[Signing] Oilers sign Nikita Nikitin (2yrs, $4.5mil AAV). Blue Jackets get 5th round pick.

[EldrickOnIce]

Almost 8 million in cap hit between Ference and Nikitin?

Did I really add that correctly?

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

It doesn't set any precedent in a league where Wideman's are getting 5x5 and a NMC.

Whatever makes you feel better about it.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

It doesn't set any precedent in a league where Wideman's are getting 5x5 and a NMC.

Or....Giordano at a 4 mil cap hit or Brodie at 2.7?

Any Oiler comparables there?

Oh yeah...you already have 5 Giordanos.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

It's a terrible deal regardless of the length because it sets a bad precedent for future players in the organization.

I don't think it will. If a free agent wants use what players are being paid in EDM as leverage, the GM can just tell him to go play in EDM then.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by timbit

Or....Giordano at a 4 mil cap hit or Brodie at 2.7?

Any Oiler comparables there?

Oh yeah...you already have 5 Giordanos.

Giordano signed his contract over 2 years ago and has since had a career year.

Brodie is an RFA.

Neither is comparable.

Look at contracts signed by ufas in the last season to build a case that the Oilers broke the NHL with this contract.

[SuperMatt18]

Too much cash but short term makes it alright.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Too much cash but short term makes it alright.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Locke

Actually, I think its more that hes being paid as 2/3 and is probably their best defenceman.

No probably about it, Ference (the dbag) and 2 rookies are the only other guys signed.

[calumniate]

Superstar Justin Schultz must be lacking his chops now. 6 years, 4 million?
http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/201...is-off-season/

Naww, make it 4.5 :-)

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by Jacks

No probably about it, Ference (the dbag) and 2 rookies are the only other guys signed.

Well, to be fair, there's no way they won't re-sign Justin Schultz and Jeff Petry. Petry is underrated. He's not a great defenseman by any means, but he's probably the best they had before this and depending on which Nikitin shows up, may still be.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Kind of a 'meh' deal. Money may be a bit high, but the term is good. But it won't help that team much at all, they will still be pretty terrible. Need to make bolder moves than this if they want to turn the corner in their latest rebuild.

[Mr.Coffee]

I would rather sign players to shorter deals with more cash, provides more incentive to play.

There's a reason guys seem to do better during contract years.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

I would rather sign players to shorter deals with more cash, provides more incentive to play.

There's a reason guys seem to do better during contract years.

True, but there's also a reason most guys won't sign shorter term. Catch 22

[Red John]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

It doesn't set any precedent in a league where Wideman's are getting 5x5 and a NMC.

Wow, what a fail.

In an entire thread of mostly truthful comments about how stupid this deal is, you managed to cherry-pick one dumb comment to single out as per usual. So far so good.

Yes, its true this deal doesn't have anything to do with 2nd contracts disappearing, because Nikitin is 28 and this isn't his 2nd deal. So you had him dead to rights...

...except you responded by comparing a guy who is even older. And better. And making less than a million more.

Like the Oilers, your post is no good. And so is your "this doesn't worry me but even if it did worry me you Flames fans should worry even more because blah blah blah" shtick.

No good.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Where is that GIF of 'Big Moves' MacTavish doing his WWE Entrance?

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Uh huh. 4.5AAV for Nikitin... The Oilers are indeed no good.

Seriously, that's bad. Nikitin is a bottom pairing guy, a quality bottom pairing guy... but a bottom pairing guy none-the-less.

Frankly, I'd rather have Smid.

Frankly, I think Nikitin is better than Smid, so I'd rather have Nikitin.

Was also hoping he'd be Butler's replacement.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

Is 28 year old Nikitin at $4.5M for 2 years really that much better than 28 year old Smid at $3.5M for the next 3 years?

Smid - 6'3, 209lbs - 8 points, 78 PIMS, -10 in 73 games
Nikitin - 6'3, 217lbs - 15 points, 20 PIMS, +9 in 66 games

Yes. Well maybe not much better, but still better.

[Tinordi]

Nikitin goes from being underrated to overrated with one contract.

[Karl]

This is a decent move for the Oilers.

Although Nikitin is not worth anything close to a $4.5M cap hit the fact this is only a 2-year deal makes this tolerable for them. Even if Nikitin regresses a lot further, at least they aren't stuck with him for an eternity and he was good until this past year.

He arguably may even be their best D-man right now, which says a lot more about how bad the Oilers are than how good Nikitin is.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Nikitin goes from being underrated to overrated with one contract.

You can't underrate a guy that just isn't very good.