EDMONTON — It’s about who you know.
The Edmonton Oilers are not afraid to sign players with connections within the organization. Connor Brown knew Connor McDavid for years before he signed on the dotted line as a free agent. Ty Emberson played for an AHL team that head coach Kris Knoblauch coached a few years ago.
Stan Bowman isn’t afraid to re-sign players he knows. He picked Alec Regula off waivers and traded for Paul Fischer. He knew (or traded for) both players when he was manager of the Chicago Blackhawks.
One player who isn’t on anyone’s radar is considering a comeback. And the Oilers might be the perfect place for him.
Jonathan Toews should be a player the Oilers consider signing to their team. Here are three reasons why the Oilers should target the veteran.
Toews ready for another kick at the can
Toews entered the hockey conversation after a recent interview with GQ. In the exclusive piece, Toews describes how his discovery of the Ayurvedic Panchakarma detox helped him feel better. He suffered from COVID for a long time, but experiencing this detox was the best way he dealt with it.
As for a return to the NHL, here’s what Toews said.
“There’s a part of me that really wants to give it my all,” Toews revealed. “To get back on the ice and see where it takes me.”
“There’s a part of me that doesn’t feel like my career is over yet, and who knows what the next part of my journey looks like.”
Bowman is very well known
Bowman did not draft Toews, but was the director of Hockey Operations when the Blackhawks selected him third overall in the 2006 NHL entry draft. He was assistant general manager when Toews assumed the mantle of team captain.
To say he knows the player is an understatement.
While fame can be a bad thing and create prejudice, in this case it is a good thing. Bowman knows the kind of person Toews is and how the former captain can help the Oilers off the ice.
Toews can fill the bottom six role
That said, Toews hasn’t played NHL hockey since his 53-game stint during the 2022-2023 season. In those games, he scored 31 points and played 17:43 per game.
Although he is no longer the player he once was, he can still contribute to a championship-quality team. Being a third or fourth line center would be ideal for a player like him.
Toews could eventually replace a player like Derek Ryan as the fourth-line center. If he played well enough, he could move into the third line, leaving Derek Ryan as the pivot in the fourth line and freeing up Adam Henrique to play as a winger elsewhere.
Toews could join the team, mentor the younger players and stabilize the bottom six. Of course, he must first undergo a conditioning phase before he is up to speed. But his two-way ability under center would make the Oilers an even more dangerous team come playoff time.
With Toews already familiar with Bowman and the Oilers’ need to add pieces up front, the 36-year-old could be a smart addition.
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