With the Stanley Cup awarded the offseason is underway. There will be a flurry of player movement around the league, and the Edmonton Oilers will have to find a way to improve their roster for next season.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the possibilities in this week’s rumour roundup.
The coach search continues
The hottest topic of the week might be the continuation of the Oilers controversial coaching search. The news that Mike Babcock is being considered has led to a lot of opposition. Even more, his conduct is now being investigated. Babcock may or may not be allowed to return to the league. Regardless of if he will ultimately be a good hire or not, this has been a debacle from the Oilers side of things.
When news that the Oilers might look to hire Bruce Cassidy, the team fired Kris Knoblauch. Cassidy being barred from interviewing so that the Vegas Golden Knights could focus on the playoffs led to philosophical discussions on its own. Perhaps now that the Knights season is over he will be allowed to interview. The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to be potential suitors as well, should Cassidy become available.
The end of the Knights season might also mean that John Tortorella will become available too. Tortorella, like Babcock and Cassidy, is known for his stern and strict approach to tactical defending. Between their experience and this approach, the Oilers are signalling a preference for their next coach.
Even prior to all this coaching drama, GM Stan Bowman and his management had drawn its fair share of criticism. It is difficult to imagine any opinions improved over this stretch. The various states of limbo have left lots of room to speculate. It might be sheer guesswork on whether or not Babcock is allowed to coach, or if Cassidy is allowed to interview with the Oilers. Coaching practices and etiquettes might be reexamined or changed on multiple fronts before the Oilers forecheck or defensive zone coverage is.
Nurse has requested a trade
Amidst rumours that he might be moved this offseason, Darnell Nurse has requested a trade. Now it is all but assured he will be suiting up elsewhere next season. The good news is that Nurse will be looking to work with the Oilers to find the right fit. His large cap hit coming off the books will help the Oilers. Edmonton will also need to find a way to replace or upgrade their blueline.
While a reunion with Ken Holland on the Los Angeles Kings seems possible, it is rumoured that Nurse is looking to head east. With his size, physicality, and talent there will be teams interested in Nurse. Estimating a trade cost will be difficult, including whether or not the Oilers will have to retain salary or take on a bad contract in return.
Owen Tippett on the radar
Regardless of whether it is part of a Nurse trade or not, there seems to be some speculation about Owen Tippett being a target for the Oilers. There are rumblings that he might be a player the Philadelphia Flyers are looking to move. There are also rumours that the Flyers would be interested in Nurse as well.
Tippett is fast and has a good shot, able to attack off the rush and score from distance. The Oilers have been linked to other offensive forwards, like Jordan Kyrou. The tangible qualities of Tippett are impressive, enough that fans are often left wanting more. Often described as a power forward, Tippett’s game more closely resembles that of Jack Roslovic or Taylor Hall than a net front presence like Zach Hyman or Vasily Podkolzin.
Could Markstrom man the pipes?
Without a clear picture in net, the Oilers will continue to be linked to virtually any goalies on the market. It seems that Jacob Markstrom has been added to that list, as the New Jersey Devils look to make changes.
While accomplished, Markstrom has had some tough seasons of late. There were some struggles towards the end of his time with the Calgary Flames, even before his underwhelming stretch with the Devils. His $6M cap hit is probably a bit rich too, especially for a team tight to the ceiling like the Oilers.
Time will tell what the Oilers are able to pull off to upgrade their crease, but at the very least there will be some options. Given the Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup triumph with the undrafted Brandon Bussi, many are questioning the importance of investing in the position. For Oilers fans this is curious, as goaltending is often cited as the leading cause of their inability to reach their goal.
What should not be forgotten is that the Hurricanes rode the hot hand in net. Frederik Andersen was seen as a Conn Smythe Trophy candidate heading into the final series. Pyotr Kochetkov had an underwhelming season, but by some accounts headed into the season as the presumptive starter. The Hurricanes isolated all their goalies amongst each other, but also behind a stout defensive effort by the team in front of them. In any case, there will be a lot for the Oilers to think about.
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