Resolution of Ryan McLeod contract situation tops Ken Holland's priority list as Oilers enter camp

But it’s unlikely to be a two- or three-year extension as both sides had hoped. That was dependent on the Oilers having made some sort of move to create additional cap space, something which hasn’t happened to this point. So Holland’s current stance is that they are “probably” looking at a one-year deal.

Having just completed his Entry Level Contract, McLeod had no arbitration rights and precious little negotiating power this summer, at least in terms of the first year of any contract he would sign. If it turns out to be just that one-year deal, the club can drive a hard bargain, even as they clearly value the versatile young forward.

There’s plenty of precedent for this around the NHL (remember Kevin Labanc?), with one standout case within the Oilers’ organization serving as a fine example. One year ago Kailer Yamamoto was in a similar boat as McLeod is now, a promising player at the end of his ELC with his future stretching in front of him like a prairie highway. After a spate of trades and free agent signings last summer, the Oilers were up against the cap ceiling that time as well. Despite both sides expressing hope for a longer deal, they waited until the eve of training camp (Sep 18) before settling on a one-year bridge deal at $1.175 million. Very possible promises or at least blueprints were exchanged about future negotiations at that time.

That turned out to be a value deal when Yamamoto delivered a 20-goal, 41-point season. Come the off-season, Yamamoto exercised his newly-won arbitration rights to kick-start negotiations. The case never reached the arbitrator as in early August the two sides agreed to terms on a two-year extension at $3.1 million.

Would Yamamoto’s 2022-23 cap hit be lower if he had agreed on a multi-year bridge last summer? Most likely, yes, but there wasn’t the wiggle room to do it.

Same goes for McLeod right now, and with the trading window all but closed as the 32 teams take to camp it seems likely that Holland will choose the expedient solution of a one-year deal. Set the over/under at $1.0 million, then bet the “under”.

Holland seems resigned to the likelihood that he may be entering the season without sufficient cap space to run a 23- or even 22-man NHL roster. That will lead to a different kind of headache, as the GM tries to balance the importance of putting bonus-laden ELC’s on the opening roster against the potential exposure of placing useful veterans on waivers. Those ELC’s (notably Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, possibly Xavier Bourgault) can be freely sent to the minors before the opening roster is set, but an in-season recall would result in their salary PLUS bonus being charged against the cap.

A few players aren’t available as per Holland:

No word on RW Raphael Lavoie, RW Ty Tullio or RD Vincent Desharnais missing any time in camp, even as there has been word that all three have been dealing with some sort of physical issue. Presumably no news is good news, though we’ll know more tomorrow when the players take to the ice.

Holland fielded a couple of questions about the two confirmed PTOs, with much of the attention on RW Jake Virtanen. He stated he had met with the player twice over the summer, emphasizing that the player is here on a tryout, not a contract. While the off-ice situation that precipitated his buyout “wasn’t a good situation, he was found not guilty so I decided to give him a pro tryout”, stating he trusts the legal system. He sees Virtanen as a possibility for a bottom 6 role, saying that such players collectively need to chip in with some offence, penalty killing, good defensive play, physicality. Any individual player needs to provide at least one or two of those dimensions to be useful.

As for RD Jason Demers, Holland relied on the opinion of coach Jay Woodcroft, who coached the player for six years in San Jose. Demers can expect to get some reps during the preseason, given the squad is short on right defence with a heavy schedule upcoming (8 games in 13 days). If the 34-year-old doesn’t catch on here, he will still get the opportunity to display his skills to other NHL teams in preseason.

Asked specifically about RW Jesse Puljujarvi, Holland stated “he’s in a competition” for ice time, suggesting that he played well for 20 games last season, then hit the wall. No mention of COVID or injury. In his view the player was frustrated with the way the year ended, frustrated personally that he didn’t have more offence, frustrated that his role changed. Ultimately the decision of his future role will be up to the coaching staff.

A subsequent question about LW Warren Foegele drew an approving comment about how he gets in on the forecheck (which is more than he ever said about Puljujarvi, to these eyes the most effective forechecker on the team). Holland suggested that Foegele will likely get some looks at right wing in preseason, having amassed some prior experience at that position in Carolina.

Holland specifically addressed the club’s top two prospects, the aforementioned Broberg and Holloway. He said Broberg became the #1 defenceman in Bakersfield not because the organization directed it but because the Condors coaching staff (first Woodcroft, later Colin Chaulk) determined he was the the best option they had. Noting the youngster can play either left or right side, “what I look for is can he defend?”

On his top young forward: “Holloway can be a real good piece for this team. Not sure if he’s a top six [yet]. He killed penalties in the Penticton tournament. I don’t want him to play safe, I want young players to do things with the puck.” Holland was rightfully non-committal as to whether the player would be NHL-ready to open the season or might need a further 20-40 games of development in Bakersfield.

“I’m not putting players on this team because they’re going to be good three years from now. We’re not a young team, we’ve got more veteran players, and our nucleus is in their prime. I believe were growing, I believe we’re getting better. Internal competition…”

Internal competition begins for real on Thursday with the first on-ice session.

PS: As per the Oilers’ website: “This year’s camp features 52 players (5 goaltenders, 17 defencemen and 30 forwards), including three Professional Tryouts and 13 skaters that took part in last week’s Rookie Camp in Penticton, BC” but with no actual training camp roster posted as yet.