Don’t expect the Edmonton Oilers to trade up or down from the #8 slot. We haven’t seen a team trade up or down in the top-ten since 2008. We are more likely to see a team trade the pick for an NHL player than see a team move up or down within the top ten….
Sports debates are a lot of fun. You can sit around with your friends, or sometimes strangers, and debate the merits of different players. When doing so I always remember the saying from: “You are not entitled to your opinion. You are only entitled to what you can argue for.” Many philosophy professors use it….
Hello from Vancouver. I’m excited to report that Jason Strudwick found a way to only have a carry on for our three-night trip to the NHL draft. The fact it was even a discussion still blows my mind. But I digress. Let’s talk about the draft, Jesse Puljujarvi, overpaying pending free agents and more.
Last night the New York Rangers acquired Jacob Trouba from the Winnipeg Jets for Neal Pionk and the 20th pick (the pick they traded to NYR at the deadline) in Friday’s NHL draft. Trouba wasn’t going to re-sign with the Jets, so they had to move him, but this looks like a big win for…
This is one of my favourite weeks during the NHL calendar. I’ve covered the NHL draft since 2007, and it has changed a lot in the past 12 years. The draft itself has had some change (more on that later), but this lead up week has become one of the most active times for trades…
Keith Gretzky was a good hockey player. In 1985 he had 93 points in 66 games for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League and that summer the Buffalo Sabres selected him in the third round. Two years later he tallied 101 points in 64 games between Windsor and Hamilton. He spent seven seasons…
As the sporting landscape continues to evolve and grow, and female players and teams get more attention — as they should — I hope those players and coaches understand that criticism isn’t sexist. The Women’s World Cup of Soccer kicked off in France this past weekend. For the first time, the tournament has expanded from…
I still hear and read the term “buying free agent years” when people discuss NHL contracts, but I’m not sure it is relevant anymore. It is interesting to note that since a salary cap was put in place after the 2005 lockout, the salaries of NHL players has actually changed significantly. Players don’t have to…
We are days away from the start of the best 17 days of the NHL calendar. Sure, hoisting the Stanley Cup is the ultimate prize, but it only involves two teams in June. Once the Cup is hoisted by either the Blues or Bruins on Wednesday, then all 31 teams become involved again. The draft,…
Tyler Benson burst onto the hockey scene in 2012/2013 when he shattered the AMBHL (Alberta Bantam AAA) scoring title by racking up a ridiculous 57 goals and 146 points in only 33 games for the Southside Athletic Club. He was physically dominant at 14 years of age and not surprisingly went first overall in the…
Edmonton has hosted the NHL draft once. In 1995 the Edmonton Oilers had the sixth overall pick, and fans chanted “Doan, Doan, Doan” trying to encourage Oilers GM Glen Sather and head scout Barry Fraser to choose the 18-year-old from Halkirk, Alberta. It didn’t work, as they selected Steve Kelly instead. Kelly had blazing speed,…
Yesterday, Dave Tippett was announced as the 16th head coach in the history of the Edmonton Oilers. It will also be his 16th year as an NHL head coach, having spent seven years (six seasons due to lockout) in Dallas and eight years with the Coyotes organization. He signed a three-year deal, but he and…
