The Edmonton Oilers released an inside look at video from inside the front office. The video offers a glimpse into some of the Oilers rationale during free agency. For fans this insight can offer information on why the Oilers made certain decisions, from their expectations from certain players to the overall construction of their roster.
Let’s take a look at some of the takeaways from the video.
Confidence in Nurse’s trade
Though he has often been criticized online, the Oilers were right in their confidence that they would be able to trade Darnell Nurse without retaining salary. While he was overcompensated to an extent, a lot of the consternation surrounding Nurse’s contract was that it would age poorly. The Oilers moving on does not only open up a lot of cap space in the present, but it also rods the team of risk on the back end of the deal.
While he was not a bonafide number one defenceman, Nurse was a key contributor on the best Oilers teams we have seen this millennium. Over his time the Oilers survived a flat cap, expansion erosion, and injuries. After the team traded for Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard emerged but outside of those two Nurse rarely had consistent help on the blueline.
The video confirms that moving Nurse gave the Oilers the flexibility needed to be aggressive in free agency and on the trade market. It is a testament to Nurse’s value that he netted the Oilers some defensive depth in return, but the Oilers were also aware that the San Jose Sharks were in a unique circumstance. Stan Bowman and the Oilers front office knew the lay of the land, and were able to be decisive.
The plans for goaltending
Goaltending was a huge focus of the video. The reasons to bet on Devon Levi are as advertised. The Oilers recognized the need for an upside swing in net, and were happy to pay the trade price for Levi.
At the same time, signing Frederik Andersen was clearly top of mind. The front office was very clear in pointing out Andersen’s recent injury history. Given that precarious injury situation for Andersen and the relatively unseen upside for Levi, the Oilers explicitly stated the plan to use all three of Levi, Andersen, and Tristan Jarry on the regular roster. The front office even admitted that the forward group might have to be curtailed to account for the excess.
The admission that a young talent in Levi might be the future is important, as is the Oilers safeguarding against forcing him into a full fledged starter’s role.
The big voices in the front office
There were some big voices in the room outside of the obvious. Naturally GM Stan Bowman and President Jeff Jackson were paramount in a lot of the decisions made, but there are others with clear voices to the overall plan.
First, Mike Babcock seems to have been consulted regarding the additions. It was noted that the coach’s past experiences with Andersen and Kasperi Kapanen were a big part of the Oilers reasoning. There were rumours that Bowman and former Coach Kris Knoblauch did not see eye to eye on certain parts of the roster, so Babcock being on board might make for a more seamless integration of new players.
The other voice in the room was Michael Parkatti, officially Vice President, Analytics and Technology. Parkatti is clearly taking a holistic view to risk assessment and valuations of contracts. It seemed evident that he not only provided insight on the specific players involved, but also on the bigger picture of the team’s objectives.
Keeping an eye on Giroux
There were some mentions of adding another forward. The group ultimately decided to hone in on goaltending, but in particular Claude Giroux was a player the Oilers had kept tabs on. Though Giroux has signed elsewhere, it is worth noting that the Oilers have an appetite to add a forward.
Giroux is a fairly unique option, and there are not necessarily a lot of players who bring what he can. Outside of experience, leadership, and solid production, Giroux has positional flexibility. This might tell us that the Oilers have some interest in adding an offensive option, whether on the wing or at centre.
While the Oilers do have some young forwards who might push up the lineup, the idea of adding another forward might persist throughout the season. As the summer progresses contract demands might wane, which is important as the Oilers are weary of their cap flexibility. At the same time the Oilers might choose to accrue cap space as the season progresses, allowing for a bigger splash near the trade deadline.
The Oilers might have some solid scoring options in the top-six, but adding another capable option would greatly improve their depth. With championship expectations and a veteran coach, the Oilers might be more hesitant to give chances to younger players like Quinn Hutson and Viljami Marjala, let alone to Isaac Howard. Injuries will occur, and if one of the Oilers young forwards can grab hold of a spot the team will be much better off for it.
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