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Jesse Puljujarvi Re-Signs In Finland

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The Jesse Puljujarvi saga continues, with the Edmonton Oilers prospect re-signing with Oulun Karpat in Finland for one more season. While that seems to contradict his recent statements about potentially returning to play in the NHL, Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that the new contract does include an out-clause that would allow Puljujarvi to return for the 2020-21 season.

The 22-year old Puljujarvi recently revealed that he had a long conversation with Oilers GM Ken Holland and head coach Dave Tippett, explaining that “it may be possible” for him to return to Edmonton at some point—something he had vowed against in the past.

Selected fourth overall in 2016 by the previous Oilers front office regime, Puljujarvi’s usage and development was inconsistent and frustrating for both the player and the team. He did play in 139 NHL games over three seasons but was rarely given opportunities alongside the team’s more offensive players, and when he did find himself in those situations he didn’t take advantage of them.

When he became a restricted free agent in 2019, Puljujarvi returned to Finland and played the entire 2019-20 season with Karpat, scoring 53 points in 54 games. From all accounts, he was a difference-maker on a nightly basis for the Finnish squad, ending the season fourth in league scoring.

For now, he’ll get to continue being that game-changing presence for Karpat, with an eye on a return to the NHL. The Oilers continue to hold his rights, but Puljujarvi has asked for them to be traded in the past. While the focus is on the Edmonton playoff roster at the moment, there will surely be plenty of attention placed on the young forward once the season is over.

Kirill Maksimov Assigned To KHL

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The Edmonton Oilers continue to find places for their minor league prospects to play for the next several months, this time assigning Kirill Maksimov to CSKA Moscow in the KHL.

Maksimov, 21, played in 53 games for the Bakersfield Condors this season, registering 13 points in limited minutes. Interestingly enough, though Maksimov was born in Russia he has played in North America since he was a young teenager, first in the GTHL and then the OHL. The fifth-round pick has plenty of offensive skill but found himself relatively low on the depth chart as a rookie.

That may be a trend, given how talented the CSKA squad normally is. A KHL powerhouse almost every season, they may be losing top names like Kirill Kaprizov and Mikhail Grigorenko, but still have loads of skill that Maksimov will have to compete with for playing time.

Like many other prospects, Maksimov will likely get a chance to return for NHL training camp in November, but getting him back on the ice and into game action is obviously the most important goal here.

Oilers Loan Markus Niemelainen To Finland

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Markus Niemelainen’s return to North America will wait a little while longer.  The Oilers announced that they have loaned the defenseman to Assat Pori of the Finnish SM-liiga to start next season.

The 22-year-old just recently signed his entry-level deal back at the end of April after spending the past three seasons in Finland, the most recent of which came with Assat where he had a goal and six assists along with 42 PIMS in 55 games.  Edmonton drafted him in the third round in 2016 (63rd overall) out of Saginaw of the OHL but he only spent one more year there before heading back home.  That did allow Edmonton to hold his draft rights longer at least as instead of having them for two years, they had them for four and used all of them to determine if he was worth signing.

With the AHL announcing earlier this week that they have changed their target start date for the 2020-21 season to December 1st, there will likely be a steady stream of these moves in the coming days.  Niemelainen isn’t expected to contend for a roster spot with Edmonton for next season so this move allows him to get some development time in before what will likely wind up being a truncated AHL season.

NHL Makes Rulings On Three Trades With Conditional Picks

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For fans of the Flames and Oilers that have been awaiting the final decision on the James Neal–Milan Lucic trade, the verdict is in.  Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports (Twitter link) that Edmonton will have to transfer a third-round pick in either 2020 or 2021 to Calgary to complete the trade.  The Oilers will have until the start of the third round in October’s draft to choose whether they will transfer the selection this year or wait until the next draft.

The issue in this trade was in the wording of the rather unique conditions that were put on the deal.  In the original swap, Neal had to have at least 21 goals and Lucic ten or fewer.  Neal was at 19 when the season was shut down due to COVID-19 while Lucic was at eight so only the second element was met.  However, by extrapolating Neal’s output over a full 82-game season, he scored at a 23-goal pace.  It appears the league used a similar interpretation with the awarding of the draft pick.

It’s worth noting that Edmonton is currently without their second-round pick for the next two years from their acquisition of Andreas Athanasiou.  They also are without their fourth-rounder in 2020 from the Mike Green pickup.

The NHL has also tweaked the terms of the Kings-Maple Leafs trade that saw Jack Campbell and Kyle Clifford go to Toronto.  Johnston notes in a separate tweet that Toronto will owe a 2021 second-round pick if they win their Qualifying Round series against Columbus and Campbell gets two or more wins or if Clifford re-signs.  The original terms of the deal had the pick transferring if the Maple Leafs made the playoffs and Campbell winning six games or Clifford re-signing.  If those don’t happen, then a 2021 third-round pick will be transferred to Los Angeles.

A decision has also been made on the conditional pick involved in the Hurricanes’ acquisition of Sami Vatanen from the Devils at the trade deadline and as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in a Twitter thread, the details are a bit more complex.

If Carolina beats New York in the Qualifying Round series and Vatanen plays in 70% or more of their playoff games, the Hurricanes send New Jersey their 2020 third-round pick.  If Vatanen doesn’t play in 70% or more of the playoff games but plays in two or more contests against the Rangers, then two more scenarios present themselves.  In that situation, if Carolina wins the series, the Devils get Carolina’s 2020 fourth-rounder.  If he plays at least twice but the Rangers win, then Carolina gets to pick between sending a 2020 or a 2021 fourth-round selection.  If none of this plays out, then no pick transfers.

This closes the books on the remaining questions surrounding conditional trades with the league ruling back in May on ones that had picks contingent on making the playoffs.  Teams will have to be in the final 16 teams in order to be classified as a playoff team for the purpose of those trades.

Jesse Puljujarvi Addresses 2020-21, NHL Future

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Ever since Jesse Puljujarvi left the Edmonton Oilers to return home to Finland last summer, signing a one-year deal with Karpat, there has been plenty of speculation about his future, his trade value, and his relationship with his current NHL rights holder. However, there has been little in the way of concrete news. That changed today as Puljujarvi himself spoke with Finnish news source Iltalehti about his current free agency and what to expect of his career moving forward.

First and foremost, Puljujarvi stated a return to Karpat next season is his most likely destination for 2020-21. Seeing as how his trade demands in the NHL have not been met, it makes some sense that Puljujarvi would stick to his guns and remain in the Finnish Liiga. It also helps that Puljujarvi was a superstar in Finland this season. His 24 goals and 53 points both led Karpat and were top-five marks in the league.

With that said, Puljujarvi also makes the important note that a deal is not in place with Karpat and he is keeping his options open. That could very well include the NHL, as he stated that his goal is to eventually return to North America. Would he be open to a return to Edmonton though? Puljujarvi actually revealed that he and his representation recently took part in a long phone call with GM Ken Holland and head coach Dave Tippett, neither of whom were in place when Puljujarvi last suited up for the Oilers. Usage was the main reason why Puljujarvi was so unhappy in Edmonton, but he does not know how that might change under this new administration. Puljujarvi called talks with Holland Tippet “good and constructive” and said that “it may be possible” he returns to the team, which is a major departure from his previous stance.

Should things not work out with Edmonton again this off-season and his rights are not traded to another NHL team, don’t expect Puljujarvi to move elsewhere in Europe. His KHL rights holder, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, has made an offer but Puljujarvi firmly stated that he would not sign with the team. He also acknowledged interest from the Swiss NLA, but again stated that he is unlikely to move their either. As a result, it seems Karpat or bust for 2020-21, with bust of course being a change of course in either Puljujarvi’s relationship with Edmonton or as a result of being traded to a new team.

Snapshots: Lightning, Robertson, Blackhawks, Ehlers, Nurse

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The Tampa Bay Lightning is traveling to Toronto, but will be doing so without their star defenseman. Victor Hedman will not be traveling with the team, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith, due to personal reasons at his own request. However, he is expected to meet up with the team on Friday and is expected to participate in all three round-robin games. The blueliner did practice Saturday and is expected to work with strength coach Mark Lambert. He is expected to be tested regularly while in Tampa Bay.

The team did release its roster as NHL.com’s Bryan Burns reports that the team will only bring 28 players with them to Toronto. Including the team’s normal 25-man roster, the team is only adding forwards Mathieu Joseph, Alexander Volkov and goaltender Scott Wedgewood.

Also, head coach Jon Cooper said that Steven Stamkos remains day-to-day and is not expected to participate in the exhibition game, according to Smith. The veteran is hoping to be more involved in practice once the team gets to Toronto. “It’s still in the window of time to get him back,” said Cooper.

  • TSN’s Mark Masters writes that if 19-year-old Nick Robertson hopes to get into the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff lineup, he must show that he can be comfortable on the ice in their upcoming exhibition game. The team’s 2019 second-round pick had an impressive junior campaign and has impressed the team enough to keep him on the playoff roster for the upcoming 24-team tournament. What might be more surprising is that the youngster continues to get third-line looks during practice. “He needs to look comfortable,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He needs to make an impact on the game, be it through his work ethic and enthusiasm or his ability to create some offence and capitalize when he gets chances. All those kinds of things … We’re just really looking to see if he can be comfortable and be himself and then see how it all sorts itself out in terms our other players.”
  • Brandon Cain of NHL.com reports that the Chicago Blackhawks will take four goaltenders with them to Edmonton for the upcoming 24-team tournament. That is necessary due to the status of veteran Corey Crawford, who recently admitted he tested positive for COVID-19 and missed the first 12 days of training camp. While he has been cleared and participated in a full practice Saturday, that doesn’t mean he’s in game shape for the tournament. The team also will bring Malcolm Subban, Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen.
  • NHL.com’s Mitchell Clinton reports that Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who was forced to leave Thursday’s scrimmage due to an undisclosed injury, was back at practice Saturday before the team leaves for Edmonton. He is expected to take on a second-line role with the team after scoring 25 goals in 71 games this year.
  • Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins writes that Edmonton Oilers fans don’t need to worry about the fact that defenseman Darnell Nurse was forced to sit out Saturday’s team scrimmage with an undisclosed injury. The scribe described the injury as something he “tweaked” during practice earlier in the week. He’s expected to be ready to go.

Theodor Lennstrom's Loan Will Only Be Until Start Of 2020-21 NHL Season

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  • Earlier this week, the Oilers loaned defenseman Theodor Lennstrom to Frolunda but there was no word on whether or not it would be a full-season loan of a short-term one. GM Ken Holland confirmed to Postmedia’s Jim Matheson that it is indeed the latter and that the Swedish team is aware that Edmonton will want the 25-year-old back when the 2020-21 season is set to get underway.  Lennstrom is likely AHL-bound to start the season to get acclimated to the smaller North American rinks but could be a recall option at some point.

Philip Broberg Will Join Oilers In Bubble

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The Edmonton Oilers have changed course after seeing one of their top prospects compete at training camp. GM Ken Holland told reporters today including Mark Spector of Sportsnet that the team will be taking Philip Broberg into the Phase 4 bubble with them instead of returning him to his Swedish club. The initial plan was for Broberg to only participate in Phase 3, before joining Skelleftea in the SHL for their own training camp.

Part of the reason for the switch is the fact that Mike Green opted out of the tournament, but it also has to do with how well Broberg has performed over the last few weeks. The 19-year old defenseman was selected eighth overall in 2019 and has an enticing mix of speed and size. Just coming to the bubble however does not mean he’ll get to play, as the Oilers will be taking ten defensemen.

The question now becomes whether Broberg has fought his way into the mix for a roster spot in 2020-21. The Oilers signed the young defenseman to his entry-level contract a year ago, meaning even if the team is eliminated quickly in these playoffs they could loan him to the SHL until training camps open for the 2020-21 NHL season. Getting him playing time right now is obviously important, but the Oilers also have a Stanley Cup on their mind right now and need to take the best players available to them.

Importantly, Broberg is one of the players who could see the first year of his entry-level deal burned if he plays ten games in this postseason. If he plays in fewer than that, his contract would slide forward a year (and not even necessarily kick in for 2020-21).

2020 Hart Trophy Finalists Announced

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It’s time for the big one. The NHL has announced the finalists for the Hart Trophy, given annually to the “player judged most valuable to his team.” Last year’s winner, Nikita Kucherov, took home the Ted Lindsay and Art Ross as well in an impressive trifecta after scoring 128 points.

This year’s finalists are Leon Draisaitl from the Edmonton Oilers, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, and Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers, the same three that were nominated by their peers for the Lindsay earlier this month.

Like with the Lindsay, Draisaitl seems to be the odds-on favorite after his incredible offensive season. The Oilers forward led all players with 110 points in just 71 games, including a league-leading ten game-winning goals. He even eclipsed teammate Connor McDavid in the scoring race and proved he can carry a line away from his fellow superstar. It’s hard to really discount anything he did, though some voters may feel as though he wasn’t quite as “valuable” to the Oilers because of McDavid’s presence.

MacKinnon, on the other hand, had to carry the Avalanche all by himself for stretches this season. His 93 points were 43 more than the second-highest player on the Colorado roster—rookie defenseman Cale Makar—thanks to major injuries to his normal running mates like Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen. Add that to the fact that MacKinnon has received Hart votes in each of the last two seasons (finishing 2nd in 2018 and 6th in 2019) and you could understand why he’s still a candidate to snatch the award from Draisaitl.

In Panarin’s case, you may not have even considered him in the running halfway through the season. Though he was still obviously one of the most skilled players in the league, his 34 points in 28 games weren’t enough to make the Rangers anything special. From that point in December on however, he put up 61 points in his last 41 games and formed a dynamic duo with Mika Zibanejad that made New York one of the most dangerous clubs in the Eastern Conference. At any point, they might put up a huge number of goals even if their overall team was still not quite polished enough to be a real Stanley Cup contender. With the expanded playoffs this summer they’re in, and Panarin’s game-breaking talent could change that contender assumption in an instant. There’s no question he is one of the most valuable players in the league, but will it be enough to take home the crown?

Edmonton Oilers Loan Theodor Lennstrom To SHL

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The Edmonton Oilers have already made a decision on another prospect, loaning Theodor Lennstrom to the SHL for the 2020-21 season. Lennstrom will return to Frolunda, one of the league’s top programs, where he played last season.

Notably, the 25-year old defenseman is only signed for one season after inking a one-year entry-level contract in April. Should he spend the whole year with Frolunda, he would be a restricted free agent able to sign a new deal with Edmonton. That fact, however, may suggest that the Oilers will recall him from the SHL at some pint to re-join the team in preparation for the 2020-21 NHL season which is expected to begin in December. A move like this would just give him a chance to play games in the interim.

If not, and he spends the whole season there, the Oilers will be in a situation where they can extend him a qualifying offer or work out a longer-term deal. Undrafted, Lennstrom has slowly worked his way through the Swedish professional system and this year took home the Champions League title with Frolunda. An excellent skater, he was expected to push for an NHL depth role to give the Oilers a little more speed on the back end.

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