Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | Post Free Agent Frenzy, Will JJ Show His Pimp Hand Again to Upgrade the Defense?

[Spawn]

Well...what is Nurses standard? When you have bad season after bad season its clear the standard isnt very high. Nurse has had good moments but his game always seems to be littered with poor decisions.
He just isnt a reliable dman.
I would also ask how is it that a dman on the verge of being 30 years old has the potential to be better?
Nurse is what he is (an average 2nd pairing dman with warts) and its clear that his cap hit will continue to be one of this teams biggest issues.

The notion that Nurse has had “bad season after bad season” is preposterous. This is the first “bad season” he’s had.

I agree his cap hit is an issue. But the disrespect the player gets is hilarious.

 

[Spawn]

It's hard to say because his shoulder fell apart right after the 2017 season, he had a massive impact on the team, they went from one game away from the Conference Final (2017 playoffs) to not even able to make the playoffs.

That's a massive impact.

So one season (where his pairing wasn’t even the teams best pairing) surrounded by years of injury riddled poor play. And that one season still isn’t close to as good as anything Nurse has done.

And the big impact to the defense coming out of that season wasn’t Klefboms continuous bum shoulder, it was Sekera’s destroyed knee.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

The notion that Nurse has had “bad season after bad season” is preposterous. This is the first “bad season” he’s had.

I agree his cap hit is an issue. But the disrespect the player gets is hilarious.

He’s only really had a few decent seasons and they weren’t crazy good either. He’s not even close to worth the money.

4 times he’s had 30 or more points and not been a minus

 

[Broberg Speed]

Thats absurd. The guy is criminally underrated here. Who else had points in game 7 of the SCF? which other D scored in game 7 of the division finals? He was a mainstay on the best PK in the NHL, he can play all over the ice surface in any situation, but the defining characteristic is that for an RHD he gets paid peanuts. Where are you going to find a RHD you can (and do) play against opposition elites for under 4M? Other than top draft picks still on ELCs.... where can Edmonton get better value than Cody Ceci?

If we trade him for cap space we're going to have to watch Mikael Backlund and Elias Petterson make an absolute pilon out of Josh Brown all year long.

You cut yoyr 2 best defensive RD (Desharnais/Ceci) in one offseason and dont replace them and you're kneecapping this team.

Im all for upgrading the position but if you trade Jordan Eberle for peanuts and roll into the season without a right shot in the top part of the lineup, you're Peter Chiarelli. (aka diarrhea)

Kulak is likely moved first.

 

[Spawn]

He’s only really had a few decent seasons and they weren’t crazy good either. He’s not even close to worth the money.

4 times he’s had 30 or more points and not been a minus

Never said he was worth the money. Far from it. But he was a top pair dman for years and a good one. This past season was mediocre by his standards and he had a bad playoffs. People act like he’s always been dogshit. This posters are clueless.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

Never said he was worth the money. Far from it. But he was a top pair dman for years and a good one. This past season was mediocre by his standards and he had a bad playoffs. People act like he’s always been dogshit. This posters are clueless.

The bad playoffs are really wearing on me. I know +/- isn’t everything but he’s only been positive in the playoffs once. And like 6 points these playoffs, plenty of games. I’m just done with it, but yeah he was pretty good for 4 years or so.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

I think they like Kulak a lot more than Ceci.

I wouldn't really say the right side is all that weak either. If Broberg earned a spot on the roster with his play in the playoffs, it only makes sense that it's probably where he played in the playoffs. Stecher and Brown are nice depth too.

A raw rookie playing his wrong side ended up on the second pairing.

I'd say right defense is a weakness.

 

[McDNicks17]

A raw rookie playing his wrong side ended up on the second pairing.

I'd say right defense is a weakness.

If he can excel there in the Cup finals, he can probably hold it down until the deadline.

 

[McFlyingV]

Why would we trade a RHD when its our position of weakness?

If anyone goes its Kulak, imo

I think it makes a lot of sense if you believe the Oilers can add a RHD at the deadline or mid season and if you believe Broberg is a top 6 NHLer next year. The only way it doesn't make sense is if Kane is on LTIR. Kulak has performed well in the playoffs every year he's been here.

The reason it makes sense is keeping Ceci with Kane not being on LTIR means they'd have to run a 20 man roster and would have no cap space to add at the deadline. If they trade Ceci they'll have 750k-1mil cap space at the deadline which allows you to add (iirc) around 3-4mil cap hit before retention or 6-8mil with 50% retention or 12-16mil with 75% retention. That should be able to get you a much better D than Ceci.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Thats absurd. The guy is criminally underrated here.

Ceci? No he's not good he can go. If the team just traded him for nothing the team would be better off to start the year.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Wish we had been able to add someone in the vein of Curtis Lazar to spell out Ryan this season as 4C. We can play Holloway there, but that feels like a good way to stifle his development.

Thing is even if Holloway is the #4 center he'd still get ice time with McDavid every game and he'd still see ice time with Draisaitl every game. Probably play 11 minutes a game which is a lot for a 4th liner, and he'd be learning how to play center in the NHL which would be instrumental for the Oiler's future success.

If you're a young developing player on the Oilers you'll play with stars and be surrounded with quality veterans who have seen it all even when you aren't playing with the stars.

The Oilers need youth inserted into the lineup, but only the talented young players who have plenty of upside are worth developing. The Oilers are in a different position than virtually every other NHL club. I'm all for seeing Holloway as the 4th line center this upcoming season.

Additionally it's time Holloway receives more PK time so he can get good at that as well. It will all pay off in the long run. With the departure of McLeod I see that PK time going to Holloway.

 

[McDoused]

Why would we trade a RHD when its our position of weakness?

If anyone goes its Kulak, imo

Remember when we tried to trade for Tanev but Calgary wouldn't take Ceci back? That's why. Logistics.

We need to dumping Ceci now when teams haven't filled out their rosters. He still has some value because of the run and their are more teams with cap space. If we wait to the start of the season it will be much more difficult.

Trading ceci now is a cap move. We arent compliant with a 22 man roster and we need the flexibility. What if someone does become available or comes through waivers?

Now factor in how valueable that cap space is if we accrue cap for the deadline.

We're always obsessed with getting better and never want to take a step back. Logistically you need to move guys out in one deal in order to bring someone else in on another deal. I don't get why we have to improve immediately?

We need to be flexible and able.

 

[Heavy Dee]

Remember when we tried to trade for Tanev but Calgary wouldn't take Ceci back? That's why. Logistics.

We need to dumping Ceci now when teams haven't filled out their rosters. He still has some value because of the run and their are more teams with cap space. If we wait to the start of the season it will be much more difficult.

Trading ceci now is a cap move. We arent compliant with a 22 man roster and we need the flexibility. What if someone does become available or comes through waivers?

Now factor in how valueable that cap space is if we accrue cap for the deadline.

We're always obsessed with getting better and never want to take a step back. Logistically you need to move guys out in one deal in order to bring someone else in on another deal. I don't get why we have to improve immediately?

We need to be flexible and able.

This makes no sense to me. Ceci is a 4/5 on at least half the NHL teams. So if you wanna trade him for a top 4 in Edmonton you are looking at least double the salary. He isn't getting moved strictly for cap reasons.

 

[Soundwave]

So one season (where his pairing wasn’t even the teams best pairing) surrounded by years of injury riddled poor play. And that one season still isn’t close to as good as anything Nurse has done.

And the big impact to the defense coming out of that season wasn’t Klefboms continuous bum shoulder, it was Sekera’s destroyed knee.

Yes Klefbom was extremely unlucky, he basically had a good career robbed away from him because of a bad shoulder. He was only 23 then and already basically a no.1 D on a team that was a game away from a Conference Final, he would have gotten better at age 25, 26, 27, etc if not for injury.

The truth is if Nurse was really that much better than Klefbom, he should have stepped up and taken over without the Oilers skipping much of a beat, instead the team completely fell apart with Klefbom injured and would need 4 years to get back to the level of a team that makes round 2 of the playoffs.

It's really not until the addition of Ekholm that we've replaced/upgraded what we lost with Klefbom.

 

[McFlyingV]

Ceci? No he's not good he can go. If the team just traded him for nothing the team would be better off to start the year.

I tend to agree. I don't care what stats away from Nurse people want to try and pump. The end of the day I watched this guy get hemmed in hundreds of times last year because of his own terrible puck retrievals. He generally struggles on clearing the net front and breaking up the cycle. He's a whole lot of average with no real redeeming quality in terms of above average qualities, and that's a player you'd rather be playing on your bottom pairing. His cap space can be used on a better player at the deadline or in a mid season trade once cap has accumulated. There's plenty of options out there depending on which teams make and don't make playoffs with upcoming UFAs.

 

[Soundwave]

Remember when we tried to trade for Tanev but Calgary wouldn't take Ceci back? That's why. Logistics.

We need to dumping Ceci now when teams haven't filled out their rosters. He still has some value because of the run and their are more teams with cap space. If we wait to the start of the season it will be much more difficult.

Trading ceci now is a cap move. We arent compliant with a 22 man roster and we need the flexibility. What if someone does become available or comes through waivers?

Now factor in how valueable that cap space is if we accrue cap for the deadline.

We're always obsessed with getting better and never want to take a step back. Logistically you need to move guys out in one deal in order to bring someone else in on another deal. I don't get why we have to improve immediately?

We need to be flexible and able.

They wouldn't trade us Tanev because of the optics, their fanbase is more obsessed with the Oilers than anything the Flames do.

Had nothing to do with Ceci, the Flames all things considered would probably take Ceci right now no questions asked so would a number of other teams, it's the Oilers that aren't offering him.

 

[McFlyingV]

This makes no sense to me. Ceci is a 4/5 on at least half the NHL teams. So if you wanna trade him for a top 4 in Edmonton you are looking at least double the salary. He isn't getting moved strictly for cap reasons.

1mil cap space at the deadline gets you someone who is more than double Ceci's cap hit with retention

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

Never said he was worth the money. Far from it. But he was a top pair dman for years and a good one. This past season was mediocre by his standards and he had a bad playoffs. People act like he’s always been dogshit. This posters are clueless.

Even in his absolute best runs, Nurse's brain still shut off for stretches. It's who he is.

And when issues are brain related, they are typically compounded with pressure, which we have also seen

There is no doubt he is a good defenceman, but awful decisions are also guaranteed to happen. I take the worse player who is reliable, 100% of the time personally.

 

[Spawn]

Even in his absolute best runs, Nurse's brain still shut off for stretches. It's who he is.

And when issues are brain related, they are typically compounded with pressure, which we have also seen

There is no doubt he is a good defenceman, but awful decisions are also guaranteed to happen. I take the worse player who is reliable, 100% of the time personally.

Player A) usually good, makes the occasional bad play

Player B) consistently bad

“I’ll take the guy that is reliably bad every time”

 

[alphahelix]

He's a whole lot of average

A whole lot of average at RD playing PK vs elites for 3.25M?

Sign me up! ill take 3 please.


You are asking for Josh Brown, the worst defender in the NHL, to take a major role on a contender. Thats what youre asking for.

Just like "just trade eberle for anything" people who saw us wind up with Spooner in our top 9, or the "just trade Dubnyk for anything" people who saw us wallow in bottom 5 goaltenders for years, and the "just trade Petry for anything" people who saw the original rebuild turn into a decade of darkness.

Yall are the same people and replacing quality hockey players with nothing has crippled this team a dozen times since the last cup.

Why are you trying to RUIN us when we are finally in a cup window? Havent you done enough?

 

[McFlyingV]

A whole lot of average at RD playing PK vs elites for 3.25M?

Sign me up! ill take 3 please.


You are asking for Josh Brown, the worst defender in the NHL, to take a major role on a contender. Thats what youre asking for.

Just like "just trade eberle for anything" people who saw us wind up with Spooner in our top 9, or the "just trade Dubnyk for anything" people who saw us wallow in bottom 5 goaltenders for years, and the "just trade Petry for anything" people who saw the original rebuild turn into a decade of darkness.

Yall are the same people and replacing quality hockey players with nothing has crippled this team a dozen times since the last cup.

Why are you trying to RUIN us when we are finally in a cup window? Havent you done enough?

The defence don't make our PK elite. The system and the forwards do. PK as a Defenceman is box people out and ice the puck. Something that fits Ceci perfectly because he has size and a terrible breakout pass and rarely needs to actually retrieve pucks.

No I'm not asking for Josh Brown to do anything. I don't expect him in the top 6 most nights even with Ceci gone. But cap space needs to go and you can't run a 20 man roster all year. Trading Ceci now gives the financial freedom to bring in a 6-8M cap hit D at the deadline.

I've also never advocated for moving any of the players you mentioned so nice try with your awful straw man.

 

[Wretched Oil]

Well if Ceci is gone then 1 of Brown or Stetcher step in as the 3RD and they are considerably cheaper than Ceci. We'll likely have to pay more for an improvement on ceci which is why I've also mentioned that maybe Kulak has to go as well.

Who's the 2RD?

 

[McFlyingV]

Who's the 2RD?

Broberg is going to get the chance there. He pretty much has to after outplaying 4 of our 6 D after not playing a game in a month and stepping into the WCF and SCF.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

1mil cap space at the deadline gets you someone who is more than double Ceci's cap hit with retention

*Looks at RHD thare are pending UFAs on non playoff teams this year*


Ya, that "someone" doesn't exist...

There's no Tanev this year, not even a Walker. If Ceci was available at the deadline he'd literally be at the top of the list around the league for teams needing RHD.

 

[McFlyingV]

*Looks at RHD thare are pending UFAs on non playoff teams this year*


Ya, that "someone" doesn't exist...

There's no Tanev this year, not even a Walker. If Ceci was available at the deadline he'd literally be at the top of the list around the league for teams needing RHD.

Not every team you think is going to make playoffs will, and I'd even take a guy playing his off side as a LH shot over Ceci on this team come playoffs.

I'll run through every possible option for you.
Anaheim - Cam Fowler 1 year left, Dumoulin pending UFA. Not sure if Dumoulin is an upgrade, I know he used to be but haven't followed him since his time with the Pens.
Calgary - Andersson 1 year left - RH shot, definitely a massive upgrade on Ceci.
LA - Gavrikov - LH shot, LA could very easily miss this year
Seattle - Larsson RH shot, could very easily miss this year
Vegas - Theodore LH shot, but plays the right side as well. Could easily miss if they get into injury troubles or if their goaltending gamble falls apart.
Columbus - Provorov, LH shot but an upgrade on Ceci
St. Louis - Nick Leddy 1 year remaining, LH shot but and upgrade on Ceci
Winnipeg - Pionk, RH shot. Someone might drop out of the Central with Nashville's retool and possibility of Minnesota bouncing back.
Pittsburgh - Pettersson - LH shot but upgrade on Ceci
Washington - Chychrun LH shot who can play R side. Not sure I'm sold on him but might bounce back this year.
Buffalo - Jokiharju RH shot. Possible upgrade depending how he continues to develop.
Detroit - Jeff Petry - not sure if he's still an upgrade haven't watched him recently.
Montreal - Savard (not my favourite pick but probably still an upgrade), Matheson LH shot 1 year remaining.

There's options out there for sure.