The Oilers have dipped into the waiver wire to add some depth to their wings. The team has claimed Valentin Zykov off of waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes.
Zykov heading to the #LetsGoOilers https://t.co/3ThHjuPDkJ
— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) November 30, 2018
Zykov was originally drafted by the L.A. Kings in the second round of the 2013 and he was then traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in a deadline deal involving Kris Versteeg back in 2016. He’s a big, strong, winger who uses his size to excel down low and in front of the net. He also possesses a good shot and high-end stick skills.
Zykov, a 6’1″ winger from Russia, has put up really good numbers in the AHL, but it hasn’t translated to the NHL at this point. Last year, he scored 33 goals and racked up 54 points in 63 games for the Charlotte Checkers, good for most on the team in goals and second for points. He also scored three goals and seven points in 10 games with Carolina in the NHL last season.
He’s on a two-year deal with a cap hit of $675,000 so there’s virtually zero risk attached to this claim. Zykov, given his skill and success in the AHL, is someone who could catch fire if played in the right situation here. If it works out, he’ll be a bargain for his cap hit. If not, then he can be thrown back on waivers and the team can try again with somebody else. Maybe do Zykov with Ryan Spooner as the wingers around JJ Khaira and have that be the line Connor McDavid double shifts with occasionally.
I imagine Patrick Russell, who doesn’t require waivers, will be sent back down to AHL Bakersfield to make room for Zykov. I’d like to see Zykov in a top-six role, but I don’t know who of Jesse Puljujarvi, Alex Chiasson, or Drake Caggiula I would take out of that mix right now.
I wrote about acquiring Zykov in the WWYDW earlier this week, Christian Pagnani suggested the Oilers should claim him yesterday when he went on waivers, and Dusty Nielson talked about him yesterday in Inside The Nation.
VALENTIN ZYKOV’S CAREER SO FAR
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015-16 | Ontario Reign | AHL | 43 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016-17 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 66 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 57 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2016-17 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017-18 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 63 | 33 | 21 | 54 | 45 | -13 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| 2017-18 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 10 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018-19 | Charlotte Checkers* | AHL | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 16 | -1 | |||||
| 2018-19 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | -1 | |||||
| NHL Totals | 25 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 2 |
Source: Elliotte Friedman, Verified Twitter Account, 11/30/2018 – 10:03 am MST
I would prefer them to send Garrison down on waivers. Keep Russell and ffs, play rattie at some point.
Why? He’s bad in a bottom 6 role, adequate in top6. Drake and chassion are better right now
Did you buy a Rattie jersey?
You must be confusing Patrick and Kris.
You know the old saying ….”you don’t know what you got till it’s gone” I sure wish Chia never moved Strome.
A bonehead trade made for no other reason than to say look I’m trying to get better. Numbskull trade. Hitch would LOVE Strome
I am probably correct in saying that Hitchcock knows every attribute that Strome has. (both Strome’s in fact).
As well as knowing what Spooner will bring to the table eventually.
Just a hunch.
2 goals 3 assists in 25 games.. Still can’t win a face off and hasn’t gotten any faster.. and winning at a higher rate without him so far. NY
I was someone who really thought Strome would come to Edmonton and really become a strong presence. I thought he was a slow skater, but maybe a change of scenery and not needing to be the number 1 or 2 centre would lead to some positive results.
Boy, was I wrong. Not only was he just average last year, this year he was that much worse. No, I don’t miss him at all. I’d rather have Spooner’s skating ability in this line-up than Strome’s. The Oilers are already very slow and definitely does not need Strome.
Ya and leveled off the opposition. Wasn’t scoring ..correct…but wasn’t giving anything up. That has value
4th line i guess.
Zykov-Spooner/Khaira-Rattie? 4th line that can put the puck in the net?
Claimed off waivers. Does this mean we can`t put him down to the AHL for a month?? We HAVE to slot him somewhere??
Anyone else get the feeling Chia is throwing $hit against a wall and seeing what sticks?
He was named the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s rookie of the year in 2012/13 after finishing first in league rookie scoring with 75 points. He had more points than any other rookie in the CHL, and edged out 15-year-old sensation Connor McDavid as CHL rookie of the year.
Maybe, probably, but if you don’t shoot, you don’t score.
See what he can do…a right handed shot is welcomed..it’s not like the wingers on this team are filling the net (chaison is on fire right now and draisaitl has scored)..how about try
Zykov-mcdavid-draisaitl
Chaison – nuge- pool party
Lucic- brodziak – kassian
Caguilla – JJ – rattie/reider when healthy….gives nuge a veteran to play with along side pool party and see if zykov can be the right shot mcdavid and draisaitl can tee up…could be found money
And spoon man can bang on pots and pans in the press box.
I guess Spooners nick name is “cuddles”…….personally I think that’s pretty funny.
Almost as good as Huggy Bear from a few years back.
Cagg-McD-Chias
RNH-Drai-Zykov/PP
L-B-K
Spoon-Khaira-Rattie/PP
Your second line looks slower than the third line.
It’s PACE OF PLAY bud not who skates the fastest.
Drai/McD/Chia
Cagg/RNH/Pulj
Rieder/Spoon/Zykov
Luc/Brodz/Kass
Extras: JJ and Rattie
Would be nice if Spooner can turn into a playmaking C for that 3rd line
Let me get this straight, so 10 other teams passed on Z and some of you want to put him on a line with McOil?
Why not?
McDavid makes everyone he plays with better.
Not Lucic!
Or Hall.
Opportunity cost.
It’s not McD’s job to make other people look good. It’s their job to make McD look great by capitalizing on the chances he creates.
Tons of Oilers fans shock their heads when they signed Chaisson and Kostinen. How wrong they were if he doesn’t work, put him on waivers. Hitch may be able to put him in the right spot to get the most out of him.
Oil have a playoff spot right now?
In defense of ‘tons of Oiler fans’, they probably assumed the team would have a starting goalie and atleast 4 top 6wingers after a decade of rebuilding and that Koskinen and Chiasson wouldn’t get as much ice time or opportunity as they have.
Shame on oil fans for assuming their team didn’t completely suck still
I hate the fact that you are bang on with that comment
More teams passed on Chiasson and he’s done pretty well in the top 6.
What does Chiasson’s success have to do with anyone else?
Have you ever watched Oilers hockey?
It took the classic team years to find wingers for Gretzky-Kurri, and, Messier-Anderson.
I agree. The author’s vapid suggestion that he play top-6, replacing who knows, for what reason, when Zykov has no NHL success, can’t be taken as anything other than last week’s donair, floating in the bowl.
I predict he will be released unconditionally, after a few moments of hope.
Obviously, Lewis has no idea that Hitchcock plays people who work, who defend, who win.
The saviour
I’m excited to see what he can do. He has all the tools, just needs to let Hitch to do his magic. A steal IMO.
No he doesn’t have all the tools. He’s only an adequate NHL skater
Read my post above…
A player with offensive upside for nothing? Something they need. No brainer – good get Chia.
Chiasson has a ridiculous and unsustainable shooting percentage. It will regress with Oil secondary scoring.
No, it won’t.
He picks the pockets better than a gypsy in a crowded Rome stadium.
He’s a sneaky Chianese.
Way to go out on a limb on that prediction…
All rebuilding teams should trade for Hall.
He got the Oilers McDavid and by the looks of it he’s going to get something nice for the Devils too.
Gold Jerry! Gold!