Edmonton Oilers

[The Comish]

We may see Holloway as soon as this season. But more realistically, a full year and another half season for Holloway in the minors before popping is the best bet for a timeline. It's the Ken Holland way. Think about the minors time for Yamamoto and Bouchard. We're an overbaking team now, like it or not (I tend to like it).

Yeah, I like overbaking as well, otherwise, your end result comes out all Yakupovy.

[Dennis]

Eric Engels@EricEngels

Sounds like Canadiens-Oilers will be the first game in Canada postponed this season due to Covid protocol.

[Axeman33]

All three games between MTL - EDM cancelled.

https://twitter.com/PR_NHL/status/13...893609989?s=19

The @CanadiensMTL’s games have been postponed through Sunday, March 28. https://t.co/zerM5CgqBf https://t.co/rkH8qw83RN

This sucks for those with Oilers in fantasy this week.

[metaldude26]

All three games between MTL - EDM cancelled.

https://twitter.com/PR_NHL/status/13...893609989?s=19



This sucks for those with Oilers in fantasy this week.

Better now than in the H2H playoffs, which has been my fear this whole season.

[Axeman33]

Better now than in the H2H playoffs, which has been my fear this whole season.

True, but it sucks for those still trying to get into the playoffs and need the wins.

[Zorro]

Yeah, I like overbaking as well, otherwise, your end result comes out all Yakupovy.

HaHa.. Great post!!

[metaldude26]

I gotta say, I don't love that the quarantine time has come down for players being traded into Canada. Makes it more likely that Holland gets caught up and does something brash. It also makes it easier for teams with a little more draft capital (basically everyone!) to make additions. We already saw it with Montreal adding Staal. You can bet the Jets will add a defenseman and the Leafs will add a player or two.

*

Last season's deadline sins are still in the back of my mind. The good news, Holland is on the record about his reticence to repeat the Athanasiou mistake. That said, it does feel like he will go back to the Detroit well at this deadline for one Luke Glendening. Without a 2nd, 3rd or 5th in this draft perhaps he is in their price range? But I assume most teams will take a sniff of the RH faceoff god so it's hard to see a 4th rounder getting it done, especially if they'll need Detroit to eat a salary going back. Damn it would be sweet if they'd eat Turris' deal (signed for next year too, smh) all for a 4th rounder, but that seems unrealistic.

While we're on Detroit, you gotta think that Jonathan Bernier is in Holland's sights as well. Perhaps not until the offseason, unless, again, the Red Wings would eat Koskinen's deal. Does dumping Turris and Koskinen for a couple of UFAs warrant the inclusion of the Oilers' 1st? You could argue yes, but Koskinen still has some value so that would be too steep. Detroit ate a year of Marc Staal for a 2nd, so if that sets the market you are probably looking at a 1st here, or at the very least dipping into the 2022 coffers for a few more picks.

But all that reinforces the unlikelihood of a significant deal getting done here.

With rumours that everyone outside of Larkin, Zadina and prospects available, I find my eyes wandering to Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi, but at what cost, and how to do it without cap space. It's fun to dream about what McDavid or Draisaitl could do with Mantha, or what awesome energy Bertuzzi could bring to any line on the roster but we're talking Broberg+ as a starting point if we're lucky and that seems out of reach as well. I'd jettison Broberg for either forward myself, but navigating the cap and added assets likely makes this impossible at the deadline. Perhaps this summer if the Nuge walks?

*

Drifting back to the most likely position to fill: 3C. Would you all be satisfied if they went forward with Khaira + Haas at 3C/4C, with Shore and Turris as the backup plans? Or should they be parsing the pu pu platter of veteran defensive (equally likely to mean lacking offensive talent as affirming any actual defensive talent) centermen that have been rumoured like Glendening, Brandon Sutter or Chris Tierney?

Given the lack of assets and cap space, this is probably all they can get done at this deadline. So I do wonder, why bother?

I'd be happy with any of these names + a dump of Turris for a couple of later picks, but without a contract dump I am left cold. I'd rather call up Ryan McLeod for the playoff run and see if he can't stand in on a checking line, and also get Dylan Holloway signed and give him a spin than to spend picks on a rental just to say we did something.

[Axeman33]

He might not be a sexy name but I'd love to have Glendening here taking those defensive draws and killing penalties. He'd be a solid upgrade to that bottom six IMO. Getting Turris moved for him would be ideal but at what cost?

I don't expect Bernier as an option until the summer when they have a bit more space. They gain something like $2.5M just from previous buyouts changing up. I wonder if they look at buying out James Neal this summer too. Using capFriendly's buyout tool, it would save them $3.8M for the next two seasons and then cost them $1.9M for two more after that. I wonder if they gamble on the cap floor rising by that time.

[metaldude26]

He might not be a sexy name but I'd love to have Glendening here taking those defensive draws and killing penalties. He'd be a solid upgrade to that bottom six IMO. Getting Turris moved for him would be ideal but at what cost?

Yeah, I still can't get there. Dude has some of the worst GF% and xGF% numbers on the Wings. I get that they are bad, but if he's the worst then how is he helping when he comes to the Oilers. Strong FOW% is nice, but if it's not leading to better goal rates, what's the point?

This feels like a classic case of Nichols' Law of Catcher defense, where because the guy has no offensive talent he gets a defensive reputation, regardless of if he is actually good defensively.

[chuckcouples]

Luke Glendening is a much worse hockey player than Gaetan Haas. Winning faceoffs does not help the team much. Jason Gregor talked about this in his blog this week.

https://oilersnation.com/2021/03/26/...es-and-more-4/

[metaldude26]

I am so bummed about Dylan Holloway's broken thumb. Was really hoping he could come in and contribute right away and make that one less deadline move the team needs to make.

[hockeyrobot]

I think a 2nd round pick for Glendening is a great move for everyone

[tweetdrivr]

I think a 2nd round pick for Glendening is a great move for everyone

Everyone = the Red Wings

[Axeman33]

https://twitter.com/oilersaccess/sta...984177156?s=19

Elliotte Friedman believes that Luke Glendening is "very much on Edmonton's radar."

This is the second time a big insider has mentioned Glendening with the Oilers.

[chuckcouples]

Giving up anything for Glendening is not a good trade for the Oilers. He does not contribute anything on the ice to a winning hockey team. He's much worse than Gaetan Haas.