Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | Vegas Claim & Somehow Assign Lavoie to Farm... because Oilers.

[CupofOil]

who's playing top 4 defense beside Nurse?

Who was playing top 4 besides him last season and the one before? Not a top 4 Dman

Ceci was fine, solid #4/#5 but it's not a big loss. He's just one of those guys who are just sort...there... outside of Game 7 Ceci who was a different guy haha. The Oilers need more than that and now they have the flexilibity to add that guy and a young Dman who MAYBE could be that. The Oilers will be fine. Losing Ceci and Vinny isn't going to cripple them.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Stecher who played as a 4/5 and kept his head above water on a bad team is definitely a #7, meanwhile desharnais who’s had to play limited minutes or benched 2 playoffs in a row is a sure thing

 

[Senor Catface]

Nurse will make up the difference now that he doesn’t have a partner that looks and plays like he eats crayons

What’s wrong with eating crayons

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Ya but he had the DEPTH to bring up Broberg in the playoffs and we didn't miss a beat...do we have that luxury this year?
no

and who's to say this new group will be able to handle this? the unknown scares me
and the fact we are could be in a desperate position to fill a vital role should worry a lot of people

I agree with your premise. The right side is worse off with question marks from 2RD through to 7/8 RD. Highly unusual situation for a deep window playoff contender and daresay pretty unique to see a team in this sweet spot shed essentially the right side of its d-corp notably its penalty kill personnel part of a 94% success rate in a long playoff run. Ceci in particular was undervalued for a heavily defensive responsibility and own zone weighted play with d-zone starts of 59.7%; 66.9%; and 62.9% in his three seasons. Overplayed in a 2RD role that's been an issue for years on a pretty average blueline. Not as easy to replace as imagined imo.

All said, I won't overreact to the team's situation just yet. They need more runway on Emberson to see if he can at least platoon at 2RD (the Nurse experiment hasn't even begun yet). They could sign an established veteran UFA guy Shattenkirk, Schultz, or Barrie (though sounds like he's close to signing in Cowtown) all better 3RD but deeply proven middle pair guys who can move up and give more growth time for Emberson at 3RD.

There's unknown for sure at trade deadline with supply and demand considerations. That shouldn't be undervalued with limited trade assets. But cap space should give them options and I personally feel pretty good about this management group's capabilities to find value.

Too soon to react (overreact) to sluggish pre-season play imo.

 

[foshizzle]

Garbage based on their careers

I know you like to have massive meltdowns without all the facts- but have you looked at Stetcher's metrics last year? There will be posters on here say "but he played on Arizona"- which just screams they dont understand how underlying numbers work. Stetcher, admittedly in a small sample size of just 49 minutes, paired really well with Nurse. There is potential there as Stetcher is good at the things Nurse is not. I also think Emberson will surprise. These D men being tries out haven't even played with an NHL team in front of them this preseason, hell, not even an NHL D partner. These first 4 games should not be used as any sort of assessment. To me, it feels like they just needed bodies to play while the regulars waited. I'm hoping we now start to see actual pairs and how they look together

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Who was playing top 4 besides him last season and the one before? Not a top 4 Dman

Ceci was fine, solid #4/#5 but it's not a big loss. He's just one of those guys who are just sort...there... outside of Game 7 Ceci who was a different guy haha. The Oilers need more than that and now they have the flexilibity to add that guy and a young Dman who MAYBE could be that. The Oilers will be fine. Losing Ceci and Vinny isn't going to cripple them.

so your answer is "anyone but Ceci"? kind of a lame answer

"Ceci couldn't handle it but Emberson/Stetcher/Brown could cause they're not Ceci!"

 

[Tobias Kahun]

so your answer is "anyone but Ceci"? kind of a lame answer

"Ceci couldn't handle it but Emberson/Stetcher/Brown could cause they're not Ceci!"

There’s a chance they can, we KNOW ceci cant.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

so your answer is "anyone but Ceci"? kind of a lame answer

"Ceci couldn't handle it but Emberson/Stetcher/Brown could cause they're not Ceci!"

hey, so, it's been 4 preseason games, Nurse hasn't played at all. So maybe give it a second.

 

[GOilers88]

What’s wrong with eating crayons

 

[SK13]

so your answer is "anyone but Ceci"? kind of a lame answer

"Ceci couldn't handle it but Emberson/Stetcher/Brown could cause they're not Ceci!"

Ceci made 3.25 million dollars.

Let's say Emberson, Stetcher and Brown all fail. The Oilers then have the ability to waive and demote any of the three, recouping basically their entire salary in cap space. Which they could then turn to the waiver wire, to the free agent market (Schultz & Shattenkirk remain unsigned) or the trade market. Ceci was just stuck there.

Even if the Oilers are like "damn we're getting killed on the right side", somewhere along the way this season there will be an opportunity to upgrade on Cody Ceci because they don't have to worry about finding a taker for the 3.25M they've already cleared.

Ceci isn't some high bar to clear either. That's a third pairing defenseman at even strength. They can find another if they don't already have one in those three.

 

[CupofOil]

so your answer is "anyone but Ceci"? kind of a lame answer

"Ceci couldn't handle it but Emberson/Stetcher/Brown could cause they're not Ceci!"

It's not a lame answer.
I admit that Ceci was more of a known commodity but that known commodity wasn't the answer for #2 RHD either, the pairing that quite likely cost the Oilers a Cup, so while Emberson is more of an unknown, at least there's the chance even if slight that he COULD be the answer there with him being only 24 whereas we KNOW that Ceci wasn't.
Also, even if Emberson isn't the answer the Oilers now have the flexibility to add a guy who could be whereas they wouldn't have that chance with Ceci and Desharnais because they cost $5.25m compared to the sub $2m that the new guys cost.

Just to summarize again....
It's Ceci+Desharnais or Emberson+Stecher/Brown plus $3m+ cap space/more importantly accrued cap space. Give me the latter every time even if there's a little more risk in the short term.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Just to summarize again....
It's Ceci+Desharnais or Emberson+Stecher/Brown plus $3m+ cap space/more importantly accrued cap space. Give me the latter every time even if there's a little more risk in the short term.

I love the narrative if the new guys can't fill the role, "we'll just go out with our accrued cap space and fill that role" like it's so easy lol

- we have precious few assets that teams want
- teams aren't giving away good d-man at the moment and waiting till the deadline could spell disaster

Ceci made 3.25 million dollars.

Let's say Emberson, Stetcher and Brown all fail. The Oilers then have the ability to waive and demote any of the three, recouping basically their entire salary in cap space. Which they could then turn to the waiver wire, to the free agent market (Schultz & Shattenkirk remain unsigned) or the trade market. Ceci was just stuck there.

Even if the Oilers are like "damn we're getting killed on the right side", somewhere along the way this season there will be an opportunity to upgrade on Cody Ceci because they don't have to worry about finding a taker for the 3.25M they've already cleared.

Ceci isn't some high bar to clear either. That's a third pairing defenseman at even strength. They can find another if they don't already have one in those three.

this team has more questions on the backend than ever before, not ideal for a Cup contender

 

[CupofOil]

I love the narrative if the new guys can't fill the role, "we'll just go out with our accrued cap space and fill that role" like it's so easy lol

- we have precious few assets that teams want
- teams aren't giving away good d-man at the moment and waiting till the deadline could spell disaster

this team has more questions on the backend than ever before, not ideal for a Cup contender

Well, you can't acquire new players without cap space so cap space is sort of an important thing.
I mean, Ekholm, Hyman etc. wouldn't be here without cap space so....

"We have precious few assets". So, might as well give up then. Lets just run it back with Ceci and Desharnais and go for it.

It amazes me that when Ceci and Desharnais were here, 90% of the time the fanbase criticized them and Holland for rolling with them and now that they're gone the Oilers have gone from contender to not.
I'm telling you, the Oilers will be fine without Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais. They might take a minor hit in the short term as they sort things out but I'd rather have the younger more mobile Dman and cap flexibility in the long term. The Oilers will be ok.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

so your answer is "anyone but Ceci"? kind of a lame answer

"Ceci couldn't handle it but Emberson/Stetcher/Brown could cause they're not Ceci!"

Emberson is going to be better than Ceci imo.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Well, you can't acquire new players without cap space so cap space is sort of an important thing.
I mean, Ekholm, Hyman etc. wouldn't be here without cap space so....

We gave up a 1st and Schaeffer (another 1st rounder)...we don't have those assets available
now, don't need a d-man of that caliber, but doesn't change the fact we have precious few assets to work with

"We have precious few assets". So, might as well give up then. Lets just run it back with Ceci and Desharnais and go for it.

It amazes me that when Ceci and Desharnais were here, 90% of the time the fanbase criticized them and Holland for rolling with them and now that they're gone the Oilers have gone from contender to not.
I'm telling you, the Oilers will be fine without Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais. They might take a minor hit in the short term as they sort things out but I'd rather have the younger more mobile Dman and cap flexibility in the long term. The Oilers will be ok.

I'm not saying that, I'm saying we just lost depth and added more question marks...again, when Desharnais struggled, we brought in Broberg and didn't miss a beat

god forbid we have an injury to Ekholm/Nurse/Bouchard cause there's not enough depth on the farm to fill in, even if Kulak plays higher in a pinch

Emberson is going to be better than Ceci imo.

based on what?

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

We gave up a 1st and Schaeffer (another 1st rounder)...we don't have those assets available
now, don't need a d-man of that caliber, but doesn't change the fact we have precious few assets to work with



I'm not saying that, I'm saying we just lost depth and added more question marks...again, when Desharnais struggled, we brought in Broberg and didn't miss a beat

god forbid we have an injury to Ekholm/Nurse/Bouchard cause there's not enough depth on the farm to fill in, even if Kulak plays higher in a pinch


based on what?

Based on his age and how he played last year.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

We gave up a 1st and Schaeffer (another 1st rounder)...we don't have those assets available
now, don't need a d-man of that caliber, but doesn't change the fact we have precious few assets to work with



I'm not saying that, I'm saying we just lost depth and added more question marks...again, when Desharnais struggled, we brought in Broberg and didn't miss a beat

god forbid we have an injury to Ekholm/Nurse/Bouchard cause there's not enough depth on the farm to fill in, even if Kulak plays higher in a pinch


based on what?

Broberg got absolutely slaughtered in the finals in everything but on ice shooting %

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Based on his age and how he played last year.

that's fine

30 games isn't enough for me

 

[Tobias Kahun]

We gave up a 1st and Schaeffer (another 1st rounder)...we don't have those assets available
now, don't need a d-man of that caliber, but doesn't change the fact we have precious few assets to work with



I'm not saying that, I'm saying we just lost depth and added more question marks...again, when Desharnais struggled, we brought in Broberg and didn't miss a beat

god forbid we have an injury to Ekholm/Nurse/Bouchard cause there's not enough depth on the farm to fill in, even if Kulak plays higher in a pinch


based on what?

So Schaefer is an asset to acquire something, but SOR or savoie aren’t?

Oilers arguably have better assets to get something and wouldn’t need the other team to take a cap dump

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Emberson is going to be better than Ceci imo.

If he can stay healthy and learn to minimize risk I agree with this but I'm not sure when this will be the case. I am still not sure if tossing him on Nurse's pairing right now is a great idea though. Hopefully Darnell is ready to play soon so we can see if they work together in preseason or not.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

So Schaefer is an asset to acquire something, but SOR or savoie aren’t?

Oilers arguably have better assets to get something and wouldn’t need the other team to take a cap dump

why would they trade O'Reilly or Savoie? that just acquired them

Oilers desperately need young players on cheap contracts to produce

 

[Tobias Kahun]

why would they trade O'Reilly or Savoie? that just acquired them

Oilers desperately need young players on cheap contracts to produce

Why would the team trade Schaefer, they had just acquired him.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

that's fine

30 games isn't enough for me

Yet 8 games is enough for broberg even though he got caved analytically?

 

[SK13]

I love the narrative if the new guys can't fill the role, "we'll just go out with our accrued cap space and fill that role" like it's so easy lol

- we have precious few assets that teams want
- teams aren't giving away good d-man at the moment and waiting till the deadline could spell disaster

this team has more questions on the backend than ever before, not ideal for a Cup contender

It's not easy but the hole existed in absolute terms without the cap space and with Cody Ceci. You are going to find a trade much easier when you don't also have to find a way to clear cap space. I'll keep saying it: Cody Ceci is a very low bar to clear. He sucks really bad.

The team having "most questions on the back-end than ever before" is, genuinely, one of the least accurate things I've seen posted on this board in recent times. For the sole reason that since February 2023 the Oilers have added a whole top-pairing and it's legitimately one of the best top pairings in league. To go from Nurse-Ceci to Ekholm-Bouchard, which pushed Nurse down to 2D, is an immense upgrade on the team as it existed only 19 months ago. Let alone "ever before".

They had a real hole at 2RD. They'll live. Hopefully the guy who fills that hole over time is a good player. Whether that be Emberson given the opportunity or some trade target down the line.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Yet 8 games is enough for broberg even though he got caved analytically?

he's been in their system for 5 years....

Why would the team trade Schaefer, they had just acquired him.

because Shaeffer wasn't very good lol