The Edmonton Oilers are staring at a depth problem before training camp even opens, and a familiar Flyers castoff has surfaced as a practical fix.
On Wednesday, Edmonton said in a press release that forwards Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark, goalie Frederik Andersen, and defenseman Alec Regula are all expected to miss training camp next month because of injury. That leaves the Stanley Cup hopeful short on bodies with the season approaching fast.
Janmark is the biggest hit. The 33-year-old has been a steady two-way presence in Edmonton’s bottom six for years, and he had season-ending surgery on March 6. In the 43 games he played, 62.9% of his even-strength shifts started in the defensive zone.
Savoie, 22, also carved out a useful role last season, especially on the penalty kill. In his first full NHL season, he scored twice shorthanded for the Oilers. GM Stan Bowman said Savoie is not expected to be out for very long, but Edmonton still needs help to get through the start of the year.
That is where Luke Glendening comes in.
The 37-year-old free agent spent time with both New Jersey and Philadelphia last season, and he remains one of just three unsigned forwards who logged at least 100 minutes on the penalty kill. For a team looking to patch together its lower lineup, that kind of profile matters.
Glendening’s season turned around after the Flyers claimed him on waivers from New Jersey. He put up five points in 18 games with Philadelphia after managing four points in 52 games with the Devils.
He also became part of a reliable Flyers fourth line under Rick Tocchet, skating with Garnet Hathaway and Sean Couturier and occasionally sliding to center for matchup faceoffs. Even at 37, he was still trusted heavily in his own end, taking a 76.3% defensive zone start rate with Philadelphia.
That defensive work is the whole appeal here. Glendening has reached 100 or more penalty-kill minutes in every NHL season of his career, and while his scoring punch is gone, Edmonton would not be asking him for offense. That job belongs to Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, and Leon Draisaitl.
The fit is there for another reason, too: Glendening shoots right, just like Savoie, and he can line up on the wing if needed.
The Flyers had considered bringing Glendening back earlier this offseason, but after signing Noel Acciari, that path looks unlikely unless injuries hit Philadelphia’s forward group. If this is the end of the road with the Flyers, Edmonton stands out as a logical next stop for the 13-year NHL veteran.
In Other News...
Red Wings Fans May Hate What A Real McDavid Deal Would Cost
Rumors about Connor McDavid inevitably drag a lot of teams into the conversation, but Detroit has been framed as an unlikely landing spot because of the kind of organizational turbulence that makes a deal of that magnitude hard to imagine. Even so, the idea has taken shape around a hypothetical trade package built to show just how steep the price would be if the Red Wings ever did get serious about chasing the NHLs biggest name.
The real hurdle, though, is not just matching value on paper. Edmonton would only even think about moving McDavid if it became clear he was not going to re-sign once his current contract ran out, which is the kind of uncertainty that turns a blockbuster into a waiting game. For teams around the league, including those following the rumor mill from afar, that reality matters as much as any proposed package. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Just Showed How Aggressive This Front Office Really Is
The Flyers did not exactly tiptoe into the summer. By putting a five-year, $90 million offer sheet in front of Leo Carlsson, Philadelphia showed just how willing Daniel Briere is to swing big when a target fits what the front office wants. The move forced Anaheim to make a fast decision, and it also underscored how far the Flyers are willing to go to chase help at the top of the lineup.
Briere said the offer sheet did not change the Flyers offseason plan, even after Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said the size of the offer caught him off guard. Verbeek also made clear Anaheim was prepared to match for Carlsson, which is exactly what happened, keeping the young center in Orange County. For Philadelphia, the episode still says plenty about the kind of team Briere is trying to build, and how aggressive he is prepared to be when a player is available. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers First-Round Defenseman Is Hinting At A Bigger Ceiling Than Expected
Maksim Sokolovskii is already giving the Flyers reason to keep watching closely after the 27th overall pick flashed some of the offensive upside that helped make him a first-round defenseman. In a recent OHL preseason game for the London Knights, he showed off the skating and playmaking that stood out during his draft year, adding to the sense that Philadelphia may have found a blue-liner with more to his game than the usual stay-at-home profile.
The early signs are encouraging, especially for a player whose development curve has been moving in the right direction. The Flyers have seen that trajectory build through his draft year, but there is still work ahead as he sharpens his passing, decision-making and puck-handling. For now, though, the bigger takeaway is that Sokolovskii is hinting at a ceiling that may be higher than initially expected. [Read more 🡒]