What I would do

Team: 2022-23 Edmonton Oilers

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 9, 2022

Published: Jun. 9, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

-If Keith and Smith retire those roles would be filled by Skinner and Kulak

Trades:
-Car: Some retention on Kassian will be needed for wherever he’s traded. A good 4th liner anything higher then two mill for a contender is to expensive. Could be any team just figured Carolina could use the toughness.

Sea: Seattle could use a solid puck mover and Oilers will need to move the cap space. The Kraken have 4 seconds this year so losing the third won’t affect them. The third from the Kassian trade can be used at the Tdl and the third this year helps recover the prospect pool.

RFA:
Priority is to bring back the three young guns and don't let them get offersheeted. 2 year deals keep them all under RFA status when they expire and can give them long term contracts or Bourgault/Savoie will be ready. While nobody wants to give JP more then 2 mill in Edmonton reality is at that he will be offersheeted at that price. I'm not against trading him but I would like to keeep him. If tradeed I expect a second and a decent prospect. Seen a couples Devils deals something like a second and Kevin Bahl potentially. But the only way I would trade him is if he was going to be offersheeted or requests a trade.

UFA:
Kane will likely price himself out and anything more then 5 and Holloway should replace him. Galchenyuk and Aston-Reese a couple options to help the bottom 6. Would resign Kulak if Keith retires. Bring back Russel to alternate in with Niemelainen and Broberg.

Breakdown:
Condors: The Condors will be led by established leaders in Benson, Malone, Griffith with Savoie and Lavoie stepping up. Samorunkov and Koekook are primary call up candidates with Skinner backstopping them.

Goaltending: A Georgiev and Smith tandem may not be ideal, I'd prefer a Keumper or Husso tandem with Skinner but I decided to leave Keith and Smith in until they're gone. Regardless hopefully Georgiev can improve in Edmonton.

Defence: Healthy Nurse and Ceci are a solid tandem, While Nurse was overpayed he's still a number one defenceman. Keith and Bouch got a lot of hate but they're a solid second pairing who played some key minutes for them. Russels veteran presence with young guns Broberg and Niemelainen make for a solid third pairing as I believe they're both ready to make the jump.

Forwards:
Hyman-McDavid-JP and the DRY line are self explanatory. Holloway-Mcleod-Ryan will make for a solid third line with speed. Ryan can help the young guys out defensively. Foegle-Shore-Aston-reese will make for a very physical and fast 4th line.

Basically the idea is what I keep saying. Don't rock the boat and keep things the same as much as possible. They're a good team who should contend as long as they have Leon and Connor. Possible Changes include Kulak for Keith, Kuemper or Husso and Skinner in place of Smith and Georgiev meaning we can keep the pick from the Kassian trade and possibly moving Jp and bringing in a different top 6 Forward. Johansson is cause gotta try make up for Wallstedt.

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