Oilers insider says team is trying to move on from veteran forward as cap casualty

Through 44 games this year, Connor Brown has been outscored by actual goalies across the NHL. Brown was signed by the Oilers last summer to a unique contract which pays him league minimum this year, but a $3.225M bonus next year - and he hasn't lived up at all the basic requirements of an NHLer. Brown's a healthy scratch for the Oilers game against the Coyotes today, and now insider Mark Spector is saying the team will be looking to move on from him in the next month.

Despite making just $775K on the salary cap this season, Brown still isn't worth his contract by being such a black hole offensively. He's had minor contributions on the penalty kill, but poor efforts in his last game has lost him goodwill with coach Knoblauch, leading to another healthy scratch.



At this point, the Oilers have to eat the cap penalty of $3.225M, there's no way to avoid that. Still, they could markedly improve the team by replacing Brown with pretty much anyone at this point. Really, his struggles this season were well apparent before he played his 10th game and earned his bonus - the Oilers should've cut bait with Brown before then. The best time to do so was then, but the second best time is now.

It's time to accept the loss on Connor Brown as a big miss this offseason, and try to improve the team by subtracting him from the lineup. At this point, they could move him and play Gagner regularly instead, who is pacing for almost 40 points on the fourth line. He clearly deserves the opportunity that's instead going to Brown.