The Edmonton Oilers traded for the rights to a free agent defenceman, and got him signed to a two-year deal, paying a premium for a shorter term contract. Fake Marlins Jerseys . Numbers Game looks at the Oilers inking Nikita Nikitin. The Oilers Get: D Nikita Nikitin. Nikitin, 28, played a career-high 66 games last season, an indication that hes still trying to establish his place in the league. A couple of years ago, in 2011-2012, Nikitin contributed a career-best 32 points in 54 games for Columbus (after seven scoreless games with St. Louis to start the year), playing a career-high 23:12 per game for the season putting up strong relative possession numbers while facing high-quality opposition, while frequently paired with veteran Fedor Tyutin. Thats the Nikitin that the Oilers have to hope they are acquiring. In 2012-2013, Nikitins role was decreased somewhat, and while he still logged 21:12 per game, Nikitin was then surpassed on the depth chart last season by rookie Ryan Murray, leaving Nikitin to play 17:07 per game on the third pair. Playing on that third pair didnt bring ideal results, as Nikitin was a little below break-even in possession terms, but if there is reason to hold out hope for Nikitin, it may be that his with-or-without you numbers arent bad over the past three seasons. Among the 16 skaters with whom he played at least 300 5-on-5 minutes over those three seasons, Nikitin had better possession numbers apart than 11 of those skaters, but that relative effectiveness has decreased in the past two seasons, to the point that in 2013-2014, Nikitin had better possession stats apart from just three of the 13 skaters with whom he played more than 150 5-on-5 minutes. What this would seem to indicate is that Nikitin, who has good size, can skate and handle the puck a bit, isnt necessarily one to carry the play. He could be a useful complementary player and presumably Oilers Senior VP of Hockey Operations Scott Howson (who acquired Nikitin as GM in Columbus) is a fan, but there is risk in bringing in a player with falling possession numbers to a team that already ranked 28th in Fenwick Close (unblocked shot attempts during 5-on-5, score within one goal in first two periods and tied in third period). Its not as though Nikitins play in the past couple seasons indicates that he would improve the results no matter with whom he is partnered and its reasonable to wonder if the Oilers have the right personnel to get positive results with Nikitin on the ice. If the Jeff Petry and Martin Marincin pairing goes ahead, then perhaps Nikitin gets a chance alongside Andrew Ference. Maybe that somehow works out and allows the Oilers some time to develop their young defencemen. Its entirely possible that it wont work out, though, and the short-term nature of the contract suggests that both sides recognize that risk. Signed to a two-year, $9-million deal, Nikitin will be well-compensated, particularly if he cant stick in the Oilers top four, but the downside of a two-year deal is limited compared to the longer term that will be available to other free agent defencemen. The Blue Jackets Get: A fifth-round pick. Since the Blue Jackets werent going to bring Nikitin back, getting any asset in return is a plus. The fifth-round pick, 137th overall, belonged to Columbus originally and was traded to Edmonton last season to acquire D Nick Schultz. A fifth-round pick doesnt bring a lot of value, but its something. From 1990 through 2009, just under 15% of the picks between 121 and 150 played at least 100 NHL games, so there is a little better than a one-in-seven chance of netting an NHL player. While its reasonable for the Oilers to have hope Nikitin can perform in a top-four role, it could be telling that the Blue Jackets would let Nikitin depart as a free agent. Mabye they simply didnt want to pay that kind of money to a third pair defenceman, when they have younger, cheaper options (David Savard, Dalton Prout, Tim Erixon) available and thats fair, but current Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen was the Blues Director of Scouting when St. Louis picked Nikitin in the fifth round in 2004. Lots can change over time and the Blue Jackets arent likely to regret letting Nikitin go, even if he works out well for the Oilers. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Stitched Marlins Jerseys . Globo TV and other news outlets said early Monday that Scolari will not remain as coach after the national teams failure to win the World Cup at home. Miami Marlins Gear .The seventh-seeded Raonic was scheduled to play U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan, but was replaced in the Group B pool by Spanish substitute David Ferrer.Raonic, who was 0-2 at the year-end event, said he suffered the injury late in the first set of Tuesdays 6-3, 7-6 loss to Murray. https://www.cheapmarlinsjerseys.us/ . -- So much for concern that running back Marshawn Lynch would be absent from the Seattle Seahawks minicamp.GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Grand Rapids captain Jeff Hoggan scored twice as the Griffins edged the Abbotsford Heat 5-3 on Friday to advance to the second round of the American Hockey League playoffs. Teemu Pulkkinen had a goal and an assist, and Riley Sheahan and Landon Ferraro also scored for the Griffins, who took the best-of-five series in four games. Markus Granlund had a goal and an assist for the Heat, who will be moving out of Abbotsford in the off-season. Shane OBrien and Kane Lafranchise also scored. The Heat took an early lead on a power-play goal from OBrien, flew past Griffins goalie Petr Mrazek at 14:21 of the first period. The Griffins came back at 7:26 of the second period when Pulkkinen fired a power-play slapshot from the left of the net to beat Abbotsford goalie Joni Ortio. McIntyre lost control of the puck in front of an open net two minutes later, and passed it to his right as Ortio righted himself. The puck found Hoggan who tipped the it into the open net to giive Grand Rapids a 2-1 lead. Marlins Jerseys China. Abbotsford forward Max Reinhart passed the puck across the ice and found Lafranchise, who weaved his way around Mrazek and backhanded the puck in to tie the game at 13:16 of the second. Hoggan struck again with 33 seconds left in the second as Griffins forward Cory Emmerton sent in a pass from the corner boards. The puck bounced around until it hit Hoggan and found its way into the net. Sheahan added a fourth goal for the Griffins 4:51 into the third, collecting a rebound and netting the puck past a recovering Ortio. A minute later, a penalty on Griffin Ryan Sproul gave Abbotsford its fourth power play of the night and Granlund found the top corner of the net just seconds into the man-advantage to bring the Heat to within one. Ferraro added an empty-net goal with 13.4 seconds left in the game. Grand Rapids outshot Abbotsford 36-27. Ortio made 31 saves for the Abbotsford, while Mrazek stopped 24 shots for Grand Rapids. ' ' '