The Edmonton Oilers' GM faces a summer that could be franchise-defining: 9 Things
The Edmonton Oilers are about to enter a phase of the McDavid era that could end up franchise-defining.
They remain in a Stanley Cup window. Only this year McDavid is on the final year of his existing contract. And he, quite understandably, wants to win.
So, how does Stan Bowman make that happen?
Does he play 'small ball', and tweak the roster around the edges?
Or does he swing for the fences?
That and more in this edition of…
9. You may have noticed that I seldom report on rumors in this space. I have built a career in journalism based on facts I can back up. And I also understand that players have lives and families. They signed up to deal with the real stuff. But not the rest of it.
8. I sometimes worry about the Americanization of our game. At others, I think our game is doing just fine. 88 Canadians were drafted Friday/Saturday, the most of any nation by far. The U.S. was second at 50. Sweden finished third at 27.
7. Former Edmonton Oilers forward Marc Habscheid has returned from a short tour in Austria and has been hired as head man of the Red Deer Rebels. I have known Marc since he was in minor hockey. His Mom and Dad were some of the finest people you would ever meet. And the apple does not fall far from the tree.
6. I see Don Cherry at the age of 91 has signed off from his podcast for the final time. When just getting started in Sports broadcasting the very most common question I got was 'What is Don Cherry really like'. And I told them the truth: That he had treated this kid from Saskatchewan as well as you could possibly imagine. Happy retirement, Mr. Cherry.
5. In addition to the five young men who joined the Edmonton Oilers organization on Saturday via the NHL draft, a few other names have been added on over the past week. Matt Copponi inked a two-year AHL contract. The BU grad had two assists in three games for the Condors at the end of last season. Rhett Pitlick signed for two-years after 0-6-6 in 6 GP for Bakersfield. Rem Pitlick, a veteran of 132 NHL games, has a one-year deal. Solid organizational depth.
4. Trent Frederic will be an Edmonton Oiler for a very long time. His eight-year, $3.85m deal assures us of that. I am on record as believing Frederic can be an impact player here. I was fine with the money. I was shy of the eight-year term as his player type is more susceptible to injury. But I give Stan Bowman credit for structuring his no-move clauses the way he did toward the end of the contract. It significantly reduced the risk. The opportunity for Frederic with Evander Kane moving on is substantial…even critical.
3. If you live on the West Coast as I do the white-hot response around Vancouver to the Evander Kane trade was unavoidable. I get that Kane is not everyone's cup of tea and that is fine. But some people sure seem to want to judge the guy for way more than what he does on the ice. When healthy, Evander Kane was an impactful and productive Edmonton Oiler. I get the business reasons why the Oilers had to move him along. But Kane and his unique set of skills will not be easy to replace. And he was terrific in the Edmonton community. More on the Canucks in a minute…
2. Stan Bowman alluded on Saturday to the Oilers' coaching staff going forward. It sounds very much like an extension will be in the works for Kris Knoblauch which he richly deserves. He is 94-47-10 in the regular season since arriving, 29-18 in the post-season. I do not think it would be ideal to have an entirely new assistant coaching staff. But I hope for Glen Gulutzan's sake that he gets the Head Coaching job in Dallas. Mark Stuart is a smart guy but his PK units had a rough year. I do not know how much longer the legendary Paul Coffey wants to do this and maybe a more modern communicator would be a fresh change. And does the assessment of Edmonton's goaltending include Dustin Schwartz?
1.As Stan Bowman goes about re-shaping the roster for another run toward the Stanley Cup Finals, two names from Vancouver pop up a lot in the on-line chatter: Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko. The Canucks have not been able to get Boeser signed on a new deal and so he is soon to become a UFA. And he has since been linked to multiple teams including Edmonton. Hard not to imagine him alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. I would have no trouble with the fit or the expected $8m+ contract. But other suitors have the required cap space. And I think the Wild would go after the Minnesota boy aggressively. Maybe he is a long-shot for Edmonton.
Then there is Demko. He is in the final year of a five-year, $5m deal. The Canucks have been trying to extend him but that too has been elusive. If Vancouver cannot sign him, it seems likely they would move him. Now, I have a lot of respect for Demko. When healthy he is a Top ten NHL goalie. And he has also been linked to Edmonton. Would the American puck stopper prefer a U.S. market like Philadelphia or San Jose over a winner? How major of a concern is Demko's brittleness the past couple seasons? And just like with Boeser, there is a big cap consideration.
On one hand, the Oilers are close…really close. If one takes the emotion out of the equation, there are just a few nips and tucks away from getting over the top. Either of these players would be major facelift. And an expensive one at that. And look: I think the reality of either of them choosing Edmonton is relatively remote. But the possibilities at the very least help pose an important question:
Does Stan Bowman have the ammunition to go big game hunting in this way? And even if he does, would either one of these trophies be the one that will eventually lead to the other, 'bigger' one?
Now on Bluesky @kurtleavins.bsky.social. Also, find me on Threads @kleavins, Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at KurtLeavins@mstdn.social. This article is not AI generated.
LEAVINS: Oilers elect Tommy Lefreneiere as first pick of 2025 NHL Draft
STAPLES: The Oilers add size and skill with a German-born prospect
LEAVINS: Edmonton Oilers draft rock-solid D-man in the third round
STAPLES: The Oilers get a new goalie…but maybe not THE goalie
LEAVINS: Oilers nab late-round prospect with NHL bloodlines
Bruce McCurdy, 1955-2025.
Don't miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Canada Summer Games torch is in Newfoundland — and these people helped make it happen
To get from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland, the Canada Summer Games torch had to make the ferry crossing between North Sydney and Port aux Basques. For the torchbearer of that stretch and the ferry captain, it was an honour to help.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Some people question FIFA World Cup benefits, while Eby says Vancouver could host more matches
Premier David Eby says B.C. is able to host more than the seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches planned for Vancouver, even as questions mount over transparency and the tournament's economic benefits. B.C. organizers announced on Tuesday that the cost estimate of hosting the games increased to between $532 million and $624 million. That's up from a 2024 estimate of between $483 million and $581 million. B.C.'s government justified the cost increase, saying the matches — part of the tournament being co-hosted by the U.S. and Mexico — will lead to more than one million additional out-of-province visitors between 2026 and 2031, generating more than $1 billion in additional visitor spending. But an economist and a pollster are questioning the benefits for B.C. Meanwhile, Eby said the province would be eager to take on more of the World Cup matches if any are reassigned from other host cities. His remarks come amid growing concerns around the U.S. as a co-host nation. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have raised "grave concerns" about the tournament being held there, and questions have surfaced over whether international fans will face barriers due to U.S. immigration policies. Eby made the comments Friday while answering questions from reporters at a signing ceremony at the Musqueam soccer field near Southwest Marine Drive, where the provincial government, the City of Vancouver, and three local First Nations formalized their agreement to co-operate on hosting duties. "Additional games in British Columbia would not only be possible, but they would be incredibly welcome," Eby said. "We've actually written to FIFA to say if for whatever reason they need to move games from any other locations, British Columbia stands ready to host," he said. "We can move quickly. We have an amazing team and we are ready to host additional games here in this beautiful province." Eby added many of the big expenses for hosting the FIFA World Cup like upgrades to B.C. Place Stadium are already being paid for and won't increase if more games are added. "In terms of the budget, a lot of the costs for FIFA are fixed costs related to upgrades ... which means that additional games bring in additional ticket revenue, additional revenue for the province," he said. But a pollster says the economic benefits of the tournament may not be known for decades, given some of the files from the organizing committee of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics are still sealed. "I understand the frustration completely, because here we are almost a couple of decades out of the Vancouver Winter Olympics and we don't have a full accounting of what happened," said Mario Canseco, the president of the polling firm Research done by Canseco over the last few years has revealed general support for hosting the World Cup, but the pollster noted that many people "had a bad taste in their mouths" over the Olympics' legacy in the city. Canseco noted that the hundreds of millions being spent on the World Cup come amid a time of economic uncertainty in the province, given the U.S. tariff threat and rising inflation. "FIFA tends to be just as secretive as the Olympic Committee, if not more so," the pollster said. "So it's going to be tough to actually look at all of these numbers at the end of the World Cup and see if it makes sense." Economist doubtful of numbers Officials have been bullish on the positive benefits associated with hosting the World Cup, with Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim likening hosting the World Cup to having 30 Super Bowls, in terms of economic benefit. An average viewership figure for each FIFA opening round game is about 360 million, compared with the approximately 115 million views the Super Bowl gets. In addition, the province has estimated 350,000 spectators will come to B.C. Place for the World Cup games. Moshe Lander, a senior economics lecturer at Concordia University, said he's skeptical over those numbers and doubts the economic benefits would amount to hosting even one or two Super says that, given a crunch on hotel room space in Vancouver, World Cup visitors would likely displace regular tourists and cruise ship passengers that would have already been in the city at the height of summer. "That reduces the overall economic benefits substantially — not quite to zero, but pretty close to it," he told Amy Bell, guest host of CBC's On The also says that, given what the city saw during the 2010 Olympics, locals are likely to leave Vancouver during the summer to avoid the chaos associated with hosting a large tournament. "That itself, then, reduces the benefits even further," the economist said. "So there is just no way that there's going to be $1 billion worth of economic benefits. I think that the decimal is massively in the wrong spot to the right." Entire province to benefit: minister In response to Lander's criticism, B.C. Tourism Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert said the province was using the World Cup investments to upgrade B.C. Place stadium and provide benefits into the future. "I think the economist kind of misses the point," he said on CBC's On The Coast. "This isn't all predicated on the idea of tourism during one month." Herbert said the province's investment in the World Cup was a sound one, given how jurisdictions spend hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising to grab eyeballs from across the globe. "You'd have to spend a whole lot more than we're currently spending on World Cup to generate the same interest in our jurisdiction, to get in front of people for hours at a time as they watch the game," Herbert said. "It's an ongoing tourism advertisement during the game."Herbert said the World Cup was the "first step" for B.C. to market itself as a safe destination for tourists, who would then visit other parts of the province like Vancouver Island and the B.C. Interior. "I think, sometimes, you have to spend a penny to make a pound, so to speak," Herbert said. "And I think in this case, if you're looking at spending $85 [million] to $145 million in net core cost for the province ... then you [must] bear that out with the growth in tourism and the growth in interest and investment."
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
What are the Winnipeg Jets getting in their 2025 NHL Draft picks?
Winnipeg modernized its approach to the 2025 draft, while also staying true to its roots, and made all five of its picks. The Jets relied more heavily on analytical models to project draft outcomes, estimate other teams' draft lists, and identify specific skill sets. When the Jets selected Sascha Boumedienne in the first round, they made the decision instead of trading down, which was an option, when their projections told them Boumedienne would be available at 28. Advertisement Boumedienne was followed by centre, Owen Martin, from Oakbank, Man. Martin is a 200-foot centre who played for the Eastman Selects and the Rink Hockey Academy in Winnipeg before joining Spokane in the WHL. He's the third Manitoban the Jets have drafted, after Jordy Stallard (2015) and Jason Kasdorf (2011) and adds to this summer's theme of homecoming: Winnipeg's signing of homegrown star Jonathan Toews will become official on July 1. What are the Jets getting from Boumedienne and Martin? What about their three other choices: Viktor Klingsell, Edison Engle, and Jacob Cloutier? Here's our breakdown of Winnipeg's 2025 draft class — all of whom will be present at development camp this week — with insight from the people who know them best. Drafted: First round, No. 28 | Position: LD Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 184 pounds 2024-25 stats: 40 GP, 3 G, 10 A, 13 pts (Boston University, NCAA) Boumedienne was the youngest player in NCAA hockey to start last season, relying on footspeed to escape pressure, move pucks, and add to Boston University's attack. He also fast-tracked his high school graduation, starting college at just 17 years old—a once-controversial decision that seems to be paying off. Winnipeg's Director of Amateur Scouting, Mark Hillier, sees a lot of room for the now 18-year-old to grow. 'As the youngest guy in college hockey, he was always in the lineup but had limited ice time for the first half of the year,' Hillier said. 'By the playoffs and the (Frozen) Four, he's playing 24, 25 minutes. There was really good progression all year.' Boumedienne needs to grow stronger, winning more physical battles, and critics point to decision-making as a weakness. One scout told The Athletic not to worry — that Boumedienne is a good bet to keep developing as a still-young college sophomore. Hillier says he views Boumedienne as a strong skater and a puck-mover who will probably play on a second power-play unit at the pro level. Advertisement Cheveldayoff spoke to Boumedienne's 'outstanding' U-18 tournament: Boumedienne was named the tournament's best defenceman, winning a silver medal for Team Sweden and setting a record for points by a defenceman with 14 points in seven games. 'His best plays were in the toughest moments,' Cheveldayoff said. 'He played big minutes down the stretch in all situations.' Boumedienne will return to Boston University this season, where he'll look to capitalize on a strong second half to this season by stepping into a bigger role. 'That's what the year's all about. You learn, you continue to grow, and you take advantage of it,' Cheveldayoff said. 'And he did … That's a testament to him. Going through the processes of learning and playing at a level where lots of players are much older than you, that's all part of the development that really intrigued us.' Sascha Boumedienne was just a child, living just down the road from his community rink. He had his hockey gear on, skates in his backpack, roller blades on his feet. It was the beginning of a beautiful dream. My feature story: ⤵️ — Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) June 29, 2025 Drafted: Third round, No. 92 | Position: C Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 185 pounds 2024-25 stats: 39 GP, 13 G, 21 A, 34 pts (Spokane, WHL) Martin is lauded for his character, his work ethic, and his attention to defence as a junior player. He fought through injuries this season, blocking a shot and then battling through what he called a slight fracture and a partially torn tendon. He returned to game action in January, playing a shutdown role for Spokane on its way to the WHL Final. Most of all, Martin is a 'no cheat' player who plays hard, wins faceoffs, finishes checks and can be trusted to play against anyone in the WHL. It can be difficult to project defence-first players from junior to the NHL — the most successful defensive forwards in the NHL usually put up more points in their draft year than Martin did. One notable exception is the Jets' captain, Adam Lowry, who finished 10th in voting for the Selke Trophy this season. Advertisement You can bet that Martin is well aware of that fact: He grew up going to Jets games with his family. 'It's just super cool to be drafted by the hometown team,' he said on Saturday. 'It's just an unbelievable experience.' And those point totals? Hillier says he expects growth. 'He had a really strong playoff this season,' Hiller said. 'We expect those offensive numbers to even pop more next year.' More like O-win, amirite? The @NHLJets are shopping local by selecting Owen Martin from nearby Oakbank!@spokanechiefs | #GoJetsGo | #nhldraft25 — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 28, 2025 Drafted: Fifth round, No. 156 | Position: LW/RW Age: 18 | Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 187 pounds 2024-25 stats: 43 GP, 17 G, 22 A, 39 pts (Skellefteå, Sweden J20) Klingsell is a Swedish forward who came through the same Skellefteå as Jets prospect, Elias Salomonsson. He was ranked much higher than where Winnipeg took him: 72nd by Scott Wheeler, 113th by Corey Pronman. 'Hopefully, he's a steal. We really liked him all year long,' Hillier said. 'He's not the biggest guy in the world at 5-foot-10 (but) he has a real solid frame on him. He's a thick and solid 5-foot-10.' Klingsell is one of the top offensive players at his age group in Sweden, combining speed with great hands and creativity. He'll need to keep developing in those regards, finding ways to produce more points in Sweden's U20 junior league after excelling at the under-18 level. He also led the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup with 12 points as Sweden won bronze. There are questions about whether he has the dynamism or size to produce in a middle-six capacity in the NHL, but the Jets took him 156th overall. Klingsell has more than enough talent and upside to justify the bet. 'He plays in a really good program at Skelleftea,' Hillier said. 'He has good offensive upside, he has some grit to his game, he's a dog on a bone on pucks.' Every year, I find myself on an island with some players, liking them a lot more than everyone else. This year, it's Viktor Klingsell. At some point in the draft, you just can't pass on a guy like him (#9). The skill level is out of this world. — Jérémi Plourde (@jeremiplourde_) June 24, 2025 Drafted: Sixth round, No. 188 | Position: LD Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 174 pounds 2024-25 stats: 54 GP, 2 G, 15 A, 17 pts (Dubuque, USHL) Edison Engle is heading from the USHL to the OHL next season and is committed to Ohio State University for college. The circuitous route buys him time to keep developing; Hillier says Engle could be a value pick at 188 if he can add to his offensive game. Advertisement 'Using our analytics a little bit, too, he's one of the best skaters that we thought was in the draft. So it's a good opportunity for us to take him late. We think there's more offensive ability to come from him in the future … Sort of like Boumedienne, Engle really gets back to pucks quickly, separates from the forecheck and moves the puck quick.' Drafted: Seventh round, No. 220 | Position: RW Age: 18 | Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 171 pounds 2024-25 stats: 67 GP, 23 G, 24 A, 47 pts (Saginaw, OHL) Cloutier scored 47 points in 67 games in the OHL and is Winnipeg's first pick from the Saginaw Spirit since Cole Perfetti in 2020. He's a smaller player with grit at the junior level — perhaps a bit like an OHL version of Parker Ford. 'Similar to Klingsell, there's lots of speed to his game, lots of quickness and lots of skill,' Hillier said. 'And he competes. He's 5-foot-10, but he plays bigger than his size.' (Top Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
