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Good morning!
Another slow Oilers news day. Not much is happening these days, but I’m told it’s ‘only July’ so it’s not worth worrying about. So let’s not.
The biggest news from the hockey world yesterday had to have been F Michael Ferland’s new deal with the Vancouver Canucks. Mixed reviews so far, but I think there are worse bets.
More confusing news out of Finland as Jesse Puljujarvi’s agent suggested he wasn’t sure whether Jesse would be returning to Europe this season. The verbal out of that camp has been, something, so far this summer. The will they / won’t they tension usually makes for good TV though.
The topic on Twitter yesterday - that Darnell Nurse might be is the Oilers’ best candidate for an impact trade today - continued to show a pretty large divide in terms of people who are, and are not, on board. It’s an idea not without some controversy, but I can’t see a quicker path forward for a team desperate for a rapid return to relevance. I also see some of the contract numbers being bandied about next season and I get real nervous. If you missed Lowetide’s article on Nurse yesterday, here’s why:
“Math suggests Nurse is neither an effective, top-pairing shutdown defender nor an offensive player worthy of a big-money contract. His 2016-17 tease remains exactly that, a successful run he has been unable to duplicate.”
- Lowetide, in The Athletic
Other than that? All quiet on the Western Front. See y’all tomorrow.
From SBN
An article about weird sports video games. I’m only linking this because it happened across my TL last night and Mutant League Hockey made the list. That game was awesome. (SBNation)
From Us
Yesterday. (Copper and Blue)
From Elsewhere
So what exactly is going on with Jesse Puljujarvi then? (Oilersnation)
Rob Soria on Grant Fuhr (The Hockey Writers)
For Money
That Lowetide piece on Nurse. Again. It’s worth your time. And a free trial, if nothing else. (The Athletic)
Dom Luszczyszyn on the 10 worst contracts in hockey right now. You’ll never guess who made it. (The Athletic)
Told ya it was slow. To that end, come say hey (or say ‘you’re a loser’ if you want I can take it) on Twitter! Maybe today’s the day they do something worth celebrating? Or just, something?