Rumor: Rumors & Proposals Thread | The Oilers Biggest Roster Need Is?

[TheNumber4]

We still in on the Jiricek sweepstakes? I’m not sold on the player, but if we hit a home run on a former 1st RHD. Could be franchise changing… if Bowman and friends like Jiricek. I say go for it. Even if it’s at the expense of Savoie.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I'm not super high on Jiricek but I agree that we should have a competitive offer for him. To me, this move would remove the sting of those offer sheets in the summer.

He has high end talent and has a low cap hit. If the move is soon there is still a lot of time until the deadline to maybe get someone else

Easier and cheaper to find small skill wingers than a high pedigree right shot d-man. But I'd be surprised if the Oilers put up Savoie.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Would max wanner and a late pick do it for jiricek. Similar spots in their development jiricek has a higher ceiling so the late pick makes up for it.

Not even close imo.

 

[GOilers88]

The poor starts are tied to goaltending at its root IMO.

Team has to play perfect in front of these shoddy goalies, but you need to be in mid-season/late season form generally to play that well, since the goalies don't give you enough leeway.

Then the goalie shits the bed to start, then the other players are all gripping their sticks too tight which then impacts the offense and then pile on big expectations for the team and the results are some what predictable. Throw in inexperienced coaches who haven't run NHL level training camps in their career and other teams playing 110% against us to start against us because they're trying to make a name for themselves.

You need to have a goalie that will give the team some goddamn leeway at the start of the year.

Until we get a better brand of goalie I wouldn't be surprised if these poor starts continue pretty much every year.

I don't buy that. Whole team started flat this year. Can't blame it all on the goalie.

It's not up to the goalie to make sure everyone is ready to go after camp, and while I agree he wasn't helping things, I refuse to lay the blame at the feet of one player. It happened when Smitty was here too. It's been happening going back to Talbot. Quick first shot goals that set the team back right from the hop. This has been a thing for so long I've lost track of how many years.

It's meme worthy how poor the Oilers are after any sort of extended breaks, and that seems to include the offseason.

 

[Mr Positive]

Easier and cheaper to find small skill wingers than a high pedigree right shot d-man. But I'd be surprised if the Oilers put up Savoie.

To be blunt about Savoie, he just got here. I don't see why we would be married to him. I guess he's from Edmonton so maybe we'd try someone else.

To me it makes sense. Both players are top 10 picks with a bit of a rocky start. Like for like.

 

[McDNicks17]

Jiricek seems risky. His Edge numbers are basically the same as Josh Brown's as far as speed and speed bursts go.

Betting on defensemen that are horrible skaters isn't usually the smartest move.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Right - the NHL API has been available since 2021 - meaning the fidelity of all advanced stats is from the NHL API and is the same.

I'm not really sure what your second point is - I already acknowledged the error due to rounding on that one graphic.

Aside from that, statistically from money pucks model - that shot from that location, with no change to the angle, with that level of defensive interference, with that speed of the play developing from the Florida own zone, with that amount of north south speed - goes in 1 time out of every 125 times. Natural Stat Tricks model puts the same shot at around 3/325, which is a slightly higher chance, but still only a goal approximately 1 out of every 108 times.

Again - Reinhart is statistically an average finisher who scores lots because he gets a large volume of chances - who has no history of scoring from that location - so this 1/125 to 3/325 chance of scoring is likely fairly accurate.

But I digress - clearly you disagree with that assessment, so let's agree to disagree.

The issue is your attempt to make a statistical conclusion between a fluke goal and the Cup Winning Goal implying a correlation through Skinner.

NHLEdge reinforces Reinhart's ability to score mid-range goals among the NHL top percentile. This wasn't an NHL average shooting making that play. The player isn't an average finisher by any NHL Edge metrics, shot volume; shooting percentage; ability to extend scoring to mid-range also is among NHL elite.

 

[Faelko]

I’m likely in the minority but my interest in Jiricek is minimal, sounds like he’s going to be expensive to acquire.

 

[Jarvi]

I dunno, Jiricek might be a fine dman once he settles in, but this team needs a project D with purported 'speed' issues like a hole in the head

They need to get a developed D, not another (slower) Broberg

I don't know a ton about Jiricek, but speed wouldn't be an issue if he is lacking wheels but makes up for it in other areas. He'd play with either Nurse or Kulak, both are great skaters.

If we get Jiricek and he looks like a good fit come deadline, I'd be content with the D and absolutely stoked if we could get a mid range vet RHD (Even Ceci) for if he implodes in the playoffs. Maybe Emberson goes out, don't really care about him, run something like

Ek-Bouch
Nurse-Jiricek
Kulak-Ceci
Stecher
Dermott
Brown

Obviously if Jiricek doesn't look like he can handle that role, you don't go for Ceci and maybe try for one of the other big names.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

To be blunt about Savoie, he just got here. I don't see why we would be married to him. I guess he's from Edmonton so maybe we'd try someone else.

To me it makes sense. Both players are top 10 picks with a bit of a rocky start. Like for like.

Fair point. I don't disagree though I kinda feel some of the Edmonton kid feels might be there. A teenage defenseman with a 36 points in 55 games is a very impressive baseline. Add the culture jump on-ice to smaller rinks and heavier play style along with the off-ice adjustments.

This is a unicorn player type caught in the development vortex of a losing systemic culture. Worth an aggressive pitch.

 

[brentashton]

Wanner has been pretty disappointing in Bako this year. I'd say his hype has lost some steam for now.

Dmen are notorious for taking time to become NHL ready. I wouldn’t throw Max W out with the bath water yet.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Jiricek has a lot of puck skill and can shoot the puck really well. He could be a Bouchard-lite for us but hopefully with more consistent compete.

 

[Mr Positive]

I don't know a ton about Jiricek, but speed wouldn't be an issue if he is lacking wheels but makes up for it in other areas. He'd play with either Nurse or Kulak, both are great skaters.

If we get Jiricek and he looks like a good fit come deadline, I'd be content with the D and absolutely stoked if we could get a mid range vet RHD (Even Ceci) for if he implodes in the playoffs. Maybe Emberson goes out, don't really care about him, run something like

Ek-Bouch
Nurse-Jiricek
Kulak-Ceci
Stecher
Dermott
Brown

Obviously if Jiricek doesn't look like he can handle that role, you don't go for Ceci and maybe try for one of the other big names.

It can be hard to predict how any individual plays with anyone else, but I don't agree that Nurse's skating ability means that his partner can be slow. Evidence supports that Nurse needs to play with a good skater. After Ceci, who wasn't a good skater, Nurse looked better with guys who could skate. Broberg and Kulak.

Nurse was also not great with Bouchard, who isn't a great skater either

 

[Jarvi]

It can be hard to predict how any individual plays with anyone else, but I don't agree that Nurse's skating ability means that his partner can be slow. Evidence supports that Nurse needs to play with a good skater. After Ceci, who wasn't a good skater, Nurse looked better with guys who could skate. Broberg and Kulak.

Nurse was also not great with Bouchard, who isn't a great skater either

That's true, didn't think of that. I will say, Nurse has looked like a different man this year. Granted we have tried to stick him with better skaters.

Maybe Jiricek isn't the fit, as much as I want them to target a young RHD like him.

 

[McTonyBrar]

Miller is someone I’d try for if I was Edmonton.

Edit: That guy deleted the tweet sorry guys

 

[K1984]

I still don’t really know what kind of dman compliments Nurse. Furthermore I’m not convinced that a 20 year old is it.

I generally have lots of opinions of what I think the Oilers should do but I’m generally lost on how they should find a suitable dman that they can afford realistically in terms of assets and cap.

I'm past the point of thinking they need a world beater on D. Get a standard issue #4 (say a Carrier from Nashville type) and a solid #6 with PK ability. This combined with a Skinner replacement an/or a new 1A/B for real redundancy and I think that's probably enough.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Would max wanner and a late pick do it for jiricek. Similar spots in their development jiricek has a higher ceiling so the late pick makes up for it.

From a CBJ POV, no big time.

Heck they had one of their drifters going through our forums a few weeks ago and his price for Jiricek started with Bouchard lol.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

From a CBJ POV, no big time.

Heck they had one of their drifters going through our forums a few weeks ago and his price for Jiricek started with Bouchard lol.

Well Bouchard for him is just as insane as wanner for him.

 

[McTonyBrar]

5:30 of this video confirms K'Andre Millers name is gaining traction

 

[Mr Positive]

Are we sure that Jiricek is a bad skater? I've read up on him and that doesn't seem to be the case. Could it be that he's holding back because he's trying to focus more on position and perhaps treading water in terms of tracking the play?

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Are we sure that Jiricek is a bad skater? I've read up on him and that doesn't seem to be the case. Could it be that he's holding back because he's trying to focus more on position and perhaps treading water in terms of tracking the play?

All the stats are comparable with Josh Brown.

He’s not a good skater

 

[Mr Positive]

All the stats are comparable with Josh Brown.

He’s not a good skater

Is it possible that whatever stats show this could be from something other than raw skating ability?

He is really young for Dman so it's expected to have some warts. Bouchard and Broberg were no different.

I do think that is an issue. It'd be nicer to get a Dman who is a bit further along in development. Still, these core prospects aren't always available

 

[Scrapin Ice]

Are we sure that Jiricek is a bad skater? I've read up on him and that doesn't seem to be the case. Could it be that he's holding back because he's trying to focus more on position and perhaps treading water in terms of tracking the play?

You played some right. Skating sort of takes over and becomes a part of what makes you as a player. Hold it back and hide it ...not very likely lol.

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

Jiricek has a lot of puck skill and can shoot the puck really well. He could be a Bouchard-lite for us but hopefully with more consistent compete.

Comparing this Jiricek guy's goal scoring ability to Bouchard is the equivalent of slander imo.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Well Bouchard for him is just as insane as wanner for him.

Yeah that’s kinda what I was getting at.

The two extremes.