Équipe: 2022-23 Oilers d'Edmonton

Date de création initiale: 24 juin 2022

Publié: 24 juin 2022

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

After squaring off against the Oilers in the WCF and watching the evolution of the team under Woodcroft; here are a few ideas that I would use to get Edmonton over the hump.
Moving Tyson Barrie and signing bridge deals for Puljujarvi/Yamamoto are the only way to make it work. No way to re-sign Evander Kane or any other big name UFA. Kulak and the other UFA I didn't sign just aren't worth much.
There are not enough draft picks or cap space to even think about offer sheets but gaining one back in the Tyson Barrie deal helps with the trade deadline options.
Another $2 million opens up next year from buyouts/dead cap but that needs to be re-invested in Stuart Skinner or other goaltending.
I signed Holtby to a 2 year deal to be 1B to Mike Smith and an injury hedge as well as Cup-winning mentor to Skinner going into next year as well. If Skinner can beat him out then great, but if not then I feel as good about that as I do with Smith in the net.
Duncan Keith's contract expires right when Evan Bouchard hits RFA.
Extending Ryan McLeod to his UFA years was a big priority; he was a very effective forward in our playoff series.
Adding Chychrun, Namestnikov, Larsson, and Hakanpaa (while also pushing Keith to 3rd line duty) improves the overall team defense. With Bouchard's development and the addition of Chychrun the defense will be more skilled at activating the play while remaining defensively sound. Chychrun's arrival also helps Nurse more than anyone else; as he can focus on the shutdown role; ease of all the hard minutes and probably stay healthy for another deep run.
If Marody, Holloway, or Broberg push for roster spots then all the better, but I'm keeping them in the back pocket for now.

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