Full Offseason V1

Équipe: 2023-24 Oilers d'Edmonton

Date de création initiale: 15 mai 2023

Publié: 19 mai 2023

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

This will act as a VERY in-depth look into what I would do this Oilers offseason. Including an entirely revamped front office, coaching staff and mock draft (alongside trades and signings of course) as well, currently going off the info I have, the cap will only go up to 83.5 (also mentioned by Holland in today's presser), however, Frank Seravalli suggested could go up 3-4 million, if so this would look wildly different.

- Front Office:
Chairman + President of Hockey Operations - Ken Holland
General Manager - Steve Staios
Assistant General Manager - Brad Holland
Head Coach - Jay Woodcroft
Assistant Coach - Dave Manson
Assistant Coach - Glen Gulutzan
Assistant Coach - Kris Knoablach
Goalie Coach - Corey Schwab
Video Coach - Jeremy Coupal
(AHL) General Manager - Ian Meagher
(AHL) Head Coach - Mark Stuart
(AHL) Assistant Coach - Josh Green
(AHL) Assistant Coach - Andreas Karlsson

- Front Office Moves Explained:
Much like we saw with MacFarland/Sakic in COL and McCrimmon/McPhee in VGK, Holland moves up (or takes sole possession) of being POHO while allowing his assistant GM in Steve Staios to become the full-time GM as teams will be interested in him. I still do believe Holland will be somewhat hands-on, and that is ok. He also takes the role of chairman, allowing Bob Nicholson to retire (PLEASE). Brad Holland stays on as assistant general manager while his dad is still in charge. Staios' right-hand man in Hamilton, Ian Meagher, ditches his role as an amateur scout in CAR to become Asst GM / AHL GM in Edmonton/Bakersfield. As the old boys club slowly fades away, we let Keith Gretzky walk as well. Talented hockey mind, but he can hopefully interview for some GM vacancies across the league. As for coaching staff, only change up in the main roster is bringing in former Erie head coach Kris Knoablach. Successful playoff campaign by his Hartford Wolf Pack this AHL playoffs, he interviews for another NHL role, slowly transitioning into HC potentially if/when Woody gets stale or with another team in 2/3 years. Dustin Schwartz gets sent to the MOON, and in comes a very good under-the-radar goalie coach in Corey Schwab. I think no job is safe in Arizona, as dysfunctional that franchise is, would likely be easily persuaded out of that club. Since retirement, Mark Stuart was an assistant coach with 3 separate teams, 3 years in a row. Here, we send him to Bakersfield as he gets to try his first go as Head Coach, Colin Chaulk did not have the best year and a half after being thrusted into the role. Former Condor Green stays on as AC and former Bulldogs AC Andreas Karlsson gets a go. First Euro coach in EDM's system likely ever, was a HC for SHL's Frolunda's U20 team, would be someone I trust in a development role in the AHL.

- Mock Draft
2 (45) - Tanner Molendyk (LD (Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
3 (95) - Felix Unger Sorum (C (Leksands IF (SHL)
4 (124) - Mazden Leslie (RD (Vancouver Giants (WHL)
6 (188) - ONE OF Tomas Suchanek or Thomas Milic or Yegor Zavragin

- Mock Draft Explained:
A very WHL heavy draft with a young Swede with huge upside and a steal candidate. Molendyk is an insanely speedy young man, great zone entries who I can 100% see slipping into the 2nd round. Got to see a lot of him tuning into the Pats / Blades Round 1 matchup, and my guess is that the Oilers organization did as well, with prospect Jake Chiasson being on the blades. Sorum is a candidate for our current 2nd round pick discussed on the Athletic (by a writer I forget lol), great u18 stats, from what I've heard he does not have that explosiveness or great skating, but luckily that is a very teachable skill with an NHL level skills coach. Leslie too is another WHL defender who is known to be a steady offensive dman. Right side offensive dman don't come all the time, and best to nab them up when they do. Lastly, for our 6th round pick I would look to a goalie. Both Suchanek and Milic are overagers but both did have great World Junior showings. Besides Rodrigue all we have is Samuel Jonsson in net, and in a draft I think is quite deep for goalies, would not be a bad shout to pick one up here. Yegor Zavragin is not a bad goalie pick either, as Oilers have had a keen eye with Russian prospects as of late (Petrov & Yevseyev)

- Trades
Not a lot of people can really come to the conclusion on what Parayko is quite worth. Is he considered an albatross due to his deal and bad back? Or is he a stable top 4 defencemen looking for a new home and stabilize a weak d core? I'm gonna go with the latter. Some whispers about Parayko moving at the deadline lead to some questions but inevitably did not get moved. I could see at least 1 of St Louis' top 4 being moved on from. In return here, St Louis pick up a former 8th overall pick in Broberg, and a very stable d man body replacement in Cody Ceci. Ceci has not had an objectively bad tenure with the Oilers, but in order for this to happen he needs to be moved on from. Broberg tho just is not quite getting it. Consistently the 7th best defencemen or 4th best left defencemen, on a win now team he does not provide value towards an immediate Stanley Cup within the next 2/3 years, so it's time to move on. Carter Savoie goes back the other way too in a prospect swap with Mikhail Abramov. Both didn't have stellar AHL seasons, Abramov comes over as a Russian to partner up with Petrov. Oilers also move into the 3rd, giving up their 5th. St Louis still gets a 1st round equivalent and a serviceable replacement for Parayko (as well as gain cap flexibility)

San Jose seems like a pretty reasonable spot for Yamamoto. Although in division, not so much of a game changer that the Oilers would be weary of playing him 4 times a year. However, SJS takes a flyer as their top 6 going through a lot of changes, will almost always get the chance to play with one of Hertl or Couture (aka a good NHL quality top 6 center) and has all the chances to succeed and move up the lineup! SJS essentially gives up a 3rd here and that's it, I see Gregor walking, I added him in this deal as I see EDM having interest, he could easily just walk and get signed.

With Parayko having us work to the cap limit, Foegele, unfortunately, is a cap causality. He had a pretty good season for us this year meaning we wont have to pay to get rid of him. Sucks, but we rely on rookies to pick up the slack.

I could see Wideman becoming unwanted in MTL quite swiftly, making under league min, we ask MTL to retain even FURTHER to give us even more cap flexibility. I'm sure MTL and MTL fans reading this would be content with any sort of return, Puistola is not a bad little prospect, hopefully they convince him over to NA.

The last trade here is a move-up for Tanner Molendyk. Fair value I would think? Mid 2nd for a late 2nd and early 3rd?

- Resign Phase / Free Agency
As theorized by Bob Stauffer, Bouchard gets 1 year at 3 million THEN gets paid 5-8 years next offseason when the cap goes up around 3-4 million. With Lucic's and Sekera's dead cap hit's gone, McLeod finally gets his well deserved deal. Lavoie takes league min to be flexible with the cap situation and likely start in the NHL, Gregor and Kostin take identical 2 year deals whereas Kemp, Philip and Rodrigue all come back too. Onto free agency, Bjugstad unfortunately would be too expensive to bring back, but Derek Ryan can come back on a 35+ veterans league min deal. 2 bonified top 6 players riddled with injuries last year in Pacioretty and Brown come in, sign league minimum bonus ridden deals. Good bounce back opportunity for the both of them IMO. Pacioretty has always been offensively gifted including a phenomenal start to the 21/22 season in VGK before an injury, getting to play with the 2 best players in the NHL will help that offensive firepower before he tries his luck elsewhere next offseason. Connor Brown too, almost acquired under 2 different Oilers GMs, same story, however the interest might carry over to an affordable extension the following offseason. In addition, Oilers pick up 2 enforcers in Baddock and McIlrath. Baddock was home grown with the Oil Kings, just a 4th line plug to protect the rookies as they come over to the AHL. McIlrath same sort of story but on defence, Desharnais, mean type of player but less tall (and skilled lol). Was certainly offered before to join, maybe he finally jumps ship?

- Lineup:
I think Lavoie definitely starts up in the NHL this year. I almost wanted to do Gagner with Lavoie being the first call up but decided not too (maybe he agrees to the PTO this year and challenges Lavoie?) Pretty self explanatory, 20 man, win the cup.

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