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Josh Archibald To Have Disciplinary Hearing

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Oilers winger Josh Archibald made a costly mistake on Sunday night that played a large role in them blowing the lead and there could be more consequences as the Department of Player Safety announced that he will have a disciplinary hearing on Monday.

With 8:49 left in Sunday’s game, Archibald was called for tripping on a low-bridge hit on Winnipeg’s Logan Stanley; the league called it clipping in their press release.  The Jets scored on the ensuing man advantage and added two more shortly thereafter to eliminate a 4-1 deficit before Nikolaj Ehlers scored the winner in overtime.

A decision will need to be made fairly quickly on whether or not the hit is suspendable.  With the North Division starting their playoffs later than everyone else, each first-round series has a back-to-back set of games in it.  Edmonton and Winnipeg’s is tonight so there won’t be much time for George Parros to decide Archibald’s fate.

North Notes: Weber, Oilers, Tkachuk, Hamonic

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The Department of Player Safety announced that they have fined Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber $5,000, the maximum fine allowable in the CBA,  for cross-checking Toronto’s Wayne Simmonds Saturday during Game 2 of the playoffs.

The veteran forward was not assessed a penalty against Simmonds on the play, but did receive a two-minute minor for cross-checking on Toronto’s Pierre Engvall during the third period and later received a 10-minute misconduct. Montreal received seven minor penalties during their 5-1 loss to Toronto.

  • The Edmonton Oilers look to be making several lineup changes after falling 2-0 to the Winnipeg Jets in their first-round matchup, according to Oilers insider Bob Stauffer. With the hope of being faster on the ice, the team is scratching James Neal, Dominik Kahun and Alex Chiasson, while bringing Tyler Ennis, Gaetan Haas and Devin Shore. The team has also split up defensemen Tyson Barrie and Darnell Nurse, while demoting forward Kailer Yamamoto to the third line.
  • Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, who is eligible to sign an extension with the team, tells Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg that he hasn’t spoken to Flames’ management about a new contract. The 23-year-old has one more year remaining at a $7MM AAV, but also will have a qualifying offer of $9MM when he becomes a restricted free agent. That’s a lot of money for a player that hasn’t taken that next step the team was hoping for. Tkachuk scored 34 goals and 77 points during the 2018-19 season and looked to be developing into a star player. However, those numbers have dropped to 23 goals and 61 points in 69 2019-20 and then 16 goals and 43 points in 56 games this season. There’s even been talk of Calgary making major changes this year, which could, in theory, include Tkachuk as well.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have high hopes they can re-sign defenseman Travis Hamonic to a new contract for the upcoming season. Hamonic, who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, played 38 games for Vancouver, mostly pairing with Quinn Hughes and fared well, despite dealing with injuries and rust. However, The Province’s Ben Kuzma reports that general manager Jim Benning said that there is interest in bringing back Hamonic, assuming the two sides can reach a reasonable deal. The 30-year-old signed a one-year deal worth $1.25MM in hopes of staying in Western Canada, suggesting a deal is legitimately possible.

Dmitri Samorukov Released From KHL Deal

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  • CSKA Moscow of the KHL announced (Twitter link) that they have released defenseman Dmitri Samorukov, paving the way for him to return to the Oilers for next season. The 21-year-old spent last season with AHL Bakersfield but the uncertainty around the pandemic led him to stay in Russia for this season where he managed two goals and six assists in 48 games.  While he’s eligible to play in the playoffs with Edmonton, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury so that won’t be happening.

Kris Russell Won't Be Ready To Start The Playoffs

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  • Oilers defenseman Kris Russell will not be available when their series against Winnipeg gets underway on Wednesday, notes Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. The veteran suffered a leg injury late last month against Calgary, missing the final eight games as a result.  His physicality and shot blocking are elements that head coach Dave Tippett would like to have on his back end but with him unavailable, Caleb Jones is expected to start on the third pairing.  Meanwhile, winger Kailer Yamamoto, who missed the last two games, will be available to suit up.

Snapshots: Holloway, Corrado, Playoffs

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The Edmonton Oilers won’t have Dylan Holloway in the lineup this season as his entry-level contract starts next year, but that doesn’t mean they won’t get a close look at him in the meantime. The young forward has signed an amateur tryout with the Bakersfield Condors and will finish the season in the AHL.

Holloway is coming back after suffering a thumb injury at the end of his college season and will be getting his first taste of professional hockey. Still just 19, he recorded 11 goals and 35 points at the University of Wisconsin, anchoring the second line behind the Cole Caufield-driven top unit.

  • Frank Corrado won’t be returning to the NHL anytime soon, as the veteran defenseman signed a contract with Dinamo Riga in the KHL. He spent this season with MODO in the Swedish second league, recording 17 points in 34 games. The Vancouver Canucks draft pick played 76 games in the NHL and several seasons in the minor leagues before taking his game overseas.
  • The Stanley Cup Playoffs could start as soon as Saturday, according to NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. Daly spoke with Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com, explaining that though the North Division doesn’t actually finish their regular season schedule until May 19, the other three divisions could start as early as May 15. In fact, the North could actually start their playoff schedule just hours after the regular season concludes, since the last few games are likely between two non-playoff teams in Calgary and Vancouver.

Edmonton Oilers Making Progress On Adam Larsson Extension

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When the news came down in 2016 that Adam Larsson had been traded straight up for Taylor Hall, many mocked the Edmonton Oilers for the return they received from the New Jersey Devils. After all, Larsson had a career-high of 24 points in a season and didn’t seem like a true top-pairing option.

Part of the reason the Oilers targeted Larsson though, other than his handedness, was his contract. He had signed a six-year, $25MM deal with the Devils in 2015 that meant he would carry just a $4.16MM cap hit through this season. Hall was more expensive at $6MM per season and, now five years later, has played for four different teams.

The deal looks a little more even now that Larsson has established himself as the Oilers’ best shutdown defenseman and will look even better if they can manage to sign him to a reasonable extension. On Hockey Night In Canada this evening, Elliotte Friedman reported that the Oilers and Larsson have been in negotiations since before the trade deadline and have made good progress on an extension. Friedman expects the deal to come in around four years in length.

Larsson’s career-high is still 24 points, set in the 2014-15 season with New Jersey, but he has been a very important part of the Oilers this year. The 28-year-old trails only Josh Archibald for the team lead in hits, is far and away the team leader in blocked shots, and averages more than two minutes on Edmonton’s 11th-ranked penalty kill every night. He’s still not a true top-pairing, all-situations defenseman, but an extension makes sense for both sides.

The Oilers also have Tyson Barrie to think about this summer, but are saving some money on Kris Russell’s extension, which brings his cap hit from $4MM to just $1.25MM next season. With a deal for Larsson on the horizon, the team will have to spend carefully on the margins if they want to bring both Barrie and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins back.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Oilers Unlikely To Rest Anyone Down The Stretch

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  • While the Oilers look to be set in second place in the North, don’t expect them to rest anyone down the stretch, relays Postmedia’s Rob Tychkowski. Instead, head coach Dave Tippett wants to try to create some momentum over their final four games, something that could be more difficult with players rotating in and out of the lineup.

Overseas Notes: Skelleftea, Khokhlachev, Langhamer

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After falling in the SHL semifinals, Swedish powerhouse Skelleftea AIK is already moving forward with their plans for next season. The team has announced a list of players who will not be returning in 2021-22 and it includes some notable NHL names. Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Philip Broberg, Detroit Red Wings’ forward Jonatan Berggren, and Carolina Hurricanes’ defenseman Roland McKeown are all among those who will not return to Skelleftea next year and all are expected to instead be in the NHL. Broberg, 19, has in fact already made the jump, as he was recalled by the Oilers earlier this week. The 2019 No. 8 overall pick has been in Skelleftea on loan for two years since being drafted, but the big two-way defenseman is ready for the next step in his career. Berggren appears to be prepared to make that leap as well. Detroit’s 2018 second-round pick was Skelleftea’s leading scorer this season, recording 45 points in 49 games. The 20-year-old skilled play-maker is one of a number of promising Red Wings prospects, but Berggren’s dominance at the pro level this year should give him a leg up in training camp battles. McKeown is the outlier of the group; the 25-year-old blue liner made his European debut this season on loan from the Hurricanes. The former top prospect out of the OHL had faded from relevance among the Hurricanes’ deep defensive group and wished to stay in Sweden this year rather than play yet again in the AHL. While McKeown may join Carolina as a depth option in the playoffs now that his SHL season is over, his days with the organization are numbered. Slated for Group 6 unrestricted free agency this summer, McKeown may not be back with Skelleftea but he certainly won’t be staying in Raleigh either. He will have other options on the open market to find a more clear path to NHL opportunity.

  • Another prominent name in Europe who won’t be returning to his current team is Boston Bruins center Alexander Khokhlachev. The 27-year-old center was a key cog for Gagarin Cup champions Avangard Omsk this season, recording 34 points in 59 games as a top-six forward, but the team has nonetheless announced that Khokhlachev has decided to leave the club. This could very well mean that Khokhlachev is finally eyeing a return to North America after five years away, and the timing of the move is key. The Bruins’ rights to Khokhlachev finally expire on June 30th. While it’s not impossible that Khokhlachev could give the Bruins another shot under his old AHL head coach Bruce Cassidy, there are certainly better opportunities for an NHL role elsewhere if he instead waits to become a free agent this summer.
  • One player who isn’t rushing back to his NHL rights holder is goaltender Marek Langhamer. Despite the possibility that the Arizona Coyotes could have some more opportunity in net next season with Antti Raanta headed for free agency, Adin Hill expected to be exposed in the Expansion Draft, and Darcy Kuemper still a hot name on the rumor mill, Langhamer won’t be involved. Even after two strong seasons in the KHL, Langhamer has decided to stay in Europe, signing a one-year-deal with the Liiga’s Illves. It’s unclear if Langhamer is averse to re-joining the ’Yotes or just the NHL overall, but regardless he will see his rights expire on June 30th of next season and can then return to North America as a free agent if he chooses.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Ilya Konovalov

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May 3: The Oilers have officially announced the two-year contract, which will begin in the 2021-22 season.

April 30: The Edmonton Oilers are closing in on signing an impressive prospect goaltender to his entry-level contract. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector confirms the report of Russian insider Mikhail Zislis that Ilya Konovalov is expected to sign with the Oilers in the coming days. Spector notes that deal will begin next season and Konovalov is not planning to travel to North America in time to play for the organization this season.

Konovalov, 22, was an overage pick by Edmonton in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. While he had been passed over twice before the Oilers took a chance, Konovalov had spent those years polishing his game before emerging as a top KHL keeper in his final draft year. Despite having just seven KHL games under his belt heading into the 2018-19 season, Konovalov won the starting job for Lokomotiv Yaroslav and posted a stunning .930 save percentage, 1.89 GAA, and 25 wins in 45 games. Last year, he was again the undisputed starter for Yaroslavl and while his numbers dipped slightly, they were still impressive. Finally, this season Konovalov was limited to just 19 games but his numbers improved again to an elite level with a .923 save percentage and 2.29 GAA.

Young KHL goaltenders have found success in translating their games to the NHL of late and Konovalov could be the next in line. The Oilers could certainly use an upgrade in net and Konovalov could see some considerable NHL opportunity right away next season, especially if the Oilers don’t add to their current projected tandem of Mikko Koskinen and Alex Stalock. The cap-strapped club would also definitely benefit from Konovalov earning an NHL roster spot over the course of his affordable entry-level deal. The KHL standout will likely be given every opportunity to do just that beginning next season.

North Notes: Andersen, Holl, Koskinen, Lerby

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The Toronto Maple Leafs might be getting back a familiar face in net as goaltender Frederik Andersen, who has been on the ice for more than a week now saw his practice routine ramped up Sunday. Head coach Sheldon Keefe, who said today was a “good step” in his recovery from a knee injury he suffered in mid-March, according to TSN’s Mark Masters.

He is not expected to join the team on their road trip to Montreal, but is expected to participate in Wednesday’s practice as they build up his workload.

TSN’s Kristen Shilton reports that Justin Holl, who left Saturday’s game in the third period after being hit in the face with a puck, was not at practice Sunday. He was replaced in the lineup by Timothy Liljegren. Keefe said that Holl “is doing well,” but will not be travelling to Montreal with the team, according to NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger. However, Holl is not expected to be out for a significant amount of time.

  • Sportnet’s Mark Spector reports that the Edmonton Oilers are expected to give some starts to goaltender Mikko Koskinen over the team’s final seven games. Koskinen, who lost his job as the team’s starting netminder, got his first start Wednesday since April 7 and fared quite well, stopping 29 of 30 shots against Winnipeg. Despite the impressive play of veteran Mike Smith, the team might want to kick the tires on Koskinen and see what he has to offer after struggling earlier this year. He has posted an 11-11 record this season with a 2.99 GAA and a .906 save percentage this season, allowing Smith to overtake him as the team’s No. 1 option.
  • The Calgary Flames may be losing a prospect as defenseman Carl-Johan Lerby is close to signing a new contract with Malmo of the SHL after his two-year deal with Calgary expires this offseason, according to Johan Svensson of KvallsPosten (translation required). Of course, nothing has been confirmed, but the 23-year-old Lerby, who signed with the Flames as an undrafted free agent in 2019, has yet to make his NHL debut and doesn’t look on track to do it this season. He spent the first season of the contract on loan to Malmo and has spent this season with the Stockton Heat of the AHL where he has seven assists in 22 games.

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