Hot Links: Tuesday, March 24

Morning, folks!

Yesterday, Jeff wrote about whether or not the 2019-20 NHL season can be saved. Apparently, the bookies think so. Of course, this situation is incredibly fluid, and that could change at any time. For my money, I still think it’s gone — especially in the wake of the Tokyo Olympics being postponed yesterday — but you never know.

Lowetide took a look at the Oilers amateur procurement department as we gear up — season or no season — for the first real draft of the Ken Holland and Tyler Wright era. Wright’s record in Detroit was more misses than hits, but Holland did demonstrate some degree of learning from his past blunders this year, and maybe his main amateur guy will too. Also, the much-maligned (at the time) Moritz Seider pick seems to be better than we all initially thought. Maybe there’s cause for even one single degree of optimism. Time will tell.

The Athletic voted to award Leon Draisaitl with their Hart Trophy yesterday, and today they broke down which five games best defined his MVP-type season.

Oilersnation took a trip down memory lane to a game I personally will always remember fondly: Sam Gagner’s eight point explosion against a pretty strong Chicago Blackhawks outfit. I remember it so fondly because I was in the building. I was one of 16,384 screaming “We want ten!” What a night.

The Athletic’s final report cards for the 2019-2020 Oilers released yesterday. Who received top marks?

Allan Mitchell | https://theathletic.com/

Oilers prospect D Filip Berglund (#23 in 2019’s Top 25 Under 25) signed a new contract with Linkoping late last week. What might that mean for his Oilers future?

Checking in with the recently signed F Raphael Lavoie as he looks ahead to his first professional season next year.

Yesterday, the CHL (and, by extension, its member leagues the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL) cancelled the playoffs and Memorial Cup. 2020 will be the first season in over 100 years in which there will be no Memorial Cup champion. Wild.

All that and more in the links today, get yourselves read and, of course, wash your goddamn hands. Stay safe.

From Us

Could The Season Be Saved? Oddsmakers Seem To Think So (Copper and Blue)

Lost Links: Monday, March 23 (Copper and Blue)

From Elsewhere

The Amateur Procurement Department (Lowetide)

NHL Podcast: COVID-19, Return-To-Play Scenarios, Draisaitl’s Hart Case (Score)

40 Moments: Sam Gagner Explodes For An Eight-Point Night (Oilersnation)

Oilers’ Lavoie Working To Prove He Can Adapt, Thrive Among Pro Ranks (Sportsnet)

CHL president on Memorial Cup’s fate: ‘Some things are bigger than hockey’ (Sportsnet)

NHL Provides Update On The 2019-20 Season (Oilersnation)

Caleb Jones Wants To Play Video Games With You (Oilersnation)

Report: Edmonton Oilers Prospect Raphael Lavoie Likely To Play In Bakersfield Next Year (Oilersnation)

For Money

The 5 Games That Define Leon Draisaitl’s Hart Trophy-Worthy Season (Athletic)

Final Oilers Report Cards: Second-Half Impact Defines A Successful Season (Athletic)

Does Filip Berglund’s New SHL Contract Mean He’s Done With The Oilers? (Athletic)

Evolution Of A Star: Why Leon Draisaitl Was Our Hart Pick (Athletic)