OilersNation

Oilers Nation makes the Toronto Star! Kind of!

Jonathan Willis — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:43:50 +0000

Everybody knows the Toronto Star. It bills itself as Canada’s largest daily (and carefully doesn’t mention it has lost more readers over the last four years than anyone else). Still, seeing Oilers Nation in one of the big national giants on Wednesday was kind of cool.

Did You Miss It?

Listen to Toronto Star tech reporter Raju Mudhar regale Oilers Nation’s Robin Brownlee with praise for catching comments made by radio jockey Dean Blundell and then transcribing them to the site:

Without the explosion of social media, these things might just die in the ether. Blundell was first called out by an Edmonton Oilers blogger who transcribed the comments, which were subsequently picked up by sports reporters.

That is not how I would have done it, personally. I might have said “a blogger at Oilers Nation” or “sportswriter Robin Brownlee” or ideally, “Robin Brownlee of the Edmonton website Oilers Nation.” Then I might link to it. The bar for linking isn’t very high. The Star linked to a guest-written story by Steve Gleason, who was the unfortunate victim of similar foolishness by radio people in Atlanta (who were subsequently fired). They linked to a piece in the Ryerson Review of Journalism about reporting on suicide, though the death of Pelss has not been ruled a suicide at this time and the circumstances surrounding it remain unclear. They also include the obligatory links to other pieces in theStar - much like we do at this site, including at the bottom of this piece.

Instead, the only reference to Brownlee by name is a Storify board in the online edition that includes his original piece in a group of 21 other Tweets.

So what?

Why does this matter? To some degree it doesn’t. Oilers Nation is paid for by internet traffic, so from a financial perspective it’s a little galling. From a pride point of view, it’s also irritating – I’m not Robin Brownlee but I’m well aware of his distinguished career, so to see him credited as a nameless blogger while other sportswriters (such as Steve Simmons) are referenced by name because they commented about the story later on bothers me.

More than that, what bugs me about the Star’s casual dismissal of this site is the way it fits a pattern.

Back in 2010, Tyler Dellow wrote a piece revealing highly unprofessional emails written by then-NHL disciplinary czar Colin Campbell. What made his story interesting was the investigative work Dellow did, revealing that Campbell saw Marc Savard as “a little fake artist” and routinely watched his son’s games and complained when calls went against him.

The Toronto Star had run a story based on the same emails – from a different angle, with none of that information. Further, the Star story wasn’t Dellow’s source, something he made clear in his piece. That didn’t stop Star sports columnist Damien Cox from angrily complaining that the Star hadn’t received the attention it deserved for its work on the story.

The Star also – much more recently and more publicly – did something similar with the allegations of Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine, claiming an exclusive and referring to Gawker – the outlet which actually broke the story – as a “U.S. website.”

The Larger Picture

For newspaper types who feel angry and threatened by online media – this certainly isn’t all of them, and some papers have done a significantly better job of adapting to the new paradigm than others – there’s a list of blogger putdowns. Generally, those insults run along the lines that these are nameless, faceless people who rip off legitimate reporting, and aren’t accountable for what they publish.

The trouble is, that even when there is a name, a face, an original story, and a long track record of accountability at mainstream publications, in some cases (such as this one) the story will be treated like it’s coming from some corner of the internet that must not be named.

That’s irritating for the site that’s being so cavalierly dismissed, but it’s also a sign of bigger problems in the way some newspapers handle the online portion of their business. Nobody has the resources to break all the stories any more, which means that with increasing frequency (and anyone watching knows it happens), newspapers will be reporting immediately online based on reports from elsewhere. Pelss’ death is a prime example – the initial reports came from Latvian media, via online translation tools. That’s not to say there isn’t a distinction between a major mainstream outlet – which generally has access and resources that independents don’t – and blogs; it’s just to say that increasingly there are similarities between how a newspaper reports things on its website and how blogs do.

Yet, some newspapers continue to treat the internet like a zero-sum game, when it isn’t. What I mean by that is as a newspaper reader, I’m probably only subscribing to one daily – so anything that refers to a competitor in a positive light runs the risk of sending me the message that I should switch to a different paper. The internet doesn’t work that way – people aren't restricted to a single site for their news. In a lot of ways, it’s built on reciprocity; by linking to a referenced piece and identifying the outlet, I lose nothing and help ensure that other outlets will properly attribute my own work when the time comes. Some mainstream outlets get that. Obviously, the Toronto Star does not.

A lot of this will probably get a giant “who cares” from readers, and I understand that. But as a guy who likes reading good reporting, and is hoping that the big outlets who break so much news can adapt to the new media landscape, it’s disheartening to see such a pointless and self-defeating approach.

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RUMOUR MILL IS GETTING HOT...

Jason Gregor — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:34:15 +0000

The next three weeks will be extremely exciting for hockey fans. Compliance buyouts could start as early as Monday, June 24th, or as last as Friday, June 28th, the 2013 NHL entry draft happens Sunday, June 30th and the free agent signings occur July 5th.

Between now and then we will hear some juicy rumours, witness some interesting trades, debatable draft selections and some horrendous UFA signings.

I can't wait, and thankfully we won't have to with copious speculation already circulating around the hockey world.

Here's some of the big stories already floating around.

Beat writer for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Josh Yohe, had a strong piece on why the Penguins will trade Kris Letang.

Shero is fairly confident Letang has become a must-move player.
That is true because Letang is not the consensus best defenseman on the Penguins, at least in the eyes of management and coaches.

That is true because the Penguins are deepest on defense among top prospects, including a couple of first-round picks from last summer (Derrick Pouliot and Olli Maatta).

That is true even though terms of Malkin's new contract will provide the Penguins with more cap room to keep good players around him and Crosby — if the cap increases annually under this labor contract, as it did during the last one.

The Penguins are set up for Letang to count around $6 million against the cap and to continue paying Crosby ($8.7 million), Malkin ($9.5 million), right winger James Neal, Martin and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury ($5 million apiece). Evidence of that was their offer to Staal, who would have counted about $5.75 million annually against the cap had he stayed — and that was with Letang taking up $3.5 million in space.

Letang, 26, a first-time Norris Trophy (top defenseman) finalist, aims to at least double his current salary on any new deal. He was the only NHL defenseman to average a point per game during the regular season. He is in his prime.

According to Yohe the Pens are prepared to pay Letang $6 mill/year, but nothing more. Letang is very good offensively, more physical than some think, but some question his defensive zone play. The Penguins have the luxury of having the best offensive one-two punch (Crosby and Malkin) in the NHL, so they can risk moving a proven puck moving D-man.

I suspect playing with Crosby and Malkin might hurt Letang, because some wonder if they make his stats (points and advanced) look better than he is. I'd guess they do to an extent, but I still believe many teams would be interested, and I'd put the San Jose Sharks near the top of that list. Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dan Boyle have one year remaining on their contracts, ( a combined $20.56 million), and Doug Wilson loves puck movers and he isn't afraid to make major trades.

Before you scream Letang doesn't deserve to be paid like Shea Weber, keep in mind Brian Campbell makes $7.14 million.

LETANG IN EDMONTON

Letang would be the #1 pairing D-man the Oilers desperately need, but what is the asking price?

Would the #7 pick in this year's draft, Jeff Petry (#4 D-man) and a young forward get it done?

The Canes gave up the #8 and Brandon Sutter (3rd line C) to get Jordan Staal last year. Letang is worth more, but how much? Pens might ask for Paajarvi, but would they settle for something less? I don't know, but I'm curious to see if the Pens and Letang can't reach a new deal what is asking price would be.

AVS PASSING ON JONES?

"If we do pick first, we're leaning more toward one of those three forwards," Avalanche executive vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said in Adrian Dater's article yesterday.

Is this a bluff by Joe Sakic, or is Colorado seriously looking at one of Nathan Mackinnon, Jonathon Drouin or Alexander Barkov? In 2009 there was talk the Islanders might take Matt Duchene instead of John Tavares, in 2010 it was Taylor vs. Tyler, in 2011 there were rumours the Oilers would trade down and last year it was Nail Yakupov or Ryan Murray.

In every case the projected #1 pick went first overall, but I don't recall Garth Snow or Steve Tambellini/Kevin Lowe suggesting they wouldn't pick the consensus #1. Seems like an odd approach from the team holding the #1 selection.

While Sakic isn't the GM, in title, it is clear he is the main decision maker. His comments just made the final 10 days leading up to the draft more interesting.

Do you think the Avs will pass on Jones and take a forward, trade down or that this is a bluff and they will stick with Jones?

THE HOCKEY NEWS...SAY WHAT?

Dater tweeted this yesterday:

@adater The Hockey News will name Detroit-Colorado biggest rivalry of all time in NHL history.

You could make an argument that the Wings/Avs was the best rivalry of the past 20 years, but to suggest it was the best of all-time tells me the Hockey News is trying to appeal to the younger demographic, or an All-American one.

Between 1996 and 2002 the Avs/Wings combined to win five Stanley Cups, met five times in the playoffs and in three of those meetings the winner went on to win the Cup. It was a great rivalry but it isn't the best of all-time.

The Oilers and Flames combined to make eight consecutive Stanley Cup appearances between 1983-1990, winning six of them. It was an epic battle during the playoff and the regular season.

The Leafs and Habs have met 15 times in the playoffs, but none since 1979, and only twice since the 1967 expansion. You can say it was easier to meet in the playoffs during the original six era, but these two combined for 10 straight Cup appearances from 1951-1960, and they won 7 championships.

The greatest rivalry is the Habs/Bruins. They've met 33 times in the playoffs, and while the Habs dominated the series for a 45 year stretch, the Bruins have won 7 of the last 11 series. No rivalry has lasted longer, and while Detroit/Colorado was good for seven years, it isn't even in the top-three of all-time.

PARTING SHOT...

Took this pic in Vegas. I'm guessing most of you feel this way, yet you still eat there. Convenience store owner must have a good sense of humour.

RECENTLY BY JASON GREGOR

THE MADNESS BEGINS....

Jason Gregor — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:13:24 +0000

The free agent frenzy officially began yesterday with reports the Flyers had signed Mark Streit to a four-year, $21 million contract. The Flyers can't officially announce the signing until they shed some salary, which should happen when they buyout Daniel Briere and Ilya Bryzgalov.

Briere is an easy buyout. His cap hit is $6.5 million for the next two seasons, but he's only owed $5 million in cash over both years. The Flyers can buy him out for only $3.33 million, while Brzgalov is a much larger hit at $23 million. Despite the massive payment to Bryzgalov you can expect the Flyers to eat that since they desperately need some cap space.

Briere will garner a lot of interest, but will Bryzgalov get another NHL deal?

I think a lot of teams will give Briere a two-year deal, and if Mike Smith doesn't re-sign in Phoenix I could see Bryzgalov return to the desert.

Prior to his entertaining and not overly productive seasons in Philly, Bryzgalov was very good for the Coyotes. His SV% in his four seasons was .921, .906, .920 and .921. Bryzgalov is only 32, and while a KHL team could offer him more money, I suspect he feels he has something to prove in the NHL.

If Smith leaves Phoenix and Mikka Kiprusoff officially retires, would the Flames or Coyotes offer him a contract? The Flames are high on Kari Rammo, but would they enter the season with Rammo and Joey Macdonald?

QUICK HITS

Streit is 35 years old and not a great defender, but he can move the puck and his contract illustrates that free agents will still get paid this summer. I suspect the most sought after guys will still get large contracts, but I'm curious to see if teams can show some restraint/patience and sign lesser-lights to more reasonalbe contracts?
With Teemu Hartikainen signing in the KHL would the Oilers re-sign Ryan Jones? The two sides are expected to talk again next week, but at this point it seems like the Oilers will look elsewhere. The Oilers will be hard-pressed to find a guy who will score 17/18 goals for the same price point as Jones.
Could Jones turn out to be the next Curtis Glencross? Glencross signed for $1.3 million/year for three years while the Oilers failed to sway Marian Hossa to sign in Edmonton. I'm not saying Jones will score 25, but considering the solid 3rd line players the Oilers have let leave Edmonton (or traded away) in the past five years it is a concern.
David Krejci is one of the most underrated passers in the NHL. Watch him closely, his passing skills are incredible.
Solid deal for the LA Kings. They signed Slava Voynov for $25 million over six years. Would you rather have Streit for the next four years at $5.25 or the 23-year-old Voynov. The Voynov and Roman Josi ($28 million over 7 years) could be good comparables for the Oilers and Justin Schultz.
I don't see any reason that Schultz should get much more than Voynov, unless Schultz has a huge season. Voynov's two-way game is better than Schultz's at this point.
The Oilers need at least two significant upgrades on their blueline if they want to compete next year. At this point I wouldn't put Oscar Klefbom in the "significant" category, mainly because it would be a big risk to have two players in your top-four with fewer than 50 combined NHL games.
The Oilers haven't had any luck landing UFA goalies. They've tried to sign Eric Hartzell (signed with Penguins), Antti Raanta (Chicago) and Joacim Eriksson (Vancouver), but couldn't land one. They are looking to sign a #2 and #3 to build some organizational depth. Anton Khudobin, Tukka Rask's backup is unrestricted and he'd be a great fit for the Oilers.
Dallas Eakins wanted to spend last week talking with Steve Smith and Kelly Buchberger to get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses and decide if they would be part of his staff. I'd be surprised if both were on his staff. He will add an associate coach with NHL experience, and most likely one assistant. It would make sense to announce the staff before the draft and especially free agency. I keep hearing Paul Maurice is a strong candidate.

RECENTLY BY JASON GREGOR

The Third Pairing

Jonathan Willis — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:11:06 +0000

If, as expected, the Edmonton Oilers add at least one top-four (ideally left-side defenceman) to round out a group that already includes Jeff Petry, Justin Schultz and Ladislav Smid than there will need to be some decisions made on the third pairing. Who stays? Who goes?

The Overview

Assuming the top four outlined in the opening paragraph, that likely leaves three roster spots – at most four, but likely three – for other NHL defencemen. The Oilers have a lot of in-house candidates for those positions, even after we remove unrestricted free agent Ryan Whitney from consideration. Here’s the list:

Nick Schultz – one-way deal, $3.5 million cap hit
Anton Belov – two-way deal, $1.5 million cap hit
Mark Fistric – unrestricted free agent; likely signable on a 2-3 year deal somewhere between $1.5 and $2.0 million
Corey Potter – one-way deal, $775 thousand cap hit
Oscar Klefbom – two-way deal, $1.24 million cap hit
Theo Peckham – restricted free agent; would likely accept qualifying offer just over $1.0 million
Martin Marincin – two-way deal, $870 thousand cap hit
Taylor Fedun – restricted free agent; would likely accept two-way contract well below $1.0 million

It seems safe to assume that Theo Peckham will not be retained, and that Martin Marincin and Taylor Fedun will start the year in the minors. That isn’t certain, but those all seem likely. That leaves five players for three roster spots, and that assumes the team doesn’t add somebody like Paul Ranger to the mix.

The Players

Nick Schultz. Looking at the list above, the one thing that really stands out is Schultz’s contract, which is more than double any of the other players on this list. He’s being paid as a top-four defenceman, and it seems unlikely that the Oilers see him in that role next season. With a weak defensive market, are there teams out there that would see him as a fit in that role on their own blue lines? If the Oilers can add that upgrade to their top-four, I would expect them to move Schultz out for help elsewhere. Veteran defencemen – especially defencemen like Schultz – hold their value well and teams looking for blue line help will not have a lot of options. If he is not dealt, than he’s the number five defenceman by a fair margin.

Anton Belov. Technically on a two-way contract (all entry-level deals have a minor-league component) it seems safe to project Belov on to the NHL roster on opening night. A top defenceman in the KHL, the Oilers almost certainly wouldn’t bring him over just to stick him in the minors. He gets one of the three spots unless he crashes and burns in training camp.

Mark Fistric. He isn’t a fit with Craig MacTavish’s puck-possession mantra, but he played well in a third-pairing role last season and adds things (size, skillset) that aren’t in ready supply on the Oilers’ blue line. Most teams have a guy like this on the third pairing; I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back.

Corey Potter. I have a lot more time for Corey Potter than most people – he doesn’t excel in any one area but he has a range of skill and more puck-moving ability than a lot of depth defencemen. I think he’s on the bubble in Edmonton – he could be dealt, he could be retained and then sent to the minors, or he could be retained and hold any of the three open defensive spots. His low-dollar contract gives the Oilers options; I’d guess he gets penciled in for the number seven role but that a strong performance from a prospect or the addition of a player like Ranger would bump him off the roster.

Oscar Klefbom. The Oilers are obviously excited about Klefbom as a prospect, and he’s a guy that has to be considered a serious candidate to start the 2013-14 season on the Oilers’ roster. Should he? Probably not; he’s never played North American hockey and he lost most of last season to injury and got buried on his Swedish team’s depth chart for much of the year before that. He turns 20 next month; he seems a great candidate to start the year as Oklahoma’s number one defenceman and the Oilers’ first call-up option. With that said: everything the Oilers’ brass have said publicly indicates he’s going to have a shot at an NHL job on opening night.

My Guess

I think we’re looking at an incomplete picture and that the Oilers will add one more guy to the mix. It might be a very good high minors player like Paul Ranger, it might be a free agent like Ian White, it might be someone brought over in trade after falling out of favour in another city (Jamie McBain got some play at the deadline and has been mentioned at this site previously). In this scenario, Nick Schultz and Corey Potter are both sent away, Oscar Klefbom starts in the minors, and the Oilers start the season with Mark Fistric, Anton Belov, and our unnamed addition rotating through the 5-6-7 slots on the depth chart.

Recently around the Nation Network

Corban Knight, a top prospect who got some love as a potential Oilers trade candidate this week, has been dealt to Calgary instead:

Knight is a good addition to the Flames prospect pool. In the current top-15 rankings, he'd likely slot in the top-5 at the very least.

Click the link above to read the whole piece, or feel free check out some of my other pieces here:

Free Agent Centres: Western Conference

Jonathan Willis — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:50:49 +0000

With the likely departures of Shawn Horcoff, Eric Belanger and Jerred Smithson this summer, the Edmonton Oilers are in a position where they need to rebuild their depth chart at centre. Aside from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (who underwent surgery this summer) and Sam Gagner (an unsigned restricted free agent), the Oilers simply don’t have reliable NHL options.

Could some of the answers be found in this summer’s class of unrestricted free agents?

We’ll look at the Eastern Conference options later on; for now let’s look at the West.

The Western Conference Class

This isn’t a strong group, and it gets weaker once seen through the prism of the Oilers’ needs. The names that stand out to me are as follow (in alphabetical order).

Steve Begin. The 35-year old enjoyed a surprisingly effective campaign in Calgary after getting released by Vancouver last year and spending the season before that in the minors. He’s a smallish (6’, 192 pounds) agitator who hits, fights and kills penalties; there is no questioning his effort but there are better players on this list.

Kyle Chipchura. Chipchura really found a home in Phoenix the last couple of seasons after bouncing around the league over the last few years, but despite improved offensive totals he’s in the same range as most of the fourth-line guys on this list; he has yet to crack the 20-point mark in the majors and was never particularly prolific in the minors either. He has decent size (6’2”, 203 pounds) and fights more than most of the guys on this list but he’s not a regular penalty-killer and his on-ice totals aren’t particularly good.

Matt Cullen. He’s definitely a little on the old side (he turns 37 in November) but he’s coming off a very strong season and has been a reliable secondary offensive option for his entire career. Like Filppula, he plays centre and wing, both special teams and wins faceoffs (54.7 percent last year); at 6’1”, 200 pounds he’s also slightly bigger.

Valtteri Filppula. The Finn with the impossible to spell name is coming off a disappointing 2013 campaign, one where he picked up just 17 points over 41 games. On the plus side, he has a history of offensive production (generally in the 35-40 point range, though he recorded 66 in 2011-12), he can play both centre and left wing, he’s a strong faceoff man (winning 55.4 percent of his draws last year) and he just turned 29 in March so he’s in the prime of his career. He’s played on both special teams in Detroit, though primarily on the power play. As far as negatives go, there aren’t many; the most glaring one is that he hopes to cash in this year (reportedly seeking more than $5 million per season). He’s also a little on the small side (listed at 6’, 195 pounds).

Boyd Gordon. Bruce McCurdy wrote a nicely detailed piece on Gordon as an Oilers option a few days back; he’s a defensive specialist and a very good one. Like both Cullen and Filppula he’s a mid-size forward (6’, 200 pounds) and not overly physical; unlike those two he is a dedicated checking centre who has never topped 30 points in an NHL season. Ownership uncertainty in Phoenix means he may very well find himself looking for a new home this summer, but he’s a guy who likely tops out as a third-line centre.

Maxim Lapierre. Every time I say his name I feel the urge to duck; the Canucks agitator is roundly disliked in Edmonton but that doesn’t mean he would be a bad fit for the team. Like Gordon, he’s a defensive specialist who wins faceoffs, kills penalties and sits in the prime of his career; unlike Gordon he is significantly bigger (6’2”, 207 pounds) and extremely physical. Vancouver has been slow to talk to him, so he’s likely heading elsewhere this summer. His offensive numbers also have some possibility of improvement – like Gordon, he’s never cracked the 30 point barrier but he has been a ~20 point scorer in situations where he started almost exclusively in his own end. In a more balanced role, he might deliver more.

Manny Malhotra. One of the best third-line centres in the league between 2005 and 2011, Malhotra’s career is in some jeopardy after suffering a major eye injury near the end of the 2010-11 season. No player in the Behind the Net era has played more defensive minutes; given how close Malhotra came to zero offensive zone usage under Alain Vigneault it’s possible no player in NHL history has started a higher portion of his shifts in the defensive zone. The question is whether the 6’2”, 220 pound centre – who still kills penalties and excels in faceoffs – has lost his game to that eye injury, or whether he’d rebound if given less Sisyphean minutes.

Brad Richardson. Richardson has a Stanley Cup ring, but far more importantly once upon a time he fought Teemu Selanne:

He’s been an effective utility guy with the Kings, but unlike many of the other options here he isn’t a penalty killer and despite playing a chippy game he isn’t all that big. On the other hand, he’s had some pretty good offensive seasons for a fourth-liner – he was a point-per-game guy in the minors and despite poor totals the last few seasons has occasionally challenged the 30 point mark in limited minutes.

Jerred Smithson. Oilers fans have had an opportunity to see Smithson firsthand, and he isn’t especially exciting. What he might be is useful as the team’s fifth centre – the guy who sits in the press-box much of the time and fills in as needed. He kills penalties, wins faceoffs, makes safe simple plays and adds a bit of size (6’3”, 209 pounds) and a willingness to hit. If he comes cheaply enough, the Oilers could do worse in a reserve role.

David Steckel. The Oilers could do a lot worse than David Steckel in a fourth-line role. The 31-year old stands 6’6”, kills penalties, wins faceoffs (he’s one of the best in the league in that role) and has an above average physical game. He’s also a guy who does a consistently good job of limiting shots and chances against in a highly defensive role – over the last four years he’s generally been on the ice for three defensive zone draws for every two in the attacking zone. He doesn’t add a lot offensively – he’s in the 15-20 point range most years – but given role and minutes played that’s not bad.

Recently around the Nation Network

It's very possible that we could be witnessing the final days of the Phoenix Coyotes - after years of staving off relocation, it appears the club is in serious jeopardy of moving to Seattle:

Quoting a statement by Seattle's mayor, Mike McGinn, Hansen introduced a pair of potential investors to Seattle city council. McGinn said to KING TV, "As recent news reports indicate, it appears the NHL is taking the new ownership proposal seriously."

Click the link above to read the whole piece, or feel free check out some of my other pieces here:

OILERS DRAFT MOMENTS VOLUME 1

Lowetide — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:08:35 +0000

I like to collect draft stories, and over the years the Oilers have had some funny ones. Here are a few you might find amusing.

TONY HAND

Glen Sather: "Edmonton had a rivalry with Calgary for years and we never made any deals with them. I heard they were going to pick a Scottish player, Tony Hand, in the last pick of the draft, and I knew it because our scouts had been talking to their scouts. We ended up picking him one pick ahead of Calgary just to piss them off."

Fact: Sather was telling a story. Hand was in fact the last player selected in the 1986 NHL entry draft. Calgary didn't have a pick after Hand was selected. Good story, though.

FIRST NHL DRAFT PICK--MAKE IT OR DEAL DOWN?

In 1979, the Oilers had the 21st overall selection (final pick in round 1) and their draft board was setting up pretty well. A player they had ranked #10 overall was still available, but the Atlanta Flames were offering #23 and another pick later in the draft for him.

Fraser and the Oilers kept the pick and selected Kevin Lowe.

That 21st overall selection--if dealt--could have gathered a very famous NHL player.

NO BALLS

Scouting services were not convinced Ales Hemsky had the gumption to stand in against tough NHL defenders (and lord knows he was tested over the years). Redline Report said he had 'no balls' and The Hockey News scouting profile referenced it too.

THN: When scouts talk about Ales Hemsky, they mention Martin Havlat in the same breath for good reason. They’re both from the Czech Republic and are highly skilled wingers. Hemsky is a top notch puck carrier who can reach top speed in a few quick strides. He handles the puck with poise and confidence and is such a good stick handler he’s often double teamed. “He has great skills,” said a scout. “He is a typical European winger with good hands, good skills, great skater. Size is an issue but we all knocked Havlat a little too. He is very creative.” Hemsky has a quick and accurate shot. He had 100 regular season points and led Hull in playoff scoring with 5 points in 5 games. The knock on him, however, is that he is a soft player. “He could be a Martin Straka or a Havlat,” said a scout. “I’d take a flyer on him.”

Ladislav Smid: Never Safe

Jonathan Willis — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:35:48 +0000

Oilers observers spent much of 2013 wondering whether Ladislav Smid was going to be re-signed by the club or moved on deadline day. With the signing of a long-term value contract – four years with an average annual value of $3.5 million – that speculation ceased. Despite that, it’s far from certain that Ladislav Smid will be a long-term member of the Edmonton Oilers.

Things To Remember

1. Ladislav Smid was signed by the previous administration.

2. Ladislav Smid does not have a no-trade clause.

3. Craig MacTavish has emphasized mobility, puck-movement and quick decision-making from his defence.

4. The Oilers have a pressing need to add a top-pairing defender.

Eric Brewer

Photo: Herkie/Wikimedia

The Oilers aren’t going to throw away a player like Smid – despite his warts moving the puck, he has a great deal of value as a defenceman. He’s big, tough, plays an honest physical game and defends rather well. He has at times been quite good in a top-four role – notably towards the end of 2011-12 when he and Jeff Petry held their own as a top pairing for a significant stretch.

But the Oilers didn’t throw away Eric Brewer, either. They traded him and some spare pieces to St. Louis in exchange for Chris Pronger when that elite defenceman became available. It was, without question, the strongest move of Kevin Lowe’s managerial career, and one that worked out rather well for the Oilers.

If Edmonton finds themselves in a situation where they can add a legitimate top-pairing guy, Smid makes a lot of sense as a potential trade candidate – because he’s a good defenceman on a value contract in the prime of his career whose skillset isn’t a perfect marriage to the espoused philosophy of the new general manager.

Expectation

None of this means that the Oilers are on the verge of trading Ladislav Smid, or even that Smid won’t spend the rest of his contract in Edmonton. He is a good player on a good contract; generally those are the kind of pieces a team likes to keep around. Additionally, it would make no sense to trade him except in a very specific scenario where the Oilers had the opportunity to trade a package built around Smid for a superior defenceman; they don’t have the defensive depth to move Smid out without replacing him at the same time or very, very shortly thereafter.

All it means is that Smid’s name should be written in pencil, rather than pen, on long-term projections.

Recently around the Nation Network

For those who missed it, the Vancouver Canucks stepped in and signed a player who would have been a perfect for the Oilers organization: undrafted European goaltender Joacim Eriksson.

Just based on their respective contract status, I'd guess that Lack still has the inside track to be Vancouver's backup next season, while Eriksson is most likely to star in the Penticton Young Stars Tournament before being shipped out to Utica for most of the year where he'll battle with Joe Cannata for starts. If the Canucks don't pursue a veteran goaltender to replace the likely-to-be-traded-at-long-last Roberto Luongo, I wouldn't be surprised if the training camp battle between Eriksson and Lack turned out to be a hotly contested one.

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13-14 QUESTIONS FOR 13-14

Lowetide — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 00:49:41 +0000

Between now and training camp, we can expect a lot of changes. New GM Craig MacTavish will work all summer to upgrade the roster in areas of need--center, defense, goal. As we've done in past summers, let's have a look at some of the major questions and see if we can predict what is going to happen.

Who will they take in the first round? Sean Monahan Oilers have three strong options. Deal up for Barkov, stay the course at 7 and select Monahan, Horvat or Nurse, or deal down in hopes Horvat is there (with Curtis Lazar as a possible backup plan). I think there are so many attractive options before Monahan that he slips to #7 and the Oilers grab him.
Who will help Dallas Eakins coach? The Oilers have to put together a coaching staff that can come together quickly, so my guess is that Eakins adds Derek King from his AHL staff and the Oilers keep Steve Smith from last year's group. Mark Lamb completes the staff, with Kelly Buchberger moving to another role in the organization.
How will they improve the defense? MacT has already added the Russian Belov and I believe the club will be active during the summer, too. We've already heard rumors about Paul Ranger, and I believe Edmonton will add Russian defenseman Fedor Tyutin in a blockbuster deal. He'll help form a top 6D that might go Tyutin-Petry, Smid-J Schultz, N Schultz-Belov and Paul Ranger.
What's the 'wow' trade? I think the Howson connection sees Edmonton acquire Tyutin, L RJ Umberger and C Ryan Johansen from the Blue Jackets in exchange for Sam Gagner, Martin Marincin and Ales Hemsky.
Will they move Hall to center? No. I think the club will use Nuge, Johansen and two free agent signings/trades up the middle. I do not think Monahan makes the team under any circumstances. Among the candidates I can see arriving in Edmonton to play center: Alexander Burmistrov, Boyd Gordon.
Who will the Oilers sign to backup Devan Dubnyk? I think the Oilers will find a way to trade for a suitable backup, perhaps Eddie Lack from Vancouver. I do like Jason Labarbera, but will guess that Ben Scrivens arrives in Edmonton in a summer trade.
What will the top 2 lines look like in the fall? Nuge-Hall-Eberle with Johansen-Paajarvi/Umberger-Yakupov. The club may also attempt to sign a winger with size, but those guys are at a premium.
How many of their own rfa's does Edmonton sign? Only Paajarvi.
Surprise opening night roster player? Ben Eager.
What current roster player on another team has the best chance of being an Oiler in 13-14? Viktor Stalberg.
Where does Horcoff land? Detroit or Florida or Edmonton.
Why do they trade Gagner? Money. Tambellini not getting a long term deal done cost the Oilers. He blew it, and now MacTavish doesn't have enough coin.
Why did they let Hartikainen go to the KHL? Three things: he didn't get a lot done (read: anything!) at even strength in the NHL, his conditioning wasn't where it needed to be and he is not a natural PF--he's not a mean player by nature.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Nuge-Hall-Eberle
Johansen-Paajarvi-Yakupov
Burmistrov-Umberger-Stalberg
Gordon-Smyth-Brown
Lander-Eager
Tyutin-Petry
Smid-J Schultz
N Schultz-Belov
Ranger
Dubnyk-Scrivens

Nine additions. A summer of change.

Oilers’ prospect Kristians Pelss confirmed dead

Andrey Osadchenko — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 23:47:17 +0000

Latvian news agencies have confirmed the death of Oilers’ prospect Kristians Pelss.

This Friday night a body was recovered near Vantovy Bridge in Riga, Latvia next to Kipsala beach. The body has been identified as Kristians Pelss by his family members.

“We have identified the body. Family members confirmed it’s Kristians Pelss. We extend our sincere condolences to his family,” stated Latvian police.

Earlier this week Latvian police released news about an unidentified young man who either deliberately jumped or fell off Kamenny Bridge in Riga into Daugava river. The police had found the man’s clothes on the bridge. Witnesses suggested the man was Kristians Pelss, whose family was notified immediately.

He was reported missing this Monday after he landed in his home country. Despite the following picture appearing on Pelss’ Facebook profile, reports underlined his cell-phone was switched off ever since he left North America.

Edmonton Oilers already reacted to the news with the following statement.

“This is the news we feared. Kristians was an outstanding man and we feel terrible he has left us at such a young age,” said Oilers General Manager Craig MacTavish. “I can’t imagine how painful this situation is for the Pelss family. On behalf of everyone working at the Oilers, Oil Kings and our affiliate teams, as well as all of our fans, I offer our most sincere and deepest condolences to his family and friends. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with them as they work through this incredibly difficult time.”

Pelss was considered as one of the brightest young stars of Latvian hockey. He represented his country twice at the U18 World Championship and as many times at the World Juniors, captaining the team in 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton. He also appeared at the 2012 Memorial Cup as WHL champion with the Oil Kings. He split this season between the Stockton Thunder of the ECHL and Oklahoma Oil Barons of the AHL.

“I have so many things to say but what really needs to be said is this. Not only we’ve lost a great hockey player but we’ve also lost a great guy and a great friend. We lost our brother. Our hockey family lost a brother. However, he will always live in our hearts. Rest in peace, brother. Your smile will never be forgotten,” said Deniss Baskatovs, friend and former teammate of Pelss’.

Einars Pelss, Kristians’ father, is willing to build a monument in his son’s honor in his hometown of Preili (approximate population – 6,000 people). He is currently accepting donations.

The funeral date has not been set up just yet but it looks like it will take place this upcoming Wednesday.

Nation Network Mock Draft: Final Rankings

Jonathan Willis — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:04:26 +0000

Over the past few days, the readers of the various sites in the Nation Network have been voting on their rankings of prospects for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Today, we reveal the results.

Mock Draft Results

The Canadian teams come away with the following players:

Calgary: Sean Monahan (6), Robert Hagg (22), Mirco Mueller (28)
Edmonton: Elias Lindholm (7)
Montreal: Ryan Hartman (25)
Ottawa: Anthony Mantha (17)
Toronto: Kerby Rychel (21)
Vancouver: Valentin Zykov (24)
Winnipeg: Max Domi (13)

A lot of talent stays on the board for round two. Two way forwards like JT Compher and Jacob De La Rose, skilled forwards like Artturi Lehkonen and Connor Hurley, quality defencemen like Shea Theodore, Ian McCoshen and Steven Santini and many more.