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It is the dog days of August.
In baseball, it is the grind that leads toward the promise of the post-season. In Hockey, it is literally the slowest time of the year.
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But in hockey hungry Edmonton there is still enough going on behind the scenes to warm up that Sunday morning coffee and tuck into another edition of…
9 Things
9. Nothing new yet on the Evan Bouchard deal. The chatter is that the two sides are “close”. While I still expect the AAV to come in at around $3.9m, I wonder if we might see a deal that escalates a little from Year 1 to Year 2?
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8. One of the “must see” games on the Oilers schedule this year will be the two times Connor Bedard and the Black Hawks visit Rogers Place. The club’s Power Packs (ranging from 4 to 11-game packs) for both Chicago visits sold out fast.
7. Tell-tale signs in the industry that AM signal CKJR Wetaskiwin may soon carry some Sports-Talk programming. The station is a small, non-rated signal, with a transmitter a 5th of the power of others in the area. But in the wake of AM 1260 going “dark”, CKJR has an opportunity to fill some of the void left behind, provided it does not run into any regulatory issues.
6. I have seen mentions on-line about whether the Edmonton Oilers would consider extending a training camp invitation to Sam Gagner. I have not heard that from my sources. But hey, who doesn’t like Sam, me included? But as I have read before, many of his skills are duplicated by Derek Ryan. I do think Sam could end up in player development someday once his playing days are done.
5. I normally do not write about the spouses of Oilers as a strongly believe they have a right to privacy. But I do hope Lauren Kyle’s new design studio in Edmonton becomes a resounding success. She featured Kyle & Co recently in a series of Instagram posts. Lauren is Connor McDavid’s fiancée. But she also has a successful career in her own right, in interior design. Good luck to her.
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4. I heard Ron MacLean as a guest on Oilers Now from the Battle of Alberta Golf Tournament in Red Deer this past week. I understand that function raised $1.5m for Child Advocacy Center. After McLean’s appearance, I reached out to Host Bob Stauffer who said all indications are that Hockey Night in Canada legend will join his show as a regular guest in 2023-24. Ron is a walking hockey encyclopedia, an elite-level storyteller and (from personal experience) a genuinely nice guy. Great add.
3. This Fall could be a career-altering camp for Vincent Desharnais. The 6’6 215-pound D-man has proven to be strong at breaking up plays, retrieving the puck in his own end and on the penalty kill. He will probably always need to improve his footwork, that will not be new to him. But more critical to my eye will be his puck handling. Turnovers were too common in his game last season. A Less-is-more approach, with quick, short passes will be critical to him remaining an NHL regular as the Oilers 3RD. He is an easy guy to cheer for. Time will tell.
2. Like many Canadians, I spent summers at hockey school. For me, specifically, it was the Dunn-Munroe Hockey School in Swift Current. So, I enjoy seeing the likes of Stuart Skinner and Dylan Holloway instructing at the Oilers hockey school. I wonder if these players realize the impact they will make with these kids today. I had Terry Ruskowski, Brad McCrimmon, and Kelly Pratt (among many others) teach me as a young man. And three better guys you could not hope to meet, by the way. And I still remember the experience 50 years later. Today’s kids likely will, too. I understand that Holloway, Skinner, and James Hamblin also contributed to the aforementioned charity tournament in Red Deer. Community service has always been a big part of being an Oiler.
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1.Brandon Sutter has inked a Professional Try-Out with the Edmonton Oilers. Sutter has missed the last two seasons as he has dealt with the effects of Long COVID. I had advocated for the Oilers to look at Sutter a few years ago, long before his illness. And I will not pretend to have forecast this development. But I do agree with it 100%. Because the great thing about PTO’s is there is next to zero-risk involved, to anyone. He does not take up a contract (yet). There is no cost against the cap (yet). And since you need to dress “X” numbers of veterans in pre-season anyway, he is not blocking prospects, either. But what there is…is meaningful potential benefit.
If Sutter can come in and show he has been able to properly condition and shake off the inevitable rust in order to compete again at an NHL level, it would be like found money. A 13-year veteran of 770 NHL games, Sutter would bring a 6’3 190-pound frame, sound defensive instincts, a strong presence in the room, and a right shot who has gone nearly 53% in the faceoff circle the last half-dozen seasons. Translation: Just what they need in that 13F slot.
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Having checked around a little, I am told that Brandon Sutter is indeed “in shape”, and at his usual playing weight. So, I can see him getting 3-5 games in exhibition. Then, if he needs time in the AHL to get up to speed (that would be understandable under the circumstances), or if he finds he simply cannot answer the bell physically, no harm, no foul for the player or the club. Virtually zero-risk to Ken Holland.
You hope for all involved that this works out. Given the considerable list of things Sutter needs to be able to overcome, I would suggest that hopes should be set appropriately.
It would be cool, though. Despite the amount of Alberta lore surrounding the Sutter family, not one of them has ever played a game for the franchise.
Perhaps that is about to change.
Now on Threads @kleavins. Also, find me on Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at KurtLeavins@mstdn.social
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