Edmonton is No Good VI: Chia•den•freu•de

[Spinach]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

For the record: Lawton was the General Manager of the TB Lightning from 2008–10—a storied chapter from their illustrious history in which they finished out of the playoffs and drafted #1, #2, and #6. He was replaced by Steve Yzerman. This is clearly a guy who knows a thing or two about winning.

Lawton's also a failed first-overall pick. Sounds like a perfect fit up there. He's apparently been drinking the Kool-Aid - now he should try the water.

[Husky]

Oilers are not as bad as people think (and i hate the oilers)

For now to build around a core of mcdavid, RNH and Draisatal upfront and on D Klembom, Nurse snd larrsson is okay. Probably sonewhere middle of nhl when conparing cores. The wild card is mcdavid who is elite.

Where the oilers have struggled is quality depth.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Husky

Oilers are not as bad as people think (and i hate the oilers)

For now to build around a core of mcdavid, RNH and Draisatal upfront and on D Klembom, Nurse snd larrsson is okay. Probably sonewhere middle of nhl when conparing cores. The wild card is mcdavid who is elite.

Where the oilers have struggled is quality depth.

Their core is fine, even though it's definitely missing another legit top pairing D.

But it's not that the depth doesn't have quality, it's that it's hardly even NHL caliber. They don't just need an upgrade or two, they need 2-3 lines worth of upgrades. The depth is near if not worst in the league.

They can only compete when their small handful of real players outwork the entire opposing team because their depth isn't going to give them any support whereas the other team is probably getting contributions down the line up. So yeah, occasionally they have great games. But over 82 games it's impossible to expect 2 or 3 players to do enough to win much more than half your games, if that.

[crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Husky

Oilers are not as bad as people think (and i hate the oilers)

For now to build around a core of mcdavid, RNH and Draisatal upfront and on D Klembom, Nurse snd larrsson is okay. Probably sonewhere middle of nhl when conparing cores. The wild card is mcdavid who is elite.

Where the oilers have struggled is quality depth.

The core is not really the problem for the upcoming GM. The lack of assets, the terrible cap situation and the fact that players rather not come to Edmonton in the first place because of the no goodness is the problem, as it makes it difficult to build anything at all over the next bunch of seasons.



By the time some contracts come off the books a lot of the pieces you listed are getting close to 30, and building a team around 30 year old players is not exactly the best of ideas, as the LA Kings can attest to. That is if they are even still in Edmonton. You would have to imagine RNH at least getting traded out of there in order to restock some assets.

[iloveicedhockey]

While I am really enjoying the current turmoil up the road, my sobering thought this morning was looking at the standings and seeing that they're only 5 or 6 points above last place and given the roster, and how much they seem to enjoy losing and subsequently winning the lottery, I fear for the careers of Jack Hughes and Kaapo kakko. I've got a bad feeling about this.

It will be funny though if they get to the position where they recognize that they're sellers at the deadline but that that have no assets that anyone wants.

[Split98]

I really think this team trades their first at the deadline.

Their problem is figuring out how to win trades for some of their pieces as well, as losing a trade involving their awesome 'future' isn't going to bode well for Bob.

They don't think, and they definitely don't want their fans to think, that this 1st is in the lottery. The West being as awful as it is has will be a curse for the Oilers, as I don't doubt that things look 'doable' at the TDL

I picture some big Oiler trades, and then a handful of teams in the West turning it on to finish the season.

All the trades will be lauded as great deals, and maybe we see another insane contract to lock up whatever rental just clicked with McDavid. But this team likely finishes bottom 3 in the West, likely back to a cap-crunch and likely with more questions than answers after a TDL massacre

[Fuzz]

Who the heck is tradable on the Oilers, though? RNH is the only contract that isn't a millstone. No GM is going to have interest in anything else.

[old-fart]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Their core is fine, even though it's definitely missing another legit top pairing D.

But it's not that the depth doesn't have quality, it's that it's hardly even NHL caliber. They don't just need an upgrade or two, they need 2-3 lines worth of upgrades. The depth is near if not worst in the league.

They can only compete when their small handful of real players outwork the entire opposing team because their depth isn't going to give them any support whereas the other team is probably getting contributions down the line up. So yeah, occasionally they have great games. But over 82 games it's impossible to expect 2 or 3 players to do enough to win much more than half your games, if that.

Another top pairing D? If they do manage to get a legit top pairing D... they’d have one.

Edmonton is built around one superstar forward (who is probably paid ok but is the highest paid player in the league), a better than average winger (who is paid like a top center), a very good third line center (who is paid like an excellent second line center), two or three average second pair defencemen, and a goalie who has 30ish average NHL games on his resume.

And they are a cap team with little in the prospect cupboard.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Husky

Oilers are not as bad as people think (and i hate the oilers)

For now to build around a core of mcdavid, RNH and Draisatal upfront and on D Klembom, Nurse snd larrsson is okay. Probably sonewhere middle of nhl when conparing cores. The wild card is mcdavid who is elite.

Where the oilers have struggled is quality depth.

They have a couple elite pieces up front and some okay Dmen. The problem is the money being spent on Lucic, Russell, Manning, goalies, Spooner, Sekera etc that has the team completely capped out and difficult to add around the core that doesn’t include a legit top pairing Dman

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by old-fart

Another top pairing D? If they do manage to get a legit top pairing D... they’d have one.

Edmonton is built around one superstar forward (who is probably paid ok but is the highest paid player in the league), a better than average winger (who is paid like a top center), a very good third line center (who is paid like an excellent second line center), two or three average second pair defencemen, and a goalie who has 30ish average NHL games on his resume.

And they are a cap team with little in the prospect cupboard.

I think if they acquired a true #1, then Klefbom could become a decent #2 beside him (if they meshed). Klefbom cannot carry the weight of a top pairing, but he might be able to handle being the sidekick.

Personally, I think he is a good #3. But the #2 thing isn't a huge stretch.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Their core is fine, even though it's definitely missing another legit top pairing D...

Another top pairing D? Who on that roster is a bona fide top pairing defenseman?




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[Shazam]

For some reason people think Klefbom is a top paring d-man.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

They have a couple elite pieces up front and some okay Dmen. The problem is the money being spent on Lucic, Russell, Manning, goalies, Spooner, Sekera etc that has the team completely capped out and difficult to add around the core that doesn’t include a legit top pairing Dman

This I cannot agree with. They have *one* elite piece. Draisatl is not elite.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Husky

Oilers are not as bad as people think (and i hate the oilers)

For now to build around a core of mcdavid, RNH and Draisatal upfront and on D Klembom, Nurse snd larrsson is okay. Probably sonewhere middle of nhl when conparing cores. The wild card is mcdavid who is elite.

Where the oilers have struggled is quality depth.

A core usually includes a top pairing on defence, or at least a number one. Most teams have one. The Oilers don't.

And in building from a core you need the ability to add the support pieces. The Oilers are not in a position cap-wise to do so.

On Calgary, RNH, Klembom, Nurse and Larsson would be support pieces. RNH would be a 3C at best and the defencemen would be third pairing.

[bubbsy]

I think the oilers have about 3 glaring holes:
- top line winger
- a top 2/4 dman
- 2nd line winger

If they can get a true top pairing winger, it allows Draisaitl/Nugent-Hopkins to drop down and be what they need to be, a 2nd line C.

Their d going forward, without depending on the prospects to suddenly jump in prematurely (i assume sekera is on IR for the rest of his contract, or so the oilers should hope) :
Klefbom, Larsson, Nurse, Russell
Adding another top 4 is critical, as the Klefbom injury has shown.

Ideally, they get another dependable winger to give Draisaitl/Nugent-Hopkins someone to play with on the 2nd line.

What i would use if i was the oilers to fill these gaps?
1) Nugent Hopkins - his deal is up in a few seasons at which point they won't even be able to re-sign him. At his proper slotting, he's a 2nd line C, making him redundant to Draisaitl, who is younger, cheaper, and in opinion already better than rnh.

2) 1st round/2nd round picks - not to be used on rentals, but rather trying to plug the above 3 holes, with players with term on them.

3) poolparty - change of scenery, he looks pretty lost, and still may have decent value.

This is still a broken plan, as only rnh has $ savings reaped when he is moved out.

I don't think the oilers need to go scorched earth rebuild again. They do need to be bold, but not boldly stupid, which seems inconceivable to them.

It is funny that they already shipped out pieces with at least SOME value in Strome, caggiula, a pick, and only received deadweight cap hits in return......

[Toonage]

The Oilers are a glaring hole

[keenan87]

I was thinking about this last night and how the Oilers can potentially help themselves. I may be completely off but what about these deals at the trade deadline:

Trade 1
Leon Draisatl+Milan Lucic for Dougie Hamilton+Jordan Staal

Trade 2
Jesse Puljujarvi for Jake Muzzin

Trade 3
Cam Talbot for 2nd Round Pick+minor league goalie

Trade 4
2nd Round+Prospect for Marcus Johansson

Trade 5
Ryan-Nugent Hopkins+1st Round 2019 (protected)+Petrovic for Kreider+Zuccarello

Trade 6
Russell+Prospect for Burakovsky

Also try to dump some more crap with cap like Kassian, Manning, etc... can also trade Nurse for more forward help in the off-season or keep him.

Top 6 forwards and Top 4 D-Man

Kreider-McDavid-Burakovsky
Johansson-Staal-Zucarello

Hamilton-Muzzin
Larsson-Klefbom
Nurse

[Resolute 14]

Trade 1 is decidedly unlikely.

Trade 3 is LMAO no.

Trade 5 is nonsensical. Zuccarello is a pending UFA and there's no way Kreider waives his NTC to go to Edmonton.

Trade 6 - I fail to see Washington's motivation.

[dirk diggler]

its hard enough to make trades in the NHL these days with the cap, combine that with how many NTC's are in contracts these days. Nobody is lining up to go to Edmonton. They have a tough road ahead, good thing they know winning

[EldrickOnIce]

I've heard it said a couple times now. Oil should:
Interview everyone.
Ask what they would do to fix the mess.
Steal best ideas

Fortunately, OBC knows better already and will not do this