner or Smith return.

This morning, Ryan Rishaug of TSN reported that Oilers general manager Ken Holland and his management team are currently in California at pro scouting meetings, and suggests that no “significant change is imminent.” Holland explained during a press conference last week that the team can’t just burn through coaches, and even suggested that he doesn’t necessarily believe in firing a coach midseason. Rishaug notes that those thoughts still hold true, despite head coach Dave Tippett’s struggles to find any consistency among the group.

After blowing the third-period lead against Ottawa, captain Connor McDavid was at a loss for words when trying to answer questions from the media. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet called it a “thousand-yard stare” from McDavid on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast, as the superstar was once again facing reporters after a disappointing loss.

The Oilers have shown obvious interest in signing unrestricted free agent Evander Kane, though his status is unclear due to a new investigation from the league. Kane’s addition would certainly bring another offensive piece to the group and Edmonton isn’t as far out of the playoffs as they could be, given how poorly teams in the Pacific Division are playing. It’s goaltending (and defense) that obviously needs to be answered though, as no Oilers netminder has a save percentage over .907 this season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Edmonton Oilers Stuart Skinner

17 comments

Oilers Activate Three From COVID Protocol

January 15, 2022 at 1:54 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

  • The Oilers have taken wingers Warren Foegele and Tyler Benson plus defenseman Slater Koekkoek out of COVID protocol, mentions Sportsnet’s Jack Michaels (Twitter link). With those activations, Edmonton – who last played on January 5th – will be able to dress 18 skaters against Ottawa tonight.

Buffalo Sabres| Chicago Blackhawks| Columbus Blue Jackets| Coronavirus| Edmonton Oilers| Ottawa Senators| Vancouver Canucks| Washington Capitals Brett Connolly| Conor Sheary| Ian Mitchell| Jaroslav Halak| Peyton Krebs| Slater Koekkoek| Spencer Martin| Tage Thompson| Thatcher Demko| Tim Stutzle| Tyler Benson| Warren Foegele

0 comments

Alex Stalock Clears Waivers

January 15, 2022 at 1:13 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

Saturday: Stalock has cleared waivers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.

Friday: It’s not often a positive outcome when a player is put on waivers, but that’s exactly the case today. Alex Stalock has been placed on waivers by the Edmonton Oilers, meaning that he passed his physical and will attempt a comeback with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Stalock had missed the entire first part of the season with a heart condition and it was not clear at all if his career would continue.

There is a chance of a claim, but it is very unlikely in this case as Stalock is not ready to play in the NHL. Any claiming team would have to keep him on the active roster, not really something that is possible for a netminder who hasn’t seen game action since August 2020.

In 2020-21, Stalock was listed out to start the year with an upper-body injury. Michael Russo of The Athletic reported last March that it was actually myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, that was keeping Stalock out. That diagnosis followed a bout with COVID-19, one that he tested positive for but did not experience any symptoms during. Waivers at that point were supposed to get him to the Minnesota taxi squad, but the Oilers claimed him as added goaltending depth not only last season but into the future. Stalock was only on the second season of an inexpensive three-year deal, one that he is currently still playing under.

After initially being ruled out for the entire 2021-22 season, Stalock’s return to Bakersfield will be the first step in his comeback attempt. Waivers are usually a demotion, but this time it’s a step in the right direction.

AHL| Edmonton Oilers| Injury| Waivers Alex Stalock

2 comments

Nugent-Hopkins Expected To Resume Skating Next Week, Russell Not Yet Ready To Return

January 14, 2022 at 8:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

  • The Oilers are hoping that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can resume skating next week, relays Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (Twitter link). The center has been out since the start of the month with an undisclosed injury, a tough blow for an Edmonton team that has largely struggled for any consistent secondary scoring behind their two superstars.  Meanwhile, defenseman Kris Russell isn’t expected to return against Saturday against Ottawa; the veteran has been out for more than a month with an upper-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks| Colorado Avalanche| Edmonton Oilers Bowen Byram| Kris Russell| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins| Sonny Milano

0 comments

Mike Smith Out 1-2 Weeks With Injured Thumb Tendon

January 13, 2022 at 1:28 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

The Edmonton Oilers will be without their preferred starter for another little while, as head coach Dave Tippett announced today that Mike Smith will be out one to two weeks with a partially torn thumb tendon. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic reports that the plan is to recall Stuart Skinner, but the team is awaiting COVID testing results.

Smith returned from injury in late December and has played three games, his last coming on January 5. That only took his total on the year to six, however, as he has continued to miss time throughout the year due to various setbacks. That has left Mikko Koskinen as the regular starter, but he has struggled to carry the load and currently has a .900 save percentage. Koskinen and Tippett minced words through the media earlier this month, frustrations that will have to be quashed for the time being while Smith is out.

The question now will become whether Skinner, a 23-year-old netminder with just one game of NHL experience prior to this season, could run with the job. In ten appearances this year he has a .916 save percentage, though five of those games have ended in a loss. He’s been excellent in his rare appearances for the Bakersfield Condors too, and perhaps is ready for a jump to the next level.

Edmonton though has high hopes for this season, despite their recent struggles. Evander Kane has been linked strongly to the team as a potential free agent signing, while general manager Ken Holland recently said that he believes the answer is going to come from internal growth. The team is set to resume their season on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators, playing for the first time in ten days. They are currently on a five-game losing streak and now sit sixth in the Pacific Division.

Smith meanwhile is signed through next season, despite turning 40 in March and now missing almost the entire first half of this year. The veteran netminder carries a cap hit of $2.2MM on a new two-year deal he signed last July, and will actually earn a larger salary ($2.5MM) in 2022-23 than he is owed this season.

Edmonton Oilers| Injury Mike Smith

2 comments

Kyle Turris Placed In COVID Protocol

January 12, 2022 at 1:33 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

The Edmonton Oilers have placed Kyle Turris in the COVID protocol, likely taking him out of consideration for their game this weekend against the Ottawa Senators. If Turris tested positive he’ll be kept out a minimum of five days.

While Oilers fans aren’t wishing him any ill health, they also likely won’t be that disappointed by the announcement that Turris is coming out of the lineup. The 32-year-old forward has just four points in 21 games this season and just nine since he arrived in Edmonton in 2020.

Once a dynamic offensive player, Turris is far from that at this point in his career and averages fewer than nine minutes of ice time when he does get into the lineup. His absence now is only painful because of the number of other missing players they have. Warren Foegele, Tyler Benson, Brendan Perlini, Kailer Yamamoto, Josh Archibald, Dylan Holloway, Slater Koekkoek, Evan Bouchard, and Ilya Konovalov are also all in the protocol, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is injured.

Edmonton Oilers Kyle Turris

3 comments
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