During a recent episode of Oilersnation Everyday, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli hopped on the show to provide an update regarding the future of Mattias Janmark and Vincent Desharnais in Edmonton.
When asked about the prospect of Janmark taking a discount to remain an Oiler, Seravalli the Swedish centre would be open to sticking around if he can get some long-term security.
“He’s bounced around a bit. I’m sure probably what he’s looking for more than anything is some security,” he said on Janmark. “I could see him taking less if the Oilers are willing to give him a little bit of term.”
I would imagine the Oilers would also be open to keeping him around for the next little while because Janmark has provided a ton of value in the bottom six as a shutdown forward and penalty killer. The plethora of shorthanded points has also been a huge boost that has come in clutch numerous times this postseason, so it makes a ton of sense to extend him past this season.
Of course, they will need to be cautious when negotiating his contract given he will be getting his best chance at a pay raise on the backs of a productive postseason run. He may be open to taking a bit less to stick around, but he also has yet to sign a contract for longer than two years in his career so far. Janmark has bounced around between four teams within a span of four seasons and it is understandable why he would be wanting some term on his next deal.
Making sure he gets the security he is looking for while also not eating too much into Edmonton’s cap hit won’t be smooth sailing but I can see the two sides agreeing to a new deal within days of the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final.
As for Desharnais, Seravalli gets the sense that the blueliner’s time with the Oilers could soon be coming to an end.
“This is probably the one, for a late bloomer, the one big payday he’s going to get in his career if he can get it. So I don’t think he’s in a position to take less. And the fact that Broberg has supplanted him and Broberg will definitely be in the top six next year, it’s harder to see a path for the Oilers to want to overpay Desharnais.”
This checks out because Philip Broberg has been getting more reps in the lineup and has made the most of his opportunities. It has come at the expense of Desharnais as a result and it is hard not to conclude he is seeing the writing on the wall regarding his place in the lineup long-term.
There is no doubt he would love to stay if he could, but it makes more sense for Desharnais to test the market because he is a rare commodity in the NHL: a right-shot defenceman. The fact that he is tall, can kill penalties, and is still fairly young at only 28 years old will make him an attractive target for teams looking to shore up their blueline. Regardless of how long the Final goes on, his time in Edmonton will likely soon be over.
Additionally, Seravalli touched on two other Oilers players who are pending free agents after the playoffs wrap-up. He believes that Connor Brown would be open to returning for another year because he likes it in Edmonton and has shown his value in the postseason. Meanwhile, Adam Henrique’s future will be determined by his long-term fit with the organization and which team will give him the best chance at winning. He too has reportedly enjoyed his time with the team since the trade and could be open to returning but it is unclear at this time.
The season is not over just yet for Edmtonon but the rumour mill is just starting to heat up. It should not take long once the Finals are done to find out the fate of all four of these players beyond this season.
You can watch the full interaction with Seravalli and Oilersnation Everyday here:
