According to our own Jason Gregor, the Edmonton Oilers have signed forward, Markus Granlund, to a one-year contract.
The Oilers are kicking off their free agency period with a new goalie and a new bottom six forward in the form of Markus Granlund. Last season, the 26-year-old centre/winger played in 77 games with the Vancouver Canucks in a defensive role (41.4 oZS%) and I imagine it will be much the same with our beloved Oilers. Despite having some decent offensive skills and playmaking abilities, Granlund has never really been able to have them translate consistently at the NHL level, though, he did register 19 goals with the Canucks back in 2016-17.
Last week, Gregor wrote about Granlund as a potential option for the bottom six:
Markus Granlund scored 19-13-32 in 69 games in 2017, then got banged up in 2018 and produced 8-4-12 in 53 games and last season potted 12-10-22 in 77 games. All three season were with the Canucks. He, along with Brandon Sutter, were their top two PK forwards in PK TOI the past three seasons. The Canucks PK was 29th in 2017, 21st in 2018 and 11th last season. He is listed as a C, but he has played more wing than centre the past three years. He was sixth, seventh and sixth on the Canucks in total faceoffs in each of the past three seasons. His GF% at 5×5 is an ugly 40%, and the rest of his underlying numbers are less than ideal. I’d pass if anything more than a one year deal.
In Granlund, the Oilers pick up a player that will be able to help chip in with a little bit of offence from their bottom six, something they sorely lacked in 2018-19, but I wouldn’t expect too much more than that. What will be interesting, though, is seeing how this affects the rest of the bottom six. Obviously, someone will need to come out to clear a spot for our new toy and it will be interesting to see what else Old Dutch has up his sleeve.
In 77 games played with the Canucks last year, Granlund scored 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points while averaging 15:03 in time on ice. If you’re into the fancies, Granlund posted a CF% of 48.5, a PDO of 99.7, and an xGF of 32.3 last year in Vancouver. At the time of posting, Granlund’s contract details have not yet been released but I’ll be sure to jump in and update things as news comes out.
***UPDATE***
The #Oilers have signed 26 y/o C Markus Granlund to 1 yr $1.3M Deal. Will be UFA. Was UFA after not Qualified (1 Yr $1.475M)
12G 22P 77GP. On ice 45% 5v5 GF, 47% Expected GF, 49% Corsi. Scored 1.1 P/60.
Rep'd by Gandler/Diamondhttps://t.co/Jc4Aoe89Ls
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) July 1, 2019
GRANLUND’S NHL CAREER SO FAR
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | PGP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014-15 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 48 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 16 | -4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014-15 | Adirondack Flames | AHL | 21 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 14 | -2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015-16 | Stockton Heat | AHL | 12 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015-16 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 31 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 8 | -1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015-16 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | -3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016-17 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 69 | 19 | 13 | 32 | 14 | -19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017-18 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 53 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 8 | -10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018-19 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 77 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 20 | -4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL Totals | 301 | 55 | 42 | 97 | 72 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Not an sexy but an improvement on Brodziak/Cave as 3/4 center.
How ironic that Oilers fans slam the Canucks but when you sign one of our RFA’s that we don’t even qualify, you snap him up and it’s an automatic upgrade to your bottom 6.
Cos it sadly is…
Hopefully some stabilization for the bottom 6. Though, is this guy perpetually injured ??
Not perpetually injured, just often underwhelming. Useful, but reeks of always being a depth guy. If he teases you with flashes of potential upside, don’t be surprised if it fades away. If your team is decimated by injuries, and you have to put him up the lineup, you could do worse. He is not totally bereft of skill, but you’d like more in wingers to play with your studs, and he’s proven at the center position he’s 3rd line at best. Very best…..
As a 3 C I dont mind it, I gather this is a show us deal to see if when Grandlund is healthy if he can be better, not a bad thing and if he can help on the second PP and PK that’s a bonus
Don’t hate it.
I’d like them to still take a stab at Boyle and Hartman as cheap options. Granlund as your 3C and Boyle as 4C. Based on his play last year, Brodziak is not a competent NHL player anymore. Can’t be a regular in the lineup.
Bring a Boyle too if you can.
Please no more slow, old, on a downward spiral players.
Granlund a nice signing by Holland.
Granlund obviously signed for depth and a mentor for Puljujarvi. I’m okay with it.
Hit up my a couple of my Canucks fan friends. Basically they’re not sad to see him go. But both have said there is potential there and he is a useful player in bottom six.
I see it as a pk guy who will be able to provide a little secondary scoring. We need both. I Like the signing.
I like it too. Scored as many as 19 goals in a season and is only 26. Two way player with upside. Good bet for depth scoring
The 19 goal season was inflated by playing with the Sedins late in the season and a high shooting %. Don’t expect that again but he should give you at least 10G-10A in the middle-6, possibly more.
Same here. Spoke to some Nuck Fans (not the obnoxious kind) whom had mixed emotions on him. More upside than not.
Despite my previous comment above, you guys are getting an extremely versatile guy on the cheap that I personally would have retained for the Canucks. You got a C/W that can play anywhere up and down the line-up, give you 20-30 pts, kill penalties, play the 2nd unit PP, take face-offs, and do the shoot-out. Granlund doesn’t do anything particularly well but he can do literally anything. And you’re paying him less than what we paid.
Another Canucks fan, and it’s not unusual for me to agree with F1915, he nailed it. I actually think Granlund could post decent numbers playing with your best forwards, but you’ve seen that show in a few incarnations. We saw it as well with the Sedins, and Granlund was one of those.
I wouldn’t have minded keeping him around, but you guys refuse to take Eriksson so we have to dump someone. He is at least able to play all bottom 9 positions without embarrassing himself.
The biggest problem is he’s ok at the grind game, and responsible defensively, but he often plays that role like his heart isn’t in it. He’s not lazy, or low in hockey IQ, I just think he wants to be his brother but lacks the skill. Bit of a crapshoot as to what you get with him, but at the price, he’s NHL depth, not an AHL’er who will look like he’s in over his head.
Yawn!
Not too shabby I guess
Finally a positive comment?
experienced depth forward at $1.3 mill that can PK and score 12-15 goals. I am completely fine with this signing. Not sexy, but practical.
I think Granlund is an up grade from all the others that tried and failed and are now gone or buried in the system. I can also see a trade down the road that most likely will be for a top six kind of player. Alot can still happen and hearing holland in his presser i get the feeling he’s a lot smarter than we know, and i think he will get us something that helps the team in a good way.
He can play any forward position and is a pesky fore checker. If oil make playoffs you’ll see his value.