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NHL Rumors: Insider reveals Edmonton Oilers had "exploratory conversations" with Justin Schultz, another key defenseman
With the NHL season just a month away, the Edmonton Oilers, like most teams, are working to strengthen their roster for the 2024-25 season. The Oilers finished their last campaign on the verge of a Game 7 comeback against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.
To elevate their lineup, the Oilers, according to NHL insider Kurt Leavins, have had "exploratory conversations" with free-agent defensemen Tyson Barrie and Justin Schultz. He further said:
"Whether things proceeded past that point, I do not know. Barrie loved being an Oiler and would love to return. I understand Schultz is also open to the idea." [H/T Edmonton Journal]
Both players have previously represented the Edmonton Oilers, with Barrie playing for two seasons and Schultz for four.
"On Schultz, that says a lot about the player as a person," Leavins added. "He was given a pretty rough ride out of town on his first stop. In retrospect, Schultz was in a challenging situation here in terms of who he was paired with at the time and he paid the price for that." [H/T Edmonton Journal]
Dylan Holloway criticizes Edmonton Oilers' negotiation tactics
New St. Louis Blues signing and former Edmonton Oilers center Dylan Holloway had his word regarding the Oilers' negotiation tactics, on Blues commentator Andy Strickland's "Hockey Sense" podcast on Friday:
"We knew about the offer sheet before we had any negotiations with Edmonton, which was kind of weird. We were trying to get a deal done. I don’t think we were asking for anything crazy at all. If anything we were very upfront with Edmonton the whole time, even about the whole offer sheet.
"We explained, ‘Hey, this was an option for us. Can we get a deal?’ And it was weird the way they handled it. I felt I had no other option but to sign the offer sheet."
Edmonton Oilers boss Stan Bowman commented on Holloway's exit:
"So, it's less about the players and the abilities and their talents. It's really about trying to set ourselves up in the best position that we can be, so that we have some options." [H/T NHL.com]
With Holloway eager to get the season underway with the Blues and Oilers keen on getting more players aboard, both parties will be looking forward to a feisty fixture when they meet this season.
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