The Oilers search for scoring continues
David Staples of the Edmonton Journal: The Edmonton Oilers didn’t make a big splash in free agency, they didn’t overpay anyone and they didn’t hand out any long-term contract. They still could use some scoring help and don’t plan on being finished. GM Ken Holland:
“I don’t think that we’re done…
“Certainly we’d like to add another player who has the potential to score 20 goals. We’ll see if we can make that happen.”
Holland adds that they need to find a third-line center and that he’s looking for a winger to play with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
The Oilers don’t have a ton of free cap space to play with and Holland wants to enter the season $1.5 to $2 million under the cap.
They were unable to get a deal they were happy with for Jesse Puljujarvi.
“Certainly he’s expressed frustration and disappointment in the way things have gone in his Oilers career… I don’t think he’s planning on playing for the Edmonton Oilers, but I’ve had players tell me that in Detroit and they did play for Detroit.”
It wasn’t the time to pay for the Oilers
Mark Spector of Sportsnet: The Edmonton Oilers added a goaltender in Mike Smith on July 1st and filled out some depth up front with the signings of Markus Granlund, Tomas Jurco, Jujhar Khaira, Alex Chiasson and Gaetan Haas.
Jesse Puljujarvi could be used a package that might land the Oilers the scoring help up front that they need.
“In the short term we’re going to try to compete for the playoffs in 2020,” he said. “Long-term, it’s about building. But short term we need more competition and more pace on the bottom of the roster.
“I’ve been a general manager for 22 years. I know when it’s time to pay, and when it’s not time to pay,” Holland said of July 1 having passed with relative quiet on his part. “Ultimately I’m trying to build this team to be an elite team in the Western Conference.”