Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland is on a roll.
Sure, there are questions about the penalty kill and there’s concern that the goaltending isn’t good enough. There’s even concern after getting a steal of a deal on an offensive-defenseman on Saturday that the blue line isn’t good enough. All that said, the Oilers did some excellent work during the first two days of NHL free agency.
Day 1: Oilers Filled Forward Holes
Early on day one of free agency, Holland made an astute signing by landing Kyle Turris on a two-year deal for $1.65 million per season. TSN’s Jeff O’Neil was hard on the signing, blasting Turris for disappearing in Nashville, but everyone else seemed to believe this was a low-risk, high-reward bet on a third-line center.
The safe bet is to go with the opinion of everyone else.
Kyle Turris, Nashville Predators (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Up to this past season, Turris was a skilled forward who could put up pretty big points in the right environment. In Ottawa, he had multiple 55-plus point seasons including 64 points in 82 games during the 2014-15 campaign. Even in Nashville, where he was considered a train wreck, he posted 31 points in 62 games and often in a less-than conducive environment to his success. As a depth forward who can move up in the lineup should injuries affect the team, Turris is a sound bet.
Quickly after that, the Oilers re-signed Tyler Ennis on another team-friendly deal at $1 million for one year. Ennis said in his media avail after the signing that he told his agent Edmonton was where he wanted to be and to make it happen. As Oilers fans know from his brief stint, he can play up and down the lineup and in a number of roles.
Just prior to free agency opening, Jesse Puljujarvi signed to return to the team. He inked a two-year deal worth $1.175 million per season. If he’s even able to translate some of the success he’s having in Finland right now the NHL — 2-1-3 today as Karpat beat Pelicans 5-2 and 5-2-7 in 4 games played this season — he could rocket up the depth chart.
During his chat with the media on Friday, Holland basically said the Oilers were going to be without Oscar Klefbom, most, if not all of next season. A nagging shoulder injury doesn’t look good and Holland hinted he was proceeding in free agency as though the Oilers were losing their top-minute defenseman and power play quarterback.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Tyson Barrie (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov)
With that knowledge in hand, Holland went out and made one of the better signings of the two-day free agency period.
Critics of Tyson Barrie will blast him for last season. They’ll say he’s weak defensively and was a disaster in Toronto. What’s important to note here is that after the coaching change that saw Sheldon Keefe take control of the Maple Leafs bench, Barrie started to come on. He played 47 games and had five goals and 37 points — a pace of 56 points in 82 games. So too, his 5v5 scoring equated to four goals and 21 points, which was tied for third in the NHL. He was a plus player in that time.
Even Maple Leafs fans would have to admit, $3.75 million is a steal.
Barrie will quarterback the Oilers power play in Klefbom’s absence and he’ll get every opportunity to contribute at a pace that will eclipse the value of this deal on every metric. When asked about how he thinks he can chip in, he said, “Points isn’t everything, but I think with the talent on that team 50 would be low.”
Day 2: Oilers Re-Sign Mike Smith
The final to-do on Holland’s list was find a suitable netminder. After striking out on a number of other targets, fortunately, (or unfortunately depending on how you view Smith) Holland already had one.
Choosing to leave this signing out of the “magical” category, the Oilers will go back to Mike Smith in a deal that might not impress all Oilers fans but perhaps a reminder is in order: the tandem of Smith and Mikko Koskinen led the Oilers to 2nd in the Pacific Division last season.
At $1.5 million for the year (plus performance bonuses), it’s not a bargain, but this is a low-risk one-year deal that represents one of the least-costly goaltending free agency signings over the course of two days. Options to drastically improve the goaltending position were not longer out there but the sky certainly isn’t falling.
Whether it was a lack of being able to do anything thanks to salary cap restrictions or simply Holland being smarter than the average bear, these two days have to been seen as a pretty big win thus far.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
