[News] Oilers hire Chiarelli as Hockey Ops President and GM. MacTavish and Lowe stay in org

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Not a defenceman but Connor McDavid says hi.

While he may say hi, the Oilers still need defense and goaltending to contend. That's the same problem they have had since Pronger left, hence no playoffs.

[CaptainCrunch]

He's got a huge job ahead of him and for Chiarelli to turn things around he's going to have to ahem make bold moves.

first or all, Edmonton is close to a cap team, and nobody is going to line up to help the Oilers dump garbage like Nikitin or Ference without major incentives.

While he has most of his players under contract, he has Roy as a UFA and he has Mr Norris Justin Hulka Schultz as a RFA. Unless he creatively dumps salaries he's out of the free agent market.

The Oilers need to rebuild their deplorable blueline, their goaltending and their bottom 6. That's a big job, not one that can turn over night.

He needs to decide on a coach, I'm betting Nelson isn't feeling particularly loyal to that team, and now with Chiarellin on board, it might be possible to get a TM out of San Jose, but every other team is going to be in a better position to get the really good coaches.

They have McDavid, and he will probably be a great player for them, but I'm convinced that they aren't winning anything with their current top end players. He's going to have to decide who needs to go to encourage the others.

Their organizational depth is stunningly bad.

Now maybe the guy that inherited a great core in Boston, and he added some good pieces, he had some gaffs in terms of deals and got into cap trouble as the teams core aged.

We'll see in Edmonton, but I don't think McDavid alone boosts this team in year one

[JohnnySkittles]

Well, good for the Oilers. Finally fixing that train wreck, obviously they have alot of work to do but this was the biggest and hardest step. Looking forward to a respectable BOA and watching McDavid.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by #-3

We in a 2 year span the Flames went out and got Wideman, Russell, and Engelland as FAs (Russell was an RFA, but his free agent & waiver status drove that trade). I think it would be hard to argue that all three of those guys aren't playing quality top 4 minutes right now. The Flames were also able to pick up on Waivers Schlemko and trade for Smid who would both arguably be a big upgrade most of the Oilers defenders.

One D I can think of, though it comes with a cost ($$ and draft picks) is to offer sheet Tyson Barrie out of of Colorado.... I think he's gonna be a real good D.

[N-E-B]

I hope the Oilers get booed at the podium. What a garbage organization owned by a garbage human being.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I'm sure if they want a Wideman at $6.5M or Engelland at $3M ("NHL inflation"), then yes they could. Remember Wideman was pretty much a borderline bottom pairing defenseman last year, Engelland is a bottom pairing defenseman (and still is) that is subbing into the top 4 (and quite admirably might I add), Schlemko has been an amazing pickup but his body of work is small and was waivers material a few months ago, and Russell is a rare but classic case, but also benefited from a successful system set by Gio/Brodie.

I don't see a Gio/Brodie setting the system, nor do I see the top 4 D available for the Oilers to sign as UFA unless they are willing to sign Mike Green for $7M for 6 years, Ehrhoff for $4M, et al. If they are willing to blow their cap on borderline 2nd pairing defenseman for long, heavy contracts, then sure. They will be closer to Wideman/Engelland type dollars and signings. Good, young, puck moving, top 4 D get locked up early and for 5-6 years for a very good reason - they just don't see UFA anymore. You got to trade for them, find a diamond in the rough or if you get extremely lucky (see: NYI) one might be caught in a cap pinch and have to trade one, but (ironically enough) the team that did seem like they would get caught in a pinch, Boston with Torey Krug, managed to sneak in a 1 year contract, so I don't see them being available.

My point was it is not some implossible feet going out and acquiring a few solid NHL ready top 4 Dmen. The Flames are a prefect example of a team that did it with vary little cost, in a fairly short period of time.

As for Edmonton I would not dismiss the possibility that they could trade Hall + for a vary good defenceman then see a player like Nurse develop quickly, putting them in a situation not all that different from the Flames about 15 months ago.

I don't think it will happen, but I am not going to dismiss the possibility that they could gather together a relatively strong D core in a short period of time.

Lets just all agree to hope they aren't so lucky.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

first or all, Edmonton is close to a cap team, and nobody is going to line up to help the Oilers dump garbage like Nikitin or Ference without major incentives.

I am not doubting you CC, but can you post a source? I have trouble now capgeek is gone.

[Roof-Daddy]

lol 4th different GM since they last made the playoffs.

6th coach and counting too.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Not sure why Rielly wasn't a realistic pick at number 1. If they felt he was the guy that would best fit them long-term he would have been a great pick.
It wasn't a great draft at the top end - but that doesn't excuse the fact that the Oilers made a bad choice.

When's the last time a player that wasn't ranked in the top 3 on any of the various pre-draft lists (Central Scouting, ISS, McKenzie's compilation of NHL scouts) was taken 1st overall?

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by #-3

My point was it is not some implossible feet going out and acquiring a few solid NHL ready top 4 Dmen. The Flames are a prefect example of a team that did it with vary little cost, in a fairly short period of time.

As for Edmonton I would not dismiss the possibility that they could trade Hall + for a vary good defenceman then see a player like Nurse develop quickly, putting them in a situation not all that different from the Flames about 15 months ago.

I don't think it will happen, but I am not going to dismiss the possibility that they could gather together a relatively strong D core in a short period of time.

Lets just all agree to hope they aren't so lucky.

Agreed, I don't think its impossible but I think its going to be extremely difficult. Like I said, every young defenseman that shows they have a lick of being a potential top 4 D? They get signed to 5-6 year contracts, early. (Brodie, Tanev, all the Nashville blueliners). For us, it may look like we got a lot, but the reality IMO is that Wideman and Russell's successes come directly off the environment of Gio/Brodie. Without those 2, I don't see the same success if we start the year with Wideman/Russell as our top blueliners... we built a culture here that worked via Gio/Brodie. The environment breed Russell (Wideman was already good, but comes with a high price tag.)

I think its far more like that you end up with Mark Smith, Anton Babchuk, Butler (forgot his first name already lol) and Scott Hannan ... possible to get Wideman/Russell, but I really doubt it.

There is Phaneuf, Mike Green, Ehrhoff... I think thats the way they will go. Hopefully it fails for them.

[FlamesAddiction]

Having McDavid will help. It has already helped the Oilers land one of the bigger hockey execs available.

It's true that free agency isn't what it used to be, but if the Oilers can change their image, then it will at least help them keep their own free agents.

They have a long way to go still, but it's a start. Something that they haven't had is a long time.

I am still betting though that McDavid signs an entry level deal at 18 and at 21, the Oilers will either have to sign him to a 4 year deal to bring him up to UFA status; or he become on RFA, solicit a 4-year offersheet from another team (the Oilers probably match if he turns out as projected). Either way, I can easily see him gone by 25.

The next 7 years will be vital for the Oilers to build something and improve their image.

[Muta]

I'm looking forward to the Oilers crashing and burning again. Same jet, different pilot. They may have gotten an upgrade in the engine with McDavid, but that engine is useless if you don't have the rest of the plane to make it soar. Their roster is full of AHL'ers or lazy primadonnas.

[Huntingwhale]

A lot of thing have to go right for the Oilers to completely right the ship. Getting a generational centerman is a good start. In fact, it's probably the greatest building block an entire franchise can have. Having a competant GM is another step. Some help is on the way on D, but they have no mentorship on the backend (Ference lol), poor goaltending. But to me the most important flaw is their piss poor scouting and poor development system. Getting Mcdavid at #1 is cool and all. How about the rest of the picks.

The Flames recent success can strongly be attributed to the strong drafting and development system. The oilers will be starting that from scratch. And players having a loser mentality is a very real thing. The Flames had to ship out players from the old guard before fresh young players stepped in and could contribute. Are Hall, Eberle and Schutlz willing to put forth the work and sacrifices to better the team? Are they they type of players willing to buy in? Time will tell. But all signs have continuously pointed to NO. However they are still young and time is on their side.

I'm not at all worried about the Oilers....yet. Yes Mcdavid is good. Yes not having Lowe or Mctavish at the helm is good. But until I personally witness various picks/prospects turning into roster players and contributing, until I see them develop a couple legit top 4 defensemen, until I see their players start to buy into a culture and change starts happening, they are still the same crappy Oilers who are up against the cap and this is the final result of their rebuild. I'm not worried in the least until all those things come together. Then, and only then, will I accept the BoA is ''back''.

[FlameZilla]

I kinda hope he does a decent job. I'm sick of the Oilers being so No Good. It would be nice to have a meaningful Battle of Alberta again...

[ForeverFlameFan]

It's going to take a good few years for Chiarelli to fix what's been going on there.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I am not doubting you CC, but can you post a source? I have trouble now capgeek is gone.

I'm looking at NHLnumbers.com, they were within 4 million bucks of the cap this year with only Roy and Schultz and Maricin dropping off (UFA, RFA, RFA). The cap isn't going up much next year. (4 million bucks I think at best)

so the Oilers can't go out and sign a top pairing for 5 or 6 million bucks and a top goaltender for 4 or 5 million bucks unless they dump some salaries.

And nobody is going to help them out with guys like Nikitin, or Ference or anyone else that's a waste of salary space.

I also think that RFA offer sheets aren't going to work for the Oilers as the cost of those contracts has to be high enough for the team to not want to match.

Since Colorado is such a blueline poor team it would cost a lot to pry a guy like Barrie out of there.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Having McDavid will help. It has already helped the Oilers land one of the bigger hockey execs available.

Exec is different then acquiring players IMO. Whichever team CMD went to would almost be viewed as a clean state that you can architect around. As a GM, its a very attractive situation to be in. (Minus Edmonton being in cap jail by their 6x6)

Not sure the same applys as much to players, all good players will get the same dollar/term contracts - this might give Edmonton a slight edge, but you won't see any $$/term discount because of it.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Since Colorado is such a blueline poor team it would cost a lot to pry a guy like Barrie out of there.

Maybe, but I think Tyson Barrie can be stolen via offer sheet since McKinnon's ELC is ending...

[CaptainCrunch]

If McDavid is the uberstar that everyone things he is, the Oilers will have to forgo a bridge contract to keep him and by that point three years down the road lets say they'll be paying him $10 million bucks a year.

If they keep RNH, Hall, Eberle, and lets say that Yak gets some of his game back and resigns for $6 million per year in two years.

McDavid - $10 million
Nuge - 6 million
Eberle - $6 million
Hall - $6 million
Yak - $6 million

Total - $35 million.

Now the cap will certainly go up, but I can't see it jetting up like it did when if first came in.

But even at $35 million for 5 players that doesn't leave a lot of room to have a top two defensemen or a stellar goaltending without it impacting on your NHL depth.

And the year after McDavid's contract ends, you have Nuge, Hall and Eberle all hitting the end of their deals.

[Phanuthier]

^ If CMD is that good, IMO you are looking at more - closer to $12M-15M.

The clean slate (CMD) is enticing but its not going to be easy in a cap world.