The dog days of August.
A time when most NHL players have caught their breath, focused on their families and personal lives, and are now starting to working toward a return to competition in the Fall.
But while putting in the work has all kinds of good implications on the ice, the same can be said for those who run these teams off the ice. And the Edmonton Oilers are no different.
That and more in this edition of…
9 Things
9. Stuart Skinner has swapped player agencies, moving from J.P. Barry of CAA to Ray Petkau of Alpha Hockey Inc. His new agency has a high percentage of goaltenders.
8. The Hlinka-Gretzky Tournament kicks off Monday in Edmonton, Canada playing Switzerland. A best-on-best U18 competition, I expect Stan Bowman attended. It would be yet another sign of the layered team building we have been witnessing. More on that in a minute…
7. Former Oiler Tyson Barrie was back on his home turf of Vancouver Island this weekend. He hosted a charity concert just a couple miles from my place, featuring Sarah McLachlan among others. I understand he helped raised over $400K for children’s charities. Well done.
6. In this space last week, I talked about a pending contract for Leon Draisaitl. While I believe this is headed down a very positive path, I said at the time that “some people who should know these things did not think it was imminent”. And that sense has proven to be true enough.
5. Will perennial radio ratings winner Oilers Now stay in the time slot it was moved to prior to the 2023-24 season? As good as Bob Stauffer is, no one has the power to change when people listen to the radio. They listen when they can, when their lives allow. A pure “drive” show from 3-6pm makes more sense than a hybrid drive/evening show like 4-7 was. Later this month, the summer ratings will be out…including the weeks during the Stanley Cup Final.
4. Some new jersey numbers for Oilers faithful to consider when snapping up some new merch for the upcoming season. They are: Jeff Skinner (53), Viktor Arvidsson (33), Collin Delia (60), Connor Carrick (58), Josh Brown (44) and Roby Jarventie (61, an Oilers first). Also of note, Matt Savoie has often worn 93 in his career. But with Oilers legend Ryan Nugent-Hopkins probably taking that one to the rafters with him, Savoie will instead don number 22.
3. I see where Sports Illustrated has proclaimed that Zach Hyman “will likely never put up another 50-goal season with the Edmonton Oilers”. Writer Nick Horwat seems to base his analysis heavily on the opinions of TSN’s Frank Corrado. I am not so sure I would count Zach Hyman out, the way the Maple Leafs did when they failed to re-sign him. That did not work out so well. Yes, 50 is hard for anyone to replicate. But not everyone plays with Connor McDavid. That is a pretty good set of hands to bet against.
2. The two latest inductees into the Edmonton Oilers Hall of Fame are Randy Gregg and Craig MacTavish. People are welcome to debate which names get in, but it is difficult to mount a serious debate over these two champions. Gregg has his name on five Stanley Cups with Edmonton. MacTavish has three, but is also the only man to even play, be Head Coach and General Manager in the history of the NHL edition of the franchise. The induction will be October 25th. Congratulations to both gentlemen. Here is where I will add my annual reminder that there would not have been an Edmonton Oilers without Bill Hunter. Hopefully, in coming years, voters see fit to write down his name.
1.Best In Class. It is a phrase that we have heard in conversations ever since Jeff Jackson arrived on the scene as the Edmonton Oilers CEO. It was used during the announcement of Stan Bowman, the new GM who has three Stanley Cups on his resume. The saying surfaced during the hiring of Rick Pracey as the club’s new Head amateur Scout. Pracey had several exceptional drafts in Colorado, including Nathan MacKinnon in 2013. And those words have also come up as Jeff Jackson firmed up both his Video and Analytics teams (Mike Fanelli was a part of two Stanley Cup wins in Tampa Bay).
Building a “Best In Class” organization off the ice is important for any successful business including an NHL team. But especially for an organization one that has Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and a strong supporting cast already around them on the ice. When you have players that good, you are inches away from greatness. Just like truly great companies, be they in broadcasting, advertising, vehicle sales, manufacturing or groceries. They are always on the lookout for one more really good person. Because every seemingly small advantage helps draw you that same inch closer to winning.
It also does not get talked about how deeply involved Jackson was at Wasserman Hockey in Player Development before inking in Edmonton. That agency was on the cutting edge of this stuff from an agency point of view. He has a lot of first-hand knowledge on how access to resources and advice can make the difference between a prospect and an NHL-er. And Jackson will be able to apply that lesson to running an organization like the Oilers.
In fact, you can already see it in his multi-layered approach to team building. The drafting of Sam O’Reilly teamed with the 2-year extension of Adam Henrique. Those two things are the same move in my eyes. The transformative steps taken with the prospect pool right in the midst of free agency. Consider how the Matt Lavoie ELC tracks along with what would be Draisaitl’s new deal. Etc. All these things need to turn out. But if you string enough of them together…
What I also like about Jackson’s off-ice moves to-date is that he isn’t just hiring the guys he golfs with. After all, a good hockey club is not a country club. There are no points for a good handicap on the ice.
Instead, he seems focused on the same sound principles that build great companies: Precision. Thoroughness. Innovation. Work ethic. Grinding. And the guts to occasionally do what is not always popular.
Attributes that can also contribute significantly to one’s name being etched on the Stanley Cup.
Now on Threads @kleavins. Also, find me on Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at [email protected]. This article is not AI generated.
Recently, at The Cult…
McCURDY: Two greats ascend the steps to the Edmonton Oilers Hall of Fame
STAPLES: The carrot and stick aspects of the McDavid and Draisaitl contracts
LEAVINS: Stan Bowman already “on the clock”
Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.