Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | Lavoie Vs. Pederson Vs. Sutter Vs. Gagner Vs. Caggiula

[Behind Enemy Lines]

The pairing of Bouchard and Ekholm has pretty much been deviated from. At the captain skates, Ekholm and Broberg have been paired up together.

Also, On Oilers Now, Ekholm and Bob interview pretty much confirmed him playing with Broberg. Heck, Ekholm himself brought it up and then they talked about how playing RD is.

I'm going to call it and say it's going to happen

They should be paired at the Captain's skate. It's something I actually pointed out when the video was posted on here. That's the time to nurture Broberg's confidence with his fellow countryman. That will change when the team's camp begins and this win now team looks to stabilize its best line-up to compete and win a Cup. This team needs Bouchard to be locked in as a top PP guy but moreso a confident two-way top 4 defenseman. Ekholm is the Oilers best defenseman and is needed to help stabilize a young player with big expectations for PP1 and in ability to defend against top opposition in top 4 pairings.

Broberg's path is to stabilize as a third pair D on his off-side and continue a longer path to grow into top 4 pairing with a mature left side that is all age 28 and older. His versatility is an asset to compete now on a mature win now organization as a third pair RD.

EDIT: I just listened to the Ekholm interview. He does NOT make any reference to the team planning him to pair with Broberg. Gives general impressions of Broberg, his strong skillset, and potential while talking about the internal element of grabbing an opportunity (confidence, assertiveness). Spoke of the personal experience and challenge of playing RD. I think it's only been the guy who played midget hockey that's been idly speculating an Ekholm pairing. The same guy who compares Darnell Nurse to Larry Robinson for what it's worth.

 

[MessierII]

Desharnais as an everyday NHLer hurts you. And it hurts Kulak's on-ice results

Whatever upgrade comes in likely comes with retention or offsetting salaries. We're having this discussion way too early.

Desharbais absolutely crushed it with kulak and stabilized our PK down the stretch. Obviously playoffs was rough but he’s a first timer. I think he learned his lessons. If you could design a perfect bottom pair right D for this team it would be a huge, physical, strong around the net stay at home type who can PK. That is exactly Vinny’s game.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I don’t think he cracks it this year but next year he has a very good shot. We need Lavoie type more this year than Bourgault. Next year we’ll need someone cheap to fill in browns spot in the top 6 and I think that’s where Xavier can make an impact.

I think that makes a lot of sense because XB likely needs more time to continue to get more explosive and stronger. I'm looking forward to what he was able to accomplish with a full offseason since his last one was short due to the Memorial Cup and injuries IIRC.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

eh.

 

[McSuper]

No kidding

How did any of them survive the Decade of Darkness? They must have been on suicide watch

The nice man in the padded room took good care of them. No sharp objects, No shoe laces and he made sure they took their meds

 

[Bryanbryoil]

My worry with playing Broberg with Ekholm, is who does Bouch play with? Nurse I'm assuming? Does his play stay elevated or does it start to dip because Darnell is more reliant of his athleticism than his positioning and anticipation than Ekholm.

 

[McDNicks17]

My worry with playing Broberg with Ekholm, is who does Bouch play with? Nurse I'm assuming? Does his play stay elevated or does it start to dip because Darnell is more reliant of his athleticism than his positioning and anticipation than Ekholm.

Shoehorning Broberg in there and breaking up the team's best pairing seems like the dumbest thing possible to me.

They can't prioritize Broberg's development over winning at this stage.

 

[MessierII]

My worry with playing Broberg with Ekholm, is who does Bouch play with? Nurse I'm assuming? Does his play stay elevated or does it start to dip because Darnell is more reliant of his athleticism than his positioning and anticipation than Ekholm.

Depends how they are used. Last year they didn’t actually change the quality of comp the pairings faced very much. Basically Nurse Ceci continued to play all the hardest minutes Ekholm and Bouchard played all the easiest minutes and the bottom 2/3 guys took the leftovers. They would have to re jig the deployment if they paired Bouchard with Nurse.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Shoehorning Broberg in there and breaking up the team's best pairing seems like the dumbest thing possible to me.

They can't prioritize Broberg's development over winning at this stage.

Agreed. I guess that's what happens when you can't get creative an upgrade your RD in the summer. Instead we throw Broberg on RD which he has played before, but he is a LH shot and possibly have Bouch take a step back because both he and Nurse have the most defensive brain farts on the team and they likely get paired together now.

Depends how they are used. Last year they didn’t actually change the quality of comp the pairings faced very much. Basically Nurse Ceci continued to play all the hardest minutes Ekholm and Bouchard played all the easiest minutes and the bottom 2/3 guys took the leftovers. They would have to re jig the deployment if they paired Bouchard with Nurse.

IMO it'd make more sense to have Broberg play with Kulak who is a solid veteran and then play them 3rd pairing minutes.

 

[VainGretzky]

Kotkaniemi at 4.8 > Brown at 4.

Brown was free to sign Kotkaniemi cost the Canes a 1st round and a 3 and the salary was 6.1 million the 1st year why would he sign in Edmonton when he can play with all the Fins in Carolina There is zero correlation between the 2 players, their playing styles are exact opposite

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I would do terrible things to not see Ceci on the top line again.

 

[TheNumber4]

My worry with playing Broberg with Ekholm, is who does Bouch play with? Nurse I'm assuming? Does his play stay elevated or does it start to dip because Darnell is more reliant of his athleticism than his positioning and anticipation than Ekholm.

Only so many Ekholms to go around I guess. But Nurse-Bouchard does make some sense to me, in that Nurse can get tunnel visioned into overshooting and trying to be an offensive defenceman he is not. So maybe an actual offensive defenceman on his pairing would help Nurse out, so he doesn’t waste shots and defers the offence to the better equipped Bouchard. That being said, it’s not ideal cause Bouchard playing top pair minutes is a risky prospect as his defending needs a lot of work. At the end of the day, Bouchard will need to figure out his shit in his own end. Our cup chances will largely hinge on his ability to do that as you are only as strong as your weakest link.

Speaking of Nurse and his positioning, I was thinking about him the other night watching K’Andre Millers defensive highlights. I swear at one point Nurse had a great stick check like Miller but I’m seeing it less and less as Nurses career goes on. Or maybe i imagined it how great it was back then in the first place. Man if Nurse could play defence like this though:

 

[Soundwave]

Only so many Ekholms to go around I guess. But Nurse-Bouchard does make some sense to me, in that Nurse can get tunnel visioned into overshooting and trying to be an offensive defenceman he is not. So maybe an actual offensive defenceman on his pairing would help Nurse out, so he doesn’t waste shots and defers the offence to the better equipped Bouchard. That being said, it’s not ideal cause Bouchard playing top pair minutes is a risky prospect as his defending needs a lot of work. At the end of the day, Bouchard will need to figure out his shit in his own end. Our cup chances will largely hinge on his ability to do that as you are only as strong as your weakest link.

Speaking of Nurse and his positioning, I was thinking about him the other night watching K’Andre Millers defensive highlights. I swear at one point Nurse had a great stick check like Miller but I’m seeing it less and less as Nurses career goes on. Or maybe i imagined it how great it was back then in the first place. Man if Nurse could play defence like this though:

If I saw any Oilers D other than maybe Ekholm make defensive plays that good on the regular ...

Being able to use your stick like that is largely a hockey I.Q. skill. You have to be able to read the situation and the opponent well to do that well.

That Miller kid is going to be a beast. The Rangers really are so lucky with their back end, really impressive stuff.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

I would do terrible things to not see Ceci on the top line again.

Eww that’s nasty

 

[TheNumber4]

If I saw any Oilers D other than maybe Ekholm make defensive plays that good on the regular ...

Being to use your stick like that is largely a hockey I.Q. skill. You have to be able to read the situation and the opponent well to do that well.

That Miller kid is going to be a beast. The Rangers really are so lucky with their back end, really impressive stuff.

For sure, it takes great anticipation and hockey IQ to do those plays on the regular. It also takes a wide wingspan and great athleticism to be elite at it. Nurse has that second part. Maybe not the first. Or maybe he has it but lost it as his confidence wained over the years, as I swear I saw flashes like that from Nurse in the bubble year. But yeh I may have overrated that at the time.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Only so many Ekholms to go around I guess. But Nurse-Bouchard does make some sense to me, in that Nurse can get tunnel visioned into overshooting and trying to be an offensive defenceman he is not. So maybe an actual offensive defenceman on his pairing would help Nurse out, so he doesn’t waste shots and defers the offence to the better equipped Bouchard. That being said, it’s not ideal cause Bouchard playing top pair minutes is a risky prospect as his defending needs a lot of work. At the end of the day, Bouchard will need to figure out his shit in his own end. Our cup chances will largely hinge on his ability to do that as you are only as strong as your weakest link.

Speaking of Nurse and his positioning, I was thinking about him the other night watching K’Andre Millers defensive highlights. I swear at one point Nurse had a great stick check like Miller but I’m seeing it less and less as Nurses career goes on. Or maybe i imagined it how great it was back then in the first place. Man if Nurse could play defence like this though:

If we want to win anything, Nurse is going to have to be an anchor (the good kind) on D. More of a stay at home type that can jump up if needed but not a rover. A guy that plays other teams top players tough and makes their lives a living hell. Basically Adam Larsson when he was at his best here but more mobile.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Eww that’s nasty

 

[MessierII]

Being to use your stick like that is largely a hockey I.Q. skill. You have to be able to read the situation and the opponent well to do that well.

That Miller kid is going to be a beast. The Rangers really are so lucky with their back end, really impressive stuff.

If the rangers weren’t the worst team in the league at developing forwards they would be unstoppable.

 

[TheNumber4]

If we want to win anything, Nurse is going to have to be an anchor (the good kind) on D. More of a stay at home type that can jump up if needed but not a rover. A guy that plays other teams top players tough and makes their lives a living hell. Basically Adam Larsson when he was at his best here but more mobile.

In my view, Nurse got better every year of his career up until he peaked during the bubble year, then he got paid. After he got paid he started forcing offence to justify the contract. It was at that point that comments like “nurse is a beast defensively” stopped showing up on these boards. The upward trend he showed that somewhat justified the extension at the time was gone. His game unfocused, trying to be a player he’s not. So yeh, if Nurse focused primarily on being a defensive stud that would help him and his team out a lot. He needs to go into this season with the mindset of the being the best defensive d-man on the team, in the division even. Leave the offence to Bouchard and prioritize what should be the strength in his game.

 

[Anarchism]

If the rangers weren’t the worst team in the league at developing forwards they would be unstoppable.

Hope they never win anything as long as they guy now is the owner.

 

[Soundwave]

If the rangers weren’t the worst team in the league at developing forwards they would be unstoppable.

Good thing Adam Fox told Calgary to go suck it, lol.

Rangers get both Fox and Miller ... that'll set their blue line up for a decade+.

 

[Anarchism]

In my view, Nurse got better every year of his career up until he peaked during the bubble year, then he got paid. After he got paid he started forcing offence to justify the contract. It was at that point that comments like “nurse is a beast defensively” stopped showing up on these boards. The upward trend he showed that somewhat justified the extension at the time was gone. His game unfocused, trying to be a player he’s not. So yeh, if Nurse focused primarily on being a defensive stud that would help him and his team out a lot. He needs to go into this season with the mindset of the being the best defensive d-man on the team, in the division even. Leave the offence to Bouchard and prioritize what should be the strength in his game.

You know (and i don't have any facts here) but i think Nurse still has another gear and another step defensively if he can focus on his strengths.

 

[TheNumber4]

If the rangers weren’t the worst team in the league at developing forwards they would be unstoppable.

With their ability to sign for and trade for any player that’s available cause they are always willing to play in NY they really should be unstoppable. But that ability is a blessing and curse. I’m happy they invested so much into Panarin, I don’t think that player at 11.62M is leading any team to a Cup.

 

[TheNumber4]

You know (and i don't have any facts here) but i think Nurse still has another gear and another step defensively if he can focus on his strengths.

I think there’s another step there too. It seemed inevitable coming off the bubble year. Nurse will need the right mindset coming into this year though.

 

[TheNumber4]

Jeff Jackson is getting me hyped with his multiple “best in class” statements regarding his plans for the Oilers. Has any Oiler management ever explicitly stated that the goal was to be the best? The Oilers have some of the most significant disadvantages a franchise can have in terms of team building. So this is a long time coming. We should have been at the top of the league for investments into stuff like analytics and scouting to make up for these disadvantages. Maybe Jackson finally realizes this for the Oilers.