It’s just another Manic Monday for the Edmonton Oilers who have been dealt a potential kill shot just weeks before the January 21 puck drop on the 2021 NHL Return To Play.
The Oilers’ blue line will have to play this season without Oscar Klefbom, the difference making 25:00 TOI top for defenseman.
One wonders why Klefbom’s injury (he has a history of serious shoulder injuries) had not been addressed immediately after the Oilers were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs in August. The Chicago Blackhawks punted the hub-city host Oilers out of the NHL's post-season tournament by beating them three games to one in the qualifying round.
Losing Klefbom for the entire season is a tough loss for the Oilers.
In 378 career NHL games, Klefbom has scored 34 goals and 122 assists for 156 (55 power play points).
#Oilers GM & President of Hockey Ops Ken Holland tells @Bob_Stauffer on @OilersNow defenceman Oscar Klefbom is officially out for the 2020-21 season & is hoping to be ready for the start of the 2021-22 campaign.
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 21, 2020
Klefbom’s shoulder injury will cause him to miss the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign. The Oilers are hopeful that Klefbom will return healthy for the 2021-22 season.
In 62 games last year, the 26-year-old Swedish puck mover scored five goals and 29 helpers. The Oilers were projecting more offense from Klefbom this season.
Losing Klefbom for the season leaves a gaping crater on the Edmonton blue line.
Ken Holland is no doubt working the phones right now looking for a plug and play top four defenseman whom can replace Klefbom at even strength and can run a power play unit.
The Oilers can I’ll afford to start slow in the ultra-competitive Canadian Division. Calgary, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa are going to be hard to beat on a nightly basis. Under the new return to play rules, the top four teams in each of four divisions will earn playoff berths. Today, the Oilers are susceptible to being exploited by their aggressive Canadian cousins. That’s why it is imperative for Holland to make a hockey trade to reinforce the integrity of Connor McDavid’s team.
Holland could try to fill the Klefbom hole with youngsters Ethan Bear or Evan Bouchard. It's asking for a Christmas miracle to ask a young kid to dominate at his position for 56 games in 116 days during the 2021 return to play. There will be a ton of three-games-in-four nights sets and four=games-in-six-nights clusters which will wear heavily on the veterans and the kids.
Klefbom is the owner of a $4.167M AAV which can be parked on the long term injury reserve (LTIR).
The Klefbom news is crippling to Oilers D corps which is thin. Klefbom played 25:00 TOI and ran a PP unit. Ken Holland will be looking for a T4 D-man and #Sabres have more than one NHL vet T4D
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) December 21, 2020
According to my friends @PuckPedia , the Oilers find themselves smashed up against the $81.5 million salary cap. In fact, the Oilers are one of ten teams that has zero salary cap space today.
Holland may want to call Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams to inquire about one of his veteran defenseman.
The Sabres will nine defenseman fighting for a roster spot in training camp.
Veterans Rasmus Dahlin, Rasmus Ristolainen, Jake McCabe, Henri Jokiharju, Colin Miller, Brandon Montour will lead the charge with prospects Will Borgen, Jacob Bryson and Casey Fitzgerald fighting for NHL roster spots.
Adams and Ralph Kreuger have been looking for an upgrade in their goal crease.
For example, the Sabres can trade veteran puck mover Colin Miller ($3.875M AAV x 2) to Edmonton. Include 35 year old goalie Carter Hutton ($2.75M AAV, UFA July 2021).
Adams would be wise to demand Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen and a prospect forward in a trade for Miller. The Sabres have cap space and can absorb a portion of the combined Miller-Hutton cap hit.
In 38 games played last season, Koskinen went 18-13-3 with a 2.75 GAA and .917 SV%. Koskinen, 33, has a modified no trade clause and is $4.5M cap hit for the next two seasons.
The Sabres will have their top goalie prospect Ukko Pekka Luukkonen in AHL Rochester this season. Presumably, UPL will be in Buffalo next season if and when he passes his audition. I like the idea of having Koskinen mentoring and supporting UPL in his eventual transition to the NHL.
Thanks, Oilers TV