If seven signings on July 1st wasn’t enough for you, you’re in luck. The Edmonton Oilers have steadily made news since the league New Year this past Saturday, and this afternoon could bring the biggest piece of news of the entire summer. According to Terry Jones, the Oilers will be announcing the Connor McDavid contract this afternoon at a press conference.
Expecting Connor McDavid contract press conference to be held Wednesday.
— Terry Jones (@byterryjones) July 4, 2017
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I’ve said it countless times since the rumors began to fly last week, but this is a huge moment for the Edmonton Oilers organization. Today will cement Edmonton as a relevant NHL team and legit destination for players for the next nine seasons, but most importantly it will put the team in the Stanley Cup conversation for nearly the entire next decade.
The Edmonton Oilers have one of, if not the, best players in the game today. Having him locked up for the next nine seasons ensures this team will compete. While many people will complain about the cap hit and say it prohibits Edmonton from competing for the Cup, I think this contract is completely positive.
As time goes on and the contract begins to take hold, the NHL salary cap will increase. As time goes on, the McDavid contract will look more and more like a bargain. $13.25 million per season seems like a lot right now, and it is, but to have the best player in the game locked up….there really is no price on that.
Connor McDavid is worth every penny. If that’s the price to sign him up for eight more seasons, you thank your lucky stars he accepted the deal and you move on with him in the fold. This is such a big day for the Edmonton Oiler organization.
Scott Howson Returns:
Last summer, the Edmonton Oilers announced that they were parting ways with Scott Howson. Howson, the former Assistant GM to Kevin Lowe and former GM of Columbus, was largely blamed for the Nikita Nikitin signing and was part of Craig MacTavish’s front office.
It made a lot of sense that Howson was let go by the club last summer. He was part of a management team that failed to put a competitive team on the ice, and it is only fair that Peter Chiarelli bring his own guys into the fold. That said, for a third time in his career, Scott Howson will be a part of the Edmonton Oilers.
After hanging around the club’s draft table in Chicago two weeks ago, Howson was seen in Jasper this past weekend for the team’s development camp. That prompted the following announcement, relayed by team insider Bob Stauffer.
Oilers officially announce Scott Howson as VP of Player Development
Howson was at Oilers draft table and is in Jasper with Oilers prospects— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) July 2, 2017
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I’ve seen a lot of pushback and criticism to this decision and that is more than fair. Howson’s second tenure in Edmonton was part of a disastrous era and he failed to really push the Blue Jackets forward during his time in Ohio. That said, Howson has left a lasting impact in Columbus, and his new role in Edmonton appears to be playing to his strengths.
Say what you will about the man, but he has a very strong track record when it comes to drafting and developing players. As Lowetide pointed out in his blog over the weekend, the Blue Jackets were strong at the draft table during Howson’s time with the team and were able to find numerous useful players outside of the first round.
If Edmonton wants to win a Stanley Cup during the McDavid era, finding good players late in the draft and in NCAA/CHL free agency will be a key. Scott Howson has proven that he has a good eye in this regard. If you ignore the name and just look at the track record, Howson is qualified for this role.
Scott Howson’s role with #Oilers will be dealing with their prospects in Jr/NCAA/Europe as well as looking for NCAA free agents.
— RCN (@akaRCN) July 4, 2017
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Howson isn’t expected to have much say with the Oilers and Condors, so that should eliminate any concerns that fans have. I’m willing to give Howson a chance here, his track record makes me think this role is a perfect fit.
Brad Malone:
The Oilers signed Brad Malone on Monday afternoon to a two-year contract. The veteran forward, as I tweeted after the signing, seems like the perfect fit for the ‘Anton Lander role’. Malone is a strong AHL player who has 176 NHL games under his belt. He posted 28 points split between Chicago and Hershey last season in the AHL, and last played in the NHL during the 2015-16 season with Carolina.
I don’t think the 28-year old center is going to be a difference maker by any means, but as a career 50%+ faceoff man, Malone could be the 13th or 14th forward on Edmonton’s roster. Worst case? Malone plays a top-six role in Bakersfield. Best case? He’s Anton Lander’s replacement in the bottom-six.
I’m slightly surprised he got two-years on this contract, but he’s an interesting fit and I don’t see much risk in this signing.
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