Quote:
Originally Posted by Oil Stain
The only guys on the list that are really comparable to Eberle are Radulov and Oshie.
I'll be surprised if they both don't get $6 million in free agency this year. $6 million seems to be the current going rate for 50-60 points based on last offseason's free agent frenzy.
All of those other guys are very old for hockey players, or just aren't anywhere close to Eberle production wise.
I personally hope the Oilers keep Eberle for another year if the prevailing wisdom mirrors your thoughts. I think he is pretty likely to have a more productive season next year both in the regular season and playoffs.
Not that Eberle is in the same league as a player, but Datsyuk went at least 42 playoff games without scoring a goal. Just because Eberle didn't have a good playoffs, doesn't mean that his future is going to be a reflection of that.
If the Oilers trade Eberle away for peanuts, I think whichever team picks him up will be quite happy with the acquisition.
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This does make sense, but then you have to look at an overall game.
Does Eberle help you win? I don't think so. I thought he has been on a slow downward spiral for a while now, especially his all-round game. I thought when he first stepped into the league and then for a couple of seasons, he was a guy that tried hard all over the ice. Poor systems, coaching and depth of course plagued Edmonton, but his jump and hustle were obvious.
Then, suddenly, he stopped. He seemingly stopped caring. His hustle disappeared except when he had a chance at an offensive opportunity.
I thought that jump would come back in the playoffs. The fans were loud. Out limps Eberle. I just kept thinking "He must be really hurt."
No. He just stopped. He stopped being that kid that the Oilers drafted.
I 100% believe in culture. Up until the McDavid lottery, Edmonton's culture was garbage. Effort levels, confidence levels, everything. You didn't really see Hall improve. You didn't see Eberle improve. You didn't see RNH improve either. Other than Hall's 80pt outlier of a season, none of these players took that step forward from their first couple of seasons.
As a GM, I am looking at Eberle and trying to figure out if my team can change the way he plays. New Jersey hasn't been successful with Hall so far. He hasn't gotten 'better'.
If I am a GM, I am thinking: "Eberle couldn't be bothered to bust his ass for a chance to play with McDavid." Why would he bust his ass to play with any of my guys?
If I am a GM, I am reviewing his playoff performance at least, and wondering out-loud: "Ok, he didn't score, but why in the hell isn't he working hard out there every shift. It is the damn playoffs!"
The difference between Datsyuk and Eberle is that Datsyuk still helped his team win. He entered this league with a work ethic, and he kept up his work ethic until he became the player he became. He was good all over the ice, even though he wasn't big.
Eberle is good just around the net. If a team is that desperate for goal scoring, well, that's about all you get with Eberle. Oshie is difficult to play against. He may not score as much, but I would be shocked if 100 out of 100 NHL players didn't point at Eberle when asked who they would rather play against. That, at least to this casual fan, is what I think of Eberle..
RNH I think is very much salvageable. I do think he has extraordinary vision, and I do think he at least tries on defence. Heck, sometimes he is actually pretty darn good defensively, even if he isn't very big. I would pick RNH 10 times out of 10 as a reclamation project. I bet his game can be turned around, and he can adequately function as a top-line center. Elite? No, probably not, but I am betting he will be able to post numbers that point to him being a top-line center.