In today’s Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, there are more details coming to light when it comes to the likelihood that Jesse Puljujarvi will wind up in Finland this season, there is news that Patrick Marleau may actually be interested in giving the Oilers a try for a season, and would there be any players out there on the market Edmonton should consider for a professional tryout?
NHL Interest in Puljujarvi “Tepid”
Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal wrote nine things about the Edmonton Oilers in his lastest column and in one part he focused on Jesse Puljujarvi, whose situation never seems far out of the minds of media and Oilers fans. His latest comments include what he’s calling “trepid” interest by other NHL teams in acquiring the forward in a trade.
Knowing that Ken Holland is working the phones again to see if there is a deal out there for Puljuarvi, Leavins writes that he looked into the level of interest for the disgruntled forward around the NHL. He wrote:
“I asked a small number of connected NHL commentators, scouts and even a couple NHL executives. What I got back was “tepid, at best”. I believe it’s far more likely that Puljujarvi will need to settle for a $200k contract in Finland this season. And then we’ll see.
source – ‘What are the chances that Patrick Marleau could become a member of the Edmonton Oilers?: 9 Things’ – Kurt Leavins – The Edmonton Journal – 08/25/2019
In that same article, Leavins noted that Puljujarvi has more value to the Oilers than any other team and that Holland isn’t prepared to simply walk away from a top-four draft pick. Nor should he be.
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Marleau Interested in the Oilers?
In a follow-up to yesterday’s comments on Patrick Marleau, Leavins added to his opinion that the Oilers might want to look at the veteran when he said, “It has been reported that the former Shark and Leaf would be interested in signing in Edmonton.”
Leavins noted that the fit is there with the Oilers looking for a veteran leader and Marleau looking for work. There is always still a chance Marleau will wind up back in San Jose but the Sharks just don’t seem to ready to make him a priority. At some point, one has to wonder if Marleau realizes he needs to make other plans. Why not in Edmonton where he could mentor some of the best young players in the game? It was something he did quite well in Toronto.
Related: Oilers News and Rumors: Brassard, Smith, Puljujarvi, More
Oilers PTO Options
With the season creeping closer and there not being much action on the free-agent front these days, it’s only natural that people are starting to look at the idea of professional tryouts. Just recently, Andrew MacDonald signed one with the Calgary Flames. What options might the Oilers pursue?
If the Oilers don’t outright sign a player like Thomas Vanek, Edmonton could certainly look at inviting him to camp on a PTO. The Oilers might also take a peek at Brian Boyle, Oscar Lindberg, Riley Sheahan Michael Stone or Dion Phaneuf.
Some of these players won’t make it to the point a tryout is the only option as they’ll be signed on less expensive deals like Patrick Maroon was on Saturday. The Oilers may try to find those deals before going the PTO route and other cap-strapped teams will certainly dip into the PTO pool by signing guys on the cheap.
And, mentioning these names above is not an indication the Oilers have actually looked into these players, only that they should if they aren’t signed before the start of the season.
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Jim Parsons is a senior THW freelance writer, part-time journalist and audio/video host who lives, eats, sleeps and breathes NHL news and rumors, while also writing features on the Edmonton Oilers. He’s been a trusted source for five-plus years at The Hockey Writers, but more than that, he’s on a mission to keep readers up to date with the latest NHL rumors and trade talk. Jim is a daily must for readers who want to be “in the know.”
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