Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread: Help Wanted

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Gibson's age is actually a good thing IMO. It would be nice to counterbalance Stu with someone a bit more experienced. I'd rather that than pinning our hopes on another kid

Probably tell Schwartz to beat it as well.

 

[Oilhawks]

Batter body of work than just about every other goalie in the league last year. Clearly good enough. IMO if we had knobloch coaching in 2023 he switches to Campbell we win that series and maybe the cup. Fact of the matter is these two guys got us to gave 7 of the finals less than a year ago.

I don’t get too high or low in the regular season anymore. It means nothing. All that matters is what happens in April on. That’s what defines the success of failure of the season. Stu could have the worst season ever and if he gets it done in the playoffs no one will ever talk about out it again.

See, the bolded doesn't really help the argument of Stu supporters. I agree 100% with the bolded though.

I don't try to either, but Skinner has been poor, among league worst, most of the season. Also very inconsistent last year. It's not a good sign. He's got poor lateral movement, rebound control, and fairly weak positioning for a big guy. All he does well is being big. Athletic goalies consistently end up winning Cups in today's NHL. Big, unathletic battlecruisers end up getting lit up when their weaknesses are exposed. Skinner isn't good enough, I'm 100% confident that he will never get it done in the playoffs. There is nothing to suggest that he will

 

[Oilslick941611]

I'll just say good gms always find a way and leave it at that.

I have no idea why you bothered posting saying "age" after what I already posted in regards to that.
He's 31. Big deal.

With a long injury history

 

[McAsuno]

With a long injury history

Same things I heard about Blackwood.
I'd take Gibson and his injury problems over fat ass who always feels good about his game in Skinner lol.

 

[Mr Positive]

I'll say Good GM's find a way. I look at Bill Zito or Kelly McCrimmon as two prime examples.
We have McDavid and Draisaitl. There has to be a higher expectation for management when they have two of the best players in the world on the roster. It's the final season where our best players are on luxury bargain contracts until the big $$$ contracts start arriving.

We know that if it were a 5-6 million winger who was similar status as Gibson (not elite but above average) that the team would find a way if the stats showed that we need it.

The issue that appears to be the case is that management does not believe in goaltending as priority. Its about stacking the team in front of them and then that should elevate the goalie. It's a cap world and so a sacrifice must be made, and the sacrifice they've picked is goaltending.

We will see this week. I could be wrong, and it could be keeping the cards hidden. If it's about hiding cards then man, Bowman is hiding them very well

 

[FlameChampion]

The organization can never make meaningful moves because they are always reactive instead of proactive.

They never move contracts before they become problems. They always back themselves in a corner with no options. They never key on players before they break out. They never manage their cap space.

 

[McAsuno]

We know that if it were a 5-6 million winger who was similar status as Gibson (not elite but above average) that the team would find a way if the stats showed that we need it.

The issue that appears to be the case is that management does not believe in goaltending as priority. Its about stacking the team in front of them and then that should elevate the goalie. It's a cap world and so a sacrifice must be made, and the sacrifice they've picked is goaltending.

Maybe the recent 5 game losing streak helps changed their mind. I just don't have any trust in our current tandem especially with the numbers showing that the team has played well enough defensively this season to have good goaltending which the current two have failed to provide.

 

[Vagabond]

Mark Spector at his best View attachment 985549

Spec is such a tool. Rather... a useless tool like a rusty Cresent Wrench type tool.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The organization can never make meaningful moves because they are always reactive instead of proactive.

They never move contracts before they become problems. They always back themselves in a corner with no options. They never key on players before they break out. They never manage their cap space.

A lot of these issues would also be mitigated if they could draft worth a damn so they didn't have to go whale hunting every July.

 

[Dirk Dangler]

Goalie coach? Head coach?

I meant his head coach, who was Dallas Eakins. As an Oiler fan you should be able to recognize how Eakins can affect team defence.

Gibson wasn’t playing under Daryl Sutter or another seasoned NHL coach with a record of defensive success. He was playing for a coach with a terrible history of defensive hockey and on top of that the team decided to rebuild throughout those years. I don’t think any goalie wouldn’t have seen a big regression in numbers given the situation.

Leaving out the context and saying he’s been bad doesn’t paint the full picture.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

The organization can never make meaningful moves because they are always reactive instead of proactive.

They never move contracts before they become problems. They always back themselves in a corner with no options. They never key on players before they break out. They never manage their cap space.

Moving McLeod for Savoie was pretty proactive. Let's not speak in absolutes

 

[McAsuno]

A lot of these issues would also be mitigated if they could draft worth a damn so they didn't have to go whale hunting every July.

Lol at Tyler Wright. Masterclass of drafting where only 2 1st round picks in both Broberg and Holloway have been playing full time in the NHL. Everybody else? Splat.
Horrific drafting under the Holland regime.

 

[commie]

That’s not true. Vegas traded their first in the hanifin trade and another in the hertl trade. Carolina gave one up in the guenztel trade. Van in the lindholm trade, jets in the Monahan trade.

+1
How many times is that false narrative repeated here? Not even factual that no 1st was traded last year.
Besides the ones you listed, Colorado also traded a 1st for Sean freaking Walker, talk about overpaying.

 

[Oilslick941611]

There will likely be no later rounds without a goaltending change.

There’s likely no later rounds the way our forwards are playing either. If McDavid can’t find his game it doesnt matter what Bowman does. As great as Drai has been this year, he’s been the only guy going for too long now. The team is out of sync in all 3 zones. Getting a new goalie isnt going to solve that issue, and IMO that has become a bigger issue. Trading for Gibson is the big move and it wont allow for other moves due to lack of assets. Gibson doesn't put the team over the hill. I dont know the solution is, but the team hasn’t played well since January and this late into the season thats really concerning.

People also should look at the standings, The blues and UHC are 1 and 2 points out of the playoffs respectively, hell even the ducks are within shot being 6 points with 2 games in hand over the blues. Bennington and Vejmelka are most likely not going to be available. Too many teams are in the hunt for the playoffs this year. Pickings are slim.

 

[MessierII]

Maybe the recent 5 game losing streak helps changed their mind. I just don't have any trust in our current tandem especially with the numbers showing that the team has played well enough defensively this season to have good goaltending which the current two have failed to provide.

I don’t take those stats as gospel because I don’t believe expected goals has figured out how to separate bad from completely unacceptable at this level bad. This team in October for a good stretch every year and recently for a good stretch fall into the completely unacceptable bad category. I do think when we are on our game we play well defensively but we also play like the worst team in the nhl for about 20 games every year.

That’s why I have a hard time with this team. I’m not totally sold that Gibson or any goalie really would necessarily play better here because of this. Any goalie could get shell shocked and lose their confidence when this team goes on vacation every year. It would be different if we had an opportunity to land a legitimate game changer but those guys just aren’t available.

What I do feel you have more control over is how you play in front of the goalie. That’s why I still feel like if I have one big move it’s a legit stud top 4 D. Last year Ekholm and Bouch were one of the top 2-3 D pairings in the NHL. This year I’m not sure they are top 10. I think that’s the biggest hole but who knows.

You could even make a case a legit top 6 guy is the #1 priority with how bad skinner and Arvidsson have panned out.

Whatever the shot they take is they better get it right because we walked on those offer sheets specifically for the flexibility we now have.

 

[Dirk Dangler]

One slight annoyance I have. Okay, I have a few this season. But one that hasn't been touched on much is Knob's handling of Henrique. Yes Henrique hasn't been great. But why hasn't he been tried in the top six as a left wing this season? He was pretty effective there last year at times. Knob has had the blender out so much, but this hasn't really happened from what I can recall. Nuge could have swapped out here and there with Henrique to see if he could still produce with better players. It's not like it would have been holding Nuge back at all with his play.

The reason I bring it up is because maybe finding a third line center is easier than a top six winger this year. Guys like Evans and Sissons have been mentioned. Maybe even Mcleod could be available again. But we don't know if Henrique could play up in that top six anymore. It just seems like another little oversight in a season full of them.

 

[McAsuno]

I don’t take those stats as gospel because I don’t believe expected goals has figured out how to separate bad from completely unacceptable at this level bad. This team in October for a good stretch every year and recently for a good stretch fall into the completely unacceptable bad category. I do think when we are on our game we play well defensively but we also play like the worst team in the nhl for about 20 games every year.

That’s why I have a hard time with this team. I’m not totally sold that Gibson or any goalie really would necessarily play better here because of this. Any goalie could get shell shocked and lose their confidence when this team goes on vacation every year. It would be different if we had an opportunity to land a legitimate game changer but those guys just aren’t available.

What I do feel you have more control over is how you play in front of the goalie. That’s why I still feel like if I have one big move it’s a legit stud top 4 D. Last year Ekholm and Bouch were one of the top 2-3 D pairings in the NHL. This year I’m not sure they are top 10. I think that’s the biggest hole but who knows.

You could even make a case a legit top 6 guy is the #1 priority with how bad skinner and Arvidsson have panned out.

Whatever the shot they take is they better get it right because we walked on those offer sheets specifically for the flexibility we now have.

I guess we're on different boats when it comes to the team. Even with a top four D stud added, I can't imagine Skinner playing better. His issues have been too problematic this season especially his poor lateral movement. I can't place my trust in Skinner in net at all. The Oilers could have a prime Lidstrom on their D, and I'd still feel weary watching Skinner in the post season.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Lol at Tyler Wright. Masterclass of drafting where only 2 1st round picks in both Broberg and Holloway have been playing full time in the NHL. Everybody else? Splat.
Horrific drafting under the Holland regime.

It was only slightly better under Chiarelli but yeah, having no draft picks play for the team right now that were drafted by Holland is abysmal.

 

[McHelpus]

Give me Binnington all things considered equal. I think that Gibson is an upgrade on Stu, but Binnington I think is the guy that will drag our team into battle.

He reminds me alot of Mike Smith (the good and the bad). But when he is dialed in, he his lights out. But acquiring him would be hard, but I feel St.Louis owes us.

 

[McAsuno]

It was only slightly better under Chiarelli but yeah, having no draft picks play for the team right now that were drafted by Holland is abysmal.

That's the only good thing I could say about Chiarelli's time here. They at least drafted better.
5 years under Holland, and not one single prospect outside of Broberg/Holloway have made any sort of impact. Just abysmal drafting by Wright.

 

[MessierII]

I guess we're on different boats when it comes to the team. Even with a top four D stud added, I can't imagine Skinner playing better. His issues have been too problematic this season especially his poor lateral movement. I can't place my trust in Skinner in net at all. The Oilers could have a prime Lidstrom on their D, and I'd still feel weary watching Skinner in the post season.

Skinner from November 23rd till the end of January had a 20 game stretch where he went 13-5–2 with a .921 save % so he can play good for long stretches when the team is on. He’s just never good enough to lead the team out of its vacations. He had an awful start and an awful stretch since then but that massive stretch in the middle he played well which leads me to believe when the team is dialed in he can get it done. Maybe im wrong but that kind of jives with what I was saying before about how this team can be strong defensively but can also be the worst team in the league and the goaltending kind of reflects that.

 

[McDrai]

If we’re looking for a forward at the deadline, I would be quite interested in Zegras. He’s had a rough couple of years in Anaheim and might need a change of scenery. This is a player who has shown to be an ultra competitor in the past and gives me Tkachuk vibes (you hate his guts if he’s on the other team but love him on your own team)

 

[Hockeylife2018]

If we’re looking for a forward at the deadline, I would be quite interested in Zegras. He’s had a rough couple of years in Anaheim and might need a change of scenery. This is a player who has shown to be an ultra competitor in the past and gives me Tkachuk vibes (you hate his guts if he’s on the other team but love him on your own team)

Zegras is exactly the type of player you dont win a championship with

 

[McDrai]

Zegras is exactly the type of player you dont win a championship with

He’s not being utilized properly. I feel like he would do well on the wing with Draisaitl

 

[Shanahanigans]

If we’re looking for a forward at the deadline, I would be quite interested in Zegras. He’s had a rough couple of years in Anaheim and might need a change of scenery. This is a player who has shown to be an ultra competitor in the past and gives me Tkachuk vibes (you hate his guts if he’s on the other team but love him on your own team)

I’ve seen a lot of crazy things said on this website but saying Zegras gives you Tkachuk vibes is up there. They couldn’t be more polar opposites.