We are now closer to Labor Day than the August long weekend.

Closer to training camp than NHL Free Agency.

The days are getting shorter, the nights longer.

Hockey season…now just weeks away.

9 Things

9. EA Sports has named Cheryl Pounder as the color commentator for their NHL 24 product. A double-gold winning Olympian in Women’s Hockey, the Montreal native is a terrific choice for the brand. Not only does she have cred, but her presence is also a smart way to help expand the NHL’s footprint.

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8. I signaled in this space last week that Sports Talk would be coming to CKJR in Wetaskiwin. It was confirmed later that Jason Gregor and Allan Mitchell would revive their old 1260 shows on 1440. Other notables from TSN, such as Jason Strudwick, Dustin Neilson, and Dave Jamieson, are not following.

7. I noted last week that Craig MacTavish celebrated his 65^th birthday. After another stint behind the bench last season, MacT is a “free agent” again. It would make a lot of sense for someone to snap him up as an analyst. The trifecta of experience MacTavish that brings to a broadcast (player, coach, executive) is relatively rare. And MacT also presents well.

6. Did you see the fun, free-ranging interview TSN’s James Duthie did with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger at the Boots and Hearts Music Festival in Ontario? These 3 Alberta icons sure have chemistry. I have more personal experience with Kroeger, who despite his international fame I have never found to be far from the generous, small-town guy who grew up here.

5. What would success look like for Jack Campbell in 2023-24? The obvious answer is a Stanley Cup ring. But given the on-ice trials and tribulations of the likeable goaltender last season, what would a reasonable bounce-back year be? I would suggest around a .910 SV%. That is his career average. Tried anoher way If you took away his best season (2018-19) and worst (2022-23), the mean SV% would be .912.

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4. I wrote an article at The Cult of Hockey earlier this week on Oilers prospect James Hamblin. Hamblin had an extended stay in camp last year and ended up with a 10-game stint with the big club, mid-season. I do not expect him to make the team this year. But injuries could see him return on re-call. He plays a smart, quick, 200-foot game and his coach (from their AHL tie together) trusts him. I am not sure, however, that a 5’9 4C is an advantage.

3. Do not be surprised to see brief and now-former Edmonton Oilers front-office man and player Steve Staios land in Ottawa. A source in that city tells me “Where there is smoke, there is fire. Staios has long been closely associated with new Senators’ new owner Michael Andlauer in the past, specifically the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL. Staios was President of that club, Andlauer the owner. The sum of the parts seems to add up, doesn’t it? We will see.

2. It has been just terrific to watch both Mattias Ekholm and Evander Kane making appearances across Oil Country this summer. I will always firmly defend a player’s right to live wherever is best for their families. But the presence of these two stars around town in the off-season feels like the 80’s and early 90’s, when those Oilers were deeply threaded into the fabric of the community. Full, healthy seasons from both will be critical in any cup run.

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1.Whenever someone takes over any organization, there is an initial thirst for what unique selling points that person may bring to the table. As I have consumed the interviews that new CEO Jeff Jackson has conducted since taking over the job, three things keep coming up frequently and consistently: Analytics, sports science, and player development. I think they stand out because the organization has not necessarily been known for any of them, certainly, the first two. Development has been better since Ken Holland arrived. I wonder if Jackson’s messaging is a sign of the Oilers broadening their view and scope as an organization. Is it a not-so-subtle shift in how the organization will do business from now on?

If those things come up once, it can just be a product of the flow of conversation. But after a while, one begins to get the impression that Jackson believes he can bring more than just a fresh set of eyes to all three areas of the organization. And that is a good thing. If the Oilers are already a Top-8 team (and they are), then why not eke out every little advantage you can? After all, I would argue the final steps to a championship are the hardest.

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It was also an interesting study that while conversations surrounding the job offer apparently started around the draft, not Jackson’s candidacy not his ultimate hiring got out until the very last second. Maybe that is not a journalist’s perfect world. But in business?

Here is a fact: Good business organizations are great at managing their messages. Some get frustrated with Jay Woodcroft’s cageyness, but not me. Because why hand the opposition any possible edge? Things should only get “out” when you want them to.

That the Oilers have been “quiet” since Jackson’s ascension is probably no accident and almost assuredly one good sign they are on the right path.

Now on Threads @kleavins. Also, find me on Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at KurtLeavins@mstdn.social

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