Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | Broberg, Holloway and Ceci are Gone, Do We Add Another D Before Camp?

[McFlyingV]

I’m betting fears of our perceived substantial defensive downgrading will prove to be overblown. I think this is a team that’s going to have the puck a lot of the time, they’re going to score at a high rate and since Knob has taken over they’ve shown a consistent ability to defend well as a team which can go a long way in minimizing individual positional deficiencies. Finally it’s important to remember that the roster we start with isn’t the roster we’re likely to finish with. Management has positioned themselves to be able to make sizeable additions at the deadline or before.

People have short memories on here. Ceci for much of the season was considered barely a bottom pairing D with how bad his puck retrieval and breakout game was looking. Vinny was exposed in the playoffs 2 years in a row, and Broberg has less than 20 quality NHL games to his name.

The idea that these guys were somehow keeping this defence afloat is laughable. I tend to think it's because our PK caught fire in the playoffs and everyone points to that as why Ceci is suddenly such an important piece. To that I say, I'm really not sure what these people were watching. Our aggressive forwards were about 80% responsible for our lights out PK in the playoffs. They were dialled in and committed every shit, they had excellent chemistry in each duo, and they were absolutely smothering other teams on zone entries and kept them neutered on the perimeter once they finally gained the zone.

 

[McFlyingV]

based on the fact he's small, isn't a puck-mover, doesn't provide offense and can't bully players physically, plus injured often as an added bonus

there's a reason he signed for league min

Stetcher is a significantly better puck retriever and puck mover than Ceci. Ceci had some of the worst puck retrieval and controlled zone exits metrics of any D in the league.

 

[Yuke]

Stetcher is a significantly better puck retriever and puck mover than Ceci. Ceci had some of the worst puck retrieval and controlled zone exits metrics of any D in the league.

Stetcher will be squished in the playoffs.
Not big enough, not fast enough, not dirty enough

 

[McFlyingV]

Stetcher will be squished in the playoffs.
Not big enough, not fast enough, not dirty enough

I don't think Stetcher is in the plans to be in the top 6 in the playoffs. He's a placeholder until the deadline and a press box guy in the playoffs. The difference between him and Ceci won't be noticed much at all in the regular season. In fact the team will have the puck a lot more when he's on the ice compared to when Ceci was.

 

[bellagiobob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1828603752237982158

Bruins are gonna have to cough up the big time dough for him. Don't hold the Ullmark card anymore.

 

[M Ace]

Stetcher will be squished in the playoffs.
Not big enough, not fast enough, not dirty enough

Ceci is?

 

[Vagabond]

Stetcher will be squished in the playoffs.
Not big enough, not fast enough, not dirty enough

Ceci was bigger but was never aggressive and slow. Stetcher is speedy and closes the gap better. He reads the play better. As a 3rd pairing RH shot, he'll be fine. Especially at less than a 3rd of the cost.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Did you read the article? Clearly not. Hockey Viz had him as a first pair defenseman all year. He is not that- but he can play second pair. I’ll wait for your evidence.

my evidence is that he played 18:26 minutes/game including 16:09 at ES , good for 5th among defenseman on a bad Yotes team...if he could play 2nd pairing minutes, why wasn't he playing them?

 

[Stauf4Prez]

Ceci was bigger but was never aggressive and slow. Stetcher is speedy and closes the gap better. He reads the play better. As a 3rd pairing RH shot, he'll be fine. Especially at less than a 3rd of the cost.

Ceci has cement for skates. He might be one of the slowest defencemen we have ever witnessed in the league lol.

 

[Fourier]

Ceci has cement for skates. He might be one of the slowest defencemen we have ever witnessed in the league lol.

This is something one can check. In 2021-22 his to speed was 22.70mph compared to a league average of 21.51mph for defensemen. In 2022-23 it was 22.23 mph compared with an average of 21.52. In 2023-24 it was 22.56 compared with an average of 21.67.

 

[stewy04]

Exactly.

The Oilers finished first in the NHL last year with 59.17 xGF% 5v5. We also had the highest xGFs 5v5 with 217.14, almost 30 higher than the next team. We only had 194 actual goals for which is less than a team like Toronto or Colorado. We don't bury enough of our chances.

Foegele specifically had 26.2 xGF but only had 20 actual goals.

Connor Brown not being healthy basically cost us 7 goals with a 11.2 xGF but only had 4 actual goals.

McLeod was kinda close with 13.2 xGF with 12 actual goals.

Evander Kane not being healthy basically cost us 8 goals with 31.4 xGF and 24 actual goals.

Adding Skinner/Arvidsson over Foegele/McLeod and having healthy guys in the lineup could result in an additional 22 goals. Henrique is also a good finisher and will be here the entire year.

I think it'll be more then 22 more goals between those 3 added!

 

[TFHockey]

I suppose Justin Schultz on a PTO isn't the worst idea, considering the circumstances the Oilers are in.

I am not sure what kind of trade they can complete before training camp. Fabbro's name keeps popping up, true, but what would be the asking price?

 

[Stauf4Prez]

This is something one can check. In 2021-22 his to speed was 22.70mph compared to a league average of 21.51mph for defensemen. In 2022-23 it was 22.23 mph compared with an average of 21.52. In 2023-24 it was 22.56 compared with an average of 21.67.

Okay, now do the eye test, where he was literally beat to nearly every puck in the playoffs when having to retreat into his own zone. His first few strides were always slower than everyone else's, making top speed irrelevant in a foot race.

 

[Fourier]

Okay, now do the eye test, where he was literally beat to nearly every puck in the playoffs when having to retreat into his own zone. His first few strides were always slower than everyone else's, making top speed irrelevant in a foot race.

He's not "fast" but far from one of the slowest skaters ever. As a skater he is probably around league average.

I think you are using the word "literally" rather inappropriately here.

 

[Barrsy]

This is something one can check. In 2021-22 his to speed was 22.70mph compared to a league average of 21.51mph for defensemen. In 2022-23 it was 22.23 mph compared with an average of 21.52. In 2023-24 it was 22.56 compared with an average of 21.67.

To my eye, Ceci was not a fast D man. And in my opinion this metric is beyond misleading for 2 very important reasons:
1) Who cares how fast his top speed is., if it takes a guy (in relative terms) forever to get to it
2) How quickly a guy recognizes "shit, I have to get that puck or on that guy" is massive. It can make an average skater look fast (Gretzky) or a fast skater look slow.

 

[McJadeddog]

Ceci was bigger but was never aggressive and slow. Stetcher is speedy and closes the gap better. He reads the play better. As a 3rd pairing RH shot, he'll be fine. Especially at less than a 3rd of the cost.

Yeah Stecher as the 3rd pairing right side guy will be fine. Is he a world beater? No, but he is more than passable I think. The problem is that right now he won't be the 3rd pairing guy, he is likely to be the 2nd pairing guy, as I doubt they want Emberson to be playing 2nd pairing minutes.

 

[CupofOil]

Not sure if its been posted but I keep seeing that the Oilers are going to be so much slower this year but its overblown.

https://oilersnation.com/news/is-speed-a-concern-for-the-oilers-forward-core.

I too think it's overblown.

McLeod, Foegele and Holloway out. Skinner, Arvidsson and Podkolzin in.
A bit slower since McLeod and Holloway in particular were burners but the three new guys can get around just fine. Definitely got older though and the bottom 6 definitely need an injection of speed, the top 6 is just fine speedwise.

Ceci and Desharnais out. Emberson and Stecher in
That's a speed upgrade and they got younger.

I think it's pretty much a saw-off when you balance out the loss in speed up front to the gains on defense

 

[jukon]

Is there anything more to this 'Oilers are exploring adding a defenseman via trade' than pure speculation? Seems like writers begging for clicks.

 

[Yuke]

Ceci is?

Not talking about Ceci

 

[Fourier]

To my eye, Ceci was not a fast D man. And in my opinion this metric is beyond misleading for 2 very important reasons:
1) Who cares how fast his top speed is., if it takes a guy (in relative terms) forever to get to it
2) How quickly a guy recognizes "shit, I have to get that puck or on that guy" is massive. It can make an average skater look fast (Gretzky) or a fast skater look slow.

I don't disagree. The point was only in reference to his skating ability. He's pretty average overall.

As an aside Gretzky was actually a lot faster than his rep and was overall a great skater.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I too think it's overblown.

McLeod, Foegele and Holloway out. Skinner, Arvidsson and Podkolzin in.
A bit slower since McLeod and Holloway in particular were burners but the three new guys can get around just fine. Definitely got older though and the bottom 6 definitely need an injection of speed, the top 6 is just fine speedwise.

Ceci and Desharnais out. Emberson and Stecher in
That's a speed upgrade and they got younger.

I think it's pretty much a saw-off when you balance out the loss in speed up front to the gains on defense

When savoie makes it he’ll add lots of speed too

 

[McShogun99]

Oh no the Oilers lost speed from three guys who put up 4th line scoring when not playing with Leon Draisaitl. The horror!

As you said it's way overblown. Yeah we'll miss some of that speed on the back check, but well positionally sound players don't need that speed on the back check to be effective defensive players.

We replaced 2 of the 3 with much better players and there's potential that Podkolzin will be better then Holloway now that Holloway will be playing with less skilled players.

 

[McShogun99]

Ceci has cement for skates. He might be one of the slowest defencemen we have ever witnessed in the league lol.

Ceci isn't a slow skater, he's just a slow decision maker.

 

[McDoused]

You heard it here first, Draisaitl is signing tomorrow.

Tomorrow is August 29th.

Draisaitl wears #29.

It's an educated wish.

Ceci isn't a slow skater, he's just a slow decision maker.

He actually ranked 3rd fastest among our dmen last season. He's a surprisingly fast skater but is constantly making bad pinches, decisions, passes & plays. So hes always chasing the play and the guys behind him.

 

[CupofOil]

Is there anything more to this 'Oilers are exploring adding a defenseman via trade' than pure speculation? Seems like writers begging for clicks.

Wasn't it Seravalli that reported it? He's certainly not a clickbait writer.
However, it doesn't seem plausible to me unless they're sending out salary or trading for a sub $1m Dman.
If they trade for Fabbro, for instance, they have to send out at least $1.5m in salary to make it work.