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My Goodbye + Some Oilers Content on the Way Out |
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For starters let me say an honest thanks to you, the readers for all your support, comments, and even the heated arguments over the years. Having the opportunity here to write about my favorite hockey team and share my thoughts with others has been an absolute blast through the roller coaster of emotions that has been the Edmonton Oilers.
I started writing for HockeyBuzz back in 2018, nearly 10 years ago. Here are just some of the blog titles I have had over the years which just goes to show how many changes this team has gone through:
On The Effectiveness of Drake Caggiula
Drafting At #8 - Cole Caufield
It's Time To Split Up The Draisaitl Line + Archibald Extended
NHL Suspends It's Season Amidst COVID-19
Reasonable Expectations: Kyle Turris
Oilers Officially Extend Jay Woodcroft
Oilers Fire Woodcroft - Knoblauch Reportedly Next Coach AND PAUL COFFEY
It's been a wild ride.
As to my departure, I knew going into these playoffs that this was going to be my last season writing here, however things ended for the Oilers. In my personal life I will be welcoming my first child into the world soon and quite simply I just don't have the time anymore to put my best foot forward in providing regular content. It's been a fun ride but it's time for me to ride off into the sunset.
So one last time let me say it's been my pleasure to write here, thank you to all of my readers and I look forward to keeping in touch with some of you on social media as I continue to watch games from the sidelines and give my thoughts (which is what a blog is for in case some of you were ever confused).
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Now onto the Oilers.
I'm not going to spend much time rehashing Game 6. The Oilers had a few chances early on and looked like they might be able to make something happen but their first mistake; a brutal pass by Ekholm which Bouchard could not handle led to Reinhart charging in and scoring on the first shot of the game. The second goal did technically start by a giveaway by Bouchard at the Panthers blueline but the Oilers still had numbers coming back and it was Edmonton's forwards who were weak on their assignments, giving Florida all the time in the world to take a shot which Skinner also couldn't save. That was the game right there. If Skinner finds a way to make one of those saves it's a one goal game and maybe Edmonton has life but that was not the case.
Credit to the Florida Panthers and GM Bill Zito for building arguably the most dominant team in the cap era. Maybe it's recency bias but I think this Panthers team has far more going for it than the Lightning ever did. Florida checked hard at every opportunity in every area of the ice and the Oilers, who were phenomenal through three rounds and breaking out from their own end were hemmed in constantly in every game. The third line of Luostarinen-Lundell-Marchand caused absolute havoc every time they stepped on the ice. I repeat... the third line. That is a dominant second line on most teams.
At the end of the day things simply dried up for Edmonton. They didn't have Zach Hyman. RNH was playing with a broken hand and aside from Corey Perry, the depth scoring that was so good through three rounds all but vanished. This allowed the Panthers to focus all their efforts on shutting down McDavid and Draisaitl which they did with high effectiveness.
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As the dust settles, where does this team go next season? The core which I believe is McDavid, Draisaitl, RNH, Hyman, Bouchard, and arguably Ekholm is among the best in the NHL and still well within their window to compete. After that there is a solid supporting cast of Podkolzin, Walman, Kulak, and I will put Stecher and Emberson in there as well that are signed next year. I will also add to that Trent Frederic who is reportedly signing a long term low cap hit deal with Edmonton. Frederic's play left a lot to be desired in the playoffs but this is a player who came back from a rough injury and his career numbers suggest he can be a strong top nine or maybe even a top six player.
Here is the Oilers depth chart based off this group going into next year:
_____-McDavid-Hyman
_____-Draisaitl-____
Frederic-RNH-_____
Podkolzin-_____-_____
Ekholm-Bouchard
Walman-____
Kulak-Stecher(Emberson)
With that all said here are the Oilers priorities this offseason in no particular order
1) Sign Conner McDavid
The highest priority for the Edmonton Oilers, similar to last summer with Draisaitl will be locking up their best player. Things are raw right now and players are angry but the Edmonton Oilers have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals two years in a row. McDavid wants to win here, his family have put down major roots in the city and I don't think for a second Draisaitl signs an 8 year deal last summer if he hasn't discussed with McDavid about his plans. I don't know if it will be an 8 year deal, a 5 or something else but I am not concerned in the slightest about this getting done.
2) Signing Evan Bouchard
My greatest regret about moving on from blogging is not being around to witness the Bouchard haters lose their collective minds when he signs an 8 year 10+ million dollar deal. Bouchard is among the elite in the NHL when it comes generating offense and moving the puck. Through all the playoffs Knoblauch leaned heavily on Bouch, leading the team in minutes played; penalty killing, powerplay, 5 on 5, he did it all. He can be a frustrating player at times in the regular season but he has now shown for two long playoff runs in a row that when the games matter the most he is elite.
3) Clearing Cap Space
You'll notice above there are a number of players that I did not include when discussing the core or strong supporting cast; Kane, Nurse, Arvidsson, Henrique, and Janmark I would love to all see gone next year.
Darnell Nurse is in year 4 of an 8 year deal worth 9.25 million. His contract feels untradeable but that was what everyone said about Seth Jones too before the Hawks managed to move him while retaining 2.5 million. The second part of any Nurse trade to keep in mind is that he has a full NMC and would need to be willing to waive it.
Nurse is the fourth best LD on this team behind Ekholm, Walman, and Kulak and once again did not show up in the playoffs in any really impactful way. I would be open to the Oilers retaining even 4 million in cap space because the remaining 5 mil they would save could be used to add a player far more impactful than Nurse.
Arvidsson, Henrique, and Janmark I think could all garner some interest by other teams and there are some teams in the NHL who could be convinced to add "Stanley Cup Finals" players and guys "who have been there." Henrique and Arvidsson both have NMC but Arvidsson in particular who was often a healthy scratch I think would certainly be open to moving on.
Evander Kane had some strong moments earlier on in the playoffs but his antics finally caught up with him in the Finals. He wasn't a physical deterrent and he didn't make life difficult for any of Florida's best players. Instead he took dumb penalty after dumb penalty which cost the team dearly and on top did not provide anything positively impactful on the scoresheet for the Oilers.
With one year left on his contract and a modified NTC I think there are teams who will have legitimate interest in Kane and if he can be used in a trade to acquire a younger player with term or the opportunity to sign with term than it is of far more benefit.
4) Add Skill and Youth
Jeff Jackson tried to add two top six wingers last summer in Skinner and Arvidsson; both failed miserably either because of what the player was able to bring, or how the coach chose to utilize them. Matthew Savoie should be a lock for the team next season with top six potential and feels like a natural fit alongside Draisaitl but Edmonton needs at least one legitimate top six wingers. If Edmonton can clear cap space, Ehlers feels like a perfect fit for this roster as a long term solution.
There are players we will see more of in training camp like Tomasek, Quinn Hutson, and Sam O'Reilly who will all have opportunities to make the team. Edmonton needs to get younger and start finding ways to get their prospects over the hump and become legitimate NHLers.
5) Goaltending
It is time to move on from Stuart Skinner. I won't go as far as some to say that he was the reason the Oilers lost this season but Skinner remains far too streaky to be depended upon. You might get three shutouts in a row from him, or you might get sub 0.800SV%. Edmonton needs a veteran goalie who regardless of how the team plays can be a calming and consistent force and bail the team out every now and then.
Maybe that is Gibson, maybe it could be Saros but regardless it is a position that Stan Bowman cannot ignore any longer.
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That is it from me. I wish all of you a wonderful rest of your summer and a final sincere thanks from me.
And as always...
Thanks for reading.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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