Offering an NHL veteran the opportunity to make your team via “Professional Try Out” is always a risky proposition for any organization. The Edmonton Oilers found that out the hard way earlier today, as Kris Versteeg decided to jump ship and sign a one-year $950,000 deal with the Calgary Flames. By the sounds of it, Peter Chiarelli offered the two-time Stanley Cup winner a contract but the 30-year old winger decided to go in a different direction. A tough break for sure but not one that should have come as a complete surprise to the former Boston Bruins general manager.
While his name had already worked its way through the rumour mill over the past few weeks, it appeared as though the Edmonton Oilers decided inking unrestricted free agent defenseman Kris Russell to a deal for the upcoming 2016-17 campaign was a road they did not want to go down. However, with the start of the season just around the corner and the club not satisfied with the current state of their backend, the two sides decided to circle back and take another kick at the proverbial can.
From the moment the Edmonton Oilers decided to use the No. 1 selection in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft to select Nail Yakupov, there were those who questioned the decision. After adding the quartet of Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins over the previous four drafts, bringing in another forward seemed to be a bit of overkill in the minds of some. With that said, there is no question the vast majority of Oilers Nation wanted the club to use their first round pick on the talented Russian…yours truly included.
After pulling the trigger on a last-second deal with the Anaheim Ducks during the 2016 NHL Trade Deadline, Peter Chiarelli was hoping he had found the proverbial “diamond in the rough” in landing Patrick Maroon. While he did pay what was deemed the going rate at the time, a bottom tier prospect in blueliner Martin Garnet and a fourth-round selection in last summer’s Entry Draft, he was acquired for what amounted to next to nothing. Well, if the initial stretch of his Edmonton Oilers career is any indication of what can be expected from the American winger, Chiarelli may have his wish granted.
