Team: 2022-23 Edmonton Oilers

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 18, 2022

Published: Apr. 18, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Well, with the Oilers being only 6 Points away from a playoff spot (could be sooner if LA and LV lose more games) they are going to run for the Cup! Probably playing either LV or LA in the first round. (I think the Oilers beat LA in 6 and lose to Vegas in 7)

Either way, next year Oilers fans have a lot of great things to look forward to next year! But with some needs still to be addressed.

First and foremost, the oilers infamous goaltending situation. With the oilers getting some recent Grade A goaltending from Smith and Koskienen, its been a tandem that could take them deep in the playoffs (baring injuries) but I have no doubt in my mind this is not the tandem you will run with next year. It just won't be. I think the Oilers are definitely losing Koskienen to FA, and Smith I'm not sure of yet. The Oilers have made their intentions clear for going after Starter Darcey Keumper of the Avs, if the Avs don't resign, and the Oilers would most definitely be willing to sign a 6.5x6 deal similar to Markstrom, Or even 7x6. Now the Avs are probably going to have to offer him a lower cap hit for more years, so something like a 5x7 years because of Nathan Superstar, and Andre Burakovsky once all is said and done, I think Keumper would feel confident in going to a team with him being one of the last pieces of the puzzle, and with more stuff in the cupboard to beef up at TDL's, and MORE MONEY. If they can't get Keumper, they will go after Campbell, and if not Campbell, Fleury. But Keumper is your guy, I'm convinced.

Now that Keumper is an oiler, You have still another HUGE question mark and option 1 of 2, with a bit of a problem over it. Stuart Skinner. The Oilers absolutely love skinner, but he is no longer Waivers Exempt. So up and down from the Condors won't work for the Oilers in 22-23, so unfortunately, he has to be the Goalie to go, or does he? Now on the plus side, with his performance's this year, he is no doubt an up and comer with a great little market value. But who takes him? Who? Well if not the Oilers backup job with 30 starts, My answer to that is NASHVILLE! Nashville is the perfect team for Skinner. Skinner is still young, he isn't able to take that 60-40 load by any means yet, especially with his small sample size. But he is ready for a backup job, and with Saros the CLEAR starter and now All Star, Skinner is the perfect piece to backup Saros with 20 starts! Skinner will develop a lot on the Nashville tandem, and who knows, maybe he gets to be a really good piece for them. If the Oilers take him and move smith, then I believe truly he will develop into the Oilers next starting netminder, down the road which will definitely evolve into a Keumper buyout or trade. But if they don't be prepared to Holland getting a third or Second for him.

Next you have Smith. Smith has finally found form again and returned to a 1B! Yay! Now next year, the oilers are going Smith or Skinner about 1000x in there head, and if they are to choose smith, then obviously skinner is delt, and vice versa. Now if the oilers don't choose Smith and roll with skinner, then I think they move smith to Buffalo, or Detroit. Buffalo will be happy to have a veteran goalie that can lead there young team and really help them develop especially in the locker room since he is a Class A Leader. Now Detroit, they need a goalie like smith BAD! They need to help Nedeljkovic right the rocky season in Detroit. They need him to help mentor Ned into Detroit's main starter. Smith is a value contract as far as Detroit is concerned, and I think Holland can make either Buffalo, or Detroit Pay the Piper (Espeically after the Mike Green Fiasco) and to full price. I also think the Oilers want to package in Kassian into this deal to dump cap but others will not consider it if the oilers aren't paying futures back. This would also help Buffalo and Detroit get to the Cap Min. Another team I could see Smith going to is Philly to backup Hart, because a team like Detroit or Buffalo could take Martin Jones in FA. I think they could just want a fourth and a 7th type thing.

I think Either way, the Oilers will want a 2023 Second Round Pick for skinner, or a 2023 4th to replace the one they traded for Brassard if they move Smith, dosen't matter which team its from, but they will want want to recoup a pick at least.

Now the second piece of news that the oilers recieved: KUZMENKO!!!! KHL superstar Andrei Kuzmenko who was saught after by most NHL teams, has informed teams with his agent that they intend to sign a handshake deal (until July 1st) with the Oilers to play with McDavid next year. Kuzmenko will be a cheaper Evander Kane. I realize this now more than ever that Evander Kane is simply not going to resign with the money he is worth and the amount the Oilers want to pay for him. Someone will pay stupid money to Kane, and he will take it because he is broke. Kuzmenko you can sign to a 2 year 2 Million dollar deal and he should produce close to Kane's numbers. Which is exactly what you need! Then you just fill your bottom six out with people who need a chance. Oilers have to have 3 Solid lines to be a contender, and I think this year they have it.

D i think is almost there, but there is a 3rd pairing D that is just getting paid wayy to much. And I mean way to much. The Oilers need to Move Barrie. I think the Coyotes would really like him, especially if the oilers paid them to take him. I think A 3rd plus Samarukov gets Barrie moved with the Coyotes for a 5th. Lets See. And with that being said, you must replace Barrie. Now you could say promote Broberg! He has been Great! Well every single Oiler prospect is great until the Oilers promote them too early, Broberg needs time in the AHL to develop for at least another year, and he might get called up with injuries, he needs more time as far as im concerned. Now I asked myself for a long time, who can replace Adam Larsson, I have been the biggest Adam Larsson fan FOREVER! He is a shut down D with physicality that plays HUGE minutes. Look at him on the Kraken. I still miss him and have my jersey of him. Now Ceci has helped the shutdown department, but we need more of that. JOSH MANSON! He is the answer, im convinced. He said he is looking for term and if we give him a 2.2 or 2.3 x 4 years, or even 5 years. I think he seriously looks at coming to play for the Oilers, espeically with being a contender in the next few years. Now Avs fans HATE us. Lol we take there goalie and there new D man. Lol. (I want Quebec back, screw you avs fans). And finally why not have Russ-Krispy back! He has a +9 this season and impresses me every time he is on the ice and he LOVES EDM and WE LOVE him! I think he can take a 1x2 year deal and he would be so happy to stay with this gang, and we would be happy to take him! This is a Stanly Cup Winning D.

Forwards like I said you can fill out, espeically with Kuzmenko. But for money purposes, The Oilers have to move someone for cheap, and I think Ryan is the guy, Yes Kassian I KNOW! That cap hit is just ugh. But with the cost to move him, its almost impossible for us to move him for less than 2 thirds or a second. So with that being said, Ryan will be a great bottom six forward for whoever wants to take him full on and I assume the Oilers would take a low round pick like a 6th. I think a team like Buffalo would take him for future considerations to help them get to the cap floor and at the end of the day would the oilers say no? Doubtful. For the record, the Oilers want to keep Ryan, but he is just getting paid 500,000 too much. I also think if the Oilers have the year I think they will next year with better D and Goalies, I think Kassian has at least a 15 point season, so If you can burn a year of his contract and get some good minutes out of him with Woodcroft at the helm? Maybe that's your Why not like Koskienen and Smith were this year for the oilers.

Also call me a Cap Man, I got as close as I could to the Cap sealing, so that the Oilers can use Klefbom's LTI Contract at the deadline, which would be a hair over 4 Million. Expect the first to be delt this year Oilers fans, Especially when they win the Conference, or hell, why not the cup.

Let me know your thoughts! I really would love to hear them! :)

-J

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