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Connor McDavid

Snapshots: Ericsson, Canadiens, Oilers

February 10, 2017 at 11:00 am CDT | by Brett Barrett Leave a Comment

After leaving Thursday night’s game with an upper-body injury, Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson will undergo surgery next week and will be out for the next 12 weeks, effectively ending his season, GM Ken Holland told MLive’s Brendan Savage (Twitter link).  Originally, the team was hopeful he’d only miss six-to-eight weeks.

Ericsson was injured after an awkward hit by Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom (video link). Backstrom hit Ericsson into the boards as the defenseman was skating towards the boards behind his own net.

He has nine points in 50 games this season, while averaging 19:29 minutes a night on Detroit’s second pairing. This is the third year of Ericsson’s six-year, $25.5MM contract.

  • The Montreal Canadiens have a short window to win the Stanley Cup with their current roster. Superstar goaltender Carey Price has one more year left at $6.5MM and captain Max Pacioretty has two years left at a steal of $4.5MM. That combined $11MM will likely jump to $17MM or so, which will cause quite the cap crunch. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has suggested that GM Marc Bergevin “has got his fingers in everything” (transcribed by Chris Nichols of FanRagSports). On Toronto radio this morning, Friedman shared an anecdote from Bergevin’s time in Chicago, where the Blackhawks had a chance to trade for Chris Pronger in the summer of 2006 but passed on making the deal because they “weren’t ready [to contend].” As Friedman put it, Bergevin’s philosophy is to hit singles to build a team, then swing for the fences when his team has a chance to win. Following this philosophy, Friedman suggested that “if there’s a big name, you can assume that Montreal has inquired.”
  • Speaking of windows of contention, Jonathan Willis wrote a piece for Sportsnet arguing that the Edmonton Oilers need to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender by next season to follow the paths set out by Chicago and Pittsburgh. This means a deep playoff run while Connor McDavid is still on his entry-level contract. No team has a smooth ride to the top, Willis writes, pointing at Chicago and Boston’s struggles to keep their teams together as their stars take up more money. If the Oilers aren’t a serious contender in 2017-18, then “they may be too far behind Pittsburgh and Chicago to catch up” to their path to the Cup.

Detroit Red Wings| Edmonton Oilers| Marc Bergevin| Montreal Canadiens| Snapshots Carey Price| Connor McDavid| Elliotte Friedman| Jonathan Ericsson| Max Pacioretty| Nicklas Backstrom

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Western Conference Snapshots: Russell, Davidson, Coyotes, Stars

February 9, 2017 at 11:40 am CDT | by Glen Miller 1 Comment

Like many teams, the Edmonton Oilers will face some difficult choices when choosing whom to protect in the expansion draft. The recent emergence of Brandon Davidson and the team’s reported desire to re-sign Kris Russell beyond the current campaign has created a surprising logjam on the blue line. Assuming the team elects to protect seven forwards and three defensemen, it’s a near certainty that the Oil will keep Adam Larsson, Oscar Klefbom and Andrej Sekera, which means the team will have to expose Davidson. But David Staples of the Edmonton Journal offers up a solution for Edmonton: protect four defenders, including Davidson, and make Jordan Eberle available to Vegas to select.

While acknowledging that Russell has been a solid, if unspectacular addition to the team’s defense corps and probably would be worth a modest extension, Staples argues that Davidson, four years the former’s junior, is a better long-term option due to his cost and similar on-ice performance. As a pending free agent, Russell won’t have to be protected from the expansion draft unless he inks an extension prior, but Davidson will or the club risks losing him for nothing. One way to make the numbers work would be to leave Eberle unprotected. Eberle, who has two more years on a deal with a $6MM annual cap charge, has underachieved this season, registering just 11 goals in 55 games. If Vegas took a chance on the gifted offensive winger, it would solve two problems for Edmonton: one, it allows the team to keep Davidson and two, the team would save a sizable chunk of cap space which can then be allocated to long-term extensions for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who will reach restriced free agency following the 2017-18 and 2016-17 seasons, respectively.

Elsewhere in the Western Conference:

  • The Arizona Coyotes are one of only a small handful of teams known to consider themselves sellers ahead of the trade deadline and they have several marketable assets that will draw interest in the coming weeks. Sarah McLellan of AZ Central lists the players she believes could be moved at the deadline. Martin Hanzal headlines the list as she notes his size and two-way acumen would appeal to practically any playoff contender. Right-shot defender Michael Stone, in the final year of his contract, could be an attractive piece since most teams are looking for blue line depth, particularly on the right side, at this time of year. McLellan includes Shane Doan but writes that it may be next to impossible to find the right fit; a serious Stanley Cup contender in need of a player of his ilk. Perhaps the most interesting name to make the cut was that of Anthony Duclair. The 21-year-old winger was considered a foundation building block coming into the season but with just nine points in 41 games earning him a demotion to the minors, it’s clear he has fallen out of favor in the desert.
  • Mike Heika recently fielded questions from readers in a mailbag feature on SportsDayDFW.com and offered insight into a wide array of Stars-related topics. The biggest concern readers seem to share is the club’s struggles in the goal-prevention department. Heika points out that goaltending is a huge problem, with the team’s netminders registering a Save % of 0.904 compared to the Washington Capitals league-leading rate of 0.928. The Stars have committed more than $10MM of cap space to Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen, a figure more than any other team has allocated toward their top two goalies. If the Stars want to salvage their season they may need to strongly consider an upgrade between the pipes and as we learned yesterday, the team has apparently shown interest in Marc-Andre Fleury already. While the Penguins are likely going to deal Fleury before the upcoming expansion draft, it’s unclear how much they would get in return.

Dallas Stars| Edmonton Oilers| Expansion| Free Agency| Pittsburgh Penguins| Players| Snapshots| Utah Mammoth| Washington Capitals Adam Larsson| Andrej Sekera| Anthony Duclair| Antti Niemi| Brandon Davidson| Connor McDavid| Jordan Eberle| Kari Lehtonen| Kris Russell| Leon Draisaitl| Marc-Andre Fleury| Martin Hanzal| Michael Stone| Oscar Klefbom

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Pacific Division Snapshots: Marleau, Miller, Oilers D

February 3, 2017 at 7:30 pm CDT | by Glen Miller Leave a Comment

Prior to the start of the season, it seemed to be virtually a foregone conclusion that it would be Patrick Marleau’s last in San Jose. After all, the veteran of 19 NHL campaigns will turn 38 before opening night in 2017-18 and will reportedly be seeking a multiyear pact this summer as a free agent. However, a recent hot streak that has seen Marleau record seven goals in his last five games may have moved the needle some on the likelihood he remains in Northern California. According to Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area, his return may ultimately hinge entirely on his willingness to accept a one-year deal worth something in the neighborhood of $3MM to $4MM.

Kurz compares the current situation with Marleau to that of Dan Boyle, who hit free agency at the age of 37 in the summer of 2014 and left the Sharks because the two sides couldn’t agree on the length of a new deal. Boyle would ink a two-year deal with the New York Rangers and as Kurz writes, the longtime Sharks blue liner was “devastated” to leave the Bay Area. Marleau has tallied 19 goals in 52 games this season and could attract multiyear offers on the open market this summer based on that strong production, in which case it’s probable he won’t be donning a Sharks jersey in 2017-18.

Elsewhere in the Pacific Division:

  • Like Marleau, it seemed likely that Vancouver goalie Ryan Miller would have a new home by the time the 2017-18 season started. The Canucks were expected by many to be a lottery team in 2016-17 and with Miller in the final year of his deal he would have represented an interesting rental asset the team could have cashed in to advance their rebuild. However, with Vancouver surprisingly still in the playoff hunt and with Miller turning in a solid performance between the pipes, the chances of the 36-year-old sticking around for another year or two have increased, as Ben Kuzma writes in a piece for the Vancouver Sun. Kuzma notes that good teams need quality play in net, pointing out the difference between former Canucks bench boss Alain Vigneault and the recently fired Ken Hitchcock of St. Louis. Vigneault, who has been fortunate to have Henrik Lundqvist, Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo man the pipes during his coaching career, just inked a two-year extension and received a raise to $4MM annually. The Blues have received lackluster play in goal this season and that fact played a role in Hitch’s termination. If Miller is willing to take a short-term deal to stay with Vancouver, he could provide a solid bridge to top prospect Thatcher Demko.
  • While the Oilers have received better play from their blue line in 2016-17, the team’s top-four has struggled of late, leading David Staples of the Edmonton Journal to suggest shuffling not just the defense corps but also the club’s forward lines. Staples tracks contributions that lead to scoring chances for and mistakes which lead to scoring chances against, and of late too many of the team’s key players are responsible for more of the latter than the former. The scribe feels the team could elevate Matt Benning and/or Brandon Davidson into the top-four, spreading the defensive responsibilities around some. Up front Staples thinks it’s time to split up Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, perhaps putting the struggling Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on McDavid’s wing. Ultimately, if the team continues to struggle, it’s possible Edmonton will circle back to the trade market to seek additional depth.

Alain Vigneault| Edmonton Oilers| Free Agency| Ken Hitchcock| NHL| New York Rangers| Players| San Jose Sharks| Snapshots| St. Louis Blues| Vancouver Canucks Brandon Davidson| Connor McDavid| Cory Schneider| Dan Boyle| Henrik Lundqvist| Leon Draisaitl| Matt Benning| Patrick Marleau

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Trade Deadline Reflection: Finding Value In The Margins

February 1, 2017 at 8:00 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The trade deadline now more than ever is a tough time to impact your team. With the tightening cap structure, long-term deals for young players and league-wide parity (however falsely constructed), finding a deal that works for both teams in a time-sensitive manner is a struggle. While every year there are one or two big name players moved, shocking deals (in the manner of Shea Weber for P.K. Subban) usually wait until the summer.

It’s because of this that fans and media alike must learn to love the small deals, the hockey swaps and the fresh starts. In these trades, teams can find a player that fits perfectly into their system and adds depth for a playoff run. Under-performing teams can take chances on fallen stars, prospects who have been labeled as early busts, or veterans who can make an impact in the development of a young player.

Though deals for Kevin Shattenkirk and Matt Duchene might sound fun, it’s often the Patrick Eaves or Ron Hainsey addition that makes a meaningful impact. To take a page from baseball, adding value anywhere is equal; upgrading the bottom pairing by a lot may be as important as improving your first line by a little. Last year, there were several deals of this nature.

Anaheim added goal scoring to their lineup by bringing in Jamie McGinn and Brandon Pirri on deadline day. The two would score 11 goals in 30 games (total), with McGinn scoring another pair in the playoffs. Edmonton would benefit from the deals as it let the Ducks part with Patrick Maroon later that day. Maroon made an immediate impact for the Oilers and has continued it with an 18 goal season  this year (though playing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl doesn’t hurt). Justin Schultz

Florida was only able to deal Pirri away because they’d added depth of their own in Teddy Purcell and Jiri Hudler. The pair of upcoming UFAs would each perform quite well for Florida down the stretch helping them lock up first place in the Atlantic Division.

Pittsburgh may have been the biggest winners in late-February without making a huge splash. On the 27th, just a couple of days before the deadline they made the small move of acquiring Justin Schultz. It only cost them a third-round pick (which would be #91 after the Penguins won the Cup). Though Schultz made an impact down the stretch with eight points in 18 games, this season that he has really shone. It’s been 35 points in 47 games for the former Edmonton Oiler.

It’s interesting to watch all the fanfare surround deals like Andrew Ladd, Kris Russell and Eric Staal. None of those deals worked out that well for their teams, despite the huge price tags. So when approaching this deadline don’t shrug off the little deals. They may be just as important, and much more affordable, than going after the big fish.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Anaheim Ducks| Dallas Stars| Edmonton Oilers| Pittsburgh Penguins| Players Andrew Ladd| Brandon Pirri| Connor McDavid| Eric Staal| Jamie McGinn| Jiri Hudler| Justin Schultz| Kevin Shattenkirk| Kris Russell| Leon Draisaitl| Matt Duchene| P.K. Subban| Patrick Maroon

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NHL Stars Support Going To Olympics In 2018

January 30, 2017 at 2:03 pm CDT | by Brett Barrett Leave a Comment

Alexander Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, Jonathan Toews, and Sidney Crosby all agree. The NHL should go to the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018.

Now it’s just up to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and IOC President Rene Fasel to hammer out a deal.

Toews told TSN’s Frank Seravalli “quite frankly, to turn on the Olympics next year and watch the hockey teams and the players representing their country — if it’s not the best in the world, I don’t know, I feel like we’re misrepresenting our sport on a pretty huge scale, on a pretty huge level.”

Toews is part of select group, including Crosby, Shea Weber, and coach Mike Babcock, who could win their third-straight Olympic gold medal in Pyeongchang. Toews believes the Olympics are on a “whole other level” than the World Cup and World Championships.

Pyeongchang would be the first chance for McDavid to represent Canada at the professional level. He told Seravalli that, after playing for Team North America at the World Cup, having a chance to represent his country “would be everything.”

“Just to get a chance to chase down a spot on the team and have that opportunity, it would be very special. But we’re very fortunate in Canada to have a long list of great Canadian players. It’d be a tough team to make.”

While the players appear to be a united front, as evidenced by the chatter at the All-Star Game, the NHL’s board of governors and owners are not in agreement. Many owners are not interested in taking a two-week break in the schedule with the potential for their superstars to come back hurt, like John Tavares did in 2014. Despite this, some owners are clearly supportive, like Ted Leonsis. The Capitals’ owner has be vocal about the players going, even saying he would allow Ovechkin to go regardless of official NHL participation.

Negotiations have not gone smoothly so far. The IOC initially said it wouldn’t cover insurance and travel costs for NHL players, but then found funds to do so. That didn’t go over well with Bettman, who said the IOC “opened a can of worms” with the NHL board of governors by appearing to not value the NHL’s participation, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.

Earlier this season, the NHL offered the Olympics to the PA as part of a deal that would see the current CBA extended by three years, but that was shot down without much consideration. The subject reportedly came up again at the board of governors’ meeting over the weekend, but talk lasted “just ten seconds.”

The NHL, it seems, would prefer to skip 2018 but return for 2022 in China. The league is already looking at hosting games in China as it looks to expand its presence in Asia.

Time is becoming an issue, as the Games are already just a year away. However, this wasn’t a problem in Turino or Sochi, writes CBC’s Tim Wharnsby, as the NHL didn’t officially agree to go until the summer before.

Despite the negativity surrounding negotiations, Crosby remains optimistic, telling ESPN’s Craig Custance that “you have to trust at the end of the day, everyone is going to work hard to make sure it can happen.”

It’s hard to imagine the NHL not going, especially with its biggest stars being so passionate about attending. Either way, the decision is approaching.

CBA| Mike Babcock| NHL| Newsstand| Olympics Alex Ovechkin| Connor McDavid| Gary Bettman| Jonathan Toews| League News| Shea Weber| Sidney Crosby| World Cup

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NHL Names Top 100 Players Of All Time

January 28, 2017 at 9:46 am CDT | by natebrown 2 Comments

Last night on the NBC Sports Network, the NHL released the top 100 players of all time and the debate, which has raged long before this was released, will continue on. Hosted by actor Jon Hamm, the ceremony honored players by decade, and categorized them by goalies, defensemen, and forwards.

The first thirty-three were released on New Years Day during the Centennial Classic in Toronto. The players named in the first thirty-three were active between 1917-1966. The rest, named last night, have played from 1967 to the present day.

There were a number of story lines:

  • Jonas Siegel of the Canadian Press wrote that Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, and Wayne Gretzky agree that Gordie Howe is the greatest hockey player of all time. Gretzky added that while Sidney Crosby is the greatest in the game today, Connor McDavid is making the case to “chase him” as the next in line.
  • Speaking of Crosby’s generation, the selection of the more recent players to the top 100 caused quite the debate around the hockey world. The arguments boil down into a couple ways: either include more current players by subtracting players from other decades or be more selective in the current generation. The six on the current list were Jaromir Jagr, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Crosby, and Alex Ovechkin.
  • The Score’s Sean O’Leary thinks that Evgeni Malkin, Jarome Iginla, and Joe Thornton should have “cracked” the list. O’Leary believes that Malkin is a lock for the top 100, while Iginla, though never winning a Cup, was a dominant force in the league, scoring 617 goals in his long (and still active) career.
  • Curtis Pashelka also wonders why Joe Thornton isn’t included on the list. His stats alone seem to qualify him for the top 100, but the lack of a Stanley Cup makes Pashelka think that it kept Thornton out of the illustrious club.
  • Finally, Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski includes his list of snubs which name the aforementioned Iginla, Malkin, and Thornton. But Wyshysnki also lists Zdeno Chara, Ed Belfour, Dale Hawerchuk, and Pierre Pilote as players deserving of inclusion.

 

NHL| NLA| Players| Uncategorized Alex Ovechkin| Connor McDavid| Duncan Keith| Evgeni Malkin| Jarome Iginla| Jaromir Jagr| Joe Thornton| Jonathan Toews| Mario Lemieux| Patrick Kane| Sidney Crosby| Wayne Gretzky| Zdeno Chara

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Snapshots: McDavid Effect, Tortorella, Van Riemsdyk

January 26, 2017 at 5:12 pm CDT | by Brett Barrett 2 Comments

In 2012-13, Eerie Otters forward J.P. Labardo scored a career-high 62 points. The next season, Otters forward Dane Fox scored a whopping 64 goals in 67 games, more than his previous four seasons’ combined. What do these sudden offensive outbursts have in common? Connor McDavid.

You’re forgiven if you haven’t heard of either of these men. Labardo is out of hockey while Fox is in the ECHL. But they both demonstrate what could be called “The McDavid Effect.”

When McDavid turned pro, struggling former first-overall pick Nail Yakupov had 10 points in 13 games playing with McDavid, but posted just 13 points in his next 47 games without McDavid. Now, Patrick Maroon is six goals above his career-high in just 50 games, mostly on McDavid’s wing.

National Post scribe Michael Traikos mentions those four men as shining examples of beneficiaries to playing with McDavid. Oilers coach Todd McLellan doesn’t want to take anything away from the effort Maroon has put in to improve, but adds that “playing with Connor helps. He has a tendency to make players around him better and that’s what superstars do.”

Maroon’s success is likely a result of being at the right-place at the right-time. He’s finally put in the off-season work: he lost 20 lbs over the summer and gained the step necessary to play with the speedy McDavid. Maroon told Traikos that he doesn’t “just skate around and expect [McDavid] to pass the puck to me… There’s a lot more to it.” McDavid praised Maroon as “one of the best forecheckers in the league.”

Regardless of who is on his wing, one of McDavid’s best attributes is his unselfish ability to improve those around him, and that should lead to more players being interested in the surging Oilers.

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without their head coach tonight. The team’s website announced that John Tortorella has returned to Columbus “due to a family emergency.” He will also miss the upcoming NHL All-Star game, where he was scheduled to coach the Metropolitan Division. Tortorella says he did not make the decision lightly and he hopes to back next week. Earlier today, it was announced that Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson would join Seth Jones and Sergei Bobrovsky in Los Angeles for the All-Star festivities.
  • While some hockey insiders believe that the Maple Leafs should be buyers at the trade deadline in order to make a big playoff push, there’s disagreement on who should be traded. TSN’s Dave Poulin believes the Maple Leafs should hold on to James Van Riemsdyk, despite the swirling trade rumors. While the big winger could get the team an upgrade on defense, Poulin argues that Van Riemsdyk is a veteran leader who is a perfect fit for the young Maple Leafs as they fight to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Van Riemsdyk has 39 points in 46 games and has been a great influence on rookie Mitch Marner.

Columbus Blue Jackets| Edmonton Oilers| Erie Otters| John Tortorella| OHL| Snapshots| Toronto Maple Leafs Connor McDavid| James van Riemsdyk| Patrick Maroon

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Pacific Division Snapshots: Jones, Hertl, McDavid, Draisaitl

January 25, 2017 at 3:45 pm CDT | by Glen Miller Leave a Comment

With San Jose goaltender Martin Jones scheduled to make his 42nd start of the season tomorrow, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area wonders whether the 27-year-old’s workload has been too heavy. As it stands now, Jones is on pace to start nearly 70 games in 2016-17. The scribe spoke with former Sharks net minder Brian Boucher to seek his opinion on the matter. In Boucher’s estimation, if San Jose is to seriously contend for a Stanley Cup, they need to find a way to cut Jones’ workload, perhaps to something in the neighborhood of 65 games over a full schedule.

Boucher also questions whether the team fully trusts rookie goalie Aaron Dell, who has posted terrific numbers in limited action. Dell, 27, has won six of his eight starts and has posted a S% of 0.930 with a GAA of 1.97. The Sharks are currently in first place in the Pacific Division, 13 points ahead of fourth place Calgary, and assuming they can maintain that cushion it’s quite possible the Sharks will give Dell more time between the pipes in order to keep Jones as fresh as possible for a playoff run. If not, the team might peruse the trade market in search of a quality backup, much like the did a year ago by acquiring James Reimer ahead of the deadline.

Elsewhere in the Pacific Division:

  • Sticking with San Jose, it appears the Sharks are going to be welcoming young forward Tomas Hertl back to the lineup, as Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News reports. Hertl, who has been skating with the team for the last week, missed the team’s last 31 games with a knee sprain. Pashelka is unsure where Hertl will slot into the lineup upon his return but he notes the 23-year-old Czech had been the team’s third-line pivot prior to the injury.
  • David Staples of Postmedia suggests it’s time for the Edmonton Oilers to split up Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, noting that each has become a solid defensive pivot and slotting one on the other’s wing is a waste. The notion represents a possible solution to the club’s third-line center question as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, as solid two-way pivot, would slide down the lineup in this scenario. The flip side, of course, is such a move weakens the team on the wing thus lessening the possibility of the team listening on offers for Jordan Eberle and perhaps increasing the odds Edmonton might rather add a winger prior to the trade deadline.

 

Edmonton Oilers| Injury| San Jose Sharks| Snapshots Aaron Dell| Connor McDavid| James Reimer| Jordan Eberle| Leon Draisaitl| Martin Jones| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins| Tomas Hertl

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Restricted 2017: Checking In On The Upcoming RFA Class

January 20, 2017 at 8:50 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

As the NHL continues to skew towards younger and younger talent with players like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews making an immediate impact, the restricted free agent classes become more and more important.

Last year we saw an impressive group, headlined by the dynamic duo in Calgary Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, Tampa’s new sniper Nikita Kucherov and a handful of excellent defensemen like Hampus Lindholm and Jacob Trouba.

While teams have started to lock up their young talent before they even become restricted free agents – like Aaron Ekblad in Florida who signed a $60MM deal just months after his 20th birthday – this year looks like it will be one of the biggest and most expensive RFA crops ever. Glen Miller took a look back in September at this year’s crop in an excellent series of articles that really should be consumed before reading any further (parts one, two, three, four, five and six), but let’s now check in on the group and how they’re fairing this season. Well list just a few of the highlights, as the group is almost endless.

Leon Draisaitl (EDM) – 47 GP / 17 G / 23 A / 40 P

You can’t start this list without mentioning Draisaitl, who will head to restricted free agency for the first time after what looks like a 30+ goal, 70+ point season. Skating alongside McDavid for much of the year, Draisaitl is currently tied for 18th in league scoring and leads the RFA group. He won’t turn 22 until after the 2017-18 season begins, and is an important player for the Edmonton Oilers to lock up long term. Expect the team to shell out big money to buy into a few free agent years this summer.

Mikael Granlund (MIN) – 44 GP / 10 G / 27 A / 37 P

Often forgotten about across much of the league because of the relative gag-order on any Minnesota Wild news, Granlund is having an exceptional season. Playing almost 20 minutes a night and on pace to shatter his previous career high in points, the Finnish forward will get a huge deal this summer. Unlike Draisaitl, Granlund is 24 and has already been through the RFA process before, signing a two-year $6MM deal before last season. With three solid seasons and now one spectacular one, he’ll likely earn something closer to $7MM (AAV) if signed long-term.

Justin Schultz (PIT) – 44 GP / 7 G / 23 A / 30 P

Schultz is such an interesting case, because of the breakout he’s experiencing this year. With Kris Letang on the shelf for much of the season, Schultz has blossomed in Pittsburgh to the player most teams expected when he signed out of college. He’s 26 now, and will turn 27 just days after free agency opens, but will likely fetch a hefty price as an RFA. After not even receiving a qualifying offer last year, has he done enough to prove that a big-money deal is worth it?

Robin Lehner (BUF) – 29 GP / .920 SV% / 2.54 GAA

The best RFA goaltender this year is one who just blew up at his coach after getting pulled and has generally been inconsistent for the Sabres since they traded a first-round pick for him in 2015. He has all the talent in the world to be a number one goaltender in this league, but with Buffalo floundering again near the bottom of the league will he be able to put it all together and lead them back to the playoffs? He’s 25-years old now and has 136 games under his belt with an above-average .916 save percentage. If Buffalo can ice any healthy defensemen, perhaps they’d be able to finish in the top half of the league for a change.

Buffalo Sabres| Edmonton Oilers| Free Agency| Minnesota Wild| NHL| Players| RFA Aaron Ekblad| Auston Matthews| Connor McDavid| Hampus Lindholm| Jacob Trouba| Johnny Gaudreau| Justin Schultz| Kris Letang| Leon Draisaitl| Mikael Granlund| Nikita Kucherov

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Edmonton Oilers Recall Jordan Oesterle

January 15, 2017 at 5:33 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

After holding their annual skills competition this afternoon, the Edmonton Oilers have recalled defenseman Jordan Oesterle from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. The team hosts the struggling Arizona Coyotes tomorrow night.

Oesterle has been up with the Oilers this season, but hasn’t yet to get into a game at the NHL level. In 18 contests for Bakersfield he has 11 points and is proving he should have been drafted years ago. The 24-year old went undrafted but developed into a leader at Western Michigan University in his three years, before signing with the Oilers in 2014.

It’s unclear why Oesterle was brought up, but with the team having an empty roster spot perhaps its he’s just there as insurance for any late injuries tomorrow. The Oilers sit second in the Pacific division at 23-15-7, and are looking more and more like they’ll get back to the playoffs this year.

Connor McDavid easily won the team’s fastest skater competition today, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins taking home most accurate, and Milan Lucic winning the hardest shot.

AHL| Edmonton Oilers| NHL| Utah Mammoth Connor McDavid| Jordan Oesterle| Milan Lucic| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

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