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Jesse Puljujarvi

Edmonton Oilers Linked To Hurricanes’ Julien Gauthier

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Julien Gauthier, a highly-regarded 2016 first-round pick, played two full seasons in the AHL before finally getting recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes last week. It was a long time coming for the young power forward, who many felt deserved his first NHL opportunity earlier in his pro career. Yet, the big promotion wasn’t all it was cracked up to be; Gauthier skated in the Hurricanes last two games, but saw just over eight minutes of ice time on average and failed to record a point or even a shot on goal. After last night’s defeat at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the team announced that Gauthier had been reassigned to the Charlotte Checkers. It was a very limited NHL debut for the 21-year-old and again raises questions about his future role in Carolina.

The Edmonton Oilers may have a solution to the situation: a trade. The Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins reports that there continues to be interest out of Edmonton in acquiring Gauthier. This is not the first time that his name has come up as an Oilers target, as it was previously noted that his name popped up as a possible swap for divorced prospect Jesse Puljujarvi. Leavins adds that not only is the team intrigued by Gauthier’s minor league production, and the size and skill to translate it to the NHL level, but also his waiver-exempt status, allowing him to be moved back and forth to the AHL as needed. Edmonton is not deep on the wing and Gauthier would likely stand a good chance of earning a regular role for the team, but that waiver flexibility provides added value just in case.

By all accounts, Gauthier alone was not enough for GM Ken Holland to part with Puljujarvi this off-season. However, the status quo has changed immensely since then. Puljujarvi signed in Finland and a recent report from Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston indicates that he is content to stay there all season if he has to. Puljujarvi is a top-ten scorer on a per-game basis thus far in the Liiga, with 11 points in 11 games for Karpat, his hometown team. He has made it clear that he does not want to play in Edmonton and is okay with the success and familiarity of playing in Finland this year if that is his only option. If Puljujarvi has not signed by December 1, he is ineligible to play in the NHL this year, so the Oilers would have to make a trade before that point. Previous comments by Holland made it seem like the team would rather play the long game with Puljujarvi, hoping he boosts his value in the Liiga this year, rather than trade him for a lesser return. However, the team has started the year 5-0-0 and may be shifting their mindset forward to adding immediate help, rather than building for the future. Gauthier would present a chance to do both – add a young, developing forward, but also one that could step in immediately. While Puljujarvi was selected third overall in 2016, 21 picks ahead of Gauthier, there is reason to believe that they could be comparable NHL players. It’s a move that Carolina would certainly be open to as well, as Puljujarvi is willing to sign once traded and would add to their core of talented young Finns.

Of course, the Oilers could also try to pry Gauthier out of Raleigh without moving Puljujarvi. Tyler Benson, Kailer Yamamoto, and Ryan McLeod are all promising young forward prospects that the team could dangle for the Hurricanes as part of the return for Gauthier. If Edmonton truly has their mindset on acquiring the up-and-coming power forward and Carolina does not share in their high regard for him, a deal is very likely to be made, one way or another.

Injury Notes: Larsson, Prout, Raanta

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

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

Pacific Notes: Seattle, Canucks, Puljujarvi, Palmu

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

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

Oilers Notes: McDavid, Puljujarvi, De Jong

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When it comes to franchise centerpiece Connor McDavid, the Oilers aren’t taking any chances. When asked about how many games McDavid would play in the coming preseason, new GM Ken Holland was very honest: “Either one at most or very likely zero… I’d rather be safe than sorry.” He took it further than that as well, stating that if McDavid is not fully ready for Opening Night, he won’t play. McDavid has spent the off-season rehabbing a leg injury suffered late in the regular season, but has already been skating with his teammates and early reports are cautiously optimistic that he will be at full strength come October. Holland and company will play it safe though if their star player isn’t back to 100% in time and don’t appear willing to risk that status in the preseason either.

  • Holland also spoke about estranged winger Jesse Puljujarvi, but it was a similar refrain. “I believe there are teams out there that are interested,” he said, adding “I’m not going to force something. If it’s there I’ll explore it. If it’s not, I am prepared to sit.” Puljujarvi recently signed with Karpat of the Finnish Liiga, but Edmonton doesn’t seem fazed by the change in status quo. The team will retain his NHL rights no matter what and have held steady in their message that they will hold out for what they deem is a fair price for the young winger, even if that means he plays in Europe all season. The 2016 fourth overall pick recorded just nine points in 46 games last season and so far teams seem reluctant to pay up for his potential.
  • The Oilers have announced their first round of training camp cuts today, sending several rookie game invites away before the NHL veterans join the team-owned prospects on the ice. Three of those participants were re-assigned to AHL camp with the Bakersfield Condors. While Steven Iacobellis and Jakob Stukel were not a surprise, having signed with Bakersfield this off-season, defenseman Brendan De Jong will also be given a chance to win a spot with the Condors. De Jong, a former Carolina Hurricanes prospect, was not tendered a qualifying offer this summer and became a free agent. With both incredible size and offensive instincts, De Jong has been a valuable member of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks over the past few years and could still turn out to be an effective pro.

Latest On Jesse Puljujarvi’s NHL Future

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When Jesse Puljujarvi recently signed a one-year deal in Finland, Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland was quick to clarify that it didn’t change the young forward’s situation much. The Oilers still would not be forced into a trade that didn’t bring back substantial value, and reports surfaced that the team was looking for a draft pick and prospect in exchange for the 2016 fourth overall pick. Last night Elliotte Friedman joined the NHL Network to give his thoughts on the situation, including a couple of teams that may be interested in acquiring Puljujarvi:

I think two of the teams that [the Oilers] have had a lot of conversations with are Tampa Bay and Carolina. I think Carolina is willing to give them one of their prospects, maybe a guy like [Julian] Gauthier, but they’re not so interested in doing the pick. I think Tampa Bay they have kind of flirted with back and forth. I think they kind of know which Tampa prospects they might be able to get, but I think again it’s a combination of finding the exact group of two things they want–a pick plus the prospect.

Friedman goes on to explain that he believes there has been interest from other Canadian teams but that Puljujarvi would rather go somewhere “a little quieter” in the USA. Tampa Bay and Carolina both represent smaller markets than some of the big Canadian cities, but there’s certainly no guarantee he would be out of the spotlight given that both teams are expecting to contend for the Stanley Cup this season after their performances in 2018-19.

Carolina does have a huge number of young prospects that they could dangle in front of Holland and have several Finnish connections on the roster already. The team has also been looking for offensive contributors for some time and may believe they can turn Puljujarvi’s career around and turn him into the dominant power forward he was expected to become. Still, with more than enough forwards to round out the roster already after the acquisitions of Ryan Dzingel and Erik Haula this summer, there may not be enough room to give Puljujarvi that top-six opportunity he is looking for.

In Tampa Bay, that kind of opportunity is even less likely. The Lightning have one of the deepest forward groups in the NHL and enjoy a rock solid top-six that would leave little room for Puljujarvi on the powerplay. The team recently added Patrick Maroon to the mix up front and also have salary concerns given Brayden Point’s continuing negotiations. Puljujarvi is still a restricted free agent and will need a new contract wherever he ends up, if in fact he returns to the NHL this season.

Oilers Seeking Pick And Prospect For Jesse Puljujarvi

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The Edmonton Oilers quickly changed their tune today after forward Jesse Puljujarvi signed a one-year deal with his hometown team in Finland’s Liiga. The Oilers had been adamant that they were content to hold on to Puljujarvi, citing disappointing trade offers and a confidence that he could still be an effective member of the team. That changed after it became clear that he had no intention to play for Edmonton this season or possibly ever again. New GM Ken Holland was quick to clarify that Puljujarvi’s contract in Finland did not impact his trade value and that he could suit up in the NHL immediately if traded. Holland also took the opportunity to state that several new teams have made inquiries about Puljujarvi’s availability of late.

Interestingly, with the Oilers now seemingly focused on trading Puljujarvi, the asking price has arguably increased, despite underwhelming offers to this point. Previously reported as being an established third-line forward, TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reports that Edmonton is now seeking a prospect with top-nine upside as well as a draft pick as their preferred return for Puljujarvi. He adds that an established player may still be a suitable return, but he would have to have term remaining on his contract beyond this coming season.

If the Oilers had struggled to this point to get a fair offer in their eyes for a player they weren’t shopping, it does seem odd that they feel they can increase the asking price when their priority seems to have shifted to moving Puljujarvi. Of course, some may feel that the asking price is of the same quality of lower, considering “third-line forwards” such as Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust and Boston’s Charlie Coyle have been among rumored targets of the Oilers, either of whom could draw a first-round pick and top-nine prospect from a contender in need. Either way, Rishaug’s report of a changing asking price at least confirms that the mindset has changed in Edmonton and the team is more focused than ever on parting ways with Puljujarvi, even if they continue to maintain that they will only do so on their terms.

Jesse Puljujarvi Signs One-Year Deal In Finland

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10:55am: Mark Spector of Sportsnet spoke with Holland, who explained that there has been new interest in Puljujarvi around the league but nothing is imminent:

I don’t know that him signing in Finland has a huge effect on the situation. I’ve had conversations with numerous clubs that have had interest, some interest, in acquiring Jesse. And I have had, probably in the last 10 days, two or three new teams reach out to me. Teams whose position have changed and are checking into the Puljujarvi situation.

I’ll do a deal if I feel good that I’m making a deal in the best interests of the Edmonton Oilers.

Holland basically has all the leverage here, as Puljujarvi playing a year in Finland can only really improve his value to the Oilers. There’s no rush to get a trade done from their perspective unless a team comes forward with an offer that can help them right away.

7:30am: Jesse Puljujarvi will at least have somewhere to play in 2019-20, even if things don’t get worked out with the Edmonton Oilers. The disgruntled young forward has signed a one-year deal with Karpat in Finland, though the contract includes an option to leave for the NHL before December 1st. In the NHL, if a restricted free agent is not signed before that date they are not eligible to play for the rest of the season.

Puljujarvi’s free agent status will not be changed by this contract. Even if he decides to play the entire year in Finland, the Oilers will still own his exclusive negotiating rights.

This is not necessarily the end of the story for Puljujarvi and the Oilers, but at least it provides some sort of a resolution for the time being. The 21-year old has not been able to establish himself in the NHL since being the fourth overall pick in 2016 and needed a place to see regular playing time. He wasn’t going to get that in the AHL given that he has said he does not want to play in that league and the fact that he would need to clear waivers in order to be sent down. Finland may actually be the best place for his development to continue if the Oilers weren’t willing to give him a regular shift in the NHL.

For new GM Ken Holland and head coach Dave Tippett, giving him that top-six role seems out of the question. Puljujarvi has scored just 37 points in 139 NHL games, and though those have been about as inconsistently distributed as possible he simply hasn’t been good enough to deserve more playing time. He and his agent Markus Lehto have been clear about their desire for the Oilers to trade Puljujarvi to a team that would give him that opportunity, but that situation may not actually exist anywhere in the league. There is also likely a hesitation from Holland to move the young forward given the huge draft capital that has been invested in him, since he would be selling at an extremely reduced value.

Finland does not represent the same competition level as the NHL, but Liiga is still a solid professional league where Puljujarvi will be tested. He played one full season there before coming to the NHL and recorded 28 points in 50 games, but will hopefully be able to do even more now that he has some additional professional experience under his belt. Technically the Oilers will lose his negotiating rights on his 27th birthday, but since that is almost six years away one would expect the situation to be resolved before that happens.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Marleau, Puljujarvi, Sheahan, Gardiner

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The Edmonton Oilers are still in need of depth on the wing and remain in the hunt for players that could help fill a need. Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins, in his Sunday column, writes that one option that he’s hearing is that veteran winger Patrick Marleau has shown some interest in potentially signing with the Oilers.

The 39-year-old Marleau was traded to Carolina in a salary dump and the veteran asked the Hurricanes to buy him out with the intention of returning to San Jose and signing with his old team. While that still seems the likely outcome for Marleau, the Sharks have not signed the veteran to a contract yet and the veteran may be looking at other West Coast options. Edmonton could be attractive to him as the team needs help to fill out its top three lines, something the veteran could help with. While his skills have eroded some, Marleau still posted 16 goals and 37 points last season in a crowded Maple Leafs forward group.

  • Leavins, in the same article, adds that with little trade interest brewing for disgruntled Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi, the most likely scenario right now if he doesn’t want to return to Edmonton, which he has said numerous times, will be to accept at $200K contract in Finland this season and try to prove himself as a star in the Liiga and then can generate more trade interest next summer. In fact, the Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont writes that with nothing even close to being lined up in Finland, the 21-year-old winger may have no choice but to return to Edmonton despite all of his agents’ demands.
  • The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell (subscription required) writes that the Edmonton Oilers remain in search for a third-line center and he believes that unrestricted free agent center Riley Sheahan might be a good fit with the team. PHR’s Brian La Rose looked at Sheahan’s free-agent status Saturday and noted that Edmonton could be a suitor for the UFA. It’s unlikely that the team will split their top three players at center in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but at the moment, their next best option would be Swiss center Gaeton Haas, which makes most people uncomfortable. With five full seasons under his belt at just 27 years old, the Oilers might be willing to take a chance on him.
  • The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons writes that he believes that general manager Kyle Dubas is hoping to work out a way to sign Mitch Marner and unrestricted free agent Jake Gardiner. While that scenario would seem to be unlikely considering the state of Toronto’s cap situation, Simmons writes that the team could decide to sign Marner to a bridge deal, which could give the team some extra room to retain Gardiner who has been sitting unsigned on the free-agent market. The hope is that Gardiner would slot in as a third-line defenseman. However, that scenario remains unlikely as locking up Marner to a long-term deal is the team’s top priority this summer.

Snapshots: Puljujarvi, Cassidy, Marner

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Another day, another controversial translation regarding Jesse Puljujarvi and his future with the Edmonton Oilers. This time the unhappy restricted free agent spoke to Finnish television station Lamari, saying (through a translation of a Sporten article) that he wants a chance at playing a top-six role in the NHL with another team where he could get 15 minutes of ice time every game.

Despite the Oilers changing both their front office and coaching staff this offseason, it seems as though Puljujarvi and agent Markus Lehto have dug in and won’t return to the club regardless of potential contract offers. The 21-year old has played in 139 NHL games since being drafted fourth overall in 2016 but has just 37 points and failed to secure a top-six role in Edmonton even with their lack of talent on the wing. He will likely play in Finland if he can’t find a new club in the NHL or reach some agreement with the Oilers.

  • Bruce Cassidy has done an excellent job since taking over as head coach of the Boston Bruins, leading the team to a 117-52-22 record. Now Joe McDonald of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that the team has started negotiating a contract extension that would keep him in Boston past the end of his current deal. Cassidy’s contract is set to expire after the 2019-20 season. While the team failed to secure the Stanley Cup this year after reaching the finals against the St. Louis Blues, there’s no doubting Cassidy’s influence and success so far. It seems almost inevitable that a deal will get completed to keep him with the Bruins at some point.
  • Though today’s news that Mitch Marner has spoken to the Zurich Lions of the NLA came with plenty of suspicion that the representatives for the Toronto Maple Leafs forward are simply trying to move things along, Igor Eronko of Sport-Express rightly points out that the winger’s rights were never drafted in the KHL meaning he could potentially sign with any team there. That could potentially mean a bigger payday than the Lions could ever offer if Marner was really set on playing overseas, though obviously he has not been linked to the KHL at this point. James Mirtle of The Athletic was on TSN radio to discuss the restricted free agent situation, and still maintained that the Zurich news is likely “posturing.”

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Edmonton Oilers

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Edmonton Oilers

Current Cap Hit: $79,066,999 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Joakim Nygard (one year, $925K)
F Cooper Marody (two years, $925K)
F Kailer Yamamoto (two years, $894K)
D Evan Bouchard (three years, $894K)
F Tyler Benson (two years, $808K)
D Caleb Jones (one year, $720K)
D Ethan Bear (one year, $720K)

Potential Bonuses

Bouchard: $850K
Yamamoto: $230K
Marody: $75K
Jones: $70K
Bear: $20K

The team have a number of young players on entry-level deals, but so far while there is a ton of potential here, not one player has stepped up and established themselves as a full-time player on the Oilers roster. Yamamoto, the team’s 2017 first-rounder, was expected to provide the speed that the team needed to develop a fast-paced offense, but after 26 NHL games, he’s provided just one goal and four assists. Marody has appeared in six games with no points, while Benson, despite quite a bit of success in the AHL, hasn’t gotten a chance at the NHL level, although that’s likely to change this season. The team also has high hopes in Nygard, who is a speedy winger, who is coming off a 21-goal campaign in the SHL, but remains a mystery.

On defense, the team might get their 2018 first-round pick, Evan Bouchard, to make the team and contribute quickly, but he also must prove to the team that he’s ready for that opportunity. However, Bouchard already has seven games of experience with the Oilers (scoring one goal), while posting three goals and eight points for the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL in eight playoff games. Other defenseman might also be ready, including Bear and Jones. Bear has played two seasons now in the AHL, while Jones got 17 games with the Oilers last season and might be the most NHL-ready.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Darnell Nurse ($3.2MM, RFA)
F Sam Gagner ($3.15MM, UFA)
D Brandon Manning ($2.25MM, UFA)
G Mike Smith ($1MM, UFA)
F Zack Kassian ($1.95MM, UFA)
D Matt Benning (1.9MM, RFA)
F Markus Granlund ($1.3MM, UFA)
F Kyle Brodziak ($1.15MM, UFA)
F Josh Archibald ($1MM, UFA)
D Joel Persson ($1MM, RFA)
F Tomas Jurco ($750K, UFA)
F Colby Cave ($675K, RFA)

The bulk of the Oilers contracts seem to be one-year deals, which means that many players will have to prove to the Edmonton front office that they deserve a new contract. The team will likely unload the contracts of both Gagner and Manning after this season, which should free up $5.4MM of cap space. The Oilers traded for the veteran Gagner near the trade deadline and he contributed five goals and 10 points in 25 games for Edmonton, but he likely will take a bottom-line role with Oilers this season, while Manning has never been a good fit after being acquired from the Blackhawks in December last season. Smith is another veteran the Oilers have high hopes for, but the team will reassess its goaltending situation at the end of the year and whether to bring the then 38-year-old back for another season. The same can be said for players like Archibald, Granlund and Jurco.

The team will have pay up next season for Nurse, a restricted free agent, who put up career-high numbers last season with the Oilers. The 24-year-old put up 10 goals and 41 points and averaged 23:49 of time on the ice. He also blocked 146 shots, while adding 162 hits as well, making him a solid all-around player despite seeing his plus-minus drop from a plus-15 in 2017-18 to a minus-five last year. The team must decide whether to keep Benning, who will also be a restricted free agent. Benning saw his playing time drop by almost three minutes since the previous year and might lose his job to some of the team’s young defensive prospects.

The team also have a number of veteran players, who will hit unrestricted free agency, including Kassian, who saw career highs in ATOI (14:48) and goals (15) and also put up 191 hits as a bottom-line forward for the team. At 28, he could be considered an important keeper for the Oilers. Unfortunately, Brodziak’s success in Edmonton wasn’t as impressive as the veteran center averaged just 11:42 of ATOI, while scoring career low six goals and nine points.

Two Years Remaining

F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins ($6MM, UFA)
D Adam Larsson ($4.17MM, UFA)
D Kris Russell ($4MM, UFA)
F Alex Chiasson ($2.15MM, UFA)
F Jujhar Khaira ($1.2MM, RFA)

This could be an interesting year for Nugent-Hopkins, who has always been an excellent defensive player, but now has established himself as a solid offensive player as well with a career-high 28 goals and 69 points. However with his contract coming up in two years, the Oilers might want to decide whether he is worth handing a long-term, expensive deal to. If they aren’t ready to lock him up, the Oilers might get the most value for Nugent-Hopkins at the trade deadlines. After all, top-six centers rarely come available and considering that any team that trades for him automatically gets another full season out of him, he might become quite a valuable trade chip.

The Oilers must also decide what they want to do with two of their highly-paid defensemen in Larsson and Russell. Both blueliners receive more than 20 minutes a night, but neither provides much offensive talent and haven’t been that helpful lately on defense either and between the two of them, the Oilers are giving them $8.17MM. Larsson put up comparable offensive numbers last year, but saw his defensive numbers drop as his minus-28 plus-minus was his lowest in his career by far. Russell also had comparable numbers from the last couple of years and kept his plus-minus in the positive, but the team may look to find a taker for either of them at the trade deadline.

Chiasson earned his two-year deal after posting a career-high 22 goals last season after winning a job in training camp on a PTO. The team hopes that the 28-year-old can duplicate that season. Khaira scored just three goals last season and will have to prove that he belongs on the roster next season.

Three Years Remaining

G Mikko Koskinen ($4.5MM, UFA)

Edmonton surprised many when former general manager Peter Chiarelli signed Koskinen to a three-year, $13.5MM extension last season despite a small sample size as an NHL goaltender. Koskinen didn’t fare that well in the second half of the season after signing the extension, putting up a 3.07 GAA and a .902 save percentage, which could make this a rocky relationship if Koskinen can’t prove to Edmonton that he is a No. 1 goaltender. The 31-year-old goaltender has spent most of his career in the KHL and may not be the answer that the Oilers were hoping for.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Connor McDavid ($12.5MM through 2025-26)
F Leon Draisaitl ($8.5MM through 2024-25)
F James Neal ($5.75MM through 2022-23)
D Oscar Klefbom ($4.17MM through 2022-23)

The team has a couple of stud players in McDavid and Draisaitl and most would suggest that they are worth their contracts and they might even be bargains considering how well they were playing. Both have proven to be top-line players and they both broke the 100-point barrier last season and combining for 91 goals. The fact that both are locked up for at least another six years (seven for McDavid) shows that Edmonton already has a base of two franchise players and just need to fill out the rest of their roster with solid players who can fill out the rest of the team.

Neal is an interesting gamble by new general manager Ken Holland. The team was looking for a way to unload the untradeable contract of Milan Lucic, but managed to get the long-term deal of Neal, who is coming off 10 straight seasons of 20 goals or more, before his seven-goal performance last year in Calgary. The team hopes that the 31-year-old can prove that last year’s egg was just a fluke and the veteran can bounce back and provide some scoring on the wing for a team that really needs it.

Klefbom is another interesting defenseman, who the team hopes can improve, especially offensively. The 26-year-old managed 38 points back in the 2016-17 season, but has hasn’t been able to break 30 points since then. While his minutes are impressive, Edmonton needs to get more from one of their defensemen, who they signed assuming he would develop into a top-line defender.

Buyouts

D Andrej Sekera ($2.5MM in 2019-20 & 2020-21; $1.5MM in 2021-22 and 2022-23)
F Benoit Pouliot ($1.33MM per year through 2020-21)
D Eric Gryba ($300K in 2019-20)

Retained Salary Transactions

F Milan Lucic ($750K per year through 2022-23)

Still To Sign

F Jesse Puljujarvi

Much has already been written about the impasse between the Oilers and Puljujarvi, who has demanded to be traded because he believes he can’t become a top forward in Edmonton. Holland has received no viable offers from other NHL teams and it looks likely that Puljujarvi might have to stay overseas for a season and hope that he can develop his game overseas with Karpat of the Finnish League and come back in a year with a new sense of purpose. However, nothing has happened yet and there’s always a possibility that he opts to come back to Edmonton and tries it again. The only problem: he’s not waiver exempt anymore, meaning he must stay on Edmonton’s roster or be placed on waivers and undoubtedly would be claimed by another team.

Best Value: Draisaitl
Worst Value: Koskinen

Looking Ahead

The team has its franchise players and with plenty of cap space freeing up next season, the team might have a way to add even more talent. However, what Edmonton needs more than anything is to see some of their young talent take that next step and begin making some major improvements. The Oilers have a dearth of talent on defense that should slowly be trickling in over the next few years, but more than anything Edmonton needs scoring. While McDavid and Draisaitl cost the franchise a great deal, the team must find the wingers that can get the team back into the playoffs.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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