Hot Links: Monday, May 25

Morning, folks!

Big weekend for hockey fans as the NHL and NHLPA have reached an agreement on a Return to Play format. There are still many details to be ironed out, but the two sides have at least agreed on the number of teams: 24. Details including whether it will be a bracket ‘as is’, or whether the top four seeds will play re-seeding games remain to be decided upon.

We wrapped up our Underdog Week series with the ultimate underdog: Fernando Pisani. His brilliance from Spring 2006 to Early Summer 2006 will live on forever for Oilers fans of a certain age. What a legend.

Andreas Athanasiou’s next contract negotiation might be a tricky one.

With a playoff run looming, who might be recalled from Bakersfield to help support the first team?

Looking back at the Oilers’ most unlikely stanley cup 30 years later.

The Oilers and Penguins are most affected by the Return to Play format, with Edmonton the only team sitting second in their division that will have to play a play-in series. Their chances for the playoffs proper went from 95% BC (Before COVID) to ~60% AD (After Disease), but perhaps there’s a silver lining?

So how about that format, anyway? What’s it look like? Who gets whom?

The gents over at PuckIQ have rolled out another layer of context for hockey analysts everywhere: shift starts.

Lowetide points to Kailer Yamamoto as an example of ‘Moneypuck’ value for NHL teams. His falling to 22 in 2017 shows that NHL teams still stay away from undersized players with skill more than they should.

As the 2020 Draft gets closer and closer (we assume), Lowetide takes a look at Tyler Wright’s draft history from his time with Columbus and Detroit.

From Us

Oilers Playoff Preview: Chicago Play-In Series (Copper and Blue)

Underdog Week: Fernando Pisani (Copper and Blue)

Underdog Week: Doug Weight (Copper and Blue)

Underdog Week: Jussi Markkanen (Copper and Blue)

Underdog Week: Ethan Bear (Copper and Blue)

Underdog Week: Jordan Eberle (Copper and Blue)

From Elsewhere

Feels Like Home To Me (Lowetide)

Getting To Know The Chicago Blackhawks (Oilersnation)

Delicate Contract Negotiations May Be In Store For New Edmonton Oilers Speedster Andreas Athanasiou (Journal)

Best Oilers Trades Countdown – No. 3: Getting Dwayne Roloson At The ’06 Trade Deadline (Oilersnation)

Best Oilers Trades Countdown – No. 4: Getting CuJo And Mike Grier As Compensation For Shayne Corson (Oilersnation)

30 Years Later: The Story Of The 1990 Oilers’ Unexpected Stanley Cup Run (Sportsnet)

Bill Ranford & Kevin Lowe On The Oilers’ Stanley Cup Victory In 1990 | @Home (Sportsnet)

It Was 30 Years Ago Today! (Lowetide)

Paul Coffey Believes The Oilers’ Dynasty Could Have Continued (THW)

Oilers Shafted By 24-Team Playoff Format, But Have Silver Lining (THW)

The 24-Team Format Has Been Approved, But There’s Plenty Left To Determine (Oilersnation)

Let’s Talk About The NHL Playoffs Format (Oilersnation)

Shift Starts - Another Layer Of Contextual Information To Help Evaluate Player Results, Is Now Live At Puckiq.Com (Because Oilers)

The Big Questions: Who Are The Trade Candidates? (Oilersnation)

Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Wright (Lowetide)

For Money

Lowetide: Oilers’ Most Likely Recalls From Bakersfield For The Playoff Run (Athletic)

‘We Rallied And Regrouped’: How The Oilers Won The 1990 Stanley Cup (Athletic)

Lowetide: Why Kailer Yamamoto Represents ‘Money Puck’ Value For NHL Teams (Athletic)