A day after the Edmonton Oilers players had their year-end media availabilities, it was time for head coach Kris Knoblauch and General Manager Stan Bowman to talk. What stood out from Bowman is that the Oilers, as NHLRumors.com has been reporting, will look to address their goaltending and forward groups this offseason.
Oilers Want to Address Goaltending and Offense
Ryan Rishaug of TSN: “Bowman says forwards and goaltending are the main areas they’ll look into addressing. Expects the D to remain pretty set. Wants some fresh faces in the lineup and possibly some more youth.”
NHL Rumors: Where Do the Edmonton Oilers Go From Here?
Jason Gregor Sports 1440 Edmonton: “The defense will have the least number of changes. I like how they played. The forwards and goalies is where we will have some changes,” Bowman. #Oilers
Gregor continued: “Goaltending is strange. In a way it is the most important position, but often at times the goalie you think is the best isn’t. In three of the four rounds we had the better goaltending. I can’t explain how in the first three rounds, our goaltending was better. They weren’t elite, but they were better. We will examine our whole team, not just the goalies. You can’t just go to the corner store and get an elite goalie. We will devise a plan over the next t couple of weeks,” Bowman.
NHLRumors.com Note: The issue for the Edmonton Oilers is identifying who is available to upgrade the position. The faith in Staurt Skinner is lost. Goaltending was not the reason the Oilers lost, but it played a factor because they never got the timely save from Skinner or Calvin Pickard. The usual suspects are out there in John Gibson in Anaheim, and Jake Allen is a free agent, but is he an upgrade? Do they try for Joel Hofer from St. Louis, but do the Oilers want to go with an unproven guy?
It was reported that the Oilers attempted to acquire Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins earlier in the season. So do they look in that direction again?
NHL Rumors: Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers
In addition, as NHLRumors.com has reported, the Oilers could be moving on from players like Viktor Arvidsson, and Evander Kane could be on the move. The Oilers attempted to trade Kane at the deadline before he was activated from LTIR. Stan Bowman has a lot on his plate this offseason. At least there is a GM in place as of July 1, because that is what hurt the team last year.
The depth that carried them to the Stanley Cup Final was missing. And when will that Trent Frederic contract extension be announced? But is Bowman satisfied with the defense?
NHL Rumors: The Goalie Trade Market May be Better Route to go Than the Free Agent Market
Connor McDavid is the Priority This Offseason
Jason Gregor Sports 1440: “He is our number one priority and he’s earned the right for us to be respectful of his time,” Bowman in McDavid and giving him time before they engage in talks.”
Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic: Stan Bowman says Oilers management is eager to start discussing an extension with Connor McDavid, but added: “He’s earned the right for us to be respectful of his timing.”
NHLRumors.com Note: As mentioned yesterday on NHLRumors.com, Connor McDavid is in no rush to sign an extension. He can’t engage in talks technically until July 1st. Leon Draisaitl signed in September last year, so expect a similar timing for McDavid. However, there will be a ton of overreaction and dissecting of his words until he signs a contract. What his contract looks like is another matter entirely.
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