WITH LARSSON OUT, OILERS MAKE NEW PLAN
General manager Holland has big hole to fill on blue-line
Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson were once Ken Holland's no-maintenance, very effective defence pairing.
Now, Klefbom may never play again because of arthritis in his shoulder and Larsson decided he would rather play in Seattle than here, with likely the same offer from the Edmonton Oilers GM. So now what?
“Make a new plan,” said Holland.
After Klefbom missed this past season and will go on long-term injury status for 2021-22, Holland filled the left-side hole with Duncan Keith for two years in a trade before the expansion draft.
But Larsson was supposed to play with Keith.
“Make a new plan,” said Holland.
Holland didn't say he was blindsided by Larsson moving on because he had given Larsson's agent, J.P. Barry, the OK to talk to other teams prior to July 28. But, he wanted him back.
“I thought we were very close to a deal a month ago ... I made three or four or five different offers through June and July,” said Holland. “But I went to his agent a week ago and said if Adam wanted to explore the market he had the green light to know what his options were in the hope his best option was in Edmonton. But I woke up to a text (Wednesday) early morning saying Adam had agreed to a deal with Seattle (four years, $4 million per season).
“We've lost an important player on and off the ice ... important players are hard to replace if you don't have them internally and have to go the marketplace,” said Holland.
Sometimes you do have a younger replacement — when Oilers captain Jason Smith left for Philadelphia, the Oilers had Matt Greene to take his role as a tough, shutdown right defenceman 15 years ago.
Holland now needs a like-minded, hard to play against shutdown right D to replace Larsson. A trade makes more sense, like Buffalo's Rasmus Ristolainen, 26, ($5.4 million cap hit), who has a great work ethic and is tired of losing, with the caveat he's UFA next summer. Holland has checked in on the Finn who has played 542 games; it would cost him a good prospect and a fairly good draft pick, most likely.
Or, he could look at Colorado's Erik Johnson, 33, who makes $6 million for two more years there but if the Avs would eat $2 million each year, that's $4 million (Larsson) out and $4 million in.
If they are going the free agent route, then David Savard, who won a Cup in Tampa and plays exactly the same style as Larsson, would fit. But half a dozen teams will be bidding for Savard, 31.
Holland is not in the market for free-agent Dougie Hamilton.
“We're not looking at an $8 million defenceman,” said Holland. “We're not in the big-game hunting mode.”
He would bring Tyson Barrie back and has talked to his agent, Pat Brisson, but maybe only for three years so he doesn't block the advancement of Evan Bouchard as a power play defenceman.
“Evan's going to be an everynight player for us, that's our expectation,” said Holland.
Holland has to keep some money aside to re-sign some of his young players.
“We have more cap room now but Darnell Nurse is making $5.6 million and will be an unrestricted free agent after next season (eight years at $8 million may be the ballpark). Jesse Puljujarvi makes $1.175 million and will be unrestricted after 2021-22. Ethan Bear makes $2 million and is restricted next year,” he said.
PURSUIT OF HYMAN
Leafs forward Zach Hyman was here Wednesday to see the city and rink after Toronto gave the UFA winger permission to talk to teams prior to July 28.
“Certainly he's a player we're very interested in,” said Holland, who is looking at seven or eight years to keep the salary cap average in the $5 million range.
There might be a sign and trade with the Leafs working out a deal for eight years (only teams that have a player's rights can go eight, everybody else is seven or lower), and flipping him to the Oilers for a player or draft picks. Hyman has to tell the Oilers he wants to play for them before Leafs step into the picture.
“If by next Wednesday we get the information that he'd like to sign with us, then I'll talk to Toronto about what the cost (trade) is. We're a long way from that,” he said.
Hyman does lots of heavy lifting in the corners and around the net for the stars in Toronto. He would do the same here, and well, but he is 29, with some lost tread on his tires. Holland is in business to win now, though.
If he can keep the cap number down, term isn't a big deal.
The Oilers may be thinking $5.5 million for seven years for Hyman, but if they can get the Leafs involved for eight years in a sign and trade, maybe it can drop to $5.1 million (Ryan Nugent-hopkins money).
THIS 'N' THAT
Holland re-signed goalie Mike Smith to a two-year $4.4 million deal ($1.9 million this season and $2.5 million in 2022-23) ... Holland said he won't qualify restricted free agent forwards Jujhar Khaira and Dominik Kahun to keep their rights so both will be UFAS July 28. Khaira's qualifying offer is $1.2 million, Kahun is $975,000. If Khaira doesn't get another offer, they would like to bring him back, but in the $900,000 range ... Ex Oiler Kelly Buchberger, who was head coach in Tri-city (WHL), is now an assistant coach for the Habs' AHL farm team in Laval.