Confirmed with Link: Draisaitl re-signs 8y 8.5M AAV

[Bangers]

I agree with this...

What I saw out of Nuge in the last 18 months is a maturation as a player... and it is a work in progress so you can't expect to like every single snapshot.

Right now what we are seeing is a player who, on the positive:
1) Has the natural talent to drive offense
2) Has learned/listened to coaches who have praised puck possession... that there is always an easy pass to be made and that losing the puck is bad
3) Has a natural puck hound ability that makes him very valuable defensively (even before his defensive awareness has reached its peak... which it hasn't)

On the negative:
1) This is a player who has NOT learned "situational play". Situational play would allow him to realize that when you have a guy driving the net and the rest of your teammates are in supportive positions and it isn't the last 5 mins of a 1-goal game... that it's OK to try a risky, boom-bust pass, rather than a button hook, chip to the corner.

When people talk about "losing culture" part of the issue is a learned response to lack trust of your teammates, which, if you are listening to your coach, can lead to an overcompensation and an unwillingness to risk... ANYTHING.

Nuge is a cerebral player who has erred on the side of caution because his coach(es) had been screaming at his linemmates to simplify their play. Too much has rubbed off on Nuge (the fault of a coach who doesn't know how to properly ascribe blame... Eakins) and thus its going to take some time before his offense returns.

I'm really not that worried.

I would love for you to be right, but when I watch Nuge play, I see a player that peaked 2-3 years ago (against harder competition that he plays against now), and for whatever reason, has regressed.

He's still a useful player, and unlike Eberle, I would like to see him remain an Oiler for as long as it's viable salary-cap wise, but ultimately, I think he's a goner.

 

[rboomercat90]

Summer is too long, especially this year. I wish the season would start already so we had something real to talk about. These threads are going nowhere.

 

[Cloned]

Summer is too long, especially this year. I wish the season would start already so we had something real to talk about. These threads are going nowhere.

It's already getting colder in the mornings/nights, so boo.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I would love for you to be right, but when I watch Nuge play, I see a player that peaked 2-3 years ago (against harder competition that he plays against now), and for whatever reason, has regressed.

He's still a useful player, and unlike Eberle, I would like to see him remain an Oiler for as long as it's viable salary-cap wise, but ultimately, I think he's a goner.

I think any perceived regression that you might have seen was in actuality a role change. I think it should be obvious that one of McLellan's goals last year was to make sure that guys who had been part of the losing culture learned how to play like a playoff team. One in particular seemed to struggle with this, and it bought him a way out of town. It just so happens that Nuge wasn't only on the same line as this guy, he was also learning new aspects of the game himself. The other guy typically on his line was also new to the club and had a ridiculously slow start while adjusting to a new team.

Now, it sounds like McLellan is ready to take the reigns off of Nuge a bit and is pushing him towards playing a not so defensive game. That, coupled with Lucic's adjustment to the team (he was much better in the last half of the season) could very well kickstart Nugent-Hopkins to a new level.

Personally, I'd try Draisaitl on the wing with Nuge and Lucic. We could well have two lines scoring 60+ points on average if that works out and the Maroon and Cagguilla chemistry with McDavid sticks around.

 

[rboomercat90]

It's already getting colder in the mornings/nights, so boo.

Just to clarify, I only meant the off season. The mild weather can stay forever.

 

[Cawz]

Summer is too long, especially this year.

Bite your tongue!

Edit: Oh, nevermind

 

[Paralyzer]

It's already getting colder in the mornings/nights, so boo.

Boo hoo. I like colder weather. Anything 10-20 Degrees is great weather. Anything higher and it just SUCKS.

 

[Oilers Propagandist]

Thats right, ok I feel better now. Some how when I was looking at Cap Friendly I thought it was 2017.

LOL, you expect people to buy that?

 

[nexttothemoon]

Drai is in pretty select company scoring at above 1.10 ppg in the playoffs.

Only 10 players have done that in the last 5 playoffs (while playing 10+ games).

Getzlaf (3 times)... playoff beast.
Couture
Draisaitl
Krejci
Benn
Silfverberg
Perry
Crosby
Malkin
Kucherov

Most of those obviously are very talented players who followed up with solid seasons as well... hopefully the trend continues with Drai.

 

[AM]

They aren't, because players don't win Cups, teams win Cup.

Besides when you pay players because "they won cups" you get the Toews contract, a 50-60 point player being paid $10M+ a year to be slightly better then average.

I guess you think they have a crystal ball.

 

[NeutralFan88]

Boo hoo. I like colder weather. Anything 10-20 Degrees is great weather. Anything higher and it just SUCKS.

I'm with you man. I CAN'T STAND constant mid-high 20's weather.

My favourite time of the year is right now. Cooling off period and fall.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I'm with you man. I CAN'T STAND constant mid-high 20's weather.

My favourite time of the year is right now. Cooling off period and fall.

I'd take mid-high 20's year around if possible... ideally low-mid 20's with a light breeze but I'd "suffer" with 28 degrees and sunny year around.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I guess you think they have a crystal ball.

You pretty much missed the point, fair enough.

Toews is grossly overpaid as a player. Draisaitl's contract looks like a bit of an overpayment now, but I trust he will continue to improve as a player and be worth every penny.

Is this team going to win a Cup? Who knows, I know they're more likely to do with both McDavid & Draisaitl.

 

[AM]

You pretty much missed the point, fair enough.

Toews is grossly overpaid as a player. Draisaitl's contract looks like a bit of an overpayment now, but I trust he will continue to improve as a player and be worth every penny.

Is this team going to win a Cup? Who knows, I know they're more likely to do with both McDavid & Draisaitl.

I think you missed, Toews has actually won something.

 

[bobbythebrain]

You pretty much missed the point, fair enough.

Toews is grossly overpaid as a player. Draisaitl's contract looks like a bit of an overpayment now, but I trust he will continue to improve as a player and be worth every penny.

Is this team going to win a Cup? Who knows, I know they're more likely to do with both McDavid & Draisaitl.

Toews was overpayed last year. But he is the Tom Brady of the NHL. He may never translate into his contract as points are concerned..but his dynamic into the 2way game is well deserved

People are sh**ing on Toews after 1 bad year. It's laughable. A 60 point Toews in his prime is well worth the $. The guy controls the game so far beyond points

 

[MessierII]

I think you missed, Toews has actually won something.

I'd rather overpay for a players prime then overpay him past his prime based past accomplishments.

 

[Fourier]

I'd rather overpay for a players prime then overpay him past his prime based past accomplishments.

This I actually agree with. Though ultimately the fewer players you overpay the better.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I think you missed, Toews has actually won something.

Toews was on a TEAM that won something, Toews is a Stanley Cup Champion by virtue of this, but his TEAM won the Cup, not him specifically.

It's why you don't refer to Colin Fraser as a guy who won a lot of Cups.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Toews was overpayed last year. But he is the Tom Brady of the NHL. He may never translate into his contract as points are concerned..but his dynamic into the 2way game is well deserved

People are sh**ing on Toews after 1 bad year. It's laughable. A 60 point Toews in his prime is well worth the $. The guy controls the game so far beyond points

I hate Tom Brady, but this is complete and utter BS. Brady is actually a great player, Toews is not, full stop.

And it's not 1 bad year, it's never had a specially year worth $10M a season. He's the most overpaid and, after last season, the most overrated player in NHL history.

 

[nabob]

Toews was on a TEAM that won something, Toews is a Stanley Cup Champion by virtue of this, but his TEAM won the Cup, not him specifically.

It's why you don't refer to Colin Fraser as a guy who won a lot of Cups.

Toews was the biggest reason they won those cups. I doubt they win without him. To compare him to Fraser is just plain stupid.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Toews was the biggest reason they won those cups. I doubt they win without him. To compare him to Fraser is just plain stupid.

He's not, he was part of the reason they won those Cups, just as Keith was, just as Niemi was (for one of them)

Teams win Cups, players are Champions, but they don't individually win the Cup themselves.

If you start paying players for "winning Cups" you get the "loyalty" contracts that so many of you complain about, see Bryan Bickell.

 

[nabob]

He's not, he was part of the reason they won those Cups, just as Keith was, just as Niemi was (for one of them)

Teams win Cups, players are Champions, but they don't individually win the Cup themselves.

If you start paying players for "winning Cups" you get the "loyalty" contracts that so many of you complain about, see Bryan Bickell.

Teams dont win cups without great players, Toews is a great player. He dominated during those runs. He was the biggest reason why they won. Are you just arguing semantics for the sake of arguing now. You say you cant pay a player based on having multiple dominant stanley cup winning runs, yet one of the biggest reasons why you thought Drai should be overpaid was because he put up great numbers in 3 playoff games. If you truly believe what youre typing now you would have never used those few playoff games as a bargaining chip for Drai at all, since youre now basically calling him Bryan Bickell.

 

[Dorian2]

I would love for you to be right, but when I watch Nuge play, I see a player that peaked 2-3 years ago (against harder competition that he plays against now), and for whatever reason, has regressed.

He's still a useful player, and unlike Eberle, I would like to see him remain an Oiler for as long as it's viable salary-cap wise, but ultimately, I think he's a goner.

I'm not sure if I'm getting this in the correct context, but how do you figure a player that is 24 years old peaked 2 - 3 years ago? I'm not aware of any 21-22 year old players who have peaked in any possible part of their game.

Could you elaborate on the bolded that I'm seriously questioning right now?

 

[Weitz]

Toews was overpayed last year. But he is the Tom Brady of the NHL. He may never translate into his contract as points are concerned..but his dynamic into the 2way game is well deserved

People are sh**ing on Toews after 1 bad year. It's laughable. A 60 point Toews in his prime is well worth the $. The guy controls the game so far beyond points

For the record Brady has taken less the market value for years to help the Pats. Toews is nothing like that.

Brady is arguably the best quarterback of all time, who is taking less money to help his team be competitive. Toews is an average #1 center that leveraged his team wins into the largest contract (at the time) in a league that values team accomplishments and pays as such, over personal accomplishments.

I do agree I would rather pay for prime years and not late career years, but the argument is still we are not 100% sure what we have in Drai.

 

[Aceboogie]

I'd rather overpay for a players prime then overpay him past his prime based past accomplishments.

This right here. Draisaitls contract IS paying for expected future play and that is a risk. But id much rather take that risk than paying for a player at their end of their prime who has like a 95% chance of regressing with age. Very few players play elite until 35-38

Im all for the risky contracts for young players tho. I mean Eberles long term deal after 1 good season is essentially the worst case outcome. But he still would be a 5 million $ player if signed as UFA last year or this year. If Eberle was at 5 mil and we decided to trade him this summer, does he get a significantly better return than he did with 6M? Not sure

If Eberle had continued to progress and scored 30 routinely, 6 Mil would be a good discount. So for me the upside always outweighs the downsides

Likewise for Draisaitl, hes a 7-7.5 mil player NOW (comparable to Tarasenko), but after another good year or 2 hes a 10 mil player similar to Kopitar