Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Kailer Yamamoto

Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers

at CDT | by 3 Comments

With the trade deadline now less than a month away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Edmonton Oilers.

After two disastrous seasons, there was little hope that the Oilers might be able to compete for a playoff spot, especially considering the fact that new general manager Ken Holland didn’t make major changes to the team. They added James Neal and brought in a few overseas players in hopes of filling in the holes in their middle six, but instead, the Oilers have risen to the challenge under new head coach Dave Tippetts, holding the top spot in the division at several points in the season and still remain near the top of a competitive Pacific Division.

Record

26-18-5, tied (with three other teams) for second in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$5.851MM in a full-season cap hit (using LTIR), 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd*, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2021: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, PIT 6th, EDM 7th

*- Calgary will receive Edmonton’s third-round pick as part of the Neal/Lucic swap if Neal scores 21 or more goals and Lucic has at least ten goals less than him at the end of the season.  Neal is currently at 19 so he will likely get to 21 while Lucic is at four goals.

Trade Chips

With a number of young defensemen already in Edmonton and several others not far off, the Oilers would love to unload a defenseman, preferably someone who has a big contract such as Adam Larsson or Kris Russell. Whether they can convince anyone to take either of those is a whole different question. The team does have a few other third-pairing options it could move, including William Lagesson and Keegan Lowe, but the team has made it clear that top prospects Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg are off the table in trade talks. Perhaps a team could pry away Dmitri Samorukov.

While the team many NHL options, Holland still has a full complement of draft picks, minus the team’s third-rounder, which is likely to change hands to Calgary. The team’s first-round pick could easily be in play for the right piece.

Five Players To Watch For: F Sam Gagner, D William Lagesson, D Adam Larsson, D Kris Russell, D William Lagesson, D Dmitri Samorukov

Team Needs

1) Scoring Help: The team still has holes in its top-nine. While the Oilers seem to have recently found some success on their second line with Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton still has holes on its first line and third line and could, without a doubt, use one more significant scoring piece at the trade deadline. While there was plenty of talk about acquiring Taylor Hall back in December, that was quite unrealistic considering their cap situation. However, there are a number of options that could interest them, including a third-line center on the market — Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He would fill a significant need on the third line or, if needed, could step into a top-six role on the wing. Another option would be adding Los Angeles’ Tyler Toffoli, whose name has been thrown around trade rumors quite a bit the last month or two. Toffoli might be a cheaper option, who could fill a top-nine role for the team and prove to be a better player than Alex Chiasson or Joakim Nygard.

2) Goaltending Depth: Yes, the team has Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith, but the 37-year-old Smith hasn’t been that consistent this season and often sees his second-half numbers decline. The team has already used Smith quite a bit this year (26 appearances) and could use a more impactful player that can be used in tandem with Koskinen. Smith currently has a 2.96 GAA and a .901 save percentage, numbers that could be replaced if they wanted to go out and acquire an Alexandar Georgiev or swap Smith for a more consistent option.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AHL 2020 All-Star Rosters Announced

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Just like the NHL did recently, the AHL has now announced their All-Star rosters for the upcoming festivities. The minor league will hold their annual showcase in Ontario, California, hosted by the Los Angeles Kings’ affiliate. 33 of the players announced are AHL All-Stars for the first time, including several top prospects around the league.

The full rosters:

Atlantic Division:

Andrew Agozzino, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Sebastian Aho, Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Jake Bean, Charlotte Checkers
Paul Carey, Providence Bruins
Chris Driedger, Springfield Thunderbirds
Morgan Frost, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Joey Keane, Hartford Wolf Pack
Matt Moulson, Hershey Bears (Captain)
Michael Sgarbossa, Hershey Bears
Igor Shesterkin, Hartford Wolf Pack
Jack Studnicka, Providence Bruins
Owen Tippett, Springfield Thunderbirds

North Division:

Rudolfs Balcers, Belleville Senators
Alex Barre-Boulet, Syracuse Crunch
Drake Batherson, Belleville Senators
Reid Boucher, Utica Comets
Nathan Gerbe, Cleveland Monsters
Charles Hudon, Laval Rocket
Jonas Johansson, Rochester Americans
Kasimir Kaskisuo, Toronto Marlies
Lawrence Pilut, Rochester Americans
Brogan Rafferty, Utica Comets
Rasmus Sandin, Toronto Marlies
Ben Street, Binghamton Devils

Central Division:

Alexandre Carrier, Milwaukee Admirals
Lucas Elvenes, Chicago Wolves
Matthew Ford, Grand Rapids Griffins (Captain)
Jansen Harkins, Manitoba Moose
Connor Ingram, Milwaukee Admirals
Kevin Lankinen, Rockford IceHogs
Joel L’Esperance, Texas Stars
Gerald Mayhew, Iowa Wild
Brennan Menell, Iowa Wild
Derrick Pouliot, San Antonio Rampage
Chris Terry, Grand Rapids Griffins
Yakov Trenin, Milwaukee Admirals

Pacific Division:

Joachim Blichfeld, San Jose Barracuda
Kyle Capobianco, Tucson Roadrunners
Kale Clague, Ontario Reign
Martin Frk, Ontario Reign
Glenn Gawdin, Stockton Heat
Lane Pederson, Tucson Roadrunners
Calvin Petersen, Ontario Reign
Matthew Phillips, Stockton Heat
Anthony Stolarz, San Diego Gulls
T.J. Tynan, Colorado Eagles
Chris Wideman, San Diego Gulls
Kailer Yamamoto, Bakersfield Condors

Edmonton Oilers Recall Kailer Yamamoto, William Lagesson

at CDT | by 1 Comment

When the Edmonton Oilers placed Markus Granlund on waivers yesterday, it raised some questions over who would be recalled to fill his spot on the active roster. Those questions were answered today after Granlund cleared and was assigned to the minor leagues. Kailer Yamamoto, one of the team’s top prospects, will get another chance at the NHL level after being recalled today along with William Lagesson. Brandon Manning, who was also waived yesterday, has also been sent to the AHL.

The 21-year old Yamamoto has had short stints with the Oilers in each of the last two seasons, but is still looking to establish himself as a full-time NHL player. Selected 22nd overall in 2017, he has just five points in 26 games with the Oilers but has been better of late in the minor leagues. Due to injuries he has been limited to just 50 AHL contests in his short career, scoring 34 points.

While there are still high hopes for Yamamoto, the question now becomes whether he can develop into the kind of top-six option the team desperately needs to find. Edmonton has relied so heavily on their top few forwards this season and are still getting almost nothing from the rest of the roster. Zack Kassian’s 26 points in 38 games are good for third on the team in scoring, while other names like Alex Chiasson have been extremely disappointing.

It’s not just Yamamoto that will bring some excitement to the NHL team though. Lagesson too has become an interesting prospect for the Oilers after being selected in the fourth round way back in 2014. After a year in the USHL, two at UMass and one in Sweden, it was a long road for Lagesson to join the Oilers’ organization before last season. He was worth the wait though, as he recorded 27 points in 67 games for the Bakersfield Condors, while racking up a +25 rating (the highest among defensemen).

Pacific Notes: Haas, Simek, Motte, Roy, Prokhorkin

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Several people were a little surprised that the Edmonton Oilers chose to recall forward Gaetan Haas from the Bakersfield Condors after two games when fourth-line winger Josh Archibald went down with a broken foot. Haas was sent down to work on his game on North American rinks, but the team felt they needed to recall him after two games and one assist.

Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that many in the organization were fearful that Haas would choose to return to Europe if he was expected to stay in the AHL for much longer, however, which could be the reason for the recall. The scribe wonders whether prospect Kailer Yamamoto might have been a better choice as the 21-year-old can kill penalties and serve on the fourth line, but that decision has been put on hold.

  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that San Jose Sharks defenseman Radim Simek has returned to San Jose. The blueliner has sat out all season as he recovers from a leg injury he sustained last season. According to Kurz, Simek is expected to begin a conditioning stint with the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL, a good sign that he is close to returning and adding some much needed defensive depth. Simek played 41 games for the Sharks last season, scoring a goal and nine points.
  • Sportsnet’s Brendan Batchelor writes that Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte is expected to miss at least a week, possibly two, after he suffered a lower-body injury against the Washington Capitals on Friday while blocking a shot. The 24-year-old Motte has played a key role on the team’s bottom-six and has just one assist over six games. While many people felt that Loui Eriksson might be recalled, the team already recalled Adam Gaudette to cover the loss.
  • David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that center Nicolas Roy will make his Vegas’ debut tonight when the Golden Knights face off against the Anaheim Ducks. Roy came over as part of a package that sent winger Erik Haula to Carolina. The 6-foot-4 Roy was expected to be developed into a fourth-line option for Vegas. He is expected to take over as the team’s fourth-line center, while Tomas Nosek, who has filled that role will move to the third line.
  • Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen reports that the Los Angeles Kings will have their own debut as KHL winger Nikolai Prokhorkin is expected to make his debut tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 26-year-old winger signed with the Kings out of the KHL after a 20-goal season there, but failed to make the team out of training camp. He has appeared in four games with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, picking up two assists. However, the team is hoping he can add some offense to the struggling Kings squad.

 

Edmonton Oilers Linked To Hurricanes’ Julien Gauthier

at CDT | by 5 Comments

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.

Pacific Notes: Hextall, Eriksson, Yamamoto

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Los Angeles Kings have undergone an entire front office change in the last few years, a new head coach this past summer and the team also quietly added former Philadelphia Flyers’ general manager Ron Hextall as a part-time advisor to hockey operations. The Kings believe that Hextall will be a key asset, especially with his strength as a GM with rebuilding a franchise like he did in Philadelphia.

In fact, team President Luc Robitaille feels the team’s rebuilding effort should really be helped by Hextall’s presence, especially with his experience on the East Coast, which should give the team another big advantage.

“… for me, you look at the job he’s done in Philly, he’s done a tremendous job at rebuilding a team,” said Robitaille in a Q&A with Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen. “Everybody talks about all their prospects and so forth, so we know he’s had the experience of picking the right guys, and plus he knows the east coast, and I know Rob’s going to use him to do some scouting and work on several projects, so it’s a win for us. The influence he had on our staff and our players here was great, so to have the opportunity to have a guy like that and see where it goes, it’s going to help us.”

  •  The Province’s Patrick Johnston writes that Vancouver Canucks veteran Loui Eriksson will be a healthy scratch tonight against the Calgary Flames for just the second time in his Canucks’ career. The much criticized Eriksson debuted against Edmonton on Wednesday and played 13:12, but finished with just one shot on goal and a stat line with a lot of zeros, not including the minus-1 plus/minus. Not a good sign for a player in the fourth year of a six-year, $36MM player. Head coach Travis Green intends to insert young center Adam Gaudette into the lineup instead, who impressed many during training camp to win a spot in the lineup despite being one of the few waiver eligible players.
  • The Edmonton Oilers need to get some production from some of their forward prospects and the Edmonton Journal’s David Staples writes that they may finally have a healthy Kailer Yamamoto who could eventually be pushing his way back into the Oilers’ lineup. The 2017 first-round pick struggled with a wrist injury last year and didn’t look like himself, but now with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL on their top line, Yamamoto looks like his old self. The 21-year-old could be at the top of the forwards battling for the first crack at the Oilers lineup after an impressive first game Friday, including a big goal.

Training Camp Cuts: 09/26/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Like always, we’ll keep you aware of all the training camp cuts right here. Keep checking back to see the updated list:

Anaheim Ducks (per team release)

F Alex Broadhurst (to San Diego, AHL)
D Hunter Drew (to San Diego, AHL)
D Zack Hayes (to San Diego, AHL)
F Justin Kloos (to San Diego, AHL)
F Jack Kopacka (to San Diego, AHL)
D Patrick Sieloff (to San Diego, AHL)
D Chris Wideman (to San Diego, AHL)
G Anthony Stolarz (to San Diego, AHL)

Boston Bruins (per team release)

F Ryan Fitzgerald (to Providence, AHL)
F Joona Koppanen (to Providence, AHL)
F Zach Senyshyn (to Providence, AHL)
F Pavel Shen (to Providence, AHL)
F Oskar Steen (to Providence, AHL)
D Jeremy Lauzon (to Providence, AHL)
D Urho Vaakanainen (to Providence, AHL)
G Kyle Keyser (to Providence, AHL)
F Paul Carey (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Brendan Gaunce (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Alexander Petrovic (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)

Buffalo Sabres (per team release)

F Dylan Cozens (to Lethbridge, WHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

F Morgan Geekie (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Janne Kuokkanen (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Steven Lorentz (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Eetu Luostarinen (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Stelio Mattheos (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Jake Bean (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Kyle Wood (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Alex Nedeljkovic (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Jesper Sellgren (to Lulea HF, SHL)
F Ryan Suzuki (to Barrie, OHL)

Colorado Avalanche (per team release)

D Bowen Byram (to Vancouver, WHL)
F Martin Kaut (to Colorado, AHL)
F Sheldon Dries (to Colorado, AHL)
F Logan O’Connor (to Colorado, AHL)
F Michael Joly (to Colorado, AHL)
G Hunter Miska (to Colorado, AHL)
D Jacob MacDonald (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Dan Renouf (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)

Edmonton Oilers (per team release)

F Kailer Yamamoto (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Florida Panthers (per team release)

F Anthony Greco (to Springfield, AHL)
D Ian McCoshen (to Springfield, AHL)
G Chris Driedger (to Springfield, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

F Matthew Peca (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Phil Varone (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Dale Weise (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Karl Alzner (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Xavier Ouellet (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)

New York Rangers (per team release)

F Daniel O’Regan (to Hartford, AHL)

Ottawa Senators (per team release)

F Parker Kelly (to Belleville, AHL)
G Marcus Hogberg (to Belleville, AHL)
F Nick Paul (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Jordan Szwarz (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)

Vegas Golden Knights (per Jesse Granger, The Athletic)

F Reid Duke (to Chicago, AHL)
D Dylan Coughlan (to Chicago, AHL)

Pacific Notes: Anaheim Roster, Pirri, Yamamoto, Bjornfot, Soderstrom

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Anaheim Ducks are clearly in a rebuilding phase this season. Afterall, they bought out Corey Perry earlier this summer, the team lost Ryan Kesler for the season and the Ducks hired their AHL coach, Dallas Eakins, who is familiar with many of the team’s prospects. Regardless, Eakins has made it clear, that the best players on the ice are the ones that are going to make the team and no favoritism will be given to the young players, according to Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register.

“Do we all quietly hope our draft picks work out? Yeah,” Eakins said. “We’ve got scouts who’ve put in thousands of miles and countless hours driving around everywhere looking at these players. They’ve got their names on them and our organization has invested in them. But nothing is going to be given here. We’re not just going to shuffle people out of the way and give our young people jobs. They’ve going to have to earn it. We’re not interested at all in any kind of breaking this down and shuffling out real good players and hand the team over to a younger group.”

  • The Vegas Golden Knights have a few significant roster battles, but the most intriguing may who wins the third line wing opening, according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic (subscription required). The job belongs to Brandon Pirri to lose as Pirri was brought back with a two-year, $1.55MM deal over the summer. The 28-year-old was impressive in a short run with Vegas last year, scoring 12 goals over 31 games. Many expected Pirri to leave for a better opportunity, only for him to come back. However, Pirri is getting quite a battle from Valentin Zykov, who spent the summer training in Vegas with the team and has been equally as impressive as Pirri. Tomas Nosek has also looked solid and most recently, prospect Cody Glass has shown that he might be ready for a third-line role as well.
  • Sportsnet’s Marc Spector reports that the Edmonton Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto is in Bakersfield where he will continue to rehab his post-wrist surgery that he had this summer. Yamamoto, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, has struggled to break through with the Oilers in two separate stints. He appeared in 17 games last year, scoring one goal. Spector also notes that defenseman Logan Day will have to undergo hand surgery and will be forced to miss time. Day spent last season in Bakersfield.
  • The Los Angeles Kings are considering keeping defenseman Tobias Bjornfot, one of their first-round draft picks this summer, on their opening day roster, according to The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman (subscription required). The team could be considering keeping him around for a few games before sending him back like they did with Jaret Anderson-Dolan last season. However, the team has been impressed with Bjornfot’s two-way game and head coach Todd McLellan compared the 18-year-old to a young Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
  • Another player who could stay with the team would be Arizona Coyotes first-round pick Victor Soderstrom, who The Athletic’s Craig Morgan suggests could remain with the team, much like center Barrett Hayton did last season, to get a feel for the NHL. Soderstrom was the 11th-overall pick in the 2019 draft.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Edmonton Oilers

at CDT | by 1 Comment

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.

Kailer Yamamoto Undergoes Wrist Surgery

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Bakersfield Condors will be without Kailer Yamamoto for the rest of their playoff run, as the Edmonton Oilers prospect underwent successful wrist surgery. Yamamoto is expected to be ready for training camp in September, but won’t get a chance to raise the Calder Cup this year.

There’s no doubt that this was a frustrating season for Yamamoto, who played just 17 games in the NHL and 27 in the minor leagues due to injury. He was held almost completely off the score sheet for the Oilers, recording just two points in his time at the highest level. This comes from a player who was drafted 22nd overall in 2017 based on his incredible offensive upside, and who even cracked the roster out of camp that year for nine games.

While no one ever gives up on a 20-year old first-round forward, Yamamoto is another Oilers prospect who will have to find some success next season. New GM Ken Holland absolutely must improve the Edmonton development team, and start turning these high picks into NHL contributors in the coming years. Holland understands that he can’t wait too long before getting the Oilers back to the playoffs, and players like Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi can—and perhaps must—be a big part of that return.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top