Analyst urges Oilers to consider major offer sheet next offseason
Photo credit: Edmonton Oilers Raw
The Edmonton Oilers may be wise to look at potential offer sheet candidates to bring in young elite talent next offseason.
With an aging core of players and Connor McDavid reportedly concerned about the Oilers' future beyond this year, an aggressive move like an offer sheet could be exactly what Edmonton needs - and the conditions will be perfect.
Oilers analyst urges team to consider offer sheets for defenceman next offseason
In a recent article, Oilers analyst Allan Mitchell shared the worry of an aging defence core with no real emerging prospects. An offer sheet could be a method of making a major acquisition to this area of need.
There's plenty of concern about Ekholm, but Nurse, Kulak and Walman are all 30 years old, or close. Broberg is gone, and I don't see an ideal replacement for Ekholm, who is likely to be playing a lesser role in the future.
Edmonton should consider an offer sheet next summer.
- Allan Mitchell
Edmonton should consider an offer sheet next summer.
- Allan Mitchell
According to PuckPedia, the Edmonton Oilers are projected to have just over $42M in salary cap next offseason.
That's a ton of space, in part due to the NHL salary cap increasing by over $9M. The following players contracts will also expire at the end of this season:
FORWARDS: Connor McDavid, Kasperi Kapanen, David Tomášek, Max Jones, Curtis Lazar
DEFENCE: Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, Brett Kulak, Troy Stecher
GOALIES: Stuart Skinner, Calvin Pickard
DEFENCE: Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, Brett Kulak, Troy Stecher
GOALIES: Stuart Skinner, Calvin Pickard
A good portion of their salary cap space will be spent on re-signing McDavid, their top defenders, and a goalie tandem.
They may need to get creative, but the Oilers may have money left over to add a young established defenceman on an offer sheet next year. The following are the big-name pending RFAs who could be Oilers targets.
Simon Edvinsson, DET
Thomas Harley, DAL
Pavel Mintyukov, ANA
J.J. Moser - TBL
Philip Broberg - STL
Brandt Clarke - LAK
David Jiricek - MIN
Simon Nemec - NJD
Thomas Harley, DAL
Pavel Mintyukov, ANA
J.J. Moser - TBL
Philip Broberg - STL
Brandt Clarke - LAK
David Jiricek - MIN
Simon Nemec - NJD
There's plenty more in the star-studded class of RFAs this season, and the Oilers have shown they want to be aggressive in adding young talent. Management should be considering offer sheet options for next offseason.
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