Oilers News & Rumors: Skinner, Barrie, Ekholm, McDavid

In an Edmonton Oilers news and rumors update, Stuart Skinner is ready for his sophomore NHL season and says he has more to give. If Tyson Barrie is moved this season by the Nashville Predators, would the Edmonton Oilers be inclined to bring him back? How big a season will Mattias Ekholm have? Finally, Connor McDavid showed up in a beer league championship game and played. Did his team win?

Skinner Ready to Take His Game Even Further

Despite an impressive rookie season, Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner is aiming to up his game another notch in 2023-24. The 24-year-old emerged as the team’s starting goaltender, securing an All-Star nomination and reaching the Calder Trophy finals. But, Skinner is determined to ensure that wasn’t the peak of what he can offer.

Recalling his debut season, Skinner shared with NHL.com’s Aaron Vickers, “I felt like I was stepping into something I was well-prepared for. It felt quite satisfying to jump right in, and the team welcomed me warmly, making me feel like an integral part of the family from the start.” He added, “I’ve got much, much better to bring next year, and hopefully I’m going to do that my whole career. I know it was a good year, but I know I’ve got a lot better.”

How much better can Skinner be? If he takes another step, the Oilers are in great shape because Jack Campbell’s game is undoubtedly going to be better than it was last season.

Could Tyson Barrie Make His Way Back to Edmonton?

As the Nashville Predators try to turn their team into a contender and Barry Trotz reimagines the team in his own image, there are some players to watch coming out of that organization if the team isn’t playoff bound. Among them, Shayna Goldman of The Athletic writes that former Oilers’ defenseman Tyson Barrie could be on the trade block.

Goldman notes:

But if they aren’t by the time spring rolls around, then they’ll likely make further tweaks to the roster to bring back returns that’ll help build this team back up in the long run. One of those tweaks would likely be moving Barrie, a pending UFA, to a team looking for scoring from the blue line and a power-play quarterback.

source – ‘NHL’s biggest trade targets for 2023-24: William Nylander, Connor Hellebuyck, more’ – Shayna Goldman – The Athletic – 08/17/2023

The Oilers have Evan Bouchard to run their power play, but what about a salary-retained, pro-rated Barrie on the second unit as the Oilers push toward the playoffs around the trade deadline? Barrie would come in at an affordable rate and we know he’d fit in seamlessly to the team’s system having played it for years. He’d be nothing more than a rental but he’d be a good one with real motivation to have a strong post-season.

Is Ekhom Going to Be a Norris Candidate This Season?

Allan Mitchell of The Athletic made 9 predictions for the coming season. Among them, he speculated that defenseman Mattias Ekholm will finish top five in the Norris Trophy voting this year. Mitchell writes:

Ekholm finished No. 10 in Norris Trophy voting in 2018-19, but the Nashville votes landed elsewhere in his time there. That will change this season. Ekholm’s importance to the success of the Oilers is huge. In the time he spent with the team last year, Ekholm mentored Bouchard and helped establish a strong second pairing. He also took the pressure off the top pair (led by Darnell Nurse) and took on more of the heavy lifting against elite competition.

source – ‘Lowetide: 9 bold Edmonton Oilers predictions for 2023-24’ – Allan Mitchell – The Athletic – 08/20/2023

Mitchell adds that it’s the opportune moment for Ekholm. He’ll join a formidable team, enjoy a year in the limelight, and crucially, play a pivotal role in the Oilers winning the Stanley Cup — something else Mitchell picked as a bold prediction.

McDavid Plays In Beer League Championship Game

In a beer league championship game held near his hometown of Newmarket, Ontario, Connor McDavid made an appearance, as reported by TSN hosts Marissa Roberto and Julia Tocheri. The Oilers’ captain chose to wear a different jersey number, opting for No. 4 instead of his familiar No. 97 but it was easy to see it was him, flying around, but operating at what some called about a 3% effort level.

McDavid played for Team Blue but didn’t emerge triumphant, as Team Red secured a decisive 9-4 victory led by fellow NHLer and Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield.