The best thing Ken Holland could do for the Edmonton Oilers is “slow it down”: 9 Things

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Edmonton Oilers fans will not like the phrase “hurry up and wait.”

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They have done enough of that the last 15 years.

But it may be the most prudent approach for the balance of this off-season for the Oilers front office.

Read all about why in this week’s edition of…

9 Things

9. If he is healthy, Leon Draisaitl is poised to pass two all-time great Oilers players in franchise scoring this season. Draisaitl already has 616 points. That is just 15 back of Ryan Smyth (631), and only 53 back of Paul Coffey (669).

8. Also, on the “franchise watch”: If veteran Ryan Nugent-Hopkins plays a full 82-game season, he will climb into 5^th place all-time in Games Played, passing Jari Kurri (754), Kelly Buchberger (795) and Shawn Horcoff (796). The Nuge currently sits at 719.

7. A lot of NHL head office types have retired to the lake for the rest of the summer. But one guy not yet working on his golf game is Ken Holland, who has been taking in the Hlinka-Gretzky tournament. Holland has retained the club’s last 10 1^st Round draft picks and may be hoping to get a glance at an 11^th.

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6. I like the Jack Campbell acquisition. But often, it takes a while for players to adjust to their new surroundings. It is harder than you may think. For that reason, I would not be surprised if Stuart Skinner plays more than just a back-up role in the early going. Skinner’s numbers are headed in the right direction. His SV% the last 3 AHL seasons have been .892, .914 and .920…along with a more than respectable .913 in 13 NHL games last season.

5. Two well-known veteran NHL’ers continue to be linked to the Edmonton Oilers: P.K. Subban and Phil Kessel. Subban has made over $80m in his career, Kessel $93m. At this point in their careers, they have made most of the money they will probably ever need. What they will still want to do is win, especially after seasons in New Jersey and Arizona. So, why would their agents (Don Meehan and Wayne Arnott, respectively) not put a call in to a Final 4 team to see if there is a fit?

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4. Tyler Benson has a new, 2-way contract. His qualifying offer was $787,500. But he accepted a deal for less than that (the league minimum), but with a bump-up in AHL dollars. I wonder if we’re seeing the influence of Keith Gretzky here, who became the Oilers AGM just weeks after Benson was drafted in 2016. To date, Benson has not panned out as a prospect. But he does play the game the right way and would be a welcome veteran pro presence in Bakersfield, and NHL call-up depth. But that is a healthy AHL salary. So, it is also a sign that the ownership is willing to spend money on building the system.

3. It has been fascinating to watch the roster shuffle in Calgary, as it pertains to the Battle of Alberta and the Edmonton Oilers matchup. I contend the Flames have done a more than admirable job pivoting in the face of its 2 best players bolting. But Calgary will not be quite as good. Johnathan Huberdeau is an excellent player. He is not the elite offensive man that Johnny Gaudreau is, but probably a more well-rounded player overall. So, the Flames come close to replacing the departed Gaudreau. Where they drop a peg is in the loss of Matthew Tkachuk. Sure, Calgary added blueliner MacKenzie Weegar. But the Flames were already excellent defensively with only marginal room to realistically improve. What they have not replaced is the unique skill set (or the 104 points) of Tkachuk. And until they do, despite their best efforts, they are still “down a quart.”

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2. The anticipated signing of Kailer Yamamoto this past week about firms up the Oilers lineup for 2022-23. I expect one or two more roster moves, and there is always a surprise or two out of training camp. But if the season were to begin tomorrow (and assuming all works out with Ryan McLeod), here is just one version of an Oilers 20-man regular season lineup to consider:

Kane – McDavid – Hyman

Nugent-Hopkins – Draisaitl – Yamamoto

Holloway – McLeod – Puljujarvi

Foegele – Ryan – Janmark

Nurse – Bouchard

Broberg – Ceci

Kulak – Barrie

Campbell – Skinner

I might not ice this lineup in a Game 7 Stanley Cup Playoff game. But in Game 1 of an 82-game schedule, put Broberg in a position where he can succeed…with a reliable defensive veteran. That Top 6 may be the best in the NHL. And while Puljujarvi fans will inevitably see this as a demotion, just imagine how big, fleet, fast and hard to contain that 3^rd line would be.

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1.Part of the fun of writing for the Edmonton Oilers is the passion of the fan base. And right now, a big chunk of those fans wants Ken Holland to “get it all done now”. Swing the big deal, solve the impending cap issue now and head into training camp loaded for bear. And while that is fun and all (and fun IS a part of fan-ing) from a management standpoint it probably does not make the most sense for this organization right now. If I were Ken Holland, while keeping tabs on things is always smart, I would slow…things…down.

I have worked for a couple very successful CEOs in my career. And usually, when there was a big decision to be made, their advice to me was almost never “hurry up and get this done.” In fact, it was often the opposite: “Slow it down.” Let’s not rush into a big decision. These things often resolve themselves, or at the very least…a  better solution comes along. So, how would that sort of advice apply to Ken Holland now?

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Well, while it is absolutely true that he has a cap issue to solve, Holland still has two months to do that. The season does not start until October 12^th. And as one of the most experienced General Managers in the game, Holland’s experience will be telling him that he need not be in a hurry just now. There will be factors at play that he cannot see or even predict yet. Such as, you ask?

What if one of your key players pulls up lame, but you have already just traded his would-be replacement? What if one of the other team’s players does the same, and the guy you just dealt would have been the perfect solution and at a better return than you just got for him? Just as one example, if you deal Tyson Barrie and Evan Bouchard gets hurt, who runs your Power Play?

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There is no “must sign” guy left out there for the Oilers, and whoever you may still want to sign (I think Edmonton would like to add one more forward) will likely get cheaper as time wears on as it is an extreme buyer’s market.

Lots can happen between now and the end of training camp. But if you cash in that chip in too soon, you do not have it to use later.

Slow it down. It is almost always to your benefit.

Find me on Twitter @KurtLeavins

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