Hot Links: Monday, April 20

Morning, folks!

What a glorious day to be alive. I hope you encounter more joints than a renowned physiotherapist.

A busy weekend’s worth of links are waiting for you today, so snuggle up with your favorite sativa, or get intimate with your favorite indica while you get acquainted with the latest.

Corey introduced the Gretzky Index yesterday, a proprietary metric by which to compare an Oiler’s performance to that of the greatest to ever do it.

This past weekend Oilers fans celebrated the five year anniversary of McDavid Day, a wonderful, magical day in April of 2015 that saw the Edmonton Oilers win the privilege of drafting the second-best Oiler in franchise history.

The latest salary cap projections suggest no increase for the coming year. Even that feels optimistic at this point, but even a cap that remains the same will cause a few problems for the Oilers next season.

How might the playoffs look if the season does resume this summer?

Might Sam Gagner return as a free agent for a third turn in an Oilers sweater?

Edmonton GM Ken Holland expressed his disappointment over the Oilers’ promising season coming to a screeching halt.

Dave Tippett wsa one of three NHL coaches who spoke to the media on Friday afternoon. He talked a number of things, including Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl’s desperate desire to win, which was key in buoying the Oilers to a likely playoff berth this year.

Lowetide looked back at the Edmonton Oilers’ and Calgary Flames’ drafting between 2010-2019.

Have a wonderful day. Take a break, you probably deserve it. Stay safe and we’ll see you tomorrow.

From Us

The Gretzky Index (Copper and Blue)

5 Years Later: Happy Connor McDavid Day (Copper and Blue)

From Elsewhere

The Money Program (Lowetide)

Thought Experiment: Executing The 2020 Playoffs In A Quarantine Bubble In Edmonton (Oilersnation)

Monday Mailbag – Are Fanless NHL Games A Good Idea? (Oilersnation)

Might Twice-Traded Sam Gagner Return To Edmonton Oilers For One More Run? (Journal)

Holland Disappointed Oilers’ Strong Season Came To Halt (Score)

Dave Tippett Praises McDavid, Draisaitl’s Passion To Win (Oilers Rig)

Between The Buttons (Lowetide)

NHLPA’s Donald Fehr On Neutral Site Games: “We Haven’t Had Those Discussions Yet” (Oilersnation)

How Will An $81.5 Million Cap Impact Oilers? (Oilers Rig)

Silver, Blue And Gold (Lowetide)

40 Moments: Mike Smith And Cam Talbot Drop The Gloves (Oilersnation)

For Money

‘Oh My God, Edmonton’s Picking First’: An Oral History Of The 2015 NHL Draft Lottery (Athletic)

Lowetide: Comparison Of Oilers, Flames Drafts 2010-19 Closer Than It Should Be (Athletic)