Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Matheson on Barrie, Yakupov, Tkachuk the younger and much more

06/09/2016 at 11:49pm EDT

Among the Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson's "Short Shifts," after a Hockey World spent selling Milan Lucic and Justin Faulk as "fits" for the Edmonton Oilers:

• The Avs probably look at [Justin] Faulk’s contract and say that’s Tyson Barrie’s comparable, and not a cent more. They have a good point. The restricted free-agent Barrie is probably looking for north of $5 million per, so they’ll trade him.

• [Gary] Unger played 914 straight games in the NHL, second longest consecutive-game streak, but his body was damaged after he finished playing.

“I’ve had both my knees and hips replaced,” said Unger. “Not wear and tear so much. I fell off a motorcycle, with Andy Moog in Penticton. Now they’ve fixed my knees and I’m not bow-legged anymore. Now they’re straight and my whole skating stance is really different.”

• We keep forgetting that the Oilers will almost surely trade Yakupov at the draft, and here’s what was proposed at the trade deadline: Yak to New Jersey for their No. 7 D-man Eric Gelinas. Gelinas was subsequently traded to Colorado for a third-round draft pick. Yak’s a good kid, works hard. Is that all he’s worth?

• Most NHL scouts praise winger Matthew Tkachuk’s underrated passing ability, especially on the power play, as much as his shooting skills. Plus, he was a leader on the London Knights and only 18.

Matheson continues at extended length...

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