In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, there is talk about what it will cost for the Oilers to hang onto defenseman Mike Green. In other news, the team has loaned prospect d-man Samarukov to the KHL, Ethan Bear is getting lots of love, as is Ted Lindsay Finalist Leon Drasiatil.
Green’s Price Point Next Season
During Tuesday’s broadcast of Oilers Now, host Bob Stauffer stated that he thought Mike Green was going to come in around a price tag of $2 million for one season if the Oilers wanted to keep him.
Green, as most fans now know, opted out of returning to the play-in with the Oilers and said he was disappointed that he wouldn’t get to help a contending team make a run at the Stanley Cup.
There is some talk that GM Ken Holland is interested in retaining the services of the veteran blueliner but one has to wonder if the Oilers can afford $2 million or what could be a seven or eight defenseman on their roster.
Speaking of new contracts, Stauffer also said that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins could make as much as $7 million per year on his next deal. And, apparently, the Oilers don’t have an issue with the numbers because of what the player means to the market.
Related: Oilers History: The Return of Grant Fuhr
Jesse Puljujarvi Turns Down KHL Offer
It sounds like the KHL has extended an offer to disgruntled forward Jesse Puljujarvi. It’s an offer he’s declined.
KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod has approached 22-year old, but Puljujarvi would like to stay in Finland. The General Manager of the KHL team that made the offer said:
”He is a very interesting player but in this situation, we have to understand what he wants. He isn’t ready to come to the KHL even though we have offered him a good deal. It’s either Finland or a return to North America for Jesse. Eventually, there will be some clarity in regards to him but not right now”
Ethan Bear Continues to Open Coach’s Eyes
Ethan Bear may not be a Calder Trophy Finalist, but the way he played this season, don’t tell head coach Dave Tippett and the rest of the Oilers roster Bear doesn’t deserve to be. Reports are that more and more, the players are asking to play with Bear who has come a long way this season.
According to the Edmonton Sun’s Jim Matheson, who quotes Tippett’s praise of Bear’s performance when he says:
“When you have people like Connor (McDavid) and Leon (Draisaitl), your top players wanting to be on the ice with you, that shows Ethan is doing some really strong things.”
source – ‘Ethan Bear has pivotal role to play in upcoming Oilers-Chicago series’ – Jim Matheson – Edmonton Journal – 07/16/2020
Matheson added that Bear might not get a long-term deal when the season ends, but eventually he’ll get a six-year contract.
Related: 1st Overall NHL Draft Picks: Regrets From the Last Decade
Oilers Officially Loan Samorukov to KHL
On Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers officially announced that the team has loaned Dmitri Samorukov to the KHL’s CSKA Moscow for the 2020-21 season. Ken Holland is reportedly completely on board with the move, especially considering an AHL season is uncertain and Samorukov will get quality minutes in the KHL.
Obviously, the Oilers have plans for the defenseman with their organization, but there’s no rush and they can revisit his joining the team when things calm down and get back to normal.
Lots of Praise for Draisaitl
There’s a lot of love coming out of Oilers camp for Art Ross Trophy Winner and Ted Lindsay Finalist Leon Draisaitl.
Forward Andreas Athanasiou has been on a line with Draisaitl and he’s excited about the opportunity. “He is a world class player, definitely one of the best,” Athanasiou said. He added, “I think just being around him every day you kind of see why, you see how he controls the play when he has the puck on his stick, it’s real smooth and real calm.”
Kailer Yamamoto said of Draisaitl too, “He’s meant a lot. He’s helped me since day one.”
Catch up on all the latest NHL Rumors
