Posted by 
The Edmonton Oilers players have scattered across the map for an off-season of contemplation, re-gathering, and re-loading for a shot at hockey redemption next season.
9 Things
9. Joey Moss School in the city’s South West is officially open. The ceremony to make official the naming after the beloved Edmonton icon was this past Thursday evening in Edmonton. What a wonderful, enduring tribute to a person who helped make all of us better for knowing him.
8. We saw the NHL call the Darnell Nurse suspension in the Vegas series to the letter of the law. So, how then will they handle Alex Pietrangelo leaving the penalty box to join in on the game-ending melee at the end of Game 4 against Florida Saturday night? The rule book says that’s a Match penalty, but nothing was called.
7. Meanwhile, Darnell Nurse is a King Clancy Trophy finalist for 2022, right along with Mikael Backlund and Anders Lee. Worthy nominees all of them. The award recognizes leadership qualities and contributions to the community. There seems to be a never-ending debate over Darnell Nurse’s contributions on the ice. Surely, there cannot be one over what he gives back off of it.
6. A photo finish atop the Edmonton Sports Talk radio ratings this Spring (Numeris, 2022 R2, FC 12+). Jason Gregor’s Weekday 2-6pm radio show edged out Bob Stauffer’s shorter Noon-2 Oilers Now program. Gregor had an average daily total audience of 34,718. Stauffer had 33,959. Both shows enjoyed bigger audiences due to the Oilers playoff run. However, Reid Wilkins’ Weekday 6-8pm Inside Sports slot (which leads into many games) was not only 3rd over-all but right in the mix with the other two Hosts at 32,259. All 3 gentlemen handily won their time slots against their Sports-geared competition.
5. As I watch the Vegas Golden Knights battle for the Stanley Cup, I continue to think about just how close the Edmonton Oilers were to their ultimate goal this past season. My Cult of Hockey colleagues David Staples and Bruce McCurdy pour hours into their Grade A shots project every year. In the Edmonton-Vegas series, it was a deadlock at 54 each. Discussions over the roster are absolutely fair. But I tend to think the result was largely a product of a very simple factor: One club just performed and executed a shade better than the other. Vegas deserves all the credit for earning the series win. But I think we can all agree the existing Oilers roster had a bit more to give.
4. There will be many examples surface this Summer of Oilers General Manager Ken Holland kicking tires on a player. To me, Holland is not doing his job if he doesn’t do that. But it does not mean that each inquiry is a serious trade possibility. Example: The Philadelphia Flyers are open for business this off-season. And a contact of mine with connections to the player reports that the Oilers are one of the teams that has reached out to ask about Travis Konecny. There is lots to like about the speedy, versatile, competitive forward with lots of finish. Konecny has just one year left on a relatively economical $5.5m cap hit, and the London, Ontario native would probably not be averse to signing long-term North of the border. Konecny would be a true Top-6 prize for Edmonton. We shall see if there is any fire from that bit of smoke.
3. I believe Oilers fans should also have a keen on eye winger Connor Brown come Free Agency. Because of his extended stint on LTIR combined with his 448 regulation NHL games, Brown could be inked to a league-minimum, bonus laden contract. Let’s assume Brown can make a full recovery from his ACL tear that cost him all of 4 games in 2022-23. Are his 10-29-39 totals in 64 games from the previous year a reasonable expectation on this Edmonton roster? With the cap tight and the Oilers probably needing at least one other significant piece for their roster in the off-season, Brown feels like an option with real up-side potential. And if he earns the bonuses? A nice problem to have, as it sounds like a sure thing that you could kick those costs to a much bigger cap world in 2024-25. There is also that McDavid-Brown connection to consider.
2. There are a number of voices out there right now asking if Sam Gagner would be a good, league-minimum addition to the roster next year. I know few people who are bigger believers or boosters in Sam than I. He has been a very useful player in both Detroit and Winnipeg since leaving Edmonton. But I think it is fair to say that the Oilers could use 36-year-old Derek Ryan or 34-year-old Sam Gagner but not both smaller, older forwards. If the salary for either man came in at the same dollars, then which one of them gives you a greater value? Gagner with his offensive instincts, right shot and sterling attitude could be an asset, yes. But would it be any more than or even as much as Ryan’s PK abilities, faceoff prowess and (also) stellar character traits? To me, there is a redundancy between the two players that probably would not move the needle as much as the Oilers need to.
1. But there is another option out there I believe is also worthy of being in the very same conversation: Luke Glendenning. Glendenning has spent the past 2 years in Dallas but previous to that was in Detroit and a Ken Holland draft pick. Both an excellent defensive tactician and a superior faceoff man to either Derek Ryan or Sam Gagner (Glendenning was 59% on the dot over this past season and a career 56% faceoff man), I can see Glendenning making a solid contribution to Edmonton’s Bottom-6. It is a fair assumption that both Gagner and Ryan would offer more offence, though. And Derek Ryan has probably been the better over-all performer 5v5 over the course of his career. Food for thought. In the end, while I do not know which may Holland may be leaning. But I suspect Ryan likely has the inside track for all the reasons I have just stated.
Maybe the bigger point here is that when it comes to this particular sort of player for the Oilers roster, it should be a buyer’s market. Ken Holland will have a decent crop of useful depth forwards to pick from, with precious little difference in the ticket price. All are likely to be available for the league minimum.
And in the mostly flat-cap world of the NHL in 2023, bargain contracts and ELC’s are going to be critical for any shopper to have. Especially if they are also targeting much bigger game such as a Travis Konecny.
