There are a couple of transactions involving Oiler players that Oiler fans should take note of.
Yesterday Edmonton recalled Mark Fayne from the AHL. His return has been necessitated by the cross check that Davidson took to the liver in the last game. Barring a miracle, Davidson is out until after the Christmas break. There was some speculation that Davidson would play and Fayne was replacing someone else, but it looks like that wont be the case.
Fayne isn’t a bad player, per se, but he hasn’t looked comfortable for long stretches so far this year. He has really dropped off from where he was a year ago and where he was a year ago wasn’t exactly high in the pecking order. He said the experience was very humbling, as one imagines it would be when any team can add you for free but chooses not to. Hopefully he comes back ready to go.
The other bit of news making the rounds was the rumour that bog Bogdan Yakimov would be leaving the Condors and moving back to his hometown KHL club.
HC of #Neftekhimik says Bogdan Yakimov to join team in 2 days, will terminate his contract with #Oilers #KHL
— Igor Eronko (@IgorEronko) December 21, 2015HC of #Neftekhimik says Yakimovhas a clause in his contract that allows him to return #Oilers #KHL
This sounds like a way for the Oilers to loan him to the KHL without him counting as one of their contracts, but I’m not totally comfortable with the legalities of the issue or the agreement between the KHL and NHL so I wish I could add more though I cannot.
Bogdan Yakimov finished last year very strongly before an injury took him out, but he’s once again been slow out of the gate. He has 20 GP, 3-4-7 with Bakersfield so far this year. That’s not the offensive progress anyone wanted to see from him.
He’s still only 21 years old and stands 6’5… and 232 pounds. He’s a giant center the Oilers would kill to have, if only he could straighten out some more offense or tighten up the defense. With that frame, if he can learn how to do one thing well that might be enough to get him onto an NHL roster.
The out clause in his Russian contract makes it possible for his return to Edmonton at a later date. I hope he sorts his game out but if he can carve out a living at home he might never want to come back. That’s the risk when drafting the Russians, though I have liked him as a prospect for some time now. NHL teams always have time for kids with his size. Always.
Lastly there was a report by Elliotte Friedman that the Predators called Edmonton about the availability of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The sense was, however, that they weren’t at all interested in moving any of Weber, Jones, or Josi.
Honestly, why even ask about RNH if you know you cant afford him? I wouldn’t bother a salesman’s time at a luxury car dealership if I knew I couldn’t possibly hope to pay for a car. It’s almost insulting to inquire and not be willing to part with one of those three.
RNH has been Edmonton’s top center since he broke into the NHL. He’s the best 2-way forward on the team and playing some good hockey. How terrible has Edmonton’s management been in recent years that anyone would even think it’s possible to steal a 1C from them for pennies on the dollar? I mean, maybe Yakupov moves relatively cheap, but not Nugent-Hopkins. Good gravy.
LINEUP
The Oilers recalled Fayne from the AHL yesterday and placed Ference on IR. Talbot gets his first home start since Halloween. Davidson is out due to the “push… (vicious crosscheck) he received in the last game.
Hall-Draisaitl-Purcell Pouliot-RNH-Eberle Hendricks-Letestu-Korpikoski Gazdic-Lander-Pakarinen
Sekera-Fayne Nurse-Schultz Nikitin-Gryba
Talbot
OILERS KEYS TO THE GAME
1) Fayne Back. Fayne jumps from the American Hockey League all the sway up to Edmonton’s top pairing tonight. I don’t know how long that will last, but the configurations have all been changed. It pushes Nurse down to the Schultz unit, making Nurse the defensively responsible one in his pairing. It also makes the 3rd pairing a tank unit of Nikitin and Gryba. The new-look defense is going to be an adventure, but I’m hopeful the Fayne-Sekera combination allows Sekera’s more subtle offensive ability to come out.
2) Dial J For Jultz. Justin Schultz remains in the lineup and he remains on the top PP unit despite every indication that he belongs in neither. Yes, this worries me greatly. The Jets are no shrinking violets and Justin Schultz is absolutely vulnerable to being pressured. The 2nd goal he was responsible for is an example of that. He was pressured by the forechecker then panicked. Puck goes off the boards to nobody and is picked off immediately. Goal. If he’s going to stick around it would be nice for him to step up and act like an NHL defenseman. He has to start contributing to the play in some way.
3) Pouliot In Top 6. I thought Pouliot looked really good in his return to the lineup. I even saw him hit a top speed that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. Pouliot has been a very good even strength offensive performance for his whole career. It is completely factual to say that since he’s been an Oiler, Pouliot has produced offense on a /60 minute basis at the same rate as Jonathan Toews. It’s a good thing for him to be back in the top 6 with RNH and Eberle. He belongs there. I don’t care that he takes offensive zone penalties either, because his aggressive nature is what’s keeping the puck in the offensive zone.
Puck drops at 7PM Mountain Time on Sportsnet West. Get Better, Connor! Follow me on Twitter @Archaeologuy