Zach Hyman - Exactly the player that the Oilers desperately need, a winger that can put up points, skate with McDavid, and can muck it up and provide lots of energy. 5.5 x 6 seems fair even if its a year longer than comfortable.
Blake Coleman - Another perfect Oilers fit. Good style of play for the Oilers and a skillset that can be shifted up, down, and around the lineup. 4 x 4 should be fair but wouldn't pay or go more term than that if its a bidding war.
Linus Ullmark - Can the Oilers PLEASE get a reliable goalie?? On a team as bad as the Sabres there was one shining star in Linus Ullmark. Not a huge sample size this year due to some nagging injuries but had the 6th ranked SV% at 5 on 5 in the NHL this year... not bad. He's performed well the last 3 seasons and could finally be the answer in net for this team. There is lots of talk of Dreidger instead of Ullmark, but I prefer Ullmark here. Firstly, Dreidger will most likely be selected in the expansion draft, and secondly he put up good numbers behind a very good Panthers team, as well as his playoff performance. Would not be upset with either but Ullmark would be my number 1.
Nugent Hopkins - KEEP NUGE FOREVER... that's all that needs to be said
Kailer Yamamoto - One of our best young players, bridge deal should be the smart way to go
Adam Larsson - A surprisingly good year on the 3rd pair for the Oil. Under sheltered minutes he performed very well defensively in my opinion and was a force along the boards and in getting dangerous pucks out of the zone. While he provides virtually nothing offensively, that is not what he will be paid for. Assuming Klefbom is healthy it would be nice to be able to pair the two swedes back together on the 2nd line. A bit of a pay decrease seems reasonable for someone that is purely a defensive defenseman, but if the Oilers can get 4 more years of a steady Adam Larsson, that would definitely be welcomed.
Jujhar Khaira - Extremely inconsistent but a big body that can cycle pucks and play with an edge to his game, small contract that can't hurt if it goes sour on the 4th line
BUYOUTS:
Neal & Koskinen - Overpaid for the services they bring, Neal has a very team friendly buyout that should be taken advantage of and unless you can find a GM to take on Koskinen for a pick or prospect he should be bought out as well
DEFENSE:
The way I saw the playoffs for the Oilers was that the defense was more than adequate, but the Oilers got out-goalie'd by Vezina winner Hellebuyck. Getting Klefbom back (fingers crossed), and the continued development of Nurse, Jones, Bouchard and Broberg should make a decent defensive group for Edmonton. Signing or trading for someone would just set their development back in my opinion.
FNAL THOUGHTS:
This team is so much more improved from last year and I believe stays the same defensively. Its clear the offense is much improved with the FA acquisitions and I think the defense should remain reliable with a decent mixture of young and old and offense and defense. Goaltending as well I believe is much improved with a sort of 1A and 1B system around Smith and Ullmark, the idea being Skinner can potentially come up next year and serve as backup.
Will all this happen? Probably not, but a sad Oiler fan can dream...
Let me know if i'm way out to lunch on any of these deals or if I have gone crazy thanks.
In an attempt to keep Caleb Jones from Seattle during the expansion draft, trading away a 2nd round pick and prospect Safin might be something for the Kraken to consider. Would even be willing to pay more for this deal to go through.
Firstly, I appreciate the thought out description. I do like the signings other than Coleman. Also Ik a lot of people like Caleb Jones but I don’t really understand why? If he gets taken in the expansion draft I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. Very good overall.
Thank you. The Coleman deal I could take it or leave it, I just like the thought of that Mcleod - Holloway - Coleman 3rd line but I agree that if it becomes a bidding war leave it. As for Jones I would give it another year fully in the lineup to see how he develops, I like his advanced analytics numbers and his two-way game. He'll most likely also be pushed out by Broberg soon if he develops into the player Holland believes he'll be, at which point you can recoup some value by trading him as an RFA at the end of the year, instead of losing him for nothing at the expansion draft. Plus Kassian needs to go, no better spot to try to dump him than in Seattle with a little sugar.
McDavid, Connor
250 000 $)
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