Jeff Skinner just signed an eight-year $72-million extension with the Buffalo Sabres instead of testing free agency. Skinner had a career-high 40 goals but only tied his career high in points with 63. Skinner scores goals. He’s had over 24 goals the past four seasons and over 20 goals in a full season every year…
In hockey, you hear about different ways to acquire talent. Build through the draft. Draft the Best Player Available and trade a surplus of talent at one position to fill a position of weakness. Sign elite talent when they become available a la John Tavares in Toronto or Erik Karlsson in this year’s free agency…
Leon Draisaitl had a career year last season, scoring 50 goals and 105 points. Draisaitl shot the lights out this past season. He scored on 21.6% of his shots. This season Ivan Barbashev, Greg McKegg, Valtteri Filppula, Brayden Point, Sven Baertschi, David Perron, Joe Pavelski, and Jayce Hawryluk all had a shooting percentage over 20%.
Last week, I looked at Ken Holland’s best moves in Detroit. Holland had a Hall of Fame run in Detroit. He won three Stanley Cups over 22 years as Detroit’s general manager. Holland had a ton of success, but that wasn’t without mistakes along the way. Trying to prolong a legendary playoff streak comes with…
Ken Holland is the new President of Hockey Operations and general manager of the Edmonton Oilers. Holland was with the Detroit Red Wings since 1985 and assumed the GM role in 1997. Holland’s wealth of experience in the NHL should help predict what he might do in Edmonton. I’m only including moves in the salary-cap…
The Edmonton Oilers fired Peter Chiarelli in late January. A replacement might finally be near. Kelly McCrimmon was the top candidate and he was promoted to the general manager’s position in Vegas this week. With McCrimmon out, the focus shifts to former Leafs assistant general manager Mark Hunter, current interim GM Keith Gretzky, Montreal Canadiens…
The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is the best. Rounds two, three, or four don’t compare. There’s so much hockey on and so many good storylines happening simultaneously.
The Edmonton Oilers need a new general manager. Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson is conducting interviews and reportedly onto the second portion of his general manager search. This might be the most important hire in recent Oilers history. Nicholson needs to nail this hire. His first pick, Peter Chiarelli, was as close to an outright disaster…
The Edmonton Oilers need wingers. Alex Chiasson was their highest scoring natural winger with 22 goals and 38 points. Both Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins spent significant time on the wing with Connor McDavid. If we assume one of Draisaitl or RNH is a winger next season, the next highest scoring winger signed for the…
The Edmonton Oilers hold the eighth-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The Oilers need more talent. Forwards, defencemen, or goaltenders. Should they trade the pick for immediate help? Would a legitimate top-six forward or top-four right-shot defenceman be more valuable than whoever they pick at eight? There’s been some real good players picked…
Baggedmilk dug into whether the Oilers can clear salary or not on Monday. He outlined movable and anchor contracts. It will be difficult. The Oilers can move salary, but only if they get creative. The organization needs to systematically change how they think and operate if they want to get out of salary-cap jail.
Game 82! It’s over. This isn’t the season anyone wanted, but it’s done. Now we can return to hoping they finally get things right, make the necessary changes in management, and surround Connor McDavid with the talent he god damn deserves. McDavid’s injury is pretty much the exact thing you don’t want to happen in…
