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Rumor: 2023-24 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: Season Thread

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I think @LOFIN hit the nail on the head with how the game has changed, especially the positional aspect.

Wingers play center on the back check and low in the D zone quite often. They're expected to be good defensively just as much as centers are, and the best defensive players in the league include more wingers than it used to. They even take faceoffs a lot now when on their strong side.

Wingers carry the puck, make plays, and drive the play offensively a lot more than they used to. They also outscore the top centers on their own team more than they used to.

Defenseman are not only not afraid to play like Ozolinsh and lead the rush or stay in the O zone anymore, they're pushed to do so by their coaches.

Even just playing style is different. Defensive D men have to be able to skate, pass, and carry the puck.

There are a hell of a lot less playmaking centers and more shooting centers than there used to be too. Pure playmakers in general are hard to find these days. You have to be good at everything now which has an impact on the positional hierarchy.
 
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JH21 said:
Facts don't matter in here man.

Tell that to the guy who would rather have a 80 point center over a 100 point winger. That said, he was probably the guy who said faceoffs don't matter. It's comically sad in here sometimes
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He's pure entertainment
 
Foppa2118 said:
Washington's problem was the same problem as Edmonton and Toronto's right now and it wasn't center depth.

They never built around Ovi properly and didn't take team defense seriously enough until they finally won.

If that wasn't the case the elite center depth of McDavid-Draisaitl-RNH and Matthews-Tavares-Kerfoot would have multiple Cups by now, instead of never winning a game past the second round.
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This guy gets it.

All that's true but the big reason Washington won was because Ovi took his game to an elite all around level. He started playing D, going into corners and leveling people. That resonated throughout the whole locker room.

Until all those soft puck chasers on Edm and Tor start to care about a complete game they will never win.
 
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JH21 said:
This guy gets it.

All that's true but the big reason Washington won was because Ovi took his game to an elite all around level. He started playing D, going into corners and leveling people. That resonated throughout the whole locker room.

Until all those soft puck chasers on Edm and Tor start to care about a complete game they will never win.
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This….

People underestimate star players back checking and playing D. Doing everything it takes to win. Even if you’re not the best defensive player, but hustling and playing D still goes a long way of helping your team win. Ovi started playing that way, MacK had to do it when he was blocking shots late in games to hold leads. Eichel did it to help Vegas win etc…. It’s something I haven’t seen McDavid do yet that’s why Oilers don’t win
 
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I still refuse to put blame on McDavid and Draisaitl, because they score so much it compensates for their lack of defensive play, if you think they really lack such a thing. Their teams just haven't been good enough otherwise. Last year, it was the goaltending that let them down against Vegas.

With Toronto, that's a different case. The stars have gone quiet, and let that team down.
 
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LOFIN said:
I still refuse to put blame on McDavid and Draisaitl, because they score so much it compensates for their lack of defensive play, if you think they really lack such a thing. Their teams just haven't been good enough otherwise. Last year, it was the goaltending that let them down against Vegas.

With Toronto, that's a different case. The stars have gone quiet, and let that team down.
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I’ve seen McDavid score points to help his team win yes, but I also seen him be responsible for getting scored on many times, and in a 7 game playoff series, that’s the difference between winning and losing.
 
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Shane Pinto would check alot of boxes for us.

Pinto and Jacob Bernard-Docker for Girard and Olousson?

Sign Pinto to a 5 year, 3.5 mil deal. Move Colton to LW1 next to Mackinnon to do the dirty work. Drouin would have to play on the right side. That's a solid top 9. Nice and well rounded.

It also frees up some money to resign Toews leaving us with 4.5 mil in cap space right now.

Colton- Mackinnon- Drouin
Lehkonen- Johansen- Rantanen
Wood- Pinto- Nichushkin
Cogliano- Meyers- O'Connor

Toews - Makar
Byram - Manson
Bernard Docker - Johnson

F/D- Kurtis MacDermid
RW- Nikolai Kovalenko
LW- Fredrick Olofsson
C- JL Foudy
LW- Joel Kiviranta
RW- Saku Maenalanen
D- Brad Hunt
D- Sam Malinksi
 
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LOFIN said:
I still refuse to put blame on McDavid and Draisaitl, because they score so much it compensates for their lack of defensive play, if you think they really lack such a thing. Their teams just haven't been good enough otherwise. Last year, it was the goaltending that let them down against Vegas.

With Toronto, that's a different case. The stars have gone quiet, and let that team down.
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No. Toronto's stars are soft as baby shit and Edmontons chase pucks.

Who cares if they combine for 5 goals a game if they give up 7 as a team. Edmonton had 3-100 point players last year but that means nothing in the playoffs. Hyman and Kane are the only players with heart on that team..
 
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If McDavid would sacrifice some of the offense to play defense, Oilers would actually have a better chance at winning the cup. Score few less points but help your team allow less goals.
 
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the_fan said:
I’ve seen McDavid score points to help his team win yes, but I also seen him be responsible for getting scored on many times, and in a 7 game playoff series, that’s the difference between winning and losing.
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This is true, I can't even remember was it this playoffs or some regular season game where McDavid cheated when the opposing team was on 6-5 to tie the game up. And they did, because McDavid cheated and left so much space for the opposing team to score. He was cheating for an empty netter.

So yes, he could do better. I still think that putting any blame on him considering his points production is ludicrous.
 
LOFIN said:
This is true, I can't even remember was it this playoffs or some regular season game where McDavid cheated when the opposing team was on 6-5 to tie the game up. And they did, because McDavid cheated and left so much space for the opposing team to score. He was cheating for an empty netter.

So yes, he could do better. I still think that putting any blame on him considering his points production is ludicrous.
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Was against the Kings in the playoffs I think.
 
LOFIN said:
This is true, I can't even remember was it this playoffs or some regular season game where McDavid cheated when the opposing team was on 6-5 to tie the game up. And they did, because McDavid cheated and left so much space for the opposing team to score. He was cheating for an empty netter.

So yes, he could do better. I still think that putting any blame on him considering his points production is ludicrous.
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Also in this playoffs against Vegas one particular play stuck out to me where McDavid was coming off the bench on a line change as Vegas entered the Oilers zone. It’s a short change too, not a 2nd period long change, McDavid instead of hustling back to help out on defense, he just slowly coasted near the blue line watching the play hoping his D would get the puck and give it to him so he can quickly go on offense, but Vegas scored instead. Both him and Draisaitl are pretty much cherry pickers. They think they can outscore their problems and could care less about playing defense
 
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