Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is pleased with how the club's front office conducted business this summer.
"They've had a great offseason so far," McDavid told TSN. "It's been short, it's been hurried, but I think in the small time they've been at it, they've done great things. Keeping this many guys together is a good thing. In the salary-cap era, it's tough to do that."
The Oilers and former general manager Ken Holland agreed not to renew his contract shortly after the club lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers. Edmonton's CEO of hockey operations, Jeff Jackson, has served as temporary GM since and has been busy.
Jackson brought in veteran forwards Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson in free agency while also retaining key playoff contributors Connor Brown, Adam Henrique, Corey Perry, and Mattias Janmark.
After the dust settled in free agency, the Oilers acquired 2022 ninth overall pick Matt Savoie in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres.
Zach Hyman also gave his seal of approval on Edmonton's offseason moves.
"It's also a testament to the team that guys are willing to come back on team-friendly deals and take discounts to try and win," he said. "I think they see how special it is to play in Edmonton, and it's now becoming more of a destination to play, and that's really awesome to see."
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The Edmonton Oilers traded forwards Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for winger Roby Jarventie and a 2025 fourth-round pick, the teams announced Monday.
Ottawa and Edmonton explored the deal at the draft in late June but were unable to get it done until now, according to the Edmonton Journal's Kurt Leavins.
Selected by the Oilers with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Bourgault has spent the last two campaigns with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors. The 21-year-old struggled this past season while dealing with a shoulder injury, amassing eight goals and 20 points in 55 outings. It was a step back from his rookie year when he potted 34 points in 62 games.
Expectations for Bourgault were high after he wrapped up his junior career with 36 goals and 75 points in 43 games as a member of the QMJHL's Shawinigan Cataractes in 2021-22.
Chiasson was a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft. He appeared in 68 contests for the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets in 2023-24, totaling nine goals and 20 points. The 21-year-old also slotted in for one AHL contest with the Condors in April.
Jarventie, meanwhile, was drafted by the Senators early in the second round in 2020. He made his NHL debut in November and suited up for seven games, chipping in with one assist and five shots. The 21-year-old also played 22 games with the AHL's Belleville Senators, registering nine goals and 20 points before undergoing season-ending knee surgery in February.
The Oilers have been a fan of Jarventie for some time, according to commentator Bob Stauffer. The Tampere, Finland, native is listed at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds.
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Though there hasn't been much movement on a potential Patrik Laine trade, new Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell remains hopeful that he'll be able to get something done.
"There really aren't a lot of free agents out there," the executive told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "If (teams) have the (salary) cap (space) today, they'll probably still have it tomorrow. I know there are teams that are still interested."
Reports emerged in mid-June that the Jackets were working with Laine on a trade. The 26-year-old is under contract for two more seasons with an $8.7-million cap hit. Laine has been in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program since January.
He was limited to 18 contests in 2023-24 after battling multiple injuries, including a broken clavicle. Laine was also a healthy scratch in November, which he said was "the most embarrassing thing" to happen to him in his career at the time.
The Finn cited his "mental health and well-being" when he entered the assistance program. The Jackets - under then-GM Jarmo Kekalainen - were apparently willing to listen to offers on Laine before he joined the program.
Teams - including Columbus - can't speak directly to Laine while he's in the program, though he can still be traded. It's a unique situation for Waddell, especially considering he just stepped in as the Jackets' GM in May.
"Teams keep checking in to see if there's anything new," he said. "I tell them, 'You guys have to be comfortable with (Laine), and I can't help you.' I don't know the player personally. I'm not one to try and trick people either, so (we) made him available to chat (when he's cleared)."
The Blue Jackets acquired Laine from the Jets in January 2021 as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Winnipeg.
Laine hasn't flourished in Columbus, amassing 64 goals and 138 points in 174 games over the past four years. His best statistical seasons came with the Jets: Laine reached the 30-goal mark three times and recorded a career-high 44 tallies in 2017-18.
The Blue Jackets haven't made the playoffs during Laine's tenure.
Winnipeg selected Laine with the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
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