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Leafs sign Marincin to a one-year deal

By Dhiren MahibanJul 9, 2015, 5:30 PM EDT
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have locked up restricted free agent defenseman Martin Marincin to a one-year deal.

According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, it’s a one-way contract worth $700,000.

The 23-year-old’s three-year, entry-level deal expired last week.

Marincin was acquired by the Leafs from the Oilers at the NHL Draft in exchange for Brad Ross and a 2015 fourth-round draft pick.

Marincin has appeared in 85 NHL games with the Oilers scoring one goal and 10 assists.

The 6-foot-4, 203-pound blue liner was originally a second round pick (46th overall) by the Oilers at the 2010 NHL Draft.

With Marincin signed, the lone RFA on the Leafs roster is goaltender Jonathan Bernier.

Video: Miller gets first point on Marincin’s first goal, they split puck

By Ryan DadounMar 26, 2015, 8:57 AM EDT
1 Comment

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Martin Marincin and forward Andrew Miller had a night they won’t soon forget. In what would be the start of a three-goal first period rally for the Oilers, Miller set up Marincin who flung the puck top shelf to beat Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov:

The question is, which one of them gets to keep the puck as a memento? Their solution was to cut it in half:

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen that,” Miller told the Edmonton Sun. “I’ve never gotten half a puck before, but I’ll take it.”

Edmonton went on to earn a 4-3 victory over Colorado. It’s been months since the Oilers even had the faintest hope of making the postseason, but the way they’ve been playing lately, they might end the season on a high note. The Oilers’ 3-1-1 run is their best stretch since they won four straight contests from Oct. 20-27. It has also likely put them out of the running for 30th place as they’re now eight points ahead of Buffalo.

Marincin scores the winner as the Oilers edge the Bruins in a 12-round shootout

By Dhiren MahibanFeb 19, 2015, 2:15 AM EDT
25 Comments

Oilers defenseman Martin Marincin scored the shootout winner as Edmonton edged the Boston Bruins 4-3 Wednesday night.

Marincin, who celebrated his 23rd birthday Wednesday, was the only player in the 12-round shootout to find the back of the net.

Nail Yakupov and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins gave Edmonton a 2-0 lead in the first.

After Loui Eriksson got the Bruins on the board, Teddy Purcell restored the two-goal lead with his seventh of the season. Purcell also added an assist in the win.

Reilly Smith and David Pastrnak scored third period goals to tie it 3-3 and force overtime.

Dougie Hamilton had two assists in the loss.

Jordan Eberle had two helpers for the Oilers, who lost defenseman Jeff Petry and forward Anton Lander to injuries in the second period.

Boston has picked up just two of a possible six points on its four game road trip and are winless in five (0-3-2). The Bruins conclude the trip Friday in St. Louis.

“We’re not going to stand here and think that we’re doing OK,” said Claude Julien. “We’re underachieving right now and our game’s got to get better.

“I still feel we’ve got the group in there to make it better, so it’s up to us to take charge.”

Tuukka Rask stopped 27 shots in the loss.

Ben Scrivens made 38 saves in his first game back from a thigh injury.

Oilers waive Joensuu, assign Marincin

By Dhiren MahibanNov 30, 2014, 12:33 PM EDT
15 Comments

The Edmonton Oilers have placed Jesse Joensuu on waivers with the purpose of reassigning the forward to the American Hockey League the club announced Sunday.

Joensuu has two goals and four points to go along with 14 penalty minutes and a minus-8 rating in 20 games with the Oilers this season.

The 27-year-old was a healthy scratch in four of the last six games, but got into the Oilers lineup for Friday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues as a result of an injury to Matt Hendricks.

In a separate transaction, defenseman Martin Marincin was assigned to the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons.

The Oilers 2010 second-round pick (46th overall) had an assist in 12 games to go along with a minus-4 rating with Edmonton this season.

Marincin, 22, was a healthy scratch in the Oilers last two games.

Edmonton gets back to action on Monday when they play host to the Arizona Coyotes.

Why are the Oilers still bad? Look at their drafting

By Jason BroughNov 25, 2014, 12:38 PM EDT
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No, this isn’t about Nail Yakupov. Enough has been written about the Oilers’ decision to use their third straight first overall pick on that guy.

This is about the drafting that took place early on in Edmonton’s playoff drought, which started all the way back in 2006-07, the season after they lost the Stanley Cup Final to Carolina, and continues to this day.

In 2007, the Oilers had three first-round picks. They chose forward Sam Gagner (6th), d-man Alex Plante (15th), and forward Riley Nash (21st). All three are no longer with the club.

Imagine, if you will, that Plante had turned into an impact defensemen, as opposed to playing just 10 NHL games before leaving for Austria. At 25 years old, he’d be the same age as P.K. Subban, who, by the way, was drafted 43rd overall in 2007.

Heck, imagine if any of the many defenseman the Oilers drafted from, say, 2007 to 2010 had panned out. Alas, Johan Motin, Troy Hesketh, Kyle Bigos, Ryan Martindale, Jeremie Blain — all taken in the fourth round or before — have not. Maybe Martin Marincin (46th overall in 2010) will. Then again, given the trade rumors, he might soon be gone from the club, too.

Is it fair to criticize a team for failing to draft diamonds in the rough? Not on a case-by-case basis maybe. There’s a whole lot of luck involved when it comes to drafting 18-year-olds. But when taken as a whole? Absolutely it’s fair. Otherwise, what’s the point of having scouts? Just let a monkey make the picks.

Consider Duncan Keith’s importance to the Blackhawks. He was taken 54th overall in 2002. With time to develop in the AHL, he was able to enter his prime just as forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, selected in 2006 and 2007, respectively, were entering theirs. Everyone knows defensemen take longer to develop than forwards. Shea Weber is another Norris Trophy candidate who wasn’t drafted in the first round. He was taken 49th overall in 2003 and needed two more seasons of junior, plus some time in the AHL, before he was ready for the show.

Drafting beyond the first round, then properly developing those players, is of paramount importance in the NHL.

From 2007 to 2010, the Oilers made 23 draft picks that weren’t in the first round.

What have they got to show for it in 2014?

An extremely frustrated fan base, that’s what.

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