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Edmonton Oilers: Why PTO’s Are The Right Next Move

By Kurt Leavins

May 2, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Dan Boyle (22) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Washington Capitals during the first period in game two of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Dan Boyle (22) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Washington Capitals during the first period in game two of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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There has been a lot of talk around the Edmonton Oilers, and whether or not the club should offer one or more Professional Try-Outs (PTO’s) ahead of training camp.  I have been outspoken in favor of this move, and the Oilers have had discussions with a number of players about the possibility of just that.

Not everyone likes this idea.  In fact, some are dead set against it, and very strong and vocal in their feelings.  The reasons range from:

-anyone available via a PTO would be “crappy.”
-we’ll get closer to the cap with sub-par (or past their prime) players.
-they will take ice time away from the kids.
-it’s short-term thinking, like trading a rookie for a veteran
-give the players you already have on contract a chance
-what’s the point, if they have no chance making the team?

Etc.

Now, I get why some fans would ask these questions.  They are passionate, care about their hockey team, and want to win.  As a result, my answers may not satisfy you, or them, but here goes anyway:

Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl will miss the first part of camp at the World Cup.  There will be holes in the roster that needs to be filled, until they return.  And filling them with AHL (or lower) quality players impacts on camp.  Competition for all involved is lessened.  It becomes harder to judge the progress of Jordan Oesterle, Griffin Reinhart and Matt Benning and others
because they’re playing against AHL-ers, or College and Junior grads. It’s not the same.  Not even close.

You can fill those holes from within, but if the likes of Matt Hendricks and Benoit Pouliot move over from the wing, then they are playing out of position, and the players that move up into their old spots are also inferior competition for the rest of the players.  And remember:  Rookies almost always look better in the 1st half of camp.  Why?  Because of the level of competition.

The players still available to accept a PTO?  R.J. Umbeger, Paul Gaustad, David Legwand, Domenic Moore, Mike Richards and Jarret Stoll.  Between 31 and 36 years old, some will be on their last year, others should still have 2-3 seasons left.  But (largely) because of the salary cap, they are on the sidelines.  And their best chance to stay in the league is to earn a value contract.

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The names mentioned are “real” NHL-ers who have had good careers. In some cases, they also have playoff experience and a few Stanley Cups under their
belts, and those things don’t grow on trees.  No rookies possess those attributes.
They are players with a proven the ability to “bring it” on an NHL level for
10-15 consecutive years.  The Oilers Rookies have proven?  Nothing. Yet.

Another great thing about the PTO is that it only costs you room & board, the NHL equivalent of finding a dime in your glove box (so, nothing).  Unless the player proves to be better than the other guy in camp, there is no cap hit, no “salary” period.  The team, literally, has absolutely nothing to lose.

Do they take away ice from “the kids”?  No.  As mentioned, your 3 best centers are not at camp anyway.  If anything, the “kids” like Drake Caggiula will see more ice time this Fall than they normally would, and by bringing in a veteran with a track record, the Caggiula’s of the world (again) face better competition.

If Caggiula out-plays the guy on the PTO, no problem:  You release the player on the PTO.  But if Caggiula does not out-perform “the crappy veteran with nothing left in the tank”, that is because he doesn’t BELONG in the NHL yet, and needs to go to Bakersfield for seasoning.  And lucky you…you’re prepared.

For years and years, now, the Edmonton Oilers have been accused of “rushing the kids”.  Well, the PTO is one way of stopping that cycle of insanity and giving your younger players the ice time at a lower level, because that is what they so desperately need to properly develop.

And along the way, what if (god forbid, sweet Baby Jesus) Connor McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins or Draisaitl gets hurt at Worlds?  Well, then you have a veteran NHL-er capable of giving you NHL-level minutes until they come back.

If Mark Letestu comes up lame, now you have a comparable 4C who can play 8-10 minutes a night.  A rookie like Caggiula needs to play 18+ a night in Bakersfield, and not sit on the end of the bench half the night for the Edmonton Oilers.

And what about poor Anton Lander?  Doesn’t he deserve a chance?  Sure, however in his 4th season in the NHL, Lander had 1 goal and 2 assists for the Edmonton Oilers in 61 games.  Look, I have a certain amount of time for Lander.  But by Year 4?  Sorry.

And “chances” are not a sound strategy with which to end a 10 year playoff drought with.  I don’t know about you, but I’m kinda through with rolling the dice and wouldn’t mind a little certainty, for a switch.

But is this short-term thinking on the Edmonton Oilers part?  Sure, because this is a case of “this veteran can fill a hole for us in the short-term, until the kid is ready”.  So, short-term?  Yes.  Short-term “bad”? Nope.

Next: Edmonton Oilers May Sign UFA Centre to PTO

The “Professional Try-Out” has the franchise’s longer term best interests at heart.  And that’s why Peter Chiarelli should make that call…today.

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