Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSquatch
That's just it - the talk on the Oiler fan board is "Trade this guy and this guy and get a #1 goalie and a stud defenseman" and that's just not reality. They are in a cap crunch, and they don't have assets other teams are going to want. Nobody is looking to trade a top-pairing defenseman for Kassian. I think that fanbase is just out of touch with what a regular team looks like, being so used to a couple of elite players and a pile of trash with them.
So I think it's a long, difficult journey for the Oil, still suffering under bad contracts (Neal, Kassian, Koskinen), stuck with fool's gold for defense in Larson, Klefbom and Nurse (and Bear is maybe an up and comer but he looked over his head to me against Chicago), and lacking legit prospects on the farm to boot? Good luck Holland.
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When the Oilers were saying Bear should be in the Calder mix it was embarrassing for them. A nice bottom pair D that has top 4 upside sure but this is not a future top pairing stud. Yamamoto is another one who I think grossly overachieved last year. I could see him struggling next year and not be the top line forward he was playing like in the second half. Nurse and Kassian both became whipping boys this play in round and both have raises coming their way and new deals for next year.
Oiler fans praise the work that Holland has done but it isn’t even a year and many of those deals look questionable today.
Anthanasaiou acquired for 2x 2nd rounders and likely is gone this summer
Mike Green 4th rounder for nothing
Nurse 5.6M deal that takes him to UFA
Kassian 4 years at 3.2 that was basically negotiated at the height of the Tkachuk feud.
Lucic for Neal. 6.5M hits the Oilers cap for this deal and it cost them a 3rd. Lucic has been a force for Calgary in their 5 games in the bubble.