Oilers add depth with Nygard

Swedish winger could slide in bottom-six role

Calgary Flames’ European scout Hakan Loob was Joakim Nygard’s boss at Farjestads in the Swedish city of Karlstad for several years, so there was undoubtedly a full-court press by the former Flames’ star to have the left-winger sign there, but Nygard chose smarts over loyalty.

The forward, who might have been the fastest player in Sweden, looked at the Edmonton Oilers depth chart and said “ja, det, ar, for, mig.”

Translation: “Yeah, that’s for me.” So he signed here.

Nygard, who had 21 goals in Farjestads, might fit as a third or fourth-liner in the NHL.

The six-foot, 179-pound winger has played seven years in their elite league, had 35 points in 52 games for Farjestads this past season.

But the brakes should be on in OilerNation.

Nygard, 26, could light it up in Oilers camp and find himself on the left side with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the second line, but there’s a better chance he’s farther back in the lineup.

He correctly assessed his NHL chances better in Edmonton than Calgary where Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Andrew Mangiapane are the top four LW’s right now.

And Calgary’s hot to trot to trade for Minnesota’s LW Jason Zucker.

Right now, Leon Draisaitl is the No. 1 LW here if he plays with Connor McDavid. Milan Lucic is in the second slot with Jujhar Khaira and maybe farmhand Joe Gambardella in the 3-4 holes.

But Lucic could be traded, same with Khaira, who has all the tools and size but had three goals last season.

“Bottom six, good skater, good speed to PK, forechecks, some skill,” texted Keith Gretzky, the former interim GM who could be getting Craig MacTavish’s job as senior VP of hockey ops, in charge of the Bakersfield farm club.