Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | Does Bowman Make His Mark on the Team Before Training Camp?

[McDoused]

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

How can you even call that an update lol

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Very similar. It’s a team who doesn’t need to move a player making them available only if the ridiculous asking price is met



He doesn’t need to be in the top 6 though. We have 8 guys who are arguably second liners or better. You could throw out a line of say Kane - Henrique - Savoie as the third line



He’s not. He’s a good 4C or 3LW. We wouldn’t have traded for Henrique if McLeod was a great 3C.



With how off the scouting report Buffalo fans seem to be using is, I can’t help but wonder if the Sabres management even knows exactly what he is. Buffalo fans keep calling him a big, physical, shutdown center… which he just isn’t. It feels like they had a pro scout sell McLeod as a certain player and nobody paid enough attention to him to realize that wasn’t what they were getting. Kind of like when the Leafs tried to sign Kurt Sauer but accidentally signed Jeff Finger. Or maybe they scouted his brother (who throws triple the hits) and assumed they play similar?

If he was a big, physical, shutdown center on top of being an elite skating ~30 point guy who’s good at transitional defense and PKing, the price makes a lot more sense.

RNH is closer to the physicality of a prime Lucic than McLeod is to RNH.

Never seen a guy so scared of a little contact

 

[McDoused]

How can you even call that an update lol

View attachment 899684

I liked the graph based on the % of the cap:

This is what it looks like if you apply the same logic for Draisaitl and McDavid:

 

[bellagiobob]

Helped a guy like Larsson and Kassian, so could very well be the guy needs a fresh start.

You ever listen to Buffalo media? There is a lot of delusion out there. I won't forget Eichel's 3rd season I believe how the media guy on Gregor's show was talking about how that team was poised to make the playoffs. Healthy Eichel with a pile of young talent that already had their feet wet and ready to make a jump.

I don't think I ever heard Gregor cut an interview that short.

He's never had that guy back on, but the guys he's had since aren't exactly much better. Not sure if anyone between the media and management knows what is going on. Just find ways to spin everything positive without looking at history.

It's not that McLeod is a bad player, but if he was what Buffalo fans think why the hell would the Oilers who have been looking for a 3rd line center themselves just dump him. We would've kept him and not re-signed Henrique if he's what Buffalo fans keep saying he is.

Clouder is a good player to have on your team if you aren't a playoff team, or are first round fodder. But the warts start to appear when the going gets tough. Some people just aren't wired that way, to want to go to the tough areas, no shame in that, but it's not what a SC contender needs.

 

[FlameChampion]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820948143787405467

8 games is way too much

I am curious to see what kind of training camp Knoblauch runs because it was a disgrace under Woodcroft. Was basically an early sign that he wasn’t a problem solver.

 

[FlameChampion]

The crazy thing is, I dont even think Ryan McLeod is that great of a 3C.



I think we're lucky this year as we won't really have a top 6 vs bottom 6, rather I think we will have a top 9 and be able to role 4 lines.

Like if your 3rd line is Kane-RNH-Savoie that's not your typical bottom 6 line. Even a Janmark-Henrique-Brown line would be good enough to ice against other teams top lines.

McLeod is a 3LW imo.

He probably is a 3C on a team with no expectations but he’s not a 3C on a cup contender.

 

[JeffSkinner53]

8 games is way too much

I am curious to see what kind of training camp Knoblauch runs because it was a disgrace under Woodcroft. Was basically an early sign that he wasn’t a problem solver.

8 games over analysis and Twitter complaining lol

 

[Fourier]

During my days as a STH I actually liked the preseason as it gave me a chance to see some of the players that I would never have an opportunity to see otherwise on both the Oilers and on the opposition. And we also paid full price for those games. BUT, and I use capital letters intentionally here, I was paying between $8-14 per ticket. That would be like $30-40 dollars today. That would barely get me a hot dot and a pop today!

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

During my days as a STH I actually liked the preseason as it gave me a chance to see some of the players that I would never have an opportunity to see otherwise on both the Oilers and on the opposition. And we also paid full price for those games. BUT, and I use capital letters intentionally here, I was paying between $8-14 per ticket. That would be like $30-40 dollars today. That would barely get me a hot dot and a pop today!

At $8 a pop I didn’t care either lol.

 

[Sra1974]

I don't have any ill will to someone who wanted a change of scenery for whatever reason. I just don't think it is crazy to think that good will should be reciprocated.

We don’t really know the full story but I’m guessing a bit of anonymity and less stress may be behind this story. Canada is a tough place to play. I’ve helped people through tough times at work, I do it because it’s the right thing to do and I don’t begrudge them if they move on from us.

 

[Broberg Speed]

I liked the graph based on the % of the cap:

View attachment 899686

This is what it looks like if you apply the same logic for Draisaitl and McDavid:

View attachment 899688

Currently Draisaitl is tied for the 47-54 highest AAV in the NHL, a bunch of players make 8.5M, while Nurse has the 32-33 highest AAV tied with Rantanen at 9.25M.

Which sucks because at the time of negotiations Nurse certainly shouldn't have been looking to overtake Leon on the Oilers' internal pay structure.

If Holland said the best we can do is give you 7.5-8M over 8 years Nurse would likely have accepted the offer and still be an Oiler. Draisaitl, Holloway and Broberg would be signed to new contracts already. In hindsight we likely would have just won the cup with a little more wiggle room to add another puck moving defenseman at the deadline.

 

[McShogun99]

Yeah, zero chance a team like Buffalo could make a bad trade

Has Buffalo even won a trade in the last decade? Maybe the ROR trade even though he was a major contributor in STL Cup win.

 

[Fourier]

At $8 a pop I didn’t care either lol.

Yah...IT was a real bargian back then. At today's prices STH'ers really have every right to be chocked.

 

[subnet]

Yah...IT was a real bargian back then. At today's prices STH'ers really have every right to be chocked.

Yeah, how times have changed... My uncle had 2 season tickets starting the 1st year the Oil were in the NHL. They were in the corner but they were by themselves on the stairs - no one on either side or in front. Sweet seats! The thing was that he had them for a few years while he lived in the Edmonton area, but then he moved to Fort Mac. They were still so relatively inexpensive that he kept them for at least another 10+ years.

He'd sell the odd game, here and there, but if he couldn't then he'd just give them to his favourite nephew! (ok I was his only one). I can't imagine being able to do that today... Hell even single game tickets are a big hit to the wallet.

 

[joestevens29]

Clouder is a good player to have on your team if you aren't a playoff team, or are first round fodder. But the warts start to appear when the going gets tough. Some people just aren't wired that way, to want to go to the tough areas, no shame in that, but it's not what a SC contender needs.

McLeod is a 3LW imo.

He probably is a 3C on a team with no expectations but he’s not a 3C on a cup contender.

Every player really can bring value to a playoff team, but it comes down to contract.

The guy will probably have some success as an individual in Buffalo whether it ends up being as a 3C, 3LW or even 2LW. I just don't know that he's a guy that pushes the needle that much for Buffalo as a team. Even if he does push the needle for him it's not going to be massive and when it comes time for them to want to take the next level I believe they'll be looking to move on from him as well. Unless of course they can get him for cheap in a smaller role

 

[TB12]

That's exactly what this was. Also comparable to 1st + 2nd for Reinhart.

The bad logic of "we can't wait forever for these prospects to contribute, we need to improve and get the sure thing now." I used to think this was the way to go in Edmonton too when we were floundering, but it just doesn't work.

All that's going to happen is 12-18 months from now McLeod will either stink (fail for them) or play well and demand a bigger contract that he may or may not live up to (also a fail). Short of McLeod all of a sudden finding a purpose and consistency to his game that he hasn't shown any of before, I don't see how he doesn't fall into one of the two boxes above. I've said it before, but he just screams the player that scores 20 this year off the back of some timely streaks (think Foegele this year), commands a pay day between $3-4M AAV (or more) with some term, then flops right after creating a problem.

I don't know if there is a more dangerous player to acquire with legitimate assets going the other way than the mid-20's player that has promise, but consistency issues AND has arb rights. 9 times out of 10 those guys either flop, or get paid way more than they should without a lot in between.

Agree with all of this. Happy to not have to watch this guy play a soft perimeter game in the playoffs ever again. And then have to overpay for it if he pots a few in the regular season. Great skater, no jam.

 

[McHelpus]

Clouder is a good player to have on your team if you aren't a playoff team, or are first round fodder. But the warts start to appear when the going gets tough. Some people just aren't wired that way, to want to go to the tough areas, no shame in that, but it's not what a SC contender needs.

He is only 24 years old. He still has a few more years until he reaches his prime... not to mention he's a center.

 

[alphahelix]

He is only 24 years old. He still has a few more years until he reaches his prime... not to mention he's a center.

Exactly. He’s a useful player who is already better at the defensive side of the game than 90% of his cohort. Theres a very good chance he becomes a very meaningful player on some future team making a big push, with his combo of skill and experience. Let sleeping dogs lie and just be thankful we didn’t lose him for nothing.

 

[Oilhawks]

He is only 24 years old. He still has a few more years until he reaches his prime... not to mention he's a center.

True, but he’s always been a perimeter player. Maybe that changes still, but it wasn’t going to happen here

 

[bellagiobob]

He is only 24 years old. He still has a few more years until he reaches his prime... not to mention he's a center.

All true, but his shyness going to the tough areas is not likely to change. It’s not a skill that most players can learn or improve on when it’s just not in their DNA. Exceptions exist, but don’t see it from this player. Watching him go the net is similar to what Paajarvi went thru. Both tried to do it, but you could tell it was like going to the dentist for them, just not something they were comfortable doing. Still can be an effective player on a lot of teams though, I just think we need a bit different skill set in that position in our window.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

He is only 24 years old. He still has a few more years until he reaches his prime... not to mention he's a center.

He will be 25 at the start of next season. Getting pretty close to he is what he is territory. You aren’t wrong he is just about to hit his prime but I have seen no signs that he’s about to explode. He’s still what he always has been. A fast player with a meh shot that doesn’t drive the net and lacks intensity. He can play center which is valuable but his line struggles offensively when he is the C.

He could take the next step because his skating is amazing but I don’t really see it happening. Plus with his contract coming up and arb rights. He’s going to get paid. Especially with some past Drai-inflation. He’s fine at his current pay but wait until he’s getting 3.5 million. It screams another JP / Yams situation.

We dropped him at the perfect time imo.

 

[K1984]

He will be 25 at the start of next season. Getting pretty close to he is what he is territory. You aren’t wrong he is just about to hit his prime but I have seen no signs that he’s about to explode. He’s still what he always has been. A fast player with a meh shot that doesn’t drive the net and lacks intensity. He can play center which is valuable but his line struggles offensively when he is the C.

He could take the next step because his skating is amazing but I don’t really see it happening. Plus with his contract coming up and arb rights. He’s going to get paid. Especially with some past Drai-inflation. He’s fine at his current pay but wait until he’s getting 3.5 million. It screams another JP / Yams situation.

We dropped him at the perfect time imo.

If you can't get up to compete in the playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals despite the stakes AND everyone ragging on you, straight up calling you a p***y, there is no saving you.

If McLeod can't step it up for two weeks when it matters the very most, people are fooling themselves thinking he's going to start doing it with any consistency over an 82 game season.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

If you can't get up to compete in the playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals despite the stakes AND everyone ragging on you, straight up calling you a p***y, there is no saving you.

If McLeod can't step it up for two weeks when it matters the very most, people are fooling themselves thinking he's going to start doing it with any consistency over an 82 game season.

Yep if you can’t step up your intensity on a big cup run you probably aren’t ever going to step up your intensity. For once the Oilers traded a player before their value plummeted. Which is a decent possibility after this season.

 

[bellagiobob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1821722662697304416

Warning: Heartbreaking, gutwrenching, etc