Is there more panic on the outside of the Edmonton Oilers looking in than the other way around? Despite what you may read or hear, there is ample evidence to say…yes.
That and more in this edition of…
9 Things
9. Connor McDavid at the World Cup
It was fun to spot Connor McDavid among the crowd at the World Cup game in Toronto. It serves as a reminder that athletes at his level are often multi-sport enthusiasts and fans just like us. It was also good to see him smiling and having fun after a trying season.
8. Hart Trophy Voting
Connor McDavid narrowly came second to Nikita Kucherov in the Hart Trophy voting. The gap was a mere 10 points. While I wanted Connor to win, I felt there were three or four players completely deserving and I might have been okay with any of them, Kucherov included.
7. Darnell Nurse and Brett Kulak
We will talk about Darnell Nurse in a minute. For the purposes of this paragraph, if Nurse is dealt by July 1 and not for another defender, does Stan Bowman re-look at Stony Plain’s Brett Kulak? Kulak has earned a substantial raise, especially in this year’s UFA field. Would he play ahead of Mattias Ekholm or Jake Walman? Or would a Nick Seeler-like player be a more affordable option.
6. Returning UFAs
It is my understanding that the Edmonton Oilers are trying to return both UFAs that they acquired at the NHL trade deadline. I see defender Connor Murphy as a perfect fit for the right-hand side. And a healthy Jason Dickinson over 82 games would be a solidifying presence in terms of team defence. Neither will be especially cheap, and term will be a concern.
5. Alex Tuch
A name of interest that often surfaced in-season as a possibility for the Oilers to acquire has re-surfaced: Alex Tuch. There is no doubt that if he can stay healthy, Tuch is a top-six NHL power forward. But he is also 30 and will easily get a substantial raise over the $4.75m AAV he was making in Buffalo. What term he will demand in a thin group of quality UFAs will be a huge factor.
4. Darnell Nurse Situation
I reported earlier this week on the Darnell Nurse situation. I believe that, while the club has been actively thinking about Nurse’s future here in Edmonton, it was ultimately the player who proactively brought this to a head. Like you, I heard there was somewhere between three and five destinations on the list Nurse would be willing to waive for. And I think there are additional clubs that would also like to get some of that action. Don’t know if the Nurse camp is interested.
3. Media and Fan Reactions
It is often completely fascinating to watch how media and a club’s fans react to these stories (Nurse). Sometimes, those folks will volunteer to lead the parade out of town. Other times, the presiding sentiment is “he wasn’t so bad, you know”. And others still work pretty hard at “rehabilitating the asset”, shall we say? My take: Over the course of his time in Edmonton, Darnell Nurse averaged out to being a second-pairing D-man making first-pairing dough. Period.
2. Mike Babcock Situation
I listened to Elliotte Friedman’s new Thursday edition of 32 Thoughts this week. Elliotte has real credibility. I trust what he has to say, so the words he offered on the Edmonton coaching situation landed with weight. To paraphrase, it sounds as if the NHL will indeed investigate the Mike Babcock situation vis-à-vis his exit from Columbus. But Gary Bettman holds a lot of cards in this instance, and the league is of a mind to move this along expeditiously. Saturday, Chris Johnston at The Athletic conveyed a belief from the league that Babcock is “going to be able to work”. All this is good for Edmonton either way, frankly. That this situation has been left hanging out there to some extent is good for neither club nor league.
