News Article: Patrick O'Sullivan to Edmonton; Justin Williams to LA (3-way Trade)

[The Tikkanen]

A greatly ignored point today. Moller is top 6 and should have a spot there. If we look at just this season, comparing Sully and Moller, Oscar has proven more effective on the PP, grittier in general, about as good defensively, and shown better chemistry with the team and adaptation to the system than Sully. I also love Oscars attitude and never cared for SUlly's that much.

I don't know about the Straka comparison though, I think Oscar is more of a shooter than Straka ever was.

I think he reminds me of Straka with his skating stye and he seems to be going all out when he takes off, not so much passing/shooting and he looks small.

 

[redcard]

So, will we be seeing old Dave Tiger "Williams" jerseys making a comeback at Staples? Who has one of those?

If he wears the same number that would be clutch

what number did Tiger wear?

 

[JDM]

I recall another time this team took the non-skill, non puck possession, but hard nosed mold - 93-94.

I actually think you are wrong though. Justin Williams is first and foremost (when healthy) a first line winger on most teams and a hell of a talent.

I didn't know I could be wrong about a point I never made

I completely think Williams is first line material. He can generate offense as well as provide support. I love his shot and his skill set.

I don't mean to say we are being built with thugs, but just that the system is more interested in crashing the net and such (hence the focus on point shots) than it is pretty passing and such. Not sure I like it, because I love skill hockey too, but I'm hesitant to say that DL is looking as much across the pond as he is to the liberty bell, but knows he would get lynched for saying he was fashioning the team after the Ducks.

 

[jt]

Interesting!

NHL Network thinks Sully has a great upside than most people think and don't understand why we have to pull the trigger. Like I said, players who miss training camp usually underachieves and rebounds the next.

So then why did he start off well and then score 5 goals his last 29 games?

 

[Zad]

If he wears the same number that would be clutch

what number did Tiger wear?

26?? 22??

 

[William H Bonney]

Whether he had the same conversation with O'Sullivan or not, O'Sullivan should have been IMPROVING the last two months. 5 goals in 29 games doesn't scream "I'm a great young player".

O'Sullivan has been slumping, but so have a lot of the players on the team. They are pretty much all having a difficult time adjusting to TM's offensive style (or lack thereof) with the exception of Fro. O'Sullivan's defense is still there, he's just struggling offensively.

If slumps, as you described above, scream "I'm not a great young player" than we would have traded everyone on our team by now, including our prize Kopitar.

But I like the deal. While O'Sullivan PROBABLY hasn't reached his potential, he leveled off at JUST the time he should have been improving. For a guy earning $4M this year, he sure isn't earning it.

I think a lot of people are underestimating the effect a new coach has on players. His slump would be more alarming if everyone else was tearing it up, or his slump was coming in the same system with Crow still coaching, but it's not. For a guy earning more than $4 million, than Williams isn't earning it either, nor is Stoll, nor is Kopitar earning his $7 million plus.

I don't even trust Lombardi all that much, but I like this trade. Yeah, there's injury risk but if you can't trust doctors, fire them...or just quit hockey. They say his lower body injuries are ok and that's enough.

Sports physicians are about as trustworthy as defense lawyers. Even then, how many players, with as extensive of an injury list as Williams have come back to suddenly become healthy players that return to their prime form?

Where do you get this info from? Lombardi said they didn't want to trade him but HAD to in order to get Markov.

Lomardi says a lot of things, most of which have proven to be false. He also said O'Sullivan was one of our core players and then traded him. Williams, in his early career in Philly, struggled with coaching changes and philosophy changes. Sound familiar? Sounds like Patty O to me.

But what does history have to do with Williams? If you never ever trade for injured guys, there's ALOT of guys you'd never want.

You act as if Williams has only had one injury or something. He has a SIGNIFICANT injury history. And history isn't on his side, whether it means returning to his old form, or staying healthy.

And what is it about 14 goals in from a 24 yr old screams talent? I like O'Sullivan just fine and even more a year ago...he's just not making the progress he should have this year.

Again, lets trade everyone that has regressed this year. Bye Bye Kopitar, Brown, O'Sullivan, etc. Did we all expect more from Pat this year? I did, but I understand his struggles. In every game day thread, everyone here is *****ing about how this team can't score, we suck, have no offense, blah blah blah, but now it's all Sully's fault and we should vilify him?

Justin Williams has 3 goals this year in 32 games. What about 3 goals from a 27 year old screams talent? (See how stupid that sounds?)

We're all excited about Williams. Most people are upset about what we gave up for and injury prone player, one that like O'Sullivan, has stagnated/regressed lately.

 

[HYORI 1963]

If he wears the same number that would be clutch

what number did Tiger wear?

He wore 22.

 

[William H Bonney]

A greatly ignored point today. Moller is top 6 and should have a spot there. If we look at just this season, comparing Sully and Moller, Oscar has proven more effective on the PP, grittier in general, about as good defensively, and shown better chemistry with the team and adaptation to the system than Sully. I also love Oscars attitude and never cared for SUlly's that much.

I don't know about the Straka comparison though, I think Oscar is more of a shooter than Straka ever was.

I like Moller a lot. He has great upside, but this is crazy. Moller hasn't proven anything yet in comparison to O'Sullivan.

How do you know Oscar had better chemistry with the team?

He's nowhere near as good defensively as Patrick.

 

[Zad]

Here's a fair question.

Would you be more upset if it was Moller and a 2nd for Williams?

 

[JDM]

Don't know if this was posted, but listening to this did make me miss O'Sullivan though. He's definately a really good kid.

I wish failure on the Oilers but personal success for O'Sullivan. Let him have team success when he is traded to an East Coast team.

aaah forgot the link http://oilers.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=PodcastPlayer&pid=98&iid=12432

 

[Goallum]

It was hinted on HNIC today that POS did not like playing in LA. He was interviewed on the phone and sounded dissapointed IMO.

From a couple of Sully friend/acquaintance posters on the other board, it sounded like he did like it in LA.

 

[VictoryRose]

Slumping?

He hasn't shown ANYTHING this year.

At least everyone else has had stretches where they look like they've cared.

Sully has shown NO fire this year. He's had a chance to play with literally everyone that has lined up at forward.

He's 24 and an offensive talent. The time to **** or get off the pot was 18-24 months ago.

(I should also add, that he has time to turn it around, but it's fair to move him)

 

[The Tikkanen]

I feel punked by rich's blog...

when I read the yesterday "That one seemingly took a wrong turn at Albuquerque, to paraphrase Bugs Bunny" I was like.. who's williams?

Now I read it was all just a shtick... damn..

Uhh, he's a blogger. They don't follow any rules of journalism, they can say whatever they want and not be accountable, his name may not even be Rich-it could be some kid in Ohio. If you rely on blogs for credible information then Ashton Kutcher will be coming to your house and telling you you're stupid. He's a King fan, he reports King information-that would all stop if he started writing blogs that said negative things about the Kings. Then he wouldn't have a blog any more, get it?

 

[JDM]

I like Moller a lot. He has great upside, but this is crazy. Moller hasn't proven anything yet in comparison to O'Sullivan.

How do you know Oscar had better chemistry with the team?

He's nowhere near as good defensively as Patrick.

Moller hasn't done much yet, because he's only played what, 35 games? But one thing he has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, he oozes heart and character and plays every shift like it was his last. O'Sullivan never really did that for me.

Here's a fair question.

Would you be more upset if it was Moller and a 2nd for Williams?

Much more upset.

 

[William H Bonney]

Hahaha, Sully does fit with Edmonton. I hate Edmonton. Softies. Edmonton likes softies, we don't. That why they gave us their two grittiest players.

Like it or not, and most all of you say you like it, the direction this club is being built in is NOT a skill team or a puck possession team. We are being built as a hard nosed in your face team. Granted they haven't played like it lately, but Williams fits that mold and Sully doesn't.

I'll be glad not get pushed around by Clowe, Michalek, Doan and Getzlaugh anymore.

We have two players that effectively can play that way: Dustin Brown and Jack Johnson.

 

[VictoryRose]

How do you know Oscar had better chemistry with the team?

Because everyone on or around the team absolutely adores him?

He's like Norm from Cheers, but with better on-ice vision.

 

[Goallum]

Moller has what, 7 games to go, until he's sent to Seattle? Right about when Williams should be ready.

 

[JDM]

Uhh, he's a blogger. They don't follow any rules of journalism, they can say whatever they want and not be accountable, his name may not even be Rich-it could be some kid in Ohio. If you rely on blogs for credible information then Ashton Kutcher will be coming to your house and telling you you're stupid. He's a King fan, he reports King information-that would all stop if he started writing blogs that said negative things about the Kings. Then he wouldn't have a blog any more, get it?

Ummm... you do know he is also the Sports beat writer for the Daily News, and its a Daily News blog, not just some user created one? Rich is a journalist, and because he posts content online doesn't take away from that.

 

[William H Bonney]

Because everyone on or around the team absolutely adores him?

He's like Norm from Cheers, but with better on-ice vision.

Who cares?

It's reported that everyone on the team really likes Gauthier and Armstrong too, that doesn't mean they have any chemistry with anyone on the ice or that they're good players.

O'Sullivan was best friends with Kopitar and Brown. He must have better chemistry then right?

 

[Zad]

I just realized that JW's injuries are to each knee. He has two rebuilt knees...wow...at first, I thought it was just his right knee.

 

[Roxo]

Uhh, he's a blogger. They don't follow any rules of journalism, they can say whatever they want and not be accountable, his name may not even be Rich-it could be some kid in Ohio. If you rely on blogs for credible information then Ashton Kutcher will be coming to your house and telling you you're stupid. He's a King fan, he reports King information-that would all stop if he started writing blogs that said negative things about the Kings. Then he wouldn't have a blog any more, get it?

I owe an apology to ashton kutcher.

Stop it man, I was on the floor laughing my ass off...

 

[JDM]

We have two players that effectively can play that way: Dustin Brown and Jack Johnson.

And now we have three. And that's not true. Greene and Gauthier are hear because they are physical. Stoll plays a hard nosed grinders game. They are emphasizing Kopitar to be more physical and be a checker. Frolov was dubbed a checker. Everything coaching and management say about how they want the team to play is go to the front, get physical, check check check! When you name the league leader in hits as your Captain, that in and of itself is a message to the direction of the team.

If you remember when they said why they chose Dustin Brown as Captain, they said because he exemplifies the kind of play they want to build the team around. Not Kopitar's finesse game or Frolov's puck possession. You are right, we only had two players who excelled at that mold, it took most of the season to figure out Sully couldn't really adjust like Frolov and Kopitar slowly were. Hence the trade.

 

[VictoryRose]

Who cares?

Didn't you ask about the chemistry w/ Moller? I'm telling you on authority/fact whatever, dude is cherished. big time. as a person and a hockey player. Moller's good cheer is infectious.

It's reported that everyone on the team really likes Gauthier and Armstrong too, that doesn't mean they have any chemistry with anyone on the ice or that they're good players.

Combined they're the age of fossils at La Brea tarpit and have roughly 11% of Oscar's hockey IQ. Are you serious with this ****? You're really working that angle?

O'Sullivan was best friends with Kopitar and Brown. He must have better chemistry then right?

I don't know who you're hearing that he was "best friends" with Brown, but that ain't totally true. Anze likes everyone. He's got that typical calm euro demeanor. He likes everyone, everyone likes him, yadda yadda.

Don't believe everything Heidi Androl is shoveling between periods.

 

[Cutty Sarkn3ss*]

After reading 7+ pages of compelling arguments from both sides. . I've decided that I'm not going to make a decision on the trade until I've seen JW play with this team. . . even if it's a month from now.

 

[Zad]

So, if Williams really does come back after 2 weeks and then goes out before the end of the season with a long term or career ending knee injury, is Dean the GM next season?