The Oil Stream

Edmonton Sports Talk

Dustin Nielson TSN 1260 chat all things Oilers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. From the latest rumours to line combinations and speculation the boys have you covered.

  1. 21 hr ago

    OIL STREAM: Mike Babcock Is In & NHL Trade Chaos!

    The microphones are live, the draft is just days away, and a heavy-hitting, unique pairing is steering the ship today. Welcome to a massive Wednesday edition of The Oil Stream on Edmonton Sports Talk! With Dusty away on location, the host chair belongs to Reid Wilkins, and he is joined at the desk by the one and only "Latino Heat"—Hernan Salas!   On Today's Show: Reid & Hernan on Babcock: The deal is done, and Mike Babcock is officially the 19th head coach in franchise history. Since the fellas haven't had the chance to chop it up yet, they dedicate the first half of the show to a full, comprehensive breakdown. They dissect the heavy pros and cons of the hiring, look at how his rigid defensive systems clash or complement this fast-paced roster, and weigh in on how he carried himself during yesterday's intense introductory press conference at Rogers Place. NHL Pre-Draft Frenzy: The coaching news was just the tip of the iceberg. The entire National Hockey League trade market completely fractured yesterday afternoon, with four separate multi-player blockbusters changing the landscape. From Jordan Kyrou heading to Washington, to the Flames striking a massive deal for young defenseman Simon Nemec, and Chicago shifting the 4th overall pick to Buffalo for Bowen Byram—the boys figure out how these changing rosters alter the balance of power around Edmonton. World Cup Watch: The action on the pitch is hitting a fever pitch. The guys take a quick timeout from the ice to look over at the global soccer landscape as tournament group play hits its peak, tracking the lines and the betting value ahead of Canada's massive match tomorrow.   The Oil Stream is presented by Boston Pizza!

    54 min
  2. 2 days ago

    OIL STREAM: Oilers Sign Both Murphy & Dickinson!

    The microphones are live at a noisy, buzzing Boston Pizza Westgate! On this massive Monday edition of The Oil Stream, Dustin Nielson and YouTube Trev are officially on location, and an absolute offseason bomb dropped right before the cameras started rolling. Stan Bowman and the Edmonton Oilers management team have officially locked up shutdown defenseman Connor Murphy to a brand-new five-year contract extension carrying a $4.1 million AAV. The boys waste absolutely zero time diving into the heavy fallout of this massive signature.   On Today's Show: The Connor Murphy Verdict: The trade deadline acquisition is staying in northern Alberta for the long haul! But at 33 years old, is a 5-year term running through his age-38 season an absolute ticking time bomb? The boys break down the $4.1M cap hit, argue over the high-risk vs. high-reward, and slap their official letter grades on the contract. They also dive into the Jason Dickinson deal with the 30-year-old signing on the dotted line yesterday! The Darnell Nurse Domino Effect: Let's read between the lines. If the Oilers are spending $4.1M a year on a veteran defensive specialist like Murphy, what does this mean for the rest of the blue line? The boys break down the cap sheet and ask the million-dollar question: Does this signature mean Stan Bowman is officially pushing all his chips into trading away Darnell Nurse's heavy contract this summer? YouTube Trev's Elite Top 6 Rankings: Shifting gears to league-wide elite firepower, Trev opens up his whiteboard to officially rate the best top-six forward groups across the entire National Hockey League. Who holds the crown, and where do the top-heavy Oilers stack up against the league's best? Dusty's Ultimate UFA Shopping List: With free agency just around the corner on July 1st, Nielson counts down his personal top 5 unrestricted free agent targets he wants to see the Oilers chase to round out the depth chart.   The Oil Stream is live every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on Edmonton Sports Talk! As always, The Oil Stream is presented by Boston Pizza!

    55 min
  3. 5 days ago

    OIL STREAM: Top UFA Targets For The Oilers!

    We are breaking new ground on today's broadcast as YouTube Trev steers the ship alongside a highly anticipated special guest—the one, the only, Zach Kubusch. The boys have a massive, jam-packed show for the Nasties today as the NHL offseason shifts into overdrive. From breaking retirement news out of Winnipeg to massive blockbusters out East, the hockey world is absolutely spinning, and we are tracking how every single domino affects the Edmonton Oilers.   On Today's Show: The Zach Kubusch Debut: Zach officially hits the set! Trev welcomes him to the desk to break down the current state of Oil Country and to get his raw take on management's biggest summer priorities. Jonathan Toews Calls It a Career: "Captain Serious" has officially hung up the skates after finishing his final season with his hometown Winnipeg Jets. Three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe, and a Selke—but the boys aren't afraid to ask the hard questions. Is Jonathan Toews actually one of the most overrated players in modern NHL history? Trev and Zach go toe-to-toe on his true legacy. YouTube Trev's Ultimate UFA Wishlist: Free agency is right around the corner, and Trev is opening up his scouting notebook. He counts down his absolute favourite UFAs hitting the market this summer and maps out exactly who Jeff Jackson and Stan Bowman need to target to get this roster back to the Stanley Cup Final. "Would You Rather" Showdown: To close out a massive week of sports talk, the boys play a hilarious round of hockey-themed Would You Rather.   The Oil Stream is presented by Boston Pizza!

    55 min
  4. 17 Jun

    OIL STREAM: Jarry & Montembeault For Next Season? | Vegas & Toronto Make Moves

    The coaching carousel and the non-stop Darnell Nurse trade rumours have completely dominated the airwaves in Oil Country. Dustin Nielson (Dusty) and Hernan Salas are shifting gears for a full hour of pure, unfiltered Edmonton Oilers talk to address the massive elephant in the room: management's absolute disaster in the blue paint. Stan Bowman is staring down a massive crease conundrum this summer, and the boys are here to unpack the latest rumours and simulate the solution. On Today's Show: The Goaltending Pickle: We've spent weeks debating who is behind the bench, but what about who is stopping pucks? With Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram hitting the UFA market, the Oilers are backed into a corner with massive salary commitments. Reports are officially surfacing linking Edmonton to Montreal Canadiens netminder Samuel Montembeault. The boys break down the rumours and look at what it would cost Kent Hughes to move him. Montembeault in Edmonton: Let's play out the hypothetical scenario. If the Oilers head into next season with a tandem of Samuel Montembeault and a rebounding Tristan Jarry... is that honestly good enough to get this team back to a Stanley Cup Final? Hernan and Dusty debate the ceiling of that duo, Jarry's path forward after a brutal stretch, and if a 50/50 split is a realistic option for next season. Alternative Targets in Net: If Montembeault isn't the answer and a Jarry buyout doesn't make financial sense, where else can the front office look? The fellas map out the remaining trade and free-agent board, evaluating high-risk reclamation projects and blockbuster options like Jacob Markstrom. Vegas & Toronto Find Their Guy: Around the league, the Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs have both hired their new head coaches —Ryan Craig to Vegas and Jim Hiller to Toronto. The boys react to each hiring, discussing what it means for the remaining bench bosses left on the market. The Oil Stream is presented by Boston Pizza!

    54 min
  5. 15 Jun

    OIL STREAM: Canes Win The Cup & Taylor Hall's Legacy!

    The Stanley Cup has officially been awarded, the off-season has arrived at full speed, and we have a highly anticipated broadcast lineup today! Hernan Salas and Benny Thomson are combining forces to lead the charge. The fellas recap their wild sports weekends before diving straight into deep hockey waters, tracking the fallout of the final horn and mapping out the immediate future in Oil Country. On Today's Show: The Stanley Cup Final In Review: Now that the dust has finally settled on the ice, Hernan and Benny give their final, comprehensive thoughts on the championship series. How did the Carolina Hurricanes completely shut down the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6? The Taylor Hall Legacy Debate: He went into Sin City and got it done. With Taylor Hall officially adding a Stanley Cup ring to his Hart Trophy resume, the boys dive headfirst into a massive hockey debate: Is Taylor Hall officially tracking toward a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame? The Oilers Next Move: The playoff distraction is officially gone for the rest of the league, meaning the NHL off-season calendar is moving at a breakneck pace. With the draft and free agency looming, what is Stan Bowman's immediate priority to get this roster retooled? The Bruce Cassidy Sweepstakes: Now that the Golden Knights' season is officially over, will Kelly McCrimmon and the Vegas front office finally stop blocking the Oilers and grant permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy? The boys break down the contractual standstill, Edmonton's rumoured massive contract offer, and whether Cassidy remains the ultimate "Plan A" for the bench. The Oil Stream is presented by Boston Pizza!

    54 min
  6. 12 Jun

    OIL STREAM: Where Does Darnell Nurse Go?

    An absolute franchise-altering atomic bomb has just detonated over Oil Country. The Oil Stream is live on Edmonton Sports Talk, and today Reid Wilkins and Hernan Salas are stepping up to lead the charge on what is officially the wildest Friday in recent Oilers history! Grab a beverage and lock in, because the boys are breaking down a massive roster development from every single angle. On Today's Show: The Bombshell: Darnell Nurse Wants Out! It is official. Reports from Elliotte Friedman and Mark Spector confirm that veteran defenseman and alternate captain Darnell Nurse has formally requested a trade out of Edmonton. After 12 seasons and nearly 800 games in the blue and orange, #25 is ready for a fresh start. The boys dive straight into the deep end of the chaos: Where will he go? With early leaks connecting him to teams like the Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins, what does his 3-to-5 team trade list actually look like? What will the return be? How does Stan Bowman navigate trading a massive $9.25M cap hit with four years remaining and a full No-Movement Clause? Will the Oilers be forced to retain salary or give up a major sweetener? Is this good for the Oilers? Does clearing this cap space unlock the financial flexibility management desperately needs to rebuild the blue line, or does losing a core leadership piece create a massive hole? Is it good for Darnell? Does escaping the high-pressure Edmonton media fishbowl allow Nurse to revitalize his game elsewhere? The Ongoing Coaching Carousel: Even with the Nurse news taking over, the head coaching vacancy isn't going anywhere. Reid and Hernan look at where things stand with the ongoing Mike Babcock saga, the public pushback, and whether this sudden roster shakeup changes the front office's blueprint for their next bench boss.

    53 min
  7. 10 Jun

    OIL STREAM: Latest On Babcock & Nurse's Future

    The hockey world is spinning, the rumours are flying, and the big boys are finally back together. Today, Joaquin Gage (Gager) is anchoring the ship alongside YouTube Trev! It's been a hot minute since these two shared the airwaves, so the fellas have plenty of catching up to do before they dive headfirst into the absolute storm surrounding the Orange and Blue!   On Today's Show: The Mike Babcock Era—This Might Be Real: The noise around the rink isn't slowing down. Reports keep pointing toward Mike Babcock becoming the next bench boss of the Edmonton Oilers. Gager and Trev lay it all out on the table: Is he truly the right man to lead this star-studded group to a Stanley Cup? The boys break down the ultimate pros and cons of bringing such a rigid, high-pressure coach into a room that already features the best players on the planet. The Darnell Nurse Dilemma: This is where things get really interesting. How does a potential Babcock hiring affect Darnell Nurse? Gager gives the player perspective on whether a coach with Babcock's strict defensive accountability can finally unlock the elite, shutdown version of Nurse we've all been waiting to see. On the flip side, Trev looks at the asset-management angle—does this hire create a structural change that forces management to finally pursue a blockbuster trade to clear out that massive contract? The Nasties Text Line: The chat is already buzzing, and the text boards are wide open. The boys spend plenty of time reading your live feedback, checking the temperature of Oil Country, and letting the fans dictate the chatter.   The Oil Stream is presented by Boston Pizza!

    54 min
  8. 8 Jun

    OIL STREAM: Mike Babcock To Edmonton?! | McDavid Wins Another Ted Lindsay Award

    The Oilers' offseason is already generating plenty of headlines; Connor McDavid continues to add to his trophy case, and Edmonton's coaching search remains one of the biggest stories in hockey. Dustin Nielson and Tom Gazzola reunite to give you this edition of The Oil Stream!   On Today's Show: Babcock Might Be An Option: The Oilers are still searching for their next head coach, and the list of candidates continues to evolve. Dusty and Tom discuss the latest names connected to the vacancy, with breaking news emerging in the second half of today's show... Hernan delivered the news from NHL insider Darren Dreger, who reported that the Oilers are consulting with the NHL Players' Association to make sure there are no objections to potentially hiring Mike Babcock McDavid Wins His 5th Ted Lindsay Award: Connor McDavid has once again been voted the NHL's most outstanding player by his peers, taking home the Ted Lindsay Award for the fifth time in his career. Dusty and Tom discuss what this latest accomplishment means for McDavid's legacy and where he already ranks among the greatest players in NHL history. Nurse Trade Talk Heating Up: After recent reports and speculation surrounding Darnell Nurse's future in Edmonton, the conversation continues to grow louder. The guys break down the challenges of moving a contract of that magnitude, what the Oilers would gain or lose by making a deal, and whether there's any realistic scenario where Nurse is wearing a different jersey next season. Text Line Takeover: Dusty and Tom hit the text boards to get your thoughts on McDavid's latest award, the ongoing Nurse trade speculation, and the Oilers' coaching search.   The Oil Stream is presented by Boston Pizza!

    54 min

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Dustin Nielson TSN 1260 chat all things Oilers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. From the latest rumours to line combinations and speculation the boys have you covered.

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