[Trade] Oilers trade Perron to Pittsburgh for 2015 1st, Klinkhammer

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I was wondering if this was the result of a trade demand. The timing certainly suggested it.

That's what they are saying at HF. I can understand guys like Ference that are at the end of the road just swallowing his pride and playing out the string but for a player in his prime to have to waste it playing for arguably the biggest embarrassment in professional sports has to be extremely difficult. Perron literally won the lottery today.

[Drury18]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

Better dust off your copy and re read.

I'm never going to live that down...

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

That's what they are saying at HF. I can understand guys like Ference that are at the end of the road just swallowing his pride and playing out the string but for a player in his prime to have to waste it playing for arguably the biggest embarrassment in professional sports has to be extremely difficult. Perron literally won the lottery today.

He's going to be worth a hell of a lot more as a 20-30 goal scorer on a contending team than as a 10-20 goal scorer on the worst team in professional sports.

That's going to earn him some extra cash, no question.

Millions of dollars at play.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by Drury18

I'm never going to live that down...

What's the story behind this?

[ForeverFlameFan]

I won't be surprised if Ference is next. He and Perron were of the few that actually cared.

[Hockey_Ninja]

The rebuild of the rebuild of the rebuild begins

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I won't be surprised if Ference is next. He and Perron were of the few that actually cared.

maybe if he was a pending UFA, but with that extra year doubt anyone touches that contract for a 35 year old 3rd pairing dman

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

The rebuild of the rebuild of the rebuild begins

[Locke]

I have to say, I think this is the inevitable trade for the Edmonton Oilers, and all things considered I think they did well and got pretty decent value for Perron.

That said, I dont often venture 'to the other board' but wow. Oilers fans are apoplectic over this.

I dont know what they thought was going to happen. I mean, I know they're likely getting one of McDavid or Eichel, but it appears as though they were under the impression that one of those two guys was all it was going to take and all of a sudden everything would be solved.

Its as though they believed that next year Nurse would be their #1 Dman, which he may well be but probably should not be. Sort of by default. And then that Klefbom, Draisaitl and Yakupov would all of sudden realize that they've been playing with their sticks in the wrong hand and magically unsuck.

Then the same scouting and drafting department that has been doing so well for them of late would all of a sudden turn it all around and draft a wunderkind with their late first.

By the way, if they actually draft Vlad Tkachev with that late first (as I predicted here:http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...6&postcount=91) many Oiler fans' heads will literally explode.

Then the goalie coach whispers in Scrivens and Fasth's ears that they're actually supposed to stop the puck and not just look sharp in net and voila! Presto! The Stanley Cups just come rolling in.

I guess what I'm saying is that it appears Oilers fans have been beaten into submission and brainwashed so badly over the last 9 years that they basically believe in magic.

My message to Oiler fans:

Magic isnt real boys. You know whats real? Hell. And you're in it so you may as well get a tan while you're there because your rebuild is getting rebuilt. Again.

[dammage79]

Good for Perron. Good for the Pens. That makes them even more formidable in the East. The first will be likely 27-30th so the Oilers will be picking really close in the 1st and second rounds.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by drewtastic

A couple thoughts have been bouncing around in my head, and your comments (particularly the above bolded part) helped me formulate them better...

First, though, I should mention that, while perusing this thread, I decided to try and research the overall 'rebuild' from its inception (analysts vary on their accepted start-date, but generally accept that at least some form of 'retooling' has been happening since 2006-2007). Being reminded of both the Nylander and Heatley debacles, I had to stop--it was just so overwhelmingly ridiculous. And that only took me to 2009! Revisiting the Oilers' ongoing circus is fun, yes, but also awkwardly painful; the same schadenfreude-like feeling I get when I watch the David Brent character in The Office...but I digress...

With respect to your bolded comments above, I think the more damaging decision during this whole process has been to continually rush their top prospects into the NHL. This is even more damning when you consider that they haven't eased them in to a roster structured with vets in key positions (much like Cali said in his Game Day overview post about the NYIs).

The Oilers have taken young, inexperienced--but legitimate--NHL prospects and not only asked them to learn the NHL game without a meaningful veteran presence, but have also shoved them into leadership roles and expected them to carry the weight of that as well.

The key difference between the Flames and Oilers to me is that the Flames have done a better job making use of their AHL affiliate over the past few years. Instead of letting some of the young guys develop together in the minors, where they could learn the game, learn to play with each other, and maybe have some success from which they could develop a "winning culture", the Oilers kept each of their top prospects in the NHL (even Draisaitl!) and forced them to stumble their ways into becoming NHL players. Conversely, the Flames have sent players like Byron, Bouma, Granlund, Reinhart, Ferland and even Brodie, Backlund and Baertschi back and forth, in order to have them get their NHL work ethics and overall games in order.

One might argue that the Flames have had a better ability to do this with their young guys because they had a better veteran structure at both the NHL and AHL levels. In response to this, I'd say that's also Oiler management's fault. But more importantly, since they've been losing anyway, why not have had the young guys play in the AHL, bringing them in more gradually, while icing a scrub NHL roster meant to bide time for the infusion of youth? Instead of doing this, they've iced a team that not only loses, but hurts their young players' development. And because their prospects have only lost, they've learned only losing. And because they have been forced to be the leaders on the team, they have no professional experience of winning from which to draw to guide their teammates. And because they're the leaders, it's almost impossible at this point for coaches to reprimand or bench them, because they're pretty much all the Oilers have. This is the foundation of the team and is why they keep losing.

To address today's trade, Perron was a guy who was supposed to fill one of those Hudler-like skilled veteran roles when he was acquired. The team continues to suck, and now he's traded. And like you said, it would be silly for a GM in MacT's situation to not begin the "next year" process. But I think that the frustration expressed here is that this seems to be the only strategy the Oilers know. It goes like this: rush young players into the league, don't help them learn, don't hold them accountable, act shocked when things don't go well, pretend to not be giving up on the season, give up on the season, trade away serviceable players for draft picks, rely on high first round drafting, repeat.

I think it's a legitimate question for posters here and NHL fans in general to ask what level of mismanagement is required before the NHL steps in and at least addresses the continual rewards such mismanagement seems to accrue.

Ultimately, I don't think anything changes until one or more of Hall, Eberle or Yakupov are traded (I think N-H is the only true "untouchable" at this point). The necessary "culture change" will only occur when this happens. And the Oilers have only themselves to blame for ruining prospects that should be helping the team compete for a playoff spot by now.

The oilers haven't been "rewarded" for failure. In order to keep selling tickets in markets with terrible teams, hope is required to sell tickets. That's the NHL's responsibility to the fans. If it was such a reward the oilers would be so terrible anymore.

Poor management is reaping what they sow. Fans aren't coming anymore, they're getting lambasted on the press and Katz is being vilified in Edmonton. We can't screw the fans to appease the rivals. The draft needs to remain the way it is going to be with a lottery to ensure integrity.

[topfiverecords]

Just piling assets for the gift basket they're going to try give to Carolina for their 1st.
Mac-T wants both McDavid & Eichel.

In the basket:
- 2016 1st
- 2015 1st (Pittsburgh)
- 2015 3 of 2nd through 7th Rnd picks
- Hall & Yakupov
- What they get in trade for Eberle
- Scrivens & Klinkhammer

[Sample00]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I won't be surprised if Ference is next. He and Perron were of the few that actually cared.

just watch..Ference requests a trade. Comes back to Calgary. Resurgence of Okotoker!!

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Sample00

just watch..Ference requests a trade. Comes back to Calgary. Resurgence of Okotoker!!

no thanks.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by Sample00

just watch..Ference requests a trade. Comes back to Calgary. Resurgence of Okotoker!!

No Thx..

[Derek Sutton]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

The Penguins had a say in what they were willing to part with in this trade. It's all nice and good to say what MacT should have turned this into but it's all speculative. Based on trade histories, player values, Edmonton's situation, MacT got really good value for Perron. Discussing on whether he should or more importantly COULD have gotten Dumoulin or Harrington is fruitless.

Yah I know all that, my question was which has more value, one of the prospects I mentioned or the 1st rounder? It is not something any of us can answer really, but with the glut of D prospects Pittsburgh has, I would think they would me more willing to move one of them over another first rounder. I would hope that Mac t at least asked for one of the young players over the 1st.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

maybe if he was a pending UFA, but with that extra year doubt anyone touches that contract for a 35 year old 3rd pairing dman

If the Oilers eat salary, they might be able to get a middling pick for Ference. But, honestly, it's worth more for Edmonton to keep him.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Sample00

just watch..Ference requests a trade. Comes back to Calgary. Resurgence of Okotoker!!

Nooooo thank you! Have you seen him play? Hes awful. And expensive. Thanks but no thanks.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Good for Perron. Good for the Pens. That makes them even more formidable in the East. The first will be likely 27-30th so the Oilers will be picking really close in the 1st and second rounds.

This is also a valuable trade chip for Edmonton if they are looking at some bold moves at the draft.

[Locke]

I think about it like this:

Edmonton needs to stockpile assets to reset their rebuild of the previous adjustment in order to amend their revamp of the overhaul.

At the same time, people saying that Edmonton needed real 'right-now' roster players also have a point.

Edmonton couldnt develop a Polaroid.