G - Driedger; LW - Saad; 3C - Getzlaf. Requires trading draft pick(s) for a team to take Neal. Buyout Koskinen. Have room to sign Nuge before exp draft and protect him.
Protected List: McDavid, Draisaitl, Nuge, Puljujarvi, Yamo, Archibald, Benson, Nurse, Klefbom, Bear, Skinner.
Sign pending RFA's Yamo, Khaira, Benson, Marody, Skinnner. Sign pending UFA's Larsson, Smith, after exp draft before free agency. Sign UFAs Saad, Getzlaf, Driedger, Oleksiak in free agency. Hide Turris in AHL to save $1.125M cap.
NOTE: Could easily replace Driedger with Mrazek for about the same money. Holloway likely bumps or replaces Benson at 3LW halfway through year. Hopefully Bouchard swaps with Bear by end of season. They only sign Oleksiak if they have serious concerns about Klefbom. He can play 2LD if Klefbom isn't ready at start of season, or if he has to stay on LTIR for part/or most of year. This contract could cause issues with raises the following year to Nurse, Puljujarvi and Bear. If they feel strongly that Klefbom will be fine, they don't sign an Oleksiak or similar.
FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
I believe this deal could potentially be arranged with Seattle, Detroit, or NJ. It's plausible those teams could play Neal as 3rd or 4th line winger, or buy him out.
Klefbom likely won’t play. I think Seattle takes benson.
We can only wait and see about Klef, but "likely" is premature. Why would Seattle take a winger who's played 7 NHL games (and none since those 7) with 0 goals and is a question mark to make the NHL over a puck-moving D with 93 NHL games? I think you are overestimating Benson's value. I think the Oilers would be happy if Seattle picked Benson. Much more trade value with Jones.
We can only wait and see about Klef, but "likely" is premature. Why would Seattle take a winger who's played 7 NHL games (and none since those 7) with 0 goals and is a question mark to make the NHL over a puck-moving D with 93 NHL games? I think you are overestimating Benson's value. I think the Oilers would be happy if Seattle picked Benson. Much more trade value with Jones.
So far Jones has been nothing Special. Benson would be a riskier pick but could have more upside. I honestly don’t think either one of them will have much luck cracking the lineup. The fact that Klefbom is still even in question is not a good thing. He can’t ever say he’s finished playing, he’s obligated to try because of his contract. He did say his surgeon thinks there’s a good chance he never plays again and if he did have a shoulder replacement it would be stupid to try.
So far Jones has been nothing Special. Benson would be a riskier pick but could have more upside. I honestly don’t think either one of them will have much luck cracking the lineup. The fact that Klefbom is still even in question is not a good thing. He can’t ever say he’s finished playing, he’s obligated to try because of his contract. He did say his surgeon thinks there’s a good chance he never plays again and if he did have a shoulder replacement it would be stupid to try.
According to Klefbom, his doctor said the surgery was very successful, and there's a reasonable chance he could play again but he couldn't tell him definitively yet. By July they will have a much better idea of how the shoulder has healed as he will be at the point of beginning serious rehab. Don't forget this quote from Klefbom in April, "I’m just going to do everything I can in my power to be ready when the puck drops. If it’s in Seattle or Edmonton, that’s not really up to me.” He'll make the right decision based on all the best medical info, but make no mistake, he wants to play.
Holland has to plan for the worst while hoping for the best, but he's been getting weekly updates from Klefbom's camp. I will assume he plays until Klefbom says otherwise.
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