Free agency begins…Oilers sign Fayne and Pouliot
By Jason Gregor
9 years ago
The Dallas Stars got a jump on the rest of the NHL when they acquired Jason Spezza and Ludvig Karlsson for Alec Chiasson, Alex Guptill, Nicholas Paul and 2nd round pick in 2015.
The West continues to get stronger, and if the Oilers plan to become competitive in two years they must develop Leon Draisaitl correctly. You need elite centres, two of them, to compete in the western conference.
The Oilers won’t get an elite centre in free agency, but they will try to find some quality veterans to help the Oilers young core become more competitive.
BREAKING…Oilers sign Mark Fayne to a four-year deal at $3.5 million/year and Benoit Pouliot for five years at $4 mill/year.
Former Oiler, Ales Hemsky, signs in Dallas for three years at $4 million/year
Oilers sign Keith Aulie to a one-year deal. Good depth guy. He can be a #6/7 and it is better that he sits in the pressbox instead of a young D-man.
The Oilers will try to land a centre, a 3rd line left winger a 4th line right winger and some D-men.
They will go after players like Legwand, Goc, Grabovski, Jokinen, Boyle, Kulemin, Pouliot, Winnik, Fayne, Engelland, Stralman and Dan Boyle.
If they can land two of those players that would be a good day, if they get three would very good. We’ll see what happens.
We will update you as the day unfolds.
Also, before we get to hockey I’d like to say Happy 147th birthday to The True North Strong and Free. I’m extremely lucky to have been born in this great country and make sure you celebrate our great Nation today.
QUICK HITS…
- With Dallas trading for Spezza, this puts even more pressure on St.Louis to try and sign Stastny. I like Stastny a lot, but if he gets $7mill/year that is huge money for a guy who is a great 2nd line centre.
- Jarome Iginla and the Bruins might have to part ways because the Bs have limited cap space. Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Colorado and Detroit are interested. The Avs really like Iginla and want his experience and if they lose out on Stastny, which seems likely, they could go hard after Iggy.
- Dave Bolland is my pick for biggest overpayment. Who is yours?
SIGNINGS BEGIN…
- Penguins sign Ehrhoff for one year at $4 million. Good signing for Pens, especially with Maatta coming off shoulder surgery.
- Manny Malhotra signs a one year, $850,000 deal with Montreal. Malhotra continues to be a great feel good story….
- Mark Fayne at four years $3.5 million is a solid signing, but I don’t see him more than a #4 long term. The most important part of this signing is that means the Oilers don’t have to rush their young D-men.
- Pouliot’s five years concerns me. Time will tell, but that money for five years could be an issue in the future. He has played on five teams in five years. The Oilers needed a proven NHL player and he is that, but five years is major risk, IMO. Pouliot is a former #4 overall pick, so he does have some skill. I like that he is very aggressive on the forecheck and he will give the Oilers a good puck retriever.
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