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Oilers News & Rumors: Unpaid Bills, McLeod, Holloway & Bouchard

How are the Oilers prospects doing playing in European leagues this offseason? Why are the Oilers on the hook for hotel bills in Dallas?

In this edition of Edmonton Oilers News & Rumors, I’ll help Oilers fans keep up with some of the youngsters the team has playing in European leagues this season as conversations about the 2020-21 NHL season are beginning to occur. As well, I’ll look at a prospect who’s leaving NCAA hockey to try out for team Canada’s World Juniors.

Related: NHL’s Best: Ranking the Current Top 20 Centers in 2020/21

However, before that I’ll look at an odd news item that – somehow and in some way – the Oilers forgot to pay a hotel bill in Dallas, Texas.

Item One: Oh Oh: the Oilers Are on the Hook for Unpaid Hotel Bills

Earlier this evening, Edmonton Journal’s Robert Tychkowski reported that the Crescent Court Hotel in Dallas, Texas, was suing the Edmonton Oilers for just over $55,000 of unpaid bills. That total comes from $28,000 for a stay in December 2019 stay and an additional $27,000 for the team’s last road trip just prior to the NHL’s regular-season was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic in March. (from “Edmonton Oilers working to resolve lawsuit from Dallas hotel over unpaid bills,” Robert Tychkowski, Edmonton Journal, 17/11/20).

The Crescent Court Hotel, Dallas, Texas

The Oilers noted that there was an “accounting glitch,” which was compounded by a “timeline miscommunication.” The Oilers plan on paying these bills and note that the team will resolve the “situation” in the next few days.

In fact, the team stated that “We have the same challenges as every business navigating through the far-reaching, negative impacts of the global pandemic. We are working diligently through our business operations and attending to outstanding issues from the unexpected stoppage of last season.”

The Oilers also noted that “The Crescent Court Hotel has been a good partner and we are working cooperatively with them to resolve this matter.”

By the way, the Oilers assured fans that these are unpaid bills that resulted for a block of rooms the team rented and wasn’t the result of property damage or restaurant tabs. This same luxury inn has been the team’s hotel of choice in Dallas for several years.

Item Two: Oilers Prospect Ryan McLeod Is Playing Well in Switzerland

Ryan McLeod was drafted during the second round (40th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. During the 2019-20 season, the 21-year-old, 6-foot-3 center had five goals and 18 assists (for 23 points) in 56 AHL games. So far, McLeod has scored six points in 10 games with Zug of the Swiss National League (SHL).

According to Craig McTavish, who’s coaching in Switzerland with Lausanne, Oilers prospect Ryan McLeod is really playing well in his time in Switzerland. As Jim Matheson’s reported in the Edmonton Journal, MacTavish had a close-up look at McLeod and gave him two thumbs up after MacTavish’s Lausanne team played McLeod’s Zug side. (from “Craig MacTavish gives Ryan McLeod high marks after coaching against him,” Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal, 16/11/20).

Ryan McLeod, Edmonton Oilers

The former Oilers coach McTavish was impressed with McLeod. McTavish noted,

“I talked to Ryan after the game and he told me he was really enjoying it and his family was over there. He’s getting a really good experience; it’s a strong team and he’s on their second power play. His coach Dan Tangnes is giving Ryan a really good opportunity…He’s just got to figure out what he has to do to put all of it together and he will. It’s maybe a belief thing for him, he’s got all the tools.”

Item Three: Dylan Holloway (Eats), Shoots, Scores, and Leaves the University of Wisconsin

Please forgive me in advance, I couldn’t help myself but make a play on words when I read the story on this item of the post. Those who are students of English language punctuation will know the classic book I am referring to here. In 2003, a former editor named Lynne Truss, who was seriously concerned about the current state of English language grammar and proper punctuation, wrote a humorous but serious book whose title was a play on words. Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. Anyway, for those of you who don’t care what I just wrote, you’re probably way better off anyway. Now back to the post.

Dylan Holloway, who was chosen during the 2020 NHL Entry Draft (14th overall) by the Oilers, began his sophomore season at the University of Wisconsin well by scoring a goal both on Friday and Saturday. Holloway scored a power-play goal this past Friday and scored a highlight-reel, even-strength goal this past Saturday as his team swept its weekend road series against Notre Dame. Almost immediately after the game in Indiana, sadly for the Badgers, Holloway packed his bags and left the University of Wisconsin to attend Team Canada’s World Junior camp. [After he shoots on goal, he leaves.]

That camp began today in Red Deer, Alberta, and runs for nearly a month (until Dec. 13) when the roster for the tournament is announced. If Holloway is fortunate enough to make Team Canada’s roster, he could be away from his university team until January if (a) he makes Team Canada’s roster and (b) the team keeps winning and goes into the final.

Related: Agents Say Oilers Could Lose McDavid Without Another Significant Move

Item Four: Evan Bouchard Is Playing Well in Sweden

Evan Bouchard has had some strong games during his time playing in Sweden this season. In one game, specifically, he scored a goal and added two assists in a 4-3 win over BIK Karlskoga. In total, Bouchard has scored five goals and nine assists (for 14 points) in 18 games for Sodertalje SK of Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan.

Bouchard will likely battle with William Lagesson for the spot as the Oilers’ seventh defenseman headed into the 2020-21 season. 

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