Weekend Update: Waiting

The free agency frenzy has long since ended, but still the Oilers have yet to make any BIG moves to their roster. Yes, it's true that the Oilers did acquire Justin Schultz, but what else? Schultz is likely to make a significant difference, but one man alone cannot make the improvements that last year's team needed. But with the way the current CBA negotiations are going, it's not all that surprising that the Oilers haven't jumped to the be the ones to sign Shea Weber to an impressive offer sheet. Still, you have to hope that the Oilers aren't just waiting and are in negotiations or at least the planning stages to try to make a trade or two before the season starts, a move that will help the team win a few more games this coming season.

The Oilers have made other signings since I last wrote up an update. Those signings included the re-signing of Darcy Hordichuk, Theo Peckham and even bigger for most Oilers fans was the re-upping of Sam Gagner. But none of those moves have made the Oilers any better, and rather just kept the team the same. Likely the Oilers are still looking to make some moves, but they may be a little more timid to sign players to big offer sheets without knowing what the next CBA will look like.

And no, no deal yet for Nail Yakupov. But you know that that deal is absolutely coming before training camp.

Of course in Edmonton the off season is about more than just negotiating with players, but also with the city to move the new arena project forward. Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel remains a backer of the "revolutionary" project but without hammering out the details of the money, the shovels may not hit the ground this coming spring, and that might be one of the biggest disappointments.

The Oklahoma City Barons have made some signings of their own this week, signing Josh Green to a one year AHL deal and also agreeing to terms with defenseman Dan Ringwald on his first one way AHL deal. After getting so close to their goal of the Calder Cup last season, you have to expect that the Barons will be looking to make only fine tweaks to their roster this off season.

Nail Yakupov looks as though he will be suiting up for Russia once again this year as the Oilers' first overall pick of 2012 has been named to the preliminary Russian roster for the August Canada-Russia challenge. Yakupov should have been an easy choice for Russia and this would give Yakupov a chance to test his limits before the Oilers main training camp, where he will make the team.

And of course another player that we all are curious to see what will happen to is Linus Omark. Omark is never shy to speak with Swedish media, and from the rough translation of that article, Omark believes that there is still interest in him in the NHL market and that he believes that the Oilers are looking to move him before the end of the month. Just who may take him, and what they will offer remains to be seen.

The dog days of summer are here, and as much as you like hockey, get out and enjoy Capital Ex and the Indy. You only get 10 days of deep fried goodness and all the food on a stick you can eat. Don't let this opportunity pass you by!