Oilers set budget, look to next phase of offseason - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Sylvanfan · 07-16-2009, 03:24 PM

With re-rates more or less known the Edmonton Oilers have drafted a rough budget and look to have from 5-7 million left in cap to address areas of need on the team. Overall the only horrible contract we think we have is Sergei Gonchar who took a 2 point down grade an no longer rates as a top defenceman (Man do we want that deal back now!). Other than that all our other guys will at least have contracts that are better or equal to their rating. The team doesn't plan to give grid extensions to any of it's UFA eligible players although we haven't ruled out the possibility of offering contracts to Shanahan or Numminen depending on if they plan to continue playing.

Having real NHL players, and only one overpaid, along with no prospects has Oiler fans in a tizzy. One fan named S7ARK commented on our official forum: "I hate this team, I don't see no future 600 goal, 1300 point guy, and we can't brag about what we'd do with all our cap space."

Like every CPHL team we'd like to get another top pairing defenceman and a couple of scorers. But that ain't going to happen, so we'll settle for a top 6 defenceman in the 60-65 range and hope to find a 4th line forward and a 3rd line guy.

Trade wise we would like to swap one of our wingers for another top 6 center with a good face off rating if there are any deals to be had.

Oilers GM expects a pretty weak UFA crop this year though, as it appears every CPHL team save a couple has more than enough money to sign any player 65 or better. Even these lower rated guys might sign for decent money since a few teams look like they have a lot of holes they need to fill and oodles of cash to do so.

simmer2 · 07-16-2009, 05:43 PM

Good summary Chad, you've had a pretty eventful off-season with the Coilers and have made some good moves IMO. The Luongo trade hurts a bit, but you still have two solid tenders' and hopefully one can emerge as a starter.

As for the UFA's, I really have no idea what to expect. I don't think there will be a lot of marquee guys, but then again who knows.

Sylvanfan · 07-16-2009, 06:06 PM

Even with my debacle in goal, I still think this team is 10 times more talented than the real Edmonton Oilers. Eventually CPHL players are going to start saying no to Edmonton and make things more realistic for me.

simmer2 · 07-16-2009, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Even with my debacle in goal, I still think this team is 10 times more talented than the real Edmonton Oilers. Eventually CPHL players are going to start saying no to Edmonton and make things more realistic for me.

If we're going for realism, my 1st line of Kopitar-Getzlaf-Nash needs to shrink by about a foot. My team is wayyy too big for the Canadiens.

Caged Great · 07-16-2009, 06:29 PM

If things were realistic, I'd be trading all my good players for a 5th d-man and a 3rd round pick to Calgary.

SteveToms · 07-16-2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caged Great

If things were realistic, I'd be trading all my good players for a 5th d-man and a 3rd round pick to Calgary.

And have the 5th d-man and 3rd round pick refuse to play.

Sylvanfan · 07-27-2009, 12:39 PM

Well the RFA's are processed. As of right now we have 3.65 in cap space remaining. Once Mezei moves off the roster we'll also move two 750k guys who can pass into the AHL and we'll have 5.9 left in cap space. Coach Carlyle needs about a 340k a year contract so that will knock us down to 5.6 million in cap space to try and sign 1 defenceman and a couple of depth forwards.

Our current 4th line looks to be Cody McLeod, Chris Thorburn and Liam Reddox...although two of them are NHL guys who put up okay numbers last year, they all have brutal ratings, hence the need to seek upgrades.

We'd still consider trading one of our wingers for a Center, or even moving T.J.Oshie for an older better rated player if we can get financial relief in a deal that makes sense for us. Erat is the ideal guy we'd like to trade for a Center if possible. Cammalleri could go, but at 27 and his rate he's really good value and we get to lock him down as a 28 year old RFA next year too which is really important to us because we won't be able to afford any grid UFA's next year. So for us to trade him for a guy with one year left on a contract who's going UFA next year just won't work unless we pick up 2 number one round picks too.