Jeff Marek mentioned a player that Oilers fans have been talking about for a long time. On Daily Faceoff Live this past Tuesday, the insider connected Jordan Kyrou directly to the Edmonton team’s summer wish list.
The idea is straightforward. Stan Bowman needs a winger who can keep up with Connor McDavid when he is going all out.
Marek made his point clear. He said he thinks we will hear Kyrou’s name “a lot this offseason” because he seems to be a good match for McDavid.
He also pointed out that Kyrou has been up for grabs, according to him, for a couple of years now. This isn’t new news around the NHL.
What is new is the urgency. Edmonton just finished a season with a record of 41 wins, 30 losses, and 11 overtime losses, earning 93 points and having a goal difference that is only slightly positive at plus-13.
McDavid still scored 138 points over 82 games. Leon Draisaitl added 97 points in 65 games. The players around them keep falling short.
Why Doug Armstrong might finally make a move in St. Louis
Kyrou ended the season with 18 goals and 46 points in 72 games. That’s much lower than what he usually scores, and he had a -5 rating.
The Blues finished with a record of 37 wins, 33 losses, and 12 overtime losses and are ranked 23rd overall in goals allowed per game at 3.1. Doug Armstrong has been waiting patiently. But patience can only last so long.
The contract is the twist. Kyrou has an $8.125 million price tag, which isn’t cheap for a player whose defensive play often gets criticized in tight playoff games.
Edmonton’s salary cap situation is already tight. Draisaitl’s $14 million deal begins soon. McDavid earns $12.5 million. Zach Hyman takes up another $5.5 million on the wing.
Bringing in Kyrou would mean they would have to get rid of some real money. This is the part that insiders haven’t figured out yet, and it’s usually what stops these “good match” talks from happening before July 1.
However, Kyrou finished on a high note. He scored 5 points in his final 5 games and had a plus-3 during that time. His skills remained sharp.
If Bowman really wants to provide McDavid with a fast player on his weaker side, this is the guy to consider. Whether Armstrong will actually make that call is a different topic altogether.
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