[Trade] Oilers trade Smid and Olivier Roy to Flames for Horak and Brossoit

[Displaced Flames fan]

Great deal for the Flames. What Smid brings is exactly what the Flames have been lacking on the backend this season. I'd like it more at $2.5M, but a big gaping, huge, cavernous black hole has been filled.

I am higher on Horak than most too.

Smid is only 27 and is probably just entering his prime as a defenceman. One of the few guys that when I watched the Oilers I thought was a legitimate piece of the puzzle for them.

[Husky]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Great deal for the Flames. What Smid brings is exactly what the Flames have been lacking on the backend this season. I'd like it more at $2.5M, but a big gaping, huge, cavernous black hole has been filled.

I am higher on Horak than most too.

Smid is only 27 and is probably just entering his prime as a defenceman. One of the few guys that when I watched the Oilers I thought was a legitimate piece of the puzzle for them.

This is exactly bang on. Flames need these type of D and they got one by not giving up any of the top prospects. in 3 years the Flames are either a better team or they move Smid for future help. Its a no brainer. Plus moving Horak frees up for more time for other players in the AHL. Players who the organization probably feel are higher on the depth chart now.

[FAN]

Originally Posted by Pointman

After all the rudiculing of Oilers defense it is truly amazing to read that their fourth best Dman is all in sudden a top 4 Dman and good asset. He saw less time on ice and, more interestingly, less PK time than 34 years old Andrew Ference, who even in his prime was third-pairing Dman.

Was there ever ridiculing of Smid's abilities here? Smid has been used as Edmonton's top 4 defensemen for quite a few years prior to this year. Ference was #4 in time on ice per game for Boston the past two years and in the playoffs in Boston's Cup winning year. Ference in his prime would surely have logged top 4 minutes the majority of the time here had he stayed.

[tvp2003]

I'm curious as to where Roy fits in. I'm assuming he was included by the Oilers to free up a spot in the AHL to try and develop Brossoit; do we simply plunk him in Abbotsford and let him battle it out with Ortio? Assign Ortio to the ECHL (which would be a bad move IMO)? Or is the writing on the wall to get rid of Joey Mac?

If anything, Roy is closer to maybe battling for an NHL spot (as opposed to Brossoit who is still a few years away but probably has more upside as this is his first season as a pro). How many 5th/6th round picks end up in the NHL these days (and how long does it take for them to get there)? Brossoit reminds me of Matt Keetley -- ended up having a solid career in the WHL but making the jump to the pros was another story. Heck, even Leland Irving, a blue-chipper when he was drafted, hasn't been able to make that jump.

[Wood]

^^^

Roy has already been assigned to Alaska

[Vulcan]

I think Roy was just a throw in to provide Alaska with a goalie. I think we had an obligation there. Roy's in his third pro year and hasn't been able to establish himself in the AHL, so I don't see his chances of being re-upped that good. If by chance Gillies signs this summer he's sure of being gone.

[Machiavelli]

Calgary Flames hook up with Edmonton Oilers for trade

“I don’t know how many trades there have been in the past between Edmonton and Calgary. I don’t think very many,” said Smid, the rugged defenceman who was acquired Friday by the Calgary Flames after spending the past seven seasons and change up the QEII Highway with the Edmonton Oilers.

“If somebody told me yesterday that I would be traded to Calgary, I would have been like, ‘Wow, you’ve gotta be crazy.’ But I guess it does happen. I was in shock ... But now I’m really, really excited.”

“I’ve watched Calgary and I think the rebuild is going pretty well,” Smid said. “They’ve been playing really well and they work really, really hard and it looks like they have a great group of guys. I’m really, really excited to join that group.”

[c.t.ner]

I'm actually starting to feel horrible for the oilers fanbase. When you have the die-hard faithful completetly giving up on management, you know something is finally going to break.

http://www.coppernblue.com/2013/11/8...or-magic-beans

The problem is... oh what the ####'s the point?! You know what the problem is! The problem is that the Oilers have once again traded an established NHL player for once again guys who, if we're very lucky, will become nearly as good as Smid, once again sacrificing play at a position where they absolutely cannot afford to sacrifice it, all once again out of the hope that something good will somehow come of trading decent players for inferior ones.

[Azhouse]

Originally Posted by c.t.ner

I'm actually starting to feel horrible for the oilers fanbase.

I'm not. Welcome Smid!!!

[Hockey_Ninja]

I completely forgot I made this gif:

[sureLoss]

Craig Mactavish around the 1:50 mark of this audio:
http://oilers.nhl.com/club/podcastpl...id=DL|EDM|home

feels that big heavy defencemen are an organizational strength for the Oilers.

[Table 5]

I remember Smids comments from last week and thinking that the guy seemed to get it a little more than the rest of the team.

“It has to start within the team,” said Smid. “The coach can come in here and yell and sit people in the box, but we have to start it in here, we have to make each other (play harder and smarter).”

“I don’t think we realize this can get way worse,” said Smid, who’s watched this movie many times before in Edmonton. “People are going to start getting traded. It’s going to get really uncomfortable for everyone.”

“I don’t think we have a bad team in here, I don’t think we should be in last place,” said Smid. “We just have to play as a team. Everybody is on his own page, so disconnected.

“We think we’re working hard, that’s the biggest thing. We have to get in the mind-set that we aren’t working hard enough.”

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2013/11/0...whats-going-on

He's not coming into Wings levels of stability here, but the guy is probably glad to be out of that circus.

[kyuss275]

Anybody know if Horak is going to be playing with the Oilers, or has he already been sent to affiliate?

[ricardodw]

This is a ratio changer.

Hartley has identified a need to dress and play Jackman and McGratton and Obrien when they are playing any team that will bully the smaller Flames . The Gio replacement minutes on the Flames are all small player minutes with Russell, Butler and Billins. That forced the Jackman increase in ice time.

It is very important that Monahan and Baertschi do not get physically dominated pushed around in their younger years.

It is hugely important that the new Flame philosophy of play hard every game does not get sidetracked by a physical beating.

Smid will be on the ice more than Jackman, McGrattan and OBrien combined.

When Gio comes back with Gio, Wideman and Smid the Flames will be back to having an average (or maybe a bit above average ) NHL tough defense that will be hard to play against.

I would not have imagined that Edmonton with virtually the same lineup problems as the Flames .... too small and soft would move their toughest D-man. Smid was a hugely important Oiler.

The best explanation is that the Oilers are tanking on purpose. Going for a lottery pick.

I want Smid to play as a Flame before the league rules that the trade is too lop-sided and remove the ability of Lowe/McTavish to make trades for the good of the league.

3 firsts a 7th and back to a top 3 pick (2014) in 5 years....... That is embarrassing for any pro league to have a team that poorly managed.

.

[SuperMatt18]

Yeah great comments from Smid there. Love that he understands holding yourself accountable and that even if you think you're working hard enough it might not be good enough.

Trade one of the few guys in that room who actually gives a ####.

[sureLoss]

Darren Haynes ‏@DarrenHaynes_CP 1m Subjectivity makes hits a contentious NHL stat. Disclaimer aside, Smid credited with 203 hits since last year. Entire Flames defence at 384.

[ricardodw]

maybe Lowe and McTavish are punishing Ebrle, Hall and RHN for signing those huge contracts. They took the money now they can take the beating.

Taking away the hardest player is definitely not going to help the smurfs from being constantly physically dominated.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

maybe Lowe and McTavish are punishing Ebrle, Hall and RHN for signing those huge contracts. They took the money now they can take the beating.

Taking away the hardest player is definitely not going to help the smurfs from being constantly physically dominated.

Two of the three Smurfs are already damaged goods. And the third is allegedly on his way out. Wow, glad my parents picked Calgary when they moved to canada.

[ricardodw]

Prior to the start of the season CP voted Horak the 11th best Flame prospect and Brossiot as 17th.

[Stampede2TheCup]

I love that the Oilers got desperate and made a trade so lopsided in RGI!

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...do+grit+factor