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Oilers To Delay Extension Talks For Yamamoto And Puljujarvi; Cap Issues To Come Due To COVID Recalls

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The Oilers aren’t expected to engage in any extension talks with pending RFA wingers Kailer Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi this season, reports Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (subscription link).  Both players carry a $1.175MM cap hit this season and are eligible for salary arbitration this summer.  However, they’re on opposite trajectories which makes in-season discussions a bit tricky.

Yamamoto has struggled considerably this season, collecting just five goals and two assists in 29 games, a sizable drop from the 26 points in 27 games he had as a midseason recall just two years ago.  Puljujarvi, meanwhile, is off to the best start of his career and is only two points shy of matching his career high in points (25) that he set last season.  With limited cap space to work with beyond this season, GM Ken Holland may need to free up some money if he wants to sign either of them long term.  Given that the Oilers are trying to contend this season, a move like that is likelier to happen in the offseason which makes the decision to wait on extension talks an understandable one.

Snapshots: Eichel, Ducks, Chychrun, Everberg

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Though complete or accurate information is not always available, one of the best things about major trades can be comparing the actual exchange to the alleged offers made by those teams who could not complete the deal. The Jack Eichel trade was one of the more prolonged negotiations in recent memory resulting in a sizeable return for the Buffalo Sabres: Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick. While it is safe to assume that nearly every team in the NHL kicked the tires on Eichel at some point in time, the combination of the Sabres’ asking price, Eichel’s contract, and the conversation surrounding his neck injury and preferred treatment thinned the list of suitors considerably toward the end of the saga. However, one of the other teams believed to be in the mix right until the end were the Anaheim Ducks. So why didn’t they best the Vegas Golden Knights’ offer?

On Sportsnet’s “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman spoke about what he heard was the Sabres’ asking price from the Ducks, and it explains why Anaheim didn’t pull the trigger. Friedman reports that Buffalo requested Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, and two first-rounders to part with Eichel. Go back three years and that’s equivalent to asking for four first-round picks, including two top-ten picks. Zegras and Drysdale are already so much more than that, too. The super-skilled center, 20, and slick defenseman, 19, are already key pieces of a resurgent Ducks team, who hope to build around the duo and keep them in Southern California for years to come. Even for a player of Eichel’s caliber, giving up Zegras – who could end up being a younger version of Eichel – and Drysdale, not to mention two more first-round picks, is just too much and not nearly equal to what Buffalo eventually got from Vegas. Friedman also adds that the Ducks’ doctors were never quite comfortable with Eichel’s requested disc replacement surgery, which was of course a lynchpin in any potential trade. It just wasn’t a match for the star center and Anaheim, though they could both be better off for it.

  • Jakob Chychrun’s trade availability still exists, for whatever reason, and Friedman reports that a number of teams are interested in the talented, young Coyotes defenseman, as they should be. He notes that teams are starting to get serious as Arizona has not backed off of their willingness to move the 2016 first-round pick. However, one team that has fallen out of the running are the Edmonton Oilers, even though Friedman and colleague Jeff Marek both feel that he would be a great fit. Defense is a long-term need for the Oilers, but Friedman went so far as to say that Chychrun definitively will not end up in Edmonton. It is unclear if the asking price or cap complications forced the team’s hand or if they merely soured on him amidst a down year. Other teams continue to circle as the ’Yotes dismal season wears on and Chychrun, forced into the No. 1 role on a blue line that was completely dismantled in the off-season, unsurprisingly struggles. Yet, the 23-year-old is just one season removed from recording 41 points in 56 games and is averaging almost 25 minutes per night, which are impressive enough to overcome his ugly -29 mark so far this year.
  • Dennis Everberg burned bright but fast in the NHL. The Swedish forward was just an undrafted kid when he joined the Colorado Avalanche in 2014-15, quickly earned a roster spot, and recorded 12 points in 55 games as an unheralded rookie. Yet, as loudly as he made his entrance, Everberg quietly made his exit. He was held scoreless in 15 games with the Avs in his sophomore campaign and, though he was stellar in the AHL, opted to return overseas following the season. Everberg made a short-lived comeback attempt in 2018-19 with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, but left the team after just 11 games. Now back in Sweden, the 29-year-old Everberg is one of the more consistent scorers in the SHL. With back-to-back 32-point seasons, Everberg is playing at the same pace this year with 19 points in 26 games. The two-way forward also carries a +36 rating in his SHL career. Rather than try again in North America or elsewhere in Europe, Everberg has realized that he has a good thing going with the league leaders, Rogle BK. The team has announced a five-year extension for Everberg, keeping him under contract through the 2026-27 season and into his mid thirties. This likely means that the capable forward will play out his days at home in Sweden.

Puljujarvi, Nurse, Lagesson Enter COVID-19 Protocol

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Dec 20: Darnell Nurse and William Lagesson have now joined the rest of the unavailable Oilers in the COVID protocol. The team has already seen games postponed until December 27, but several of these key names will have not crossed the ten-day threshold by then. Nurse especially is a huge loss for the team, given how much he plays and how important he is to the team’s defensive corps. The team has also announced that their practice facilities will be closed through the holiday break.

Dec 18: Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi was placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol ahead of the team’s game tonight against the Seattle Kraken, per a team tweet.

Puljujarvi joins notable absences Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Duncan Keith on the COVID list for Edmonton.

It’s especially of note as the Oilers have an incredibly compressed schedule before the holiday break. They have four games remaining, including tonight’s bout with Seattle. Their road trip takes them through the three California teams, playing three games in four nights from December 20-23.

For Puljujarvi, it’s a tough break. The fourth overall pick in 2016 is finally enjoying what seems to be a serious breakout with 23 points in 28 games, already just two points behind his career-high of 25. He’s found a home playing alongside Connor McDavid, and his two-way game is quickly blossoming as he becomes a legitimate top-line threat.

Obviously, the concern now rests with the Oilers players who are on the wrong side of the border with the holidays approaching. Hopefully, there’s a way to get quarantined players at least back home for the short break in the schedule.

NHL/NHLPA Pause Cross-Border Travel, Issue Updates On Season And Olympics

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The NHL and NHLPA released a joint statement today that the league will postpone any games that require cross-border travel through the holiday break. The 12 postponed games are as follows:

Canadiens @ Islanders (12/20), Ducks @ Oilers (12/20), Blues @ Senators (12/21), Canucks @ Sharks (12/21), Canadiens @ Rangers (12/22), Jets @ Stars (12/22), Oilers @ Kings (12/22), Blues @ Maple Leafs (12/23), Hurricanes @ Senators (12/23), Canadiens @ Devils (12/23), Ducks @ Canucks (12/23), Oilers @ Sharks (12/23)

Adding on these 12 games, there are now 39 games that the league has postponed this year. As instances pop up of players stuck on the wrong side of the border and potentially unable to get home for the holidays, the pause comes now to prevent any future situations like this from occurring.

However, the NHL and NHLPA in today’s statement remained with their stance today against placing a pause on the entire regular-season schedule. The league will continue to monitor COVID outbreaks on teams on a case-by-case basis, stating that they “will be monitoring not only the number and pattern of positive COVID results but also the depth of Club line-ups so as to ensure both the health and safety of the Players and the integrity of League competition.”

The two parties also gave an update on the potential of Olympic participation, stating they’ll reach a final determination within the coming days. They’re “actively discussing the matter” and commit to remaining flexible. The NHL has until January 10, 2022, to opt out of the Olympics without incurring a financial penalty. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculates that an “Olympics without NHL players seems to be a reality,” but doesn’t expect a formal announcement for a few days.

Oilers Place Duncan Keith In COVID Protocol

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It turns out that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins isn’t the only notable Oilers player to enter COVID protocol today as the team announced that defenseman Duncan Keith has also been placed there.  That triggered a series of moves with Kris Russell being transferred to LTIR retroactive to December 9th, Markus Niemelainen was moved to injured reserve, and Cooper Marody and Seth Griffith were recalled from Bakersfield of the AHL.

Keith is in his first season with Edmonton and it has been a relatively quiet one.  He had just come back from an upper-body injury that caused him to miss seven games and he has been fairly quiet offensively with just five points in 20 games although he is still logging a little over 20 minutes a night in a top-four role.

Between his placement in protocol and Niemelainen (who has averaged 14 minutes a game in his first seven NHL contests) moving to IR, they’re down to just five defensemen on the active roster which makes it a bit puzzling that two forwards were brought up.  However, both Griffith and Marody have been productive with the Condors this season as they sit first and second respectively in team scoring.  Edmonton has had secondary scoring issues pretty much all season long and it appears those two will get a chance to try to contribute.

To make that happen from a cap perspective, Russell had to be shifted to LTIR, giving Edmonton the cap space to afford to bring two players up from the minors instead of just one.  He had been listed as questionable to play in Tuesday’s game but now will miss 10 games and 24 days, pushing his return into January at the earliest.  Given that designation from earlier this week though, he could be ready to return as soon as that time is up.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Placed In COVID Protocol

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The Edmonton Oilers have added another forward to the COVID protocol, but this time it’s someone with a little more responsibility. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins joins Ryan McLeod and Devin Shore on the sidelines, unavailable for tomorrow night’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

Notably, Nugent-Hopkins played nearly 20 minutes last night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It’s a crucial time for the Oilers, who got back in the win column with a strong performance against Columbus but are still just 4-6 over their last ten games. The team has slipped out of the divisional playoff spots in the Pacific, two points behind the surging Vegas Golden Knights and struggling Calgary Flames. With the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and even the suddenly red-hot Vancouver Canucks nipping at their heels, losing a key player like Nugent-Hopkins certainly isn’t an ideal situation.

The 28-year-old forward is having a great season, at least in terms of point totals. Though he’s recorded just three goals, Nugent-Hopkins is among the league leaders with 22 assists in 28 games. With Edmonton struggling to score of late, someone else will have to step into that offensive role if they want to get back on track.

Ryan McLeod, Devin Shore Placed In COVID Protocol

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Dec 16: McLeod has now been joined by Devin Shore, who has also been placed in the protocol. Of note, Shore played on Tuesday against the Maple Leafs, though he logged just over eight minutes.

Dec 14: Over the past two days, the league has seen two dozen players enter the COVID protocol. Ryan McLeod is the latest, as the Edmonton Oilers have announced the young center will not be available for tonight’s game.

Once again, this is a case of a team that played the Carolina Hurricanes over the weekend announcing a protocol addition, just like the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. The latter of those teams is in a full shutdown after nine players were ruled out, while the Hurricanes won’t play tonight after six members are now in the protocol. All three Western Canadian teams also played the Boston Bruins, who added Craig Smith and Brad Marchand to the protocol today.

For now, it appears as though McLeod is the only Oilers player who will be held out, but with Zach Hyman also out tonight, Edmonton won’t have their best lineup in against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 22-year-old McLeod has played in 18 games so far this season, scoring three goals and averaging a little less than 11 minutes a night. That ice time has been up recently, but now faces a potential quarantine of at least ten days. The team did not confirm whether or not McLeod has tested positive; reports, including one from Mark Spector of Sportsnet suggest that he has. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff tweets that he may not be alone, as there is a potential positive case on the coaching staff as well.

If he experiences any symptoms he’ll miss a minimum of ten days, which would mean all six games scheduled before the Christmas break. At this point though, schedules are incredibly uncertain as a new wave of infections sweeps through the league.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Edmonton Oilers

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season passes the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Edmonton Oilers.

What are the Oilers thankful for?

Being in a win-now situation.

While that doesn’t hold up the greatest at the moment with them currently being on a six-game losing streak, this is a team that’s built to try to contend now.  Not a couple of years from now but right away.  GM Ken Holland brought in several veterans over the summer and paid big money to ensure Ryan Nugent-Hopkins isn’t going anywhere anytime soon either.  There will come a time where the cap consequences of those moves will be problematic but in the short term, Edmonton is going for it which is usually fun for both the players and the fans.

Who are the Oilers thankful for?

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Really, it’s hard to pick just one here.  One leads the NHL in scoring with 45 points and the other, well, also leads the league in scoring with 45 points.  There is no other duo as dominant as McDavid and Draisaitl are around the league.  Both can dominate their own lines and when they’re put together, they’re even more potent.  Both are franchise players in their own right and when many teams don’t have any, they have two.

To that end, Edmonton is also quite thankful that both are signed long term.  McDavid has the richest deal in the league at $12.5MM but many would argue that’s below market value and he’s signed through 2025-26.  Meanwhile, Draisaitl is definitely on a below-market contract; his $8.5MM AAV doesn’t crack the top-30 league-wide.  He’s locked up through 2024-25 meaning the Oilers will have their superstar pairing intact for at least three years after this one.

What would the Oilers be even more thankful for?

More secondary scoring.  Zach Hyman has certainly helped in that regard as he already has 11 in his first season with the team.  It goes downhill after that, however, as only one other player on the team has more than five tallies.  Nugent-Hopkins, who admittedly is more of a playmaker than scorer, only has three goals, their defense has just ten combined (including only one from Darnell Nurse whose big extension kicks in next season), and their bottom six have pretty much all vastly underachieved.  This is how a team that has the two top offensive players in the league is barely in the top ten in goals scored.  If even one or two players can pick up the pace, Edmonton would become a lot more dangerous in a hurry.

What should be on the Oilers’ Holiday Wish List?

After reading the last paragraph, secondary scoring might seem like it should be atop their list but there are other areas of concern.  Mikko Koskinen has done better than expected this season but he and the currently injured Mike Smith are a tandem that would appear to be on the weaker end heading into the playoffs.  Adding another capable veteran – even if it’s one that just raises the floor of their goaltending group – would certainly help.

So, too, would bringing in another defenseman.  Injuries to Duncan Keith and Slater Koekkoek have thinned them out and their younger prospects aren’t quite ready for full-time NHL duty.  Another veteran to serve as injury insurance and bridge the gap to the youngsters would be beneficial while a top-four addition would be a critical addition.

However, wishing for this is a lot easier than actually getting it done.  Edmonton is well into LTIR and by the time they get their players back, cap space will be at a premium.  They won’t be able to bank any space as they will still be in LTIR thanks to Oscar Klefbom, Josh Archibald, and Alex Stalock so it’s going to be pretty close to a money in, money out situation.  Accordingly, it’s far from a guarantee that they’ll be able to add anything on their list.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Oilers Activate Duncan Keith From IR; Sideline Head Coach Dave Tippett

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After a hot start, the Edmonton Oilers have been struggling of late amidst a five-game losing streak and just eight points in their past ten games. Health is at least one factor taking its toll on the club and with a big match-up against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, not to mention five consecutive games against division opponents up coming, the Oilers need all hands on deck. They took a big step closer to that goal today, announcing that veteran defenseman Duncan Keith has been activated from the injured reserve, making his return to the lineup for the first time since he suffered a back injury on November 23.

Keith, 38, was brought in this off-season to provide a stabilizing force on the Edmonton blue line with his extensive experience and solid defensive play. Keith hasn’t been asked to do too much; the two-time Norris Trophy winner is just third in average time on ice and isn’t facing excessive defensive zone usage or the most difficult match-ups. Keith also has just five points on the year and is not being used on the power play at all. Yet, he is still a vital piece of the puzzle for the Oilers, who have lacked balance in recent years. Keith’s confident defensive play helps to keep Edmonton’s run-and-gun style from catching up with them and his locker room presence helps to keep the club focused on winning games rather than just creating massive scoring totals. Keith’s return could be exactly what the team needs to shake off their current rut, especially if he is fully healthy.

As a corresponding move to Keith’s activation, the Oilers have reassigned young blue liner Philip Broberg to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Edmonton has also promoted forward Brendan Perlini from the minors. The 25-year-old reclamation project has been held scoreless through 13 games this season, but was once a 30-point player in his sophomore campaign and remains an intriguing option for the high-flying Oilers.

However, the most interesting move made today was not on the roster, but behind the bench. The team announced that head coach Dave Tippett would not coach on Tuesday night as a precaution. The Oilers did not disclose any other details, but with Ryan McLeod landing in the NHL COVID Protocol earlier today, it is safe to assume that Tippett is facing a close contact concern or inconclusive test that made it in the best interest of both he and the Edmonton players and staff to stay off the bench for the time being. With COVID running rampant through the league right now, the Oilers should be commended for being proactive in this case.

Pacific Notes: Stephenson, Canucks, Russell

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After missing Friday’s game against Philadelphia for personal reasons, Vegas Golden Knights center Chandler Stephenson should be available for Sunday’s home tilt against the Minnesota Wild, according to head coach Peter DeBoer. Stephenson’s brought lights-out play for a Vegas team that’s needed him this season with a slew of injuries, producing at a career-best pace with 22 points in 25 games. All that’s been done while playing steep minutes (19:48 a game) and spending time without his usual pair of elite wingers in Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. That line’s been reunited as Pacioretty and Stone are back healthy, and after Keegan Kolesar filled in down the middle for one game, Stephenson will return to his place atop the center depth chart for Vegas.

More from the Pacific Division:

  • There are some injury updates for the new and improved Vancouver Canucks under Bruce Boudreau, as the new head coach said today that Oliver Ekman-Larsson should be back next week, while Travis Hamonic is expected to miss two to three more weeks. While the team is undefeated under Boudreau, they’re facing a significant list of injuries. However, neither Ekman-Larsson nor Hamonic have been particularly impactful to start the year. Ekman-Larsson has just five points in 26 games to start his Vancouver career, a far cry from his peak of consistent 40-point campaigns. Hamonic has just an assist in nine contests as he’s found his way up and down between the NHL and AHL.
  • Injury news isn’t improving for the Edmonton Oilers defense, as head coach Dave Tippett notes that Kris Russell will be out for a couple of weeks. He joins Duncan Keith and Slater Koekkoek as Edmonton’s inactive blueliners. He’d been playing in an increased role with those injuries, but that responsibility now falls back on the shoulders of young defensemen Philip Broberg and William Lagesson.

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