I've never seen a single play from Bouchard that makes me think he's worth anything above $4m/year and even then, I feel like he replaceable by basically any middle 6 defensemen in the league. Am I out to lunch about that?
To even think about paying him 10+ is absolutely hilarious to me. Please do it.
Gazdik ragging on Skinner (who surprisingly spoke really well in his interview IMO) instead of on the “two best players in the world” neither of whom showed up (even though it was pointed out to him).
E=NG now and forever.
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Hey...where'd my avatar go?
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I don’t see 97 signing long term. Endure one more season (half if they know he’s leaving) and you can sign for 18 sheets in any city you want the next year.
With the Oilers being one of the oldest team in the league. A blueline that just isn't great. Skinner has likely played his last game in Edmonton The Conna and Draisatl being nowhere to be seen when the Oilers needed them to carry them a little bit further.
Its likely that Skinner, Perry, Brown are done, they'd probably like Kapanen back, but does he want to be back? Fredricks a UFA and will probably look elsewhere as well. On the Blueline they'll lose Klingberg.
But they need to rebuild their blueline and get a youth injection. But they don't have any real prospects of note, They have the 32 pick this year and picks in the other rounds but they suck at drafting outside of high draft picks.
Their goaltending is outright atrocious, like I said Skinner can't be back, but I doubt too many teams will take him.
And the big question of will he won't he. Does McDavid Sign. He has to look at that aging lineup, at his ability to pick where he plays, and at least explore that option, its likely that the NHLPA is going to pressure him to hold out for the maximum contract, but do the Oilers want 8 years of him tailing off in key moments? Or do they give him a deadline for next year and then if he refuses to sign, do they bite the bullet and trade him for a ton of picks and prospects to rebuild their farm and use?
If I am an Oilers fan, I know I'm seeing an end tonight to the dynasty that never was and never will be, they won't be back to the Cup final next year. That dog don't hunt, and that team isn't good enough in terms of its core.
They don't have the 32nd pick this year. The Flames do. Oiler only have 3 picks total this year and none in the first 2 rounds.
__________________ Are the Oilers trying to set a record for most scumbags on the payroll??
Oilers have only $14M cap space and no 1st, 2nd, 4th or 5th this year, and no first next year already.
That's with 9 forwards, 6 dmen and 2 goalies on the roster
Skinner, Perry, Brown, Klingberg, Kapanen, and Frederic are UFAs.
Bouchard is a RFA.
Bouchard likely gets $10M. Which means they have $4M to fill 4 forward roster spots and no real assets to trade to improve the team.
The following year you have McDavid, Kane, Arvidsson, Henrique, Ekholm, Walman, Kulak, and Stecher as UFAs.
They also have no real prospects beyond Savoie, O'Reilly and Akey. So not like they can promote from within to fill gaps either.
These last two seasons were the Oilers best shot at a cup, and they still have a shot next year just because 97 and 29 are that good, but I don't see a way they can ice a better roster than this season.
Trading Mcleod and Mismanaging Holloway and Broberg really should have been unforgivable for this franchise. Needed to prioritize those two.
Last edited by SuperMatt18; 06-17-2025 at 11:46 PM.
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I saw a bunch of claims that McDavid raises his game in elimination games.
But in his playoff career, in the final game when Edmonton was eliminated:
2017, Game 7 vs ANA: 0G+0A, even
2020, Game 4 vs CHI (play-in round): 0G+2A, +1
2021, Game 4 vs WPG: 1G+0A, -1, and he turned it over for the OT winner by Conner
2022, Game 4 vs COL: 1G+2A, +1
2023, Game 6 vs VGS: 1G+0A, even
2024, Game 7 vs FLA: 0G+0A, even
2025, Game 6 vs FLA: 0G+0A, -4
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I saw a bunch of claims that McDavid raises his game in elimination games.
But in his playoff career, in the final game when Edmonton was eliminated:
2017, Game 7 vs ANA: 0G+0A, even
2020, Game 4 vs CHI (play-in round): 0G+2A, +1
2021, Game 4 vs WPG: 1G+0A, -1, and he turned it over for the OT winner by Conner
2022, Game 4 vs COL: 1G+2A, +1
2023, Game 6 vs VGS: 1G+0A, even
2024, Game 7 vs FLA: 0G+0A, even
2025, Game 6 vs FLA: 0G+0A, -4
He's really hitting his peak in the last couple of seasons!
Man, I forgot about those 3 straight sweep years. In the play-in too, to the (IIRC) lowest ranking team that qualified to play (CHI).
I saw a bunch of claims that McDavid raises his game in elimination games.
But in his playoff career, in the final game when Edmonton was eliminated:
2017, Game 7 vs ANA: 0G+0A, even
2020, Game 4 vs CHI (play-in round): 0G+2A, +1
2021, Game 4 vs WPG: 1G+0A, -1, and he turned it over for the OT winner by Conner
2022, Game 4 vs COL: 1G+2A, +1
2023, Game 6 vs VGS: 1G+0A, even
2024, Game 7 vs FLA: 0G+0A, even
2025, Game 6 vs FLA: 0G+0A, -4
7 games, 3G+4A, -3
However as bad as McDavid has been, if you want to see a true bum in elimination games, look no further than Pissy Leon:
2017, Game 7 vs ANA: 0G+0A, -1
2020, Game 4 vs CHI (play-in round): 0G+0A, -1
2021, Game 4 vs WPG: 0G+2A, -1
2022, Game 4 vs COL: 0G+4A, +1
2023, Game 6 vs VGS: 0G+0A, -4
2024, Game 7 vs FLA: 0G+0A, -1
2025, Game 6 vs FLA: 0G+0A, -4
7 games, 0G+6A, -11
__________________ "I think the eye test is still good, but analytics can sure give you confirmation: what you see...is that what you really believe?" Scotty Bowman, 0 NHL games played
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I hope the Panthers offer Perry a contract. Don't like the guy, but he's the one player that showed up for the Oilers this series. Even at 41 next year I'd rather see him on a different team.
