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Erik Cole knows a little bit about how life in Edmonton can be when things go well for their NHL team. Cole was a spectator — for two games — and a participant in one game back in 2006, when the Oilers played the Carolina Hurricanes for the Stanley Cup.
The atmosphere was electric, the town alive. Cole mentioned that even in the restaurants, on off nights, the Hurricanes could sense what it was like to be in a hockey environment, playing for a championship.
After spending the past six seasons playing in Carolina — and winning a Stanley Cup there two years ago — Cole was traded to the Oilers Tuesday in a deal for defenceman Joni Pitkanen. Earlier in the day, general manager Kevin Lowe traded away Raffi Torres to the Columbus Blue Jackets to pick up 21-year-old centre Gilbert Brule, who was the sixth overall choice in the 2005 entry draft.
In Cole, the Oilers significantly upgraded their size and grit up front. The 6-2, 205-pound winger is also a consistent NHL scorer, something the Oilers lacked at times last season, when no player scored more than 23 goals (that was Dustin Penner). Cole has averaged 27 goals over the past three seasons. Even though he's an American from Oswego, N.Y., he welcomed the chance to play in the hockey-mad Alberta capital on an improving young team.
Edmonton Oilers' Raffi Torres, left, looks for an open teammate during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Los Angeles on Dec. 3, 2007. (Chris Pizzello/AP)
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"At the end of last season, I found myself flipping through the NHL package, trying to find their games to watch — and see if they were going to sneak into the final playoff spot or not," Cole said. "I'm anxious to turn the page in my career and start something fresh and have a lot of fun this coming season."
Cole will replace Torres as a physical presence on an Oilers' team that is remarkably small up front. The Oilers have long admired Cole's grit, dating back to that final two years ago, when he came back from injury in the sixth game and provided an inspirational lift to a flagging Hurricanes' team.
Cole had 51 points in 73 games for the Hurricanes last season and finished as their third-leading scorer.
Cole acknowledged that he'd heard rumours of a trade to Edmonton in a possible deal for Pitkanen last summer, so he wasn't completely caught off guard by the call from Hurricanes' GM Jim Rutherford.
"For my personally, I think I can play an up-tempo, fast-skating game, be able to get in on the forecheck and skate both ends of the ice," said Cole. "I'm obviously not familiar with the system, or who I'm going to be skating alongside, but I'm just excited about the opportunity to go out and have a great year. It's a fresh start. Sometimes, things get a little stale in one city, or you get a little too comfortable."
Cole will likely be pencilled in on the Oilers' second line, with a couple of their youngsters, Sam Gagner and Robert Nilsson. The No. 1 line will likely remain intact — of Shawn Horcoff, Ales Hemsky and Penner. Brule, meanwhile, will likely start further down the depth chart, but get a chance to work himself up.
The Brule trade took place between Oilers' general manager Kevin Lowe struck the deal with his former assistant, Scott Howson, who is now the Blue Jackets' GM. A Brule-for-Jarret Stoll deal was discussed last February at the NHL trading deadline, but the Oilers traded Stoll, plus defenceman Matt Greene to the Los Angeles Kings for Lubomir Visnovsky 48 hours ago. Visnovsky's presence then made Pitkanen expendable.
Torres played a pivotal role on the third line of that charmed '06 Oilers team, mostly first Fernando Pisani and Michael Peca. Peca was Blue Jacket property until noon today, when he qualified for unrestricted free agency. It's possible that with Torrres in the fold, the Blue Jackets may make a more serious pitch to retain Peca as well.
Torres was limited to 32 games and 11 points last season, his year ending as a result of a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which required major reconstructive knee surgery. It remains to be seen how he'll rebound in the first year after the operation.
Pitkanen had an underachieving year with the Oilers, getting 26 points in 53 games and never quite fitting into coach Craig MacTavish's system. Pitkanen was too much of a high-risk, high-reward player. The Pitkanen-for-Cole deal was first reported this morning on globesports.com.
As for Brule, he represents an interesting project. The Blues Jackets mishandled his development, almost from the time they took him sixth overall in 2005 and put him on the roster as an 18-year-old. He missed the majority of that season recovering from sternum and leg injuries suffered in his first five weeks as a pro and ultimately returned to play junior in the final 27 regular-season games and 18 more in the playoffs for the Vancouver Giants, where he scored 30 playoff points and made the tournament All-Star team.
But in two subsequent seasons, Brule has hardly played — he averaged 10:39 of playing time two years ago and only 9:53 this past season. In 61 games, he managed just nine points. But Brule is only 21 and a change of scenery at this stage of his career may just help him find his way as an NHLer. His addition is certainly in keeping with the youthful corps of players that Lowe is assembling up front.
"I just want to work on my game and develop more and play more," said Brule. "And I think in Edmonton, I'll get that opportunity. It's encouraging to see their young guys doing well, and with the time they're getting on the ice to play and the experience they're getting in all situations. That's what I want to become a part of."
